For our concluding segment at 11:45 a.m. our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) continues his timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.
What is bromated flour and why are New York bagel bakers and pizzaiolos concerned about pending legislation that might make it an illegal ingredient. Chef Andrew explains.
Andrew Gruel’s Family Cookbook is available with signed copies at his Calico Fish House on Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach.
John Park is a prominent (and well-credentialed) Orange County-based restauranteur, chef, baker and dessert artisan. He is fondly remembered for creating the menus at Toast Kitchen + Bakery in Costa Mesa and Tableau Kitchen and Bar in South Coast Plaza. While perfecting a recipe for pizza dough Chef John became intrigued with creating an assortment of redefined fusion bagels along with premium bagel sandwiches. The result is Rise Bagels (opened with business partner, John I. Park) in Irvine at Centerview at Irvine Concourse.
“Rise Bagels features a lighter, airier bagel with the chew of a traditional New York bagel, reimagined as a canvas for Southern California’s fresh produce and seafood.”
Think Pokeman with ahi tuna, sesame shoyu, seaweed salad, imitation crab, soy pickled onion, cucumber, tobiko with a Tokyo negi schmear.
“The menu highlights collaborations with local farmers, fishermen and artisan olive oil makers. Rise Bagels’ menu balances tradition with creativity, offering open-faced selections like the “One Fish” with citrus-cured salmon, yuzu kosho pickled onion, tomato, dill, citrus olive oil, and lemon schmear, alongside inventive sandwiches such as the “Get Jjigae with it,” featuring bulgogi, kimchi jjigae, scrambled eggs, American cheese, sesame leaf, soy pickled radish, cucumber kimchi, and ssamjang schmear.”
Current bagel options are Salted, Everything, Furikake, Cheddar Jalapeno, Sesame and Cinnamon Raisin.
Chef John takes a break from his busy kitchen, and proofing bagels, to join us.
“Adaeze (Ah-Day-Zee) Nwanonyiri (Won-num-yeary) and Lenny Rosenberg are the Los Angeles-based, Nigerian and Jewish husband and wife duo committed to buying, selling and designing restaurants and bakeries with a multicultural twist. They are the new owners of New York Bagel Deli & Bakery in Santa Monica and still retain an interest in Bea’s in Tarzana, a much beloved Jewish bakery that is famous for their corn rye bread. At New York Bagel Deli & Bakery all the bagels (17 selections) are baked in-house as well as the pastries.”
“In Santa Monica they have added a proprietary multicultural dessert line with their Number 1 seller, French Toast Bagel served with real Maple Syrup. Also newly created are Chocolate Dipped Almond Horns and Italian Rainbow Cookies. The aim is to maintain the New York deli vibe with a hint of L.A. sophistication.”
“Bea’s Bakery is fixture of California life for almost sixty years, providing comfort and nourishment to thousands in what was once a rich tradition of Jewish bakeries in America. Originally opened in 1968 by Sol Litwak and his son Jules, it was named after Sol’s wife Beatrice, known affectionately as “Bea.” Lenny and Adaeze took the bakery over in 2023. Food brings people together and allows them to be transported back to the traditional tastes and aromas of their childhood, while bringing them up to date with healthy options that cater to all.”
“This is their first book and it’s a joyous celebration of the best recipes from Bea’s, including Jewish and Nigerian signature dishes, along with scores of tasty treats from around the globe that will appeal to people of all nations and creeds. The recipes for all the baked goods, desserts and pastries at New York Bagel Deli & Bakery are included in the book. If you love to bake and enjoy discovering new favorites as well as timeless old standards you’ll find yourself making the recipes again and again to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.”
Lenny and Adaeze put down their well-used whisk and rolling pin and join us.
Modernist Pizza by Nathan Myhrvold and Chef Francisco Migoya is the result of 200,000 hours of work by the talented team of culinary professionals and food scientists. “It’s the ultimate deep dive into one of the world’s most beloved foods. Over four years of research in the making, Modernist Pizza delivers the story of pizza as it’s never been told before. The book is the culmination of Modernist Cuisine’s findings and discoveries into the deliciously diverse world of pizza, including, for the first time, a chapter on travel.”
“Whether you’re a professional pizzaiolo or new to making pizza, Modernist Pizza is for anyone who enjoys a slice. The recipes in the book were developed using both professional and home ovens (and equipment). Filled with gorgeous photographs and helpful illustrations, you’ll find guides to help you choose gear, determine where to start with their dough recipes, and build your own pizzas.”
Modernist Pizza explores all aspects of pizza. Volumes 1 and 2 cover the science, history, fundamentals, ingredients, pizza travels, and techniques of making pizza. Volume 3 is dedicated to both traditional and innovative recipes for pizza found around the globe. A Kitchen Manuel (400 pages, wire-bound) makes the recipes portable.”
“Deep-dish pizza made with Neapolitan dough. A game-changing flavor-infused fiord di latte mozzarella. Ordinary canned soup, transformed into robust pizza sauce. The ultimate leftover slice. Backed by extensive experiments, Modernist Pizza contains new insights, techniques, and scientific knowledge that will take your pizza-making skills and creativity to the next level.”
“Francisco Migoya is the coauthor of Modernist Bread (2017) and Modernist Pizza (2021.) As head chef, he leads the Modernist Cuisine culinary team in Bellevue, Washington. An innovative pastry chef Migoya is the author of three books on his own. He has been recognized as a top US pastry chef and chocolatier.” Prior to joining the Modernist Cuisine team, Migoya was a professor at the Culinary Institute of America, where his areas of instruction included bread, viennoiserie, pastry, and culinary science.”
Back in early February Chef Migoya conducted an informative Instagram presentation / demo for the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) (high school Culinary Arts students.) It was all about bagels with an emphasis about how the Modernist Cuisine team resolved the problem of the variety of possible toppings staying on the fresh-baked bagels after you buy them. It also highlights the process of how the innovative Modernist Cuisine team researches and then solves culinary dilemmas.
Chef Francisco Migoya continues with us spoodle in hand.
One of our most reliable sources of accurate restaurant news in fabulous Las Vegas is Al Mancini, who is a staff writer for The Las Vegas Review-Journal covering food, restaurants and other aspects of entertainment. Al has been working the Vegas food scene for 19 years. He was one of the creators of the popular, and widely referenced, Eating Las Vegas restaurant guidebook series.
Al joins us with Part 2 of his quarterly update on the Las Vegas dining scene. He’s sharing an insider’s overview of what’s new including the diverse menu offerings (think quality New York-style bagels and banh mi) at local food personality Jolene Mannina’s Vegas Test Kitchen on Fremont Street. Al also remembers visionary entrepreneur Tony Hsieh (co-founder of Zappos) who is credited with reviving the (now vibrant) dining scene in Downtown Las Vegas. It was ultimately a tidy $350 million dollar investment.
