Show 385, August 8, 2020: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

Late 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 of the expansive property 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. Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager, Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with a tempting overview of what’s now on the menu.

Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Their specialty is authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin, high-end Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

3rd generation restaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo. Salisbury is not one for utilizing voluminous operating manuals but over the years has acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America by-the-way.) It’s truly an essential and valuable read for all aspiring restaurateurs. Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Winemakers and life partners Mireia Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream boutique winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County. Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs. Grenache and Graciano are in their future. Winemakers Tara and Mireia join us to pull the cork on all that is Camins 2 Dreams.

DTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza concept is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.” “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ.  These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.” Chef Michael Hung joins us to artfully toss & stretch the from-scratch pizza dough. 

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 regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately take-out/delivery when you can surely helps… National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about fully appreciating oysters. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone ?

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness (with proper Social Distancing) on this week’s not-to-miss show!

August 8: Five Crowns & SideDoor, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Ron Salisbury, Camins 2 Dreams, DTLA Pizza

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Three: Filippo Fusco, Managing Partner, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Irvine
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part Two
Segment Six: Winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo, Camins 2 Dreams Winery, Lompoc
Segment Seven: Chef Michael Hung, DTLA Pizza, Los Angeles
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Late 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 of the property 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. Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager, Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with a tempting overview of what’s now on the menu.

Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Their specialty is authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

Restaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo. Salisbury is not one for utilizing voluminous operating manuals but over the years has acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America.) It’s truly an essential read for all aspiring restaurateurs. Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Winemakers and life partners Mireia Taribo Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream boutique winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County. Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs. Winemakers Mireia and Tara join us to pull the cork on all that is Camins 2 Dreams.

“DTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza concept is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.” “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ. These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.” Chef Michael Hung joins us to artfully toss & stretch the pizza dough.

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 regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately Take-Out / Delivery when you can surely helps… National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about fully appreciating oysters. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone?

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 Colorado Lamb Chops four cuts of the classic Lawry’s Prime Ribs of Beef are available. SideDoor featured items available range from the 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.

Filippo Fusco of Angelina's Pizzeria NapoletanaAngelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Angelina’s Pizzeria specializes in authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Overseen by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Napoli, the VPN certifies that Angelina’s adheres to the strict requirements that make their pizzas “true Neopolitan Pizza.”

Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

Ron Salisbury of El CholoRestaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo.

In the decades since Ron has launched restaurants throughout Southern California. In addition to the El Cholo’s newer ventures are The Cannery and Louie’s By the Bay, both located in Newport Beach.

Salisbury is not one for voluminous operating manuals but over the years he acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America.) It’s truly an essential read for all aspiring restaurateurs.

Ron Salisbury is the recipient of the Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Chapter of the California Restaurant Association. He has lectured at The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University Pomona.

Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo Tena of Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc CaliforniaWinemakers and life partners Mireia Taribo Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County.

Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

“We are lucky both to live and make our wines in the Santa Rita Hills where foggy mornings and cool nights combine with marine soils to make the perfect ingredients for outstanding wines. “

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs.

Tara Gomez, a Native American, is also the Winemaker for Kita Wines, a small premium winery in the Santa Ynez Valley owned by the Chumash Tribe (Chumash Casino Resort.)

Mireia and Tara join us to pull the cork on Camins 2 Dreams.

Michael Hung of Faith and FlowerDTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza establishment is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.”

“Los Angeles meets the Oranges, as in the same area of northern New Jersey as the Sopranos, at DTLA Pizza. This area is also Chef Michael Hung’s inspiration as he drew from his New Jersey roots to create DTLA Pizza’s menu of true pizzeria classics. “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ.  These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.””

“DTLA Pizza features two different styles of Pizza – expertly crafted Neapolitan-Style Pies from the wood oven and Sicilian-Style Pan Pizzas with thick focaccia crusts. In addition to the classic 4-Cheese PizzaDTLA Pizza offers two other Signature Pizzas: The Street Meat Magic Pizza loaded with pepperoni, mortadella, Italian sausage, and prosciutto, and It’s Literally Possible Pizza which is a fully plant-based pizza prepared with Impossible sausage, marinated peppers and onions, and vegan mozzarella. In addition to the Signature Pizzas, guests can also Build Your Own Pizza with a selection of over a dozen toppings, and all of the Pizzas at DTLA Pizza can be made either Neapolitan Style or Sicilian Style.”

DTLA Pizza is open for TakeoutDelivery, and Curbside Pickup (only) every Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. To order, please call 213.465.9400 and guests can Curbside pickup at 709 West 9th Street in South Park district of downtown Los Angeles by calling DTLA Pizza upon arrival, or choose Delivery through CaviarDoorDashGrubhubTock, or UberEats.

Chef Michael joins us to artfully toss and stretch the dough.

Chef Andrew Gruel savoring a New Jersey style Pizza“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 regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately Take-Out / Delivery when you can surely helps…

National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about appreciating oysters in the raw state. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone?

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Three: Filippo Fusco, Managing Partner, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Irvine
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part Two
Segment Six: Winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo, Camins 2 Dreams Winery, Lompoc
Segment Seven: Chef Michael Hung, DTLA Pizza, Los Angeles
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Show 325, May 25, 2019: Joshua Greene, Editor & Publisher, Wine & Sprits Magazine on WSLA Drink + Eat 2019

Joshua Greene of Wine and Spirits MagazineWine & Spirits Magazine is hosting the WSLA Drink + Eat 2019 event on the afternoon of June 2nd in DTLA at The Unique Space. Some 75 plus wineries from around the world will be pouring that afternoon, with food provided by a collection of Los Angeles’ most noteworthy restaurants (including Hippo, Maude, NoMad, 71 Above, Faith and Flower, E.R.B. and more).

“All of the participating wineries had a wine that earned a place in the magazine’s 30th Annual Restaurant Poll. Wine Directors from some of the country’s top restaurants responded to the query with their top sellers in the by-the-glass and full bottle categories. Not surprisingly, the results showcase a compelling lineup of wines that might be considered the most popular wines in the country. These wines encompass a broad range of grape varieties, winemaking styles, and places of origin.”

The WSLA Drink + Eat afternoon will celebrate not only the 30th annual publication of this list, but also the elevation of Los Angeles to its present status as a premier food destination city. Some of the area’s hottest restaurants will be serving dishes specially selected to pair with the wines. All of the invited restaurants were included in Patrick Comiskey’s recent Essential LA wine-and-food Experience piece in the magazine.

Wine & Spirits’ Editor/Publisher, Joshua Greene, uncorks all the event details for us.

Special Discount Offer: “SoCal Restaurant Show” listeners have been generously gifted with a 20 per cent off General Admission bonus ! On the ticketing website use Discount Code : WSLAANDY and receive a generous 20 per cent the General Admission ticket price of $85. (This reduces the GA price to $68!) The offer is limited…Also includes a year subscription to Wine & Spirits Magazine.

Show 316, March 23, 2019: Masters of Taste Preview with Host Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower

Michael HungMasters of Taste is a premier food and beverage festival on the field of the iconic Rose Bowl on Sunday April 7th. 10 percent of event proceeds benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) organization. The fourth annual event introduces an exciting new host chef concept, featuring Michael Hung (Faith & Flower) as the premier event host/ambassador.

2,500 guests will stroll the 50-yard line as they feast on the finest fare from L.A.’s top chefs and restaurants, sip signature handcrafted cocktails from L.A.’s Master Mixologists, enjoy tastings from some of California’s most eclectic wineries and local craft breweries, listen to live entertainment and so much more. #SundayFunday redefined.

“For more than 45 years, Union Station Homeless Services has helped adults and families facing hunger, homelessness, and poverty in our community. Everyday, our staff has the privilege of working with people on a journey – people who trust us enough to let us into their lives so that we can provide the outreach, shelter, housing, and employment services they need for a better life. Union Station has grown and expanded in recent years. Our staff has more than doubled in size; our geographic reach has expanded to include Pasadena and 32 cities in San Gabriel Valley; and our programming has evolved and adapted to serve the most vulnerable members of our society – people experiencing chronic homelessness, chronic health conditions, disabilities, mental illness, and substance use.”

Masters of Taste is definitely a Family affair for Host Chef Michael. His brother, Jon Hung, is now the chef at The Raymond 1886. He’ll also be part of Masters of Taste.

Chef Michael’s dish for Masters of Taste is a Roasted Prime Striploin.

Chef Michael Hung is out guest.

Show 154, January 9, 2016: Executive Chef Michael Hung, Viviane Restaurant, Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills

Michael Hung“Welcome to Viviane Restaurant, a collaboration between Bombet Hospitality Group and Proper Hospitality, located in the iconic Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills. Viviane features award-winning chef Michael Hung’s (Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant) modern California interpretation of classic European and American cuisine.

Chef Michael’s menu is paired with a curated wine list of boutique vineyards and 1950’s inspired seasonal cocktails. Join us daily for lunch and dinner, weekdays for breakfast, and weekends for brunch. Experience food, drink, and festivity indoors or poolside in our Kelly Wearstler-designed space, a mid-century modern oasis sequestered away from the hurried pace of Los Angeles.”

“We love classic American and European cuisine. Dishes as simple as a properly roasted chicken or decadent as lobster cloaked in cognac and cream speak to us. At Viviane, we revive these flavors with a sense of California freshness. We present them to you with care. We hope a conversation begins with you.”

Chef Hung and Viviane Restaurant go out of their way to create special menus (with a sense of humor) for the Holidays. Christmas Day was a tribute to the feature film, “A Christmas Story,” and highlighted Chef Michael’s take on dinner at Chop Suey Palace. Check into their upcoming Valentine’s Day menu for added inspiration.

Tucked in a secluded residential neighborhood adjacent to Los Angeles’ most famous restaurants, shopping and cultural attractions, Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills was originally built in 1949 as the Beverly Carlton. Once a home-away-from-home for mid-century celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Mae West, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the hotel got a second life and its current name when it was revamped by The Kor Group and Kelly Wearstler Interior Designs in 1999. Today, the property comprises three unique structures – the Olympic Building, Beverly Tower and Cañon Building – and offers 84 guestrooms, a full-service wellness studio, an hourglass pool and patio with outdoor dining.

Chef Michael Hung (ex-Faith & Flower) is our guest.

Show 152, December 26, 2015: Show Preview with Guest Host Chef Andrew Gruel and Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

The happiest of Happy Holidays (Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year) to all of our listeners and we’re back live with a fresh show (that’s sure to please) on January 2, 2016. Please join us often in the New Year!

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosExecutive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, now, Brea, is back with us by phone in the 2nd segment.

Next a mouthwatering preview of Saturday’s high-energy and appropriately festive show and not, with apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s probably a good thing…

Christmas Day is a difficult day to dine-out. For the most part the restaurants that are open are Chinese restaurants or restaurants located in Hotels. Executive Chef Michael Hung (ex-Faith & Flower) of Viviane Restaurant at the Avalon Beverly Hills really went the extra mile for his Christmas Day Dinner Menu. Executive Producer Andy was there and talks about the upbeat experience.

Our regular Guest Host, Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish, was just quoted in a front page New York Times Food Section piece, “Casting a Wider Net – Lesser-known, more sustainable fish are landing on American menus.” The article was written by Jeff Gordinier. Chef Andrew has discussed this significant trend on the show previously and we’ll revisit it.

There is just never enough time to talk with our always informative resident produce guru, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s World Variety Produce. We’ll pick up where we left off in his last report just before Thanksgiving. Looking ahead Robert will also share his Top 5 Produce Trends for the New Year. You will be surprised…

The Rose Bowl arguably has the richest history of college bowl games. It is affectionately known as “The Granddaddy of Them All” for good reason. Celebrating its 60th year of grand tradition as part of The Tournament of Roses and the Rose Bowl Game is the Lawry’s Beef Bowl. Our guests are the long time organizer (24 years) of the event for Lawry’s, Colleen Donatucci, and Todd Erickson, the author of Road to the Rose Bowl – 50 Years of Lawry’s Beef Bowl. Bring on the silver cart…

Bravo’s “Top Chef” has been an enormous hit for the emerging network. It’s now airing Season 13 which is, appropriately, all California – based. It’s also made a media star of Co-host Tom Colicchio. This season a couple of Southern California chefs are Cheftestants including the OC’s Amar Santana of Broadway by Amar Santana and the just opened Vaca in Costa Mesa. Food journalist Anne Marie Panoringan (who contributes the widely read “On the Line” chef profiles for OC Weekly) is writing an opinionated weekly recap of “Top Chef” with the emphasis on the OC perspective. We’ll talk to her about this.

It’s Champagne time. Our resident wine authority, Kyle Meyer of Wine Exchange in Santa Ana, is with us to discuss “Grower Champagne.” It’s a delightful passion at Wine Exchange.

There is still just never enough time to talk with our always informative resident produce guru, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s World Variety Produce. He’s back with a helpful, fact-filled 2nd segment this morning. Robert is profiling the current options for Variety Onions and Variety Potatoes.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

Show 152, December 26, 2015: Dining on Christmas – Executive Producer & Co-host Andy Harris

Baby Kale, Snow Pea and Winter Citrus Salad with Ginger Ranch Dressing and Puffed RiceChristmas Day is a difficult day to dine-out. For the most part the restaurants that are open are Chinese restaurants or restaurants located in Hotels.

Executive Chef Michael Hung (ex-Faith & Flower) of Viviane Restaurant at the Avalon Beverly Hills really went the extra mile for his Christmas Day Dinner Menu. Executive Producer Andy was there and talks about the upbeat experience.

In that Christmas movie classic, “A Christmas Story” (1983) the Parker Family’s Christmas meal is spoiled by the neighbor’s hounds making off with their beautiful golden brown turkey. They end up at Chop Suey Palace for neighborhood Chinese instead.

5-Spiced Scented Beignets with Black Sesame Anglaise for dessertChef Hung’s special menu on Christmas was a thoughtful tribute to the meal at Chop Suey Palace. It was four courses and two desserts served family-style. The entire staff from the host to the bartenders was energized and seemed to be fine with having to work on Christmas. That’s a sign of a well-managed restaurant…Chef Michael Hung was right there, too, in the kitchen.

The first course was a refreshing Baby Kale, Snow Pea and Winter Citrus Salad with Ginger Ranch Dressing and Puffed Wild Rice. Producer Andy’s standout of the two desserts was the 5-Spiced Scented Beignets with Black Sesame Anglaise.

For New Year’s Day Chef Hung is featuring a special Hangover Brunch menu from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Specials include Fried Egg & Porchetta Ham Hoagie with Jack Cheese, House-made Hot Sauce and served on a Puff Pastry Roll.