Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef & Partner Dominique Crisp, Saso, Pasadena Part One
Segment Three: Chef & Partner Dominique Crisp, Saso, Pasadena Part Two
Segment Four: Chef Katie Chin, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook Part One
Segment Five: Chef Katie Chin, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook Part Two
Segment Six: Tristen Beamon, Chief Operating Officer, Wine Exchange, Santa Ana
Segment Seven: Chef Jet Tila & Ali Tila, “Ben & Jerry’s : Clash of the Cones”
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”
We’re previewing the show with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris.
“Saso in Pasadena, (launched earlier this year) draws inspirations from three coast regions treasured by Chef/Partner Dominique Crisp: his home in Los Angeles, his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, and his travels within Basque Country. Throughout the menu, his dedication to the slow-food movement shines with hyper-local ingredients and French-taught cooking techniques.” “At Saso, a passion for coastal cuisine is met with Dominique’s deep appreciation and understanding of farming. Born on his family’s vineyard in Wren, Oregon – raising livestock, fishing, and harvesting has always been an essential part of his life. A respect for the land, sea, and supporting those who are sustainably harvesting the bounty is an integral ethos that flows through Saso.” Chef Dom takes a break from prep in his busy kitchen to join us.
“Professional chef, TV personality and working mom of three, Katie Chin, introduces her newest cookbook, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook – Internationally-Inspired Recipes Your Friends and Family Will Love! With 170 globally-inspired recipes, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook, celebrates diversity and multiculturalism including Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Korean, Jewish, Thai dishes and more! The book also includes cultural celebrations featuring Jeannie Mai and her mom The Mama Mai (Lunar New Year), Debbie Matenopoulos (Greek Easter), Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent and Faye Levy (Hanukkah) and Chef Jeffrey Saad (Cinco de Mayo). Chef Katie is our guest, tongs in hand.
How does one of the premier wine retailers on the West Coast, Wine Exchange, operate during the pandemic? How do the principals continue to taste and buy wine with all the restrictions? What happens to the in-store experience? Wine Exchange, based in Santa Ana by the 55 Freeway, carries premium imported wines from Europe and abroad. Typically the partners travel abroad annually to do barrel tastings that future buying decisions revolve around. How did they navigate the crazy on-again and off-again tariffs? The Wine Exchange’s Chief Operating Officer, Tristen Beamon, joins us with his informed perspective.
Celebrity Chef, Food TV Personality and Author Jet Tila needs no introduction to listeners of the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” The same holds true for Ali Tila, Jet’s wife and business partner. She is also an accomplished pastry chef and author. Their latest collaboration is as the judges (along with Chris Rivard, a Ben & Jerry’s flavor expert) on Food Network’s “Ben & Jerry’s : Clash of the Cones.” The four-episode series hosted by Molly Yeh debuts on Monday, August 16th. We’re talking about decadent ice cream, the perfect Summer treat, with Jet & Ali Tila.
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is continually updating us on the real impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the continued survival of restaurants during the initial, highly fluid stages of the hoped-for recovery. Genuine concerns remain… Chicken is ever popular as a practical and versatile menu item for dining at home. There are some cautions in the home kitchen in handling raw chicken. The possibility of cross-contamination without taking proper precautions is a health concern. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
“Saso in Pasadena, (launched earlier this year) draws inspirations from three coast regions treasured by Chef Dominique Crisp: his home in Los Angeles, his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, and his travels within Basque Country. Throughout the menu, his dedication to the slow-food movement shines with hyper-local ingredients and French-taught cooking techniques. Previously he helmed the kitchens at the beloved seafood restaurants, L&E Oyster Bar in Silver Lake, CA and Blue Plate Oysterette in Santa Monica, CA.”
“At Saso, a passion for coastal cuisine is met with Dominique’s deep appreciation and understanding of farming. Born on his family’s vineyard in Wren, Oregon – raising livestock, fishing, and harvesting has always been an essential part of his life. A respect for the land, sea, and supporting those who are sustainably harvesting the bounty is an integral ethos that flows through Saso.”
“I want coastal cuisine from Baja to Alaska to shine by showcasing farmers, fishermen and butchers we work with,” says Dominique Crisp. “We need to reconnect with food as much as we need to reconnect with each other.”
“Dominique’s goal is to emphasize the relationships he’s built with artisanal purveyors to continually develop Saso’s narrative. Not entirely a “Basque restaurant,” Saso aims to bring the energetic nature of Basque Country dining to Los Angeles with a foundation of sustainable Pacific coastal cuisine.”
“Diners can expect rotating local whole fish options, a variety of niche oysters, dramatic bar creations, flaming Spanish coffees, and an extensive reserve wine list sourced from all over the globe.”
A charcoal Josper oven imported from Barcelona gives life to dishes such as a Navarra-style Bone-in Wagyu Tomahawk and Alaskan Mussels with fennel, charred leek, and chistorra. The ‘Rolls Royce of charcoal ovens,’ the Josper features a unique enclosed-bbq design, which offers varied levels of heat and char for a distinct wood-fired flavor without sacrificing moisture.
“Saso’s bar program features a wine list highlighting rare txakolinas from the Basque Country alongside natural wines from Lumos Wine Company (the vineyard where Dominique was born). Guests are in for a spectacular happy hour with top notch imported ciders, wine and beers on draught along with a blend of classic and signature cocktails drawing inspiration from Los Angeles to Portland to San Sebastián.”
“Housed in the century-old Pasadena Playhouse, Saso’s dining room and lounge area add a contemporary touch to the building’s historic architecture, including a large-scale, custom 40ft mural from renowned LA-based artist Tim Biskup.”
On the patio diners can enjoy a breezy, socially distanced meal in a courtyard shared with the Pasadena Playhouse, adorned with string lights and an ornate water fountain.
Chef Dom takes a break from prep in his busy kitchen to join us.
“Professional chef, TV personality and working mom of three, Katie Chin, introduces her newest cookbook, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook – Internationally-Inspired Recipes Your Friends and Family Will Love! With 170 globally-inspired recipes, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook,celebrates diversity and multiculturalism including Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Korean, Jewish, Thai dishes and more! The book also includes cultural celebrations featuring Jeannie Mai and her mom The Mama Mai (Lunar New Year), Debbie Matenopoulos (Greek Easter), Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent and Faye Levy (Hanukkah) and Chef Jeffrey Saad (Cinco de Mayo).”
“Everyday family-favorite recipes include: · Thai Curry Meatball Subs · Mexican Chimichurri Burgers · Chinese Sesame Peanut Noodles · Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza · Miso Deviled Eggs, and more.”
“Katie learned to cook alongside her mother (Restaurateur Leeann Chin) and it’s an experience she now loves to share with her daughter. She hopes to inspire other families to have fun in the kitchen together with these recipes.”
“Katie Chin co-hosted the national PBS cooking series “Double Happiness,” has been a guest judge on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” and appeared as a contestant on “Cutthroat Kitchen” and “Beat Bobby Flay.” Recently, Katie and her kids teamed up for the online series “Cooped Up Cooking with Katie” — meant to inspire people stuck at home during COVID-19 to get creative in the kitchen. She is the author of Everyday Thai Cooking and Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook and the Culinary Ambassador for The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.”
Chef Katie Chin joins us.
“In 2015 Steve and Craig Zanotti (the original founders of Wine Exchange in 1982,) Tristen Beamon and Kyle Meyer came full circle with the Best Wines Group purchase of Wine Exchange and winex.com. The team, back together again, have now created their idea of the perfect wine sales and education platform including their state-of-the-art website, brand new wine showroom, irreverent but timely daily missives, a healthy social media following with over 500,000 views on their YouTube channel, The Extract, a progressive Pre-Arrivals offering system and, of course, those same rock-bottom prices.”
How does one of the premier wine retailers on the West Coast operate (and survive) during the pandemic? How do the principals continue to taste and buy with all the restrictions? How does the guest experience in-store evolve? Wine Exchange carries premium wines from Europe and abroad. Typically the partners travel abroad annually to do barrel tastings that key buying decisions revolve around. How did they navigate the crazy on-again and off-again tariffs?
The Wine Exchange’s Chief Operating Officer, Tristen Beamon, joins us with his informed perspective.
Celebrity Chef, Food TV Personality and Author Jet Tila needs no introduction to listeners of the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” The same holds true for Ali Tila, Jet’s wife and business partner. She is also an accomplished pastry chef and cookbook author.
Their latest collaboration is as the esteemed judges (along with Chris Rivard, a Ben & Jerry’s flavor expert) on Food Network’s “Ben & Jerry’s: Clash of the Cones.” The four-episode limited series hosted by Molly Yeh debuts on Monday, August 16th.
“Six ice cream masters from across the country have been hand-picked for a once in a lifetime opportunity: to create an original Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor of their own.”
“Over four episodes, host Molly Yeh challenges the ice cream makers to capture the essence of a celebrity or pop culture icon in a new and innovative ice cream flavor, inspired by the direction given from the celebrity themselves.”
Chef Jet and Ali will also update us on the status of their new Thai cookbook set to launch in January.
Chef Jet and Ali Tila are our guests.
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is continually updating us on the real impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the continued survival of restaurants during the initial, highly fluid stages of the hoped-for recovery with the new concerns about the Delta variant. Genuine concerns remain…
Chicken is ever popular as a practical and versatile menu item for dining at home. There are some cautions in the home kitchen in handling raw chicken. Cross-contamination without proper precautions is a genuine health concern. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”
Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef & Partner Dominique Crisp, Saso, Pasadena Part One
Segment Three: Chef & Partner Dominique Crisp, Saso, Pasadena Part Two
Segment Four: Chef Katie Chin, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook Part One
Segment Five: Chef Katie Chin, Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook Part Two
Segment Six: Tristen Beamon, Chief Operating Officer, Wine Exchange, Santa Ana
Segment Seven: Chef Jet Tila & Ali Tila, “Ben & Jerry’s : Clash of the Cones”
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”
