Show 585, July 13, 2024: Jambalaya Girl from New Orleans – Kristen Preau

Kristen Preau Moore is the Jambalaya Girl

Jambalaya Girl (Kristen Preau Moore) by Cook Me Somethin’ Mister is a family and women owned business that brings an authentic taste of New Orleans to the world with easy to prepare food products, inspired by Jambalaya Girl’s family recipes. Drawing from her family’s upbringing in the New Orleans cooking scene and her creation of a nationwide tailgating fundraiser following Hurricane Katrina, owner Kristen Preau “Jambalaya Girl” created Cook Me Somethin’ Mister initially from her Dad’s jambalaya recipe. All products are now proudly made in New Orleans with the finest ingredients and are specially blended by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends.” We’re joined by the Jambalaya Girl herself, Kristen Preau, to cook up all the good eating that is Jambalaya Girl food products from New Orleans.

From New Orleans Gambit Weekly, Top 40 Under 40 Cover Story: “Known as the “Jambalaya Girl,” Kristen Preau says she was given the title while stirring her father’s cast-iron pot full of jambalaya at her brother’s sporting events… Preau came up with the concept for Cook Me Somethin’ Mister while traveling across the country to raise money for New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. She raised $100,000 for her hometown by serving jambalaya made from her father’s recipe at 11 college tailgates. It made her realize that people donated not only because they loved New Orleans, but they also loved the jambalaya.”

“Jambalaya Girl’s Dad, Paul, used to specially manufacture outdoor cookers for some of the top chefs in New Orleans and he always cooked classic New Orleans recipes, like Jambalaya Girl’s jambalaya, to showcase his cooking equipment. Paul manufactured the gas burner that the late Chef Paul Prudhomme used to prepare his famous Blackened Red Fish recipe. The burner was featured in Chef Paul’s mail order catalog and is pictured in his first cookbook, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. (1984)”

“The Preau family cooked some of the first pots of Jambalaya to be served during the early years of French Quarter FestFun fact: Cook Me Somethin’ Mister still uses the same 40-gallon cast iron pot that was used to cook at the very first French Quarter Fest in 1983. That’s one well-seasoned pot!”

The Jambalaya Girl product line is available on Kristen’s Website as well as on Amazon.

Show 506, January 7, 2023: Long Beach Black Restaurant Week Preview with Restaurateur Sally Bevans of Sal’s Gumbo Shack

Sally Bevans of Sals Gumbo Shack

“The city-wide 2nd annual Long Beach Black Restaurant Week will take place January 22-29, 2023. Long Beach Black Restaurant Week will be an avenue to bring everyone to the table, from all walks of life, to showcase the city’s diverse Black food scene.”

“Organized by Long Beach Food & Beverage, a California registered 501(c)3 non-profit, Long Black Restaurant Week is an eight day, city-wide event devoted to celebrating African, African American, and Caribbean fare in and around Long Beach. The event also seeks to highlight Black-owned food businesses as well as Black chefs and bartenders.”

“Long Beach Black Restaurant Week is more than an eight-day event featuring dozens of restaurants and food businesses,” stated Terri Henry, co-organizer of the event and Executive Director of Long Beach Food & Beverage. “Since launching the non-profit in 2019, we’ve been committed to supporting all of Long Beach’s valued restaurants and will support the event once again with a comprehensive advertising, marketing and PR campaign designed to put ‘butts in seats’ during Long Beach Black Restaurant Week.”

One of the participating restaurants in Long Beach Black Restaurant Week is Sal’s Gumbo Shack (established in 2012) with locations in North Long Beach and Bixby Knolls serving a genuine taste of The Big Easy. Specialties (from cherished Family recipes) include Gumbo, Jambalaya, Crab & Shrimp Boils, Catfish Po’Boys and Peach Cobbler.

Proprietress Sally Bevans is a self-taught home cook now creating (in a happy career change) soulful Creole cuisine. We’ll meet her.

Show 396, October 24, 2020: Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgia’s Restaurant Long Beach & Anaheim

Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgias RestaurantsGeorgia’s Restaurant (family-owned) at the Long Beach Exchange and Anaheim Packing House will be offering a special new Breast Bucket & Sides combo all throughout the month of October 2020 in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to help increase awareness and support! The Georgia’s Restaurant new Breast Bucket & Sides combo features a 6-Piece Bucket of Boneless Chicken Breasts (all white meat) and Choice of Two Sides including selections such as their signature Collard Greens, Garlic Rice, and French Fries for just $20 all month long. The special is available at both locations for outdoor patio dining, takeout, delivery and curbside pickup.

In other Georgia’s news Nana Gretchen Shoemaker’s “soul-delicious” signature Gumbo is back on the menu in both locations. “The house Gumbo has been a guest favorite ever since it was first introduced and now guests can again savor Nana’s secret Southern-style Roux featuring Chicken, Andouille Sausage, Shrimp, Crab, and Okra, served over Rice at both locations. To complement this super satisfying meal, guests can add some Soulful Sides such as Collard Greens, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese, or Nana Gretchen’s Famous Cornbread served with house-made honey butter and enjoy her fresh Peach Cobbler for a sweet finish.”

2nd generation proprietress Nika-Shoemaker-Machado is our guest.

Show 110, February 14, 2015: Damian Stanley, Executive Sous Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino Continues…

Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar at Pechanga Resort and CasinoChef Damian Stanley is the always on the move Executive Sous Chef at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. Since the hotel tower and casino opened in 2002 at Pechanga they have enjoyed an outstanding reputation for the quality and diversity of their food and beverage offerings.

Chef Damian was the project manager for one of their newest interactive fine-dining spots, Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar. which launched after Thanksgiving in 2013. Umi means “sea” in Japanese. Sushi, sashimi, nigiri, rolls, oysters on the half shell, seafood platters, specialty cocktails and lots more are on the varied menu at Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar.

Three highly skilled Japanese sushi chefs (actually from Japan) are part of the culinary team. It’s an interactive and highly entertaining experience with the sushi chefs if you dine at the sushi bar.

There is a hint of the South on the menu, too. Look for gumbo and jambalaya. The specialty bouillabaisse has clams, fish, shrimp, scallop, and mussels in the hearty seafood broth.

A standout dish is the Bone Marrow Lobster with pear, tatsoi salad, celery root skordalia and black truffle vinaigrette.

Show 19, March 2, 2013: Liz Williams, President and Director, Southern Food and Beverage Museum, New Orleans

Liz WilliamsThe Southern Food and Beverage Museum will soon move into their new, spacious, and greatly expanded, facility in the next few months. Within the Museum is the prominent “Museum of the American Cocktail”.

In New Orleans : A Food Biography Elizabeth M. Williams, a New Orleans native, takes readers through the history of the city, showing how the natural environment and people have shaped the cooking we all love.

Beignets, Po’ Boys, gumbo, jambalaya, Antoine’s. New Orleans’ celebrated status derives in large measure from its incredibly rich food culture, based mainly on Creole and Cajun traditions.

The narrative starts by describing the indigenous population and material resources, then reveals the contributions of the immigrant populations, delves into markets and local food companies, and finally discusses famous restaurants, drinking culture, cooking at home and cookbooks, and signature food dishes.

March 2: New Orleans, Las Vegas and Laguna Beach foodies

Podcasts

Segment One: Liz Williams, President and Director, Southern Food and Beverage Museum, New Orleans
Segment Two: Executive Chef Rick Moonen of rm seafood at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas
Segment Three: Nancy Milby, co-founder of Laguna Beach Uncorked! An International Wine & Food Fest! and Executive Director of Laguna Culinary Arts, Inc.
Segment Four: Brock Radke, Food and Web Editor for Las Vegas Weekly
Segment Five: Jim Colombo, General Manager of Five Crowns and SideDoor in Corona del Mar
Segment Six: Dining at Urasawa in Beverly Hills and Highlights from “A Taste of Harlem in Baldwin Hills” at Post & Beam

It’s tempting food from New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Laguna Beach this week. Also a preview of an inspired Newport Beach Public Library Foundation series to teach kids about cooking.

elizabeth_m_williamsElizabeth (Liz) M. Williams is the founder and president of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, which celebrates the food of the American South with exhibits, a library, archives, collections, and programming.

Her new book is New Orleans: A Food Biography.

Beignets, Po’ Boys, gumbo, jambalaya, Antoine’s. New Orleans’ celebrated status derives in large measure from its incredibly rich food culture, based mainly on Creole and Cajun traditions. At last, this world-class destination has its own food biography. Elizabeth M. Williams, a New Orleans native, takes readers through the history of the city, showing how the natural environment and people have shaped the cooking we all love. The narrative starts by describing the indigenous population and material resources, then reveals the contributions of the immigrant populations, delves into markets and local food companies, and finally discusses famous restaurants, drinking culture, cooking at home and cookbooks, and signature food dishes.

Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las VegasRick Moonen of rm seafood at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place is one of those unusual celebrity chefs in Las Vegas with a namesake restaurant. Las Vegas is his home and he actually lives there.

Chef Moonen is recognized for his considerable talents in preparing seafood. He is also a pioneer in the sustainable seafood movement.

On Thursday evening, March 15th Chef Moonen will be joined by Chef Matthew Accarrino (former chef de cuisine of Restaurant RM) of SPQR in San Francisco to present a five-course, seafood lover’s meal (with wine pairings) to benefit Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas.

Laguna Beach UncorkedThe 2nd Annual Laguna Beach Uncorked is set for Saturday, March 9th at the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts grounds from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It’s an indulgent afternoon of tastings from 20 prominent Laguna Beach restaurants and 30 top wineries from around the world. Proceeds benefit CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County.

One of the founders of the festival, Nancy Milby, the Executive Director of Laguna Culinary Arts, Inc., will be with us to preview Laguna Beach Uncorked! An International Wine & Food Fest!

Brock Radke of Las Vegas WeeklyOur eyes and ears in Las Vegas, Brock Radke, is back with us. Brock is the Food and Web Editor for the Las Vegas Weekly there and a genuine insider.

Inspired by Bon Appetit’s newly announced 20 Most Important Restaurants in America, Brock put together his own list for Las Vegas. He joins us to discuss his picks.

Kids Cook is the first program in the new series, Making Memories for Children from the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.

It’s a three-part culinary adventure under the expert direction of Jim Colombo, General Manager of Five Crowns in Corona del Mar. Jim is also an accomplished chef by training.

Making Memories for Children from the Newport Beach Library FoundationThe first session is on Sunday, March 10th in the garden at Five Crowns. It’s an introduction to a variety of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, followed by a hands-on lesson in preparing simple, delicious treats.

The program continues on March 17th and 24th.

Podcasts

Segment One: Liz Williams, President and Director, Southern Food and Beverage Museum, New Orleans”
Segment Two: Executive Chef Rick Moonen of rm seafood at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas
Segment Three: Nancy Milby, co-founder of Laguna Beach Uncorked! An International Wine & Food Fest! and Executive Director of Laguna Culinary Arts, Inc.
Segment Four: Brock Radke, Food and Web Editor for Las Vegas Weekly
Segment Five: Jim Colombo, General Manager of Five Crowns and SideDoor in Corona del Mar
Segment Six: Dining at Urasawa in Beverly Hills and Highlights from “A Taste of Harlem in Baldwin Hills” at Post & Beam