Show 385, August 8, 2020: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar

Tracy Nelsen of Five CrownsLate last month Corona del Mar’s historic Five Crowns and SideDoor (part of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants) reopened the spacious backyard for open-air dining in the charming setting reminiscent of an English country garden.

Set with thoughtfully spaced tables and accented by fire pits, the backyard of the beloved, dining establishment offers the same gracious hospitality for which the restaurants are known. Guests sip on specialty cocktails under the twinkling lights and experience signature dishes from both Five Crowns and SideDoor offered on a single menu available for backyard dining and to-go.

In addition to Five Crowns specialties including Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and Skillet Jidori Chicken with pearl couscous, charred corn and salsa verde, four cuts of the classic Lawry’s Prime Ribs of Beef are available. SideDoor featured items available range from the always changing Artisanal Cheese Plate to Prime Rib Chili.

Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager certified Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with the specifics of what’s on the menu.

Show 366, March 28, 2020: Green Flash Brewing Co. and Alpine Beer Company with Certified Cicerone and Vice President of Hospitality Dave Adams

Dave Adams of Green Flash Brewing Company and Alpine Beer CompanyGreen Flash Brewing Co. has been crafting innovative award-winning beers in San Diego since 2002. “We obsess over every detail, because we believe each Green Flash beer should be as remarkable as the last. Green Flash was one of the original breweries in San Diego with a focus on big but approachable beers with tons of flavor and aromas. When the perfect ingredients come together at just the right moment, the result can be magical…a Green Flash.”

“Celebrated by craft beer fanatics as “The Home of Pure Hoppiness,” Alpine Beer Company was established in 1999 by husband and wife team, Pat and Val McIlhenney, with the creation of McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Shawn McIlhenney (Pat & Val’s son) now leads brewing operations in the small town of Alpine, located in the hills at the eastern edge of San Diego County. The brewery includes a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. Just a few blocks away, Alpine beers are on tap at the Alpine Beer Company Pub and served alongside barbecue dishes. In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales.

Dave Adams, Green Flash Brewing Co’s and Alpine Beer Co’s Vice President of Hospitality and a Certified Cicerone taps the keg for us on both independently-owned craft breweries.

Show 341, September 21, 2019: Libation & Food Journalist Greg Nagel with highlights from the California Craft Beer Summit

Greg Nagel of FirkFestGreg Nagel is a certified Cicerone Beer Server and, as a journalist, is a regular contributor to OC Weekly’s extensive beer, wine & spirits coverage. Recently held (September 12th to 14th) at the Long Beach Convention Center was the 3-day 2019 California Craft Beer Summit produced by the California Craft Brewers Association.

“The Craft Beer Summit is possibly the most important event of the year for anyone who loves tasting beer or is interested in building their business in the craft beer industry.

“The three-day event launched with hands-on education, tastings, pairings, interactive exhibits and networking opportunities and concluded with the largest California craft beer festival hosted outdoors on the water in Long Beach at Marina Green Park. Unlimited tastings were offered from 170 breweries from across California pouring more than 500 beers of every style and variety.”

Greg provides us with the effervescent highlights.

Show 173, May 28, 2016: “Dr.” Bill Sysak, Craft Beer Ambassador, Stone Brewing Co., San Diego

Doctor Bill SysakBill Sysak, or as he’s more often referred to as, “Dr. Bill,” is the Craft Beer Ambassador for California’s Stone Brewing Co. Dr. Bill is a Certified Cicerone, and has a demonstrated expertise in selecting, acquiring, and serving craft beers. He’s our always-thirsty guest.

“Take two Stone and call me in the morning.”

He received his nickname through his work as a combat medic in the military Army National Guard, and the moniker has stuck with him throughout his career in the craft beer industry. At Stone, he’s responsible for setting the beverage standard and ensuring the beverage philosophy is followed at all Stone Brewing Co. venues.

Dr. Bill suggests the beer, wine, and food pairings for the restaurants’ menus, and also coordinates and hosts many Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens events including: Beer & Cigar Dinners, Master Pairing events, SourFest, Oakuinox, Stone Pour it Black, and Rare Beer Breakfast.

Kelsey’s is the newly renovated all-American pub at Pechanga Resort + Casino with a specialty in barbequed meats and a rotating selection of craft beers on tap. (Pechanga will be hosting their 8th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival and Chili Cook-off on June 11th.) Stone Brewing Co. is well represented there. Dr. Bill suggests appropriate food pairings with the Stone selections at Kelsey’s along with basic tips for inspired beer and food pairings.

Stone’s latest effort in California in bringing craft beer and food together is a future tap room, restaurant, and micro-brewery in the historic Borreo Building in Napa. It’s circa 1877.

Show 130, July 11, 2015: Dr. Bill Sysak, Beer Ambassador – Stone Brewing Co., Brew Hee Haw Craft Beer Roundup Continues…

Doctor Bill SysakBrew Ha Ha Productions, creator of award-winning craft beer festivals in Orange County, along with the OC Fair, are presenting the 2nd Annual Brew Hee Haw Craft Beer Roundup on July 18-19, opening weekend of the OC Fair. The Brew Hee Haw offers day and evening tasting sessions and includes free admission to the OC Fair, a commemorative festival glass and special presentations by “Dr.” Bill Sysak, Craft Beer Ambassador & Certified Cicerone, at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido.

Additional new features at this 2nd Annual event are unlimited 2 oz. pours, more than 80 craft beer selections from some of the best breweries in the county, and no ticket fees when you buy the print at home tickets. Two VIP sessions are offered on Saturday, July 18th (12-4 p.m.) & (5-9 p.m.) and one on Sunday, July 19th (1-5 p.m.). Two GA sessions are offered on Saturday, July 18th (1-4 p.m.) & (6-9 p.m.) and one on Sunday, July 19th (2-5 p.m.), so check the OC Fair’s schedule for those days and plan to make a full day of it.

General Admission tickets are $50 and $60 the day of the event. VIP tickets are $65 and $75 the day of the event. A portion of the proceeds from Brew Hee Haw will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to ocbrewheehaw.com. For more information on the OC Fair, visit here.

Bill Sysak, or as he’s more often referred to, “Dr. Bill,” is the Craft Beer Ambassador for Stone Brewing Co. “Dr” Bill is a Certified Cicerone and has proven expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving craft beers. At Stone, he’s responsible for setting the beverage standard and ensuring the beverage philosophy is followed at all Stone Brewing Co. venues.

Dr. Bill also answers the frequently asked question of what qualifies as a “Craft Beer.”

Show 111, February 21, 2015: El Segundo Brewing Co. – Hammerland takes The Gold

Hammerland by El Segundo Brewing CompanyThe kickoff event for always eagerly anticipated San Francisco Beer Week is The Bistro Double IPA Fest in Hayward. For the Third year our own El Segundo Brewing Co. entered their craft beers into this prestigious competition. Their Hammerland took the Gold!

“This competition which is in its 15th year, included 63 Double IPAs mainly from California, and all of them are in the best possible condition they could be. Most of the kegging dates are within a week, and many breweries brew beers specifically for this Fest. A win here, in our not so humble opinion, is a true distinction of having the best hoppy beer in the land.”

On Friday March 20th is a celebration of winning the Gold for Hammerland. Beer enthusiasts are invited to The Brewery in El Segundo. Beginning at Noon it’s a party with Hammerland bottles available for sale right off the bottling line.

In the “Saturday” section of The Los Angeles Times on February 21st El Segundo Brewing Co’s Mayberry IPA was their “Beer of the Month.”

ESBC’s certified Cicerone, Thomas Kelley, is with us to celebrate the big win and explain the significance of this huge honor!

Show 45, October 26, 2013: Kent Bearden, Craft Beer & Spirits Specialist for Wirtz Beverage Nevada

Kent Bearden of Wirtz Beverage Group NevadaCraft beer, premium wines, and fine spirits are well represented at Life is Beautiful. In fact, the center of the spirited action will be at the Alchemy Gardens and the related Flight Tastings area (6th St. & Ogden Ave.) at the Festival. The Gardens showcased the beverages of 18 distinguished craft breweries, 18 quality wineries, and 18 spirits entities.

The separate Flight Tastings of spirits, craft beer, and premium wines were for an additional ticket price and included one-on-one tastings with distinguished winemakers, distillers, and craft beer brewers.

Craft Beer and Spirits Specialist Kent Bearden of Wirtz Beverage Nevada was with us to provide all the thirst-quenching details. He’s a Cicerone (certified beer specialist) and Certified Specialist of Spirits.

October 26: Life is Beautiful Festival from Las Vegas

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Mary Sue Milliken, Founder and Co-Owner of Border Grill Las Vegas
Segment Three: Kent Bearden, Craft Beer & Spirits Specialist for Wirtz Beverage Nevada
Segment Four: Oscar Goodman, immediate past Mayor (three terms) of Las Vegas
Segment Five: Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller fame
Segment Six: Elizabeth Blau of Blau & Associates in Las Vegas
Segment Seven: Jonathan Waxman, owner/chef of Barbuto in New York City
Segment Eight: Rick Moonen, owner/chef of Rx Boiler Room and rm seafood at the Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas

Life is Beautiful FestivalYou’ve been asking for it so here it is….Our first Las Vegas Special!

Jet is in Las Vegas this Weekend as a participant in the giant “Life Is Beautiful” Festival using an event area encompassing 15-blocks of Downtown Las Vegas. The storied El Cortez Hotel and several popular new restaurants are actually part of the Festival area.

Something like this on the scale that it represents has never really been tried before…Unusually the food and beverage component shares the spotlight with the music.

The biggest names in the culinary world like Tom Colicchio will all be there. Some will be performing cooking demos at the Chefs on Stage area and others serving up their signature dishes in the Culinary Village.

Saturday afternoon at 4:45 p.m. Jet is on the Chefs On Stage East with of Ben McKee of Imagine Dragons.

Jet is also in the Culinary Village with a Chef Jet tasting station. Say hello if you’re in the neighborhood…

Mary Sue Milliken of Border GrillChef, restaurateur, and food television star, Mary Sue Milliken, really needs no introduction to the show. Her “Two Hot Tamales” series for Food Network which she did with her business partner, Susan Feniger, was one of the early hit series for the network. More recently she competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.”

One of the most successful Border Grills is located in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel on The Strip.

Mary Sue and Susan are on the Chef on Stage East at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday at Life is Beautiful.

Kent Bearden of Wirtz Beverage Group NevadaCraft beer, premium wines, and fine spirits are well represented at Life is Beautiful. In fact the center of the spirited action will be at the Alchemy Gardens and the related Flight Tastings area (6th St. & Ogden Ave.) at the Festival. The Gardens will showcase the beverages of 18 distinguished craft breweries, 18 quality wineries, and 18 spirits entities.

Craft Beer and Spirits Specialist Kent Bearden of Wirtz Beverage Nevada is with us to provide all the thirst-quenching details. He’s a Cicerone (certified beer specialist) and Certified Specialist of Spirits.

Oscars Goodman former mayor of Las VegasOscar Goodman is the immediate past Mayor of Las Vegas. During his three terms as Mayor he liked to refer to himself as the “Happiest Mayor in the World.” He proudly drinks at least one gin martini a day and on official business he used to travel with two gorgeous Las Vegas Showgirls with one on each arm. His wife, Carolyn, the current Mayor approves.

Oscar is with us to discuss his leadership role in reawaking Downtown Las Vegas, his new autobiography, and his upscale steakhouse at The Plaza in Downtown.

When it comes to big city Mayors in the USA Mr. Goodman is surely a colorful original. Mayor Goodman current serves as the official Goodwill Ambassador for Las Vegas.

Jet Tila and Penn JilletteIn the world of stage magicians there is no enduring act quite like Penn & Teller. Las Vegas is the ideal base for these two performing vets. Their home, since 2003, is at The Rio just off The Strip.

He’s also a musician. Penn plays the upright bass.

What the general public doesn’t know is that Penn Jillette is an accomplished home cook. Jet has been cooking with him recently and Penn will be our very special guest.

Elizabeth Blau of Blau and AssociatesElizabeth Blau shattered the glass ceiling with female food & beverage executives in Las Vegas some 15 years ago working with Steve Wynn at The Bellagio recruiting high profile celebrity chefs to headline the restaurants there. It created the much-copied template for the future of big deal restaurants on The Strip.

Currently she is the Founder and CEO of Blau and Associates with her husband Chef Kim Canteenwalla. They provide food service consulting at the top level for highly discriminating, and demanding, clients.

Their personal restaurant projects in Las Vegas include Society Café at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Honey Salt in Summerlin for the locals, and the newly opened Buddy V’s Ristorante (with TLC’s “Cake Boss” Buddy Vaslastro) located in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian with a western facing view of the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Jonathan WaxmanHe’s affectionately known as the Obi Wan Kanobi of chefs because of his practical, no-nonsense approach to cooking and we’re talking about the Manhattan-based Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto in the West Village. You’ve seen him competing on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” and Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” His most recent cookbook is Italian, My Way: More Than 150 Simple and Inspired Recipes That Breathe New Life into Italian Classics by Jonathan Waxman and Tom Colicchio (Apr 5, 2011.) The roasted chicken recipe as served at Barbuto is a classic.

We have great affection for him in California for his early years with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and as a recognized pioneer of California cuisine.

He’s in Las Vegas for “Life is Beautiful” Festival and will be honored Friday night at the kick-off dinner, “Grill and Guitars,” with a menu prepared by celebrity chefs.

Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las VegasAn acclaimed former New York chef, know as a seafood master, has really taken to living in Las Vegas. We’re talking about Chef Rick Moonen.

His latest creation is Rx Boiler Room in the Shoppes at Mandalay Place (on the upper level.) The decor is over the top but our Las Vegas food expert, Brock Radke, Food Editor of Las Vegas Weekly, recommends the menu. Highlights include bacon-wrapped pork belly and “fish tacos” which are actually kampachi tartare presented in crunchy/crisp taro root shells. There is a serious cocktail program at Rx.

Chef Rick will also chat about what he’s doing on both Saturday and Sunday at “Life is Beautiful.”

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Mary Sue Milliken, Founder and Co-Owner of Border Grill Las Vegas
Segment Three: Kent Bearden, Craft Beer & Spirits Specialist for Wirtz Beverage Nevada
Segment Four: Oscar Goodman, immediate past Mayor (three terms) of Las Vegas
Segment Five: Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller fame
Segment Six: Elizabeth Blau of Blau & Associates in Las Vegas
Segment Seven: Jonathan Waxman, owner/chef of Barbuto in New York City
Segment Eight: Rick Moonen, owner/chef of Rx Boiler Room and rm seafood at the Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas