Show 349, November 30, 2019: Chef Jeffrey Hayashi, Head Chef, Team USA at 2021 Bocuse d’Or Culinary Competition

Jeffrey Hayashi is the head chef for the 2021 Bocuse D'OrMent’or BKB foundation, based in New York, sponsors, guides and mentors Team USA which competes biennially (every 2 years) in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition held in Lyon, France. On November 11th at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in the Napa Valley three noteworthy finalist teams of a Head Chef & Commis competed to head Team USA 2021. Chef Jeffrey Hayashi (most recently the Chef de Cuisine at Honolulu’s Senia Restaurant) prevailed and we’ll meet him.

“The three finalist Team USA 2021 teams competed over a five hour and 35 – minute period, following the rigorous format of the actual Bocuse d’Or competition. The platter theme was Whole Chicken, from Palisades Ranch in California, and the plated theme was Ratatouille.”

“Chef Jeffery Hayashi and Commis William Barrera will now begin the rigorous journey to the Bocuse d’Or as Team USA 2021, relocating closer to the training facility at Copia in Napa, California and dedicating the next fourteen months to prepare for the 2021 competition. During this crucial training period, Ment’or will support Team USA, with the Foundation’s esteemed Chef Council continuing to play an invaluable role in mentoring them.”

“I feel very fortunate for this once in a lifetime opportunity,” shares Chef Hayashi, who previously competed for Team USA in 2019. “Any one of the competing chefs could have won. To now officially be on the road to Lyon for Bocuse d’Or is surreal, and I’m incredibly thankful for all the support.”

“Hayashi, originally from Oahu, moved to Arizona at age four and spent the bulk of his upbringing on the mainland, though visited his grandparents in Hawaii throughout his childhood. While culinary arts were not his passion in his formative years, he spent his time focused on building, art, and creating things with his hands, which led him to study architecture at Arizona State University. After realizing that architecture wasn’t his path, Hayashi serendipitously was introduced to French-Australian Chef Philippe Padovani, who had made a name for himself in Hawaii. Philippe, who had learned cooking by fire in the kitchen, encouraged Hayashi to come and work for him as an apprentice, as Padovani opened his namesake, Padovani Grill. Hayashi, who had never worked in a kitchen before but liked hand crafts, worked for Padovani as an apprentice for a year and a half before moving to Vintage Cave as a commis under Chef Chris Kajioka.

“Kajioka then convinced Hayashi to join him on the team for Chef Mourad Lahlou’s new restaurant in San Francisco, Mourad, in 2014. Hayashi worked as Executive Sous Chef at Mourad for four years, at which time the restaurant earned one Michelin star, among other awards and accolades for its Moroccan fine dining cuisine. In 2018, Hayashi headed back to Hawaii to work at Senia, the elevated Hawaiian restaurant opened in 2016 by both Kajioka and Chef Anthony Rush, where Hayashi served as the Chef de Cuisine.”

November 30: Jeffrey Hayashi, Beckham Estate Vineyard, Jonathan Blackford, John Taube

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef Jeffrey Hayashi, Head Chef, Team USA at 2021 Bocuse d’Or Culinary Competition
Segment Three: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”
Segment Four: Winemaker and Ceramicist Andrew Beckham, Beckham Estate Vineyard, Sherwood, OR
Segment Five: Jonathan Blackford, Corporate Executive Chef, River Jetty Restaurant Group Part One
Segment Six: Jonathan Blackford, Corporate Executive Chef, River Jetty Restaurant Group Part Two
Segment Seven: Executive Chef John Taube, The Hoxton DTLA Part One
Segment Eight: Executive Chef John Taube, The Hoxton DTLA Part Two

It’s great to be back after being preempted by Notre Dame Football the last two weeks. Sorry about that and we do greatly appreciate being missed! The good news is that there are no further interruptions through year’s end.

Now an intriguing preview of this Saturday’s craveable show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will hopefully leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s probably a pretty good thing… As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience. Truly couldn’t do it without you.

Ment’or BKB foundation, based in New York, sponsors and guides Team USA which competes biennially (every 2 years) in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition held in Lyon, France. On November 18th at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in the Napa Valley three noteworthy finalist teams of a Head Chef & Commis competed to head Team USA 2021. Chef Jeffrey Hayashi (most recently the Chef de Cuisine at Honolulu’s Senia Restaurant) prevailed and we’ll meet him.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group was in New York last weekend as a Judge in the Oyster Sucking Championship as part of the first ever All Canadian Oyster Festival held at Manhattan’s Docks Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill. We’ll slurp with Chef Andrew as he reports on the salty festivities with a Canadian accent.

“Andrew and Annedria Beckham arrived in the Chehalem Mountains, Oregon in 2005 with the dream of purchasing land to build a studio for Andrew’s art. Immersed in the contagious passion of their pioneering neighbors and fascinated by the incredible potential beneath the surface of their high-elevation site, they started a vineyard row by row, coming home from their day jobs to plant vines all night, raising three children all the while. In 2009 they made their first wine.” Andrew Beckham pulls the cork on the unusual Beckham Estate Vineyard for us.

Hollywood producer McG and restaurateur Jordan Otterbein, River Jetty Restaurant Group partners known for acclaimed A Restaurant and A Market in Newport Beach, California, debuted their new Corona del Mar dining concept, CdM in early March. It’s dinner nightly and is already immensely popular. Corporate Executive Chef Jonathan Blackford’s creative American menu highlights unique, hand selected ingredients in each of his flavorful dishes, drawing influence from America’s melting pot of cuisines. We spirit Chef Jonathan out of his busy kitchen for an update.

Newly arrived in Downtown Los Angeles in a tastefully restored Beaux Arts building is The Hoxton hotel with sister properties in Williamsburg, Portland, Chicago and International. Their 174 rooms are spread across four different size categories from Snug to Biggy, meaning there’s something to suit everyone. Destination restaurants located at Hoxton properties are a trademark. The Hoxton DTLA has Sibling Rival, the elevated, all-day restaurant located on the ground floor, and Pilot (dinner only) on the rooftop (with eye-catching L.A. skyline views) which also includes the daytime Pilot Bar adjacent to the pool. We’ll meet Executive Chef John Taube, who oversees the ample culinary portfolio.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Jeffrey Hayashi is the head chef for the 2021 Bocuse D'OrMent’or BKB foundation, based in New York, sponsors Team USA which competes biennially (every 2 years) in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition held in Lyon, France. On November 18th at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in the Napa Valley three noteworthy finalist teams of a Head Chef & Commis competed to head Team USA 2021. Chef Jeffrey Hayashi (most recently the Chef de Cuisine at Honolulu’s Senia Restaurant) prevailed and we’ll meet him.

“The three finalist Team USA 2021 teams competed over a five hour and 35 – minute period, following the rigorous format of the actual Bocuse d’Or competition. The platter theme was Whole Chicken, from Palisades Ranch in California, and the plated theme was Ratatouille.”

“Chef Jeffery Hayashi and Commis William Barrera will now begin the rigorous journey to the Bocuse d’Or as Team USA 2021, relocating closer to the training facility at Copia in Napa, California and dedicating the next fourteen months to prepare for the 2021 competition. During this crucial training period, Ment’or will support Team USA, with the Foundation’s esteemed Chef Council continuing to play an invaluable role in mentoring them.”

“I feel very fortunate for this once in a lifetime opportunity,” shares Chef Hayashi, who previously competed for Team USA in 2019. “Any one of the competing chefs could have won. To now officially be on the road to Lyon for Bocuse d’Or is surreal, and I’m incredibly thankful for all the support.”

“Hayashi, originally from Oahu, moved to Arizona at age four and spent the bulk of his upbringing on the mainland, though visited his grandparents in Hawaii throughout his childhood. While culinary arts were not his passion in his formative years, he spent his time focused on building, art, and creating things with his hands, which led him to study architecture at Arizona State University. After realizing that architecture wasn’t his path, Hayashi serendipitously was introduced to French-Australian Chef Philippe Padovani, who had made a name for himself in Hawaii. Philippe, who had learned cooking by fire in the kitchen, encouraged Hayashi to come and work for him as an apprentice, as Padovani opened his namesake, Padovani Grill. Hayashi, who had never worked in a kitchen before but liked hand crafts, worked for Padovani as an apprentice for a year and a half before moving to Vintage Cave as a commis under Chef Chris Kajioka. Kajioka then convinced Hayashi to join him on the team for Chef Mourad Lahlou’s new restaurant in San Francisco, Mourad, in 2014. Hayashi worked as Executive Sous Chef at Mourad for four years, at which time the restaurant earned one Michelin star, among other awards and accolades for its Moroccan fine dining cuisine. In 2018, Hayashi headed back to Hawaii to work at Senia, the elevated Hawaiian restaurant opened in 2016 by both Kajioka and Chef Anthony Rush, where Hayashi served as the Chef de Cuisine.”

Andy Harris and Andrew Gruel at Cabana 14 at the Cove at Pechanga Resort and CasinoOur own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group was in New York last weekend as a Judge in the Oyster Shucking Championship as part of the first ever All Canadian Oyster Festival held at Manhattan’s Docks Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill. We’ll slurp with Chef Andrew as he reports on the salty festivities with a Canadian accent.

The capacity crowd of 250 guests had the unusual opportunity to sniff, sip and slurp eighteen varieties of both West & East Coast Canadian Oysters.

First Place was awarded to Jose Valdesz of Empire Oyster.

Andrew Beckham of Backham Estate VIneyards“Andrew and Annedria Beckham arrived in the Chehalem Mountains, Oregon in 2005 with the dream of purchasing land to build a studio for Andrew’s art. Immersed in the contagious passion of their pioneering neighbors and fascinated by the incredible potential beneath the surface of their high-elevation site, they started a vineyard row by row, coming home from their day jobs to plant vines all night, raising three children all the while. In 2009 they made their first wine.”

“In 2012 their winemaking truly found its voice with the introduction of Andrew’s handmade amphora (clay pot) as unique aging vessels, used in conjunction with organic farming and low-intervention practices that they believe reflect their vineyard best.”

Beckham Estate Vineyards’ traditional, barrel aged wines carry the Beckham Estate label. Andrew’s amphora wines are under the moniker of A.D. Beckham (“creta” pinot noir, “50/50” noir/gris and pinot gris.)

Winemaker Andrew Beckham joins us to pull the cork on Beckham Estate Vineyard for us.

Jonathan Blackford of A Restaurant and CDM RestaurantHollywood producer McG and restaurateur Jordan Otterbein, River Jetty Restaurant Group partners known for acclaimed A Restaurant and A Market in Newport Beach, California, debuted their new Corona del Mar dining concept, CdM in early March. It’s dinner nightly and is already, consistently, a tough reservation. Corporate Executive Chef Jonathan Blackford’s creative American menu highlights unique, hand selected ingredients in each of his flavorful dishes, drawing influence from America’s melting pot of cuisines.

Think house-baked Parker House Rolls with whipped A5 tallow and Roasted Lamb Ribs with garam masala, Greek yogurt and cucumber salad.

Larger plates include Mangalitsa Pork Chop with potato pancakes, celery root puree and Hungarian braised red cabbage.

A hidden feature of CdM is “Under CdM.” It’s a speakeasy style room located downstairs from the CdM Restaurant. The cocktail list there (under the direction of Bar Manager Ravin Buzzell) is distinct from the cocktail program at the restaurant. The full CdM menu is now available at Under CdM.

Newly debuted above CdM is “The Apartment,” a private event space that can accommodate up to 20 seated guests. It, conveniently, has its own separate entrance.

We spirit Chef Jonathan out of his busy kitchen for an update.

John Taube of Sibling Rival at the Hoxton DTLANewly arrived in Downtown Los Angeles in a tastefully restored Beaux Arts building is The Hoxton with sister properties in Williamsburg, Portland, Chicago and International. Their 174 rooms are spread across four different size categories from Snug to Biggy, meaning there’s something to suit everyone. Destination restaurants located at Hoxton properties are a trademark. The Hoxton DTLA has Sibling Rival, the elevated, all-day restaurant with an open kitchen located on the ground floor and Pilot (dinner only) on the rooftop (with eye-catching L.A. skyline views) which also includes the daytime Pilot Bar (daily Happy Hour specials) adjacent to the pool.

All rooms are cleverly designed to make the most of the space, and all come with the same Hox Perks including free fast WiFi, free daily calls to anywhere in the world, coffee, tea, water and milk, and a light breakfast bag delivered to your room.

Destination restaurants located at Hoxton properties are a trademark. The Hoxton DTLA has Sibling Rival, the elevated, all-day restaurant located on the ground floor (serving an already popular Weekend Brunch) and Pilot (dinner only) on the rooftop (with eye-catching L.A. skyline views) which also includes the separate daytime Pilot Bar adjacent to the pool featuring a daily Happy Hour from 3 to 6:00 p.m..

Sibling Rival brings to life the timeless rivalries of weekday vs. weekend diet and East Coast vs. West Coast through innovative takes on Californian classics, served in an all-day, elevated diner setting. From quinoa bowls and fresh-pressed juices to togarashi chicken sandwiches and innovative cocktails, Sibling Rival lets guests choose their own adventure and give into whichever voice on their shoulder is most tempting.” Happy Hour Daily from 3 to 6:00 p.m.

“Pilot is a rooftop restaurant and bar inspired by the coast of the Mediterranean, situated atop The Hoxton, Downtown L.A. The menu is centered around live-fire cooking and features fresh, locally sourced seafood, seasonal vegetables, and more. Led by Executive Chef John Taube IV, in partnership with Sunday Hospitality, the dining experience is interactive with fun takes on tableside preparation and multiple large format dishes meant to be shared like the whole wood-fired fish for two. A signature dish is the Grand Aioli — a platter of the guests’ choice of vegetables and raw bar selections paired with aioli prepared to-order. Cocktails are made for warm weather drinking and presented in Sunday Hospitality’s signature whimsical and playful style, featuring Gin and Tonic variations.”

“Pilot’s airy indoor/outdoor atmosphere, designed by Ennismore Design Studio, is punctuated by bright pops of color throughout and anchored by a large display of fresh seafood and vegetables presented over ice. The restaurant extends out to the pool deck where a separate food and drink menu can be enjoyed alongside views of the Los Angeles skyline.”

“Pilot is named in tribute to The Hoxton, Downtown L.A. rooftop’s cameo in the 1921 film “Stranger than Fiction” where it served as the launch pad from which stuntman Frank Clarke and pilot Wally Timm flew their plane.”

We’ll meet Executive Chef John Taube, who oversees the ample, in-house culinary portfolio.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Chef Jeffrey Hayashi, Head Chef, Team USA at 2021 Bocuse d’Or Culinary Competition
Segment Three: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”
Segment Four: Winemaker and Ceramicist Andrew Beckham, Beckham Estate Vineyard, Sherwood, OR
Segment Five: Jonathan Blackford, Corporate Executive Chef, River Jetty Restaurant Group Part One
Segment Six: Jonathan Blackford, Corporate Executive Chef, River Jetty Restaurant Group Part Two
Segment Seven: Executive Chef John Taube, The Hoxton DTLA Part One
Segment Eight: Executive Chef John Taube, The Hoxton DTLA Part Two

Show 247, November 11, 2017: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

Now a salivating preview of this Saturday’s ample show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…

Executive Chef Jason Fullilove is back in a real restaurant space, Barbara Jean Los Angeles, with elevated American Soul Food. He’s a bit hidden on the back patio of Melrose Avenue’s Melrose Umbrella Co. It’s dinner nightly and Brunch on Weekends. We’ll catch up with the peripatetic Chef Jason.

Food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt brings dishes from Istanbul and eastern Turkey to the home cook in ISTANBUL AND BEYOND: EXPLORING TURKEY’S DIVERSE CUISINES. With over 150 recipes, stories about places, people and ingredients, and lush on-location photography, ISTANBUL AND BEYOND takes readers on an unforgettable culinary journey from Turkey’s cosmopolitan cultural capital to its lesser known eastern regions. Food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt, now based in Italy, is our guest.

We’ve actively followed (since 2014,) and reported on, Team USA in their long pursuit of winning a place on the medals stand for the biannual Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition. Team USA 2015 headed by Chef Philip Tessier took the Silver Medal (just missing the Gold) and Team USA 2017 headed by Chef Mathew Peters earned the Gold in 2017, an incredible first for Team USA. Team USA 2019 was just selected in a fierce competition on Thursday, Nov. 9th at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. We’ll talk to the winning chef, Matthew Kirkley of COI, San Francisco, who will now train with his Commis (Mimi Chen, Line Cook, COI) for the next year, and then helm Team USA 2019 in Lyon. Also in on the conversation is Chef Robert Sulatycky, Head Coach, Team USA 2019.

Executive Chef Todd Sicolo supervises all of the varied dining options at the new InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel at Wilshire Grand Center with 889 rooms. This is all located on the top floors of the tallest building West of Chicago. Dining options range from Spire 73, a rooftop lounge with breathtaking views, to La Boucherie on 71, an elegant steakhouse with a French accent. Chef Todd is our guest.

Stressed about preparing the Thanksgiving feast for your extended family? Pause…Take a breath…Chef Andrew Gruel to the rescue. Chef Andrew offers his practical chef’s tips for a stress-free, Thanksgiving celebration.

It’s typically a conundrum in selecting the wines for the Thanksgiving feast that really pair well with all the diverse trimmings. You can’t always please all palates but you give it a go. Our resident wine expert, Kyle Meyer of Wine Exchange, joins us with his informed perspective. Cheers!

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Show 247, November 11, 2017: Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley, COI, San Francisco & Chef Robert Sulatycky, Head Coach, Team USA 2019

Matthew KirkleyWe’ve actively followed (since 2014,) and reported on, Team USA in their long pursuit of winning a place on the medals stand for the biannual Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition. Team USA 2015 headed by Chef Philip Tessier took the Silver Medal (just missing the Gold) and Team USA 2017 headed by Chef Mathew Peters earned the Gold in 2017, an incredible first for Team USA.

Team USA 2019 was just selected in a fierce five and one-half hour competition on Thursday, Nov. 9th at The Venetian Resort’s Palazzo Ballroom in Las Vegas. The three competing chef candidates are Ben Grupe, Elaia & Olio, St. Louis, MO; Jeffrey Hayashi, Mourad, San Francisco, CA; and Matthew Kirkley, COI, San Francisco, CA.

We’ll talk to Matthew Kirkley, the winning chef to head Team USA 2019 who will now train with his Commis (Mimi Chen) for the next year, and then helm Team USA 2019 in Lyon. Also, Team USA 2019 Head Coach, Robert Sulatycky. Next stop (in April 2018) for Team USA 2019 is the Americas Selection in Mexico City.

The Ment’or Young Chef & Commis Competitions were held on November 8, 2017 in Las Vegas and featured five young chef teams and six Commis candidates who competed in the kitchen of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Winners from each competition will choose from a cash prize or the unique opportunity to train alongside Bocuse d’Or Team USA 2019.

November 11: Jason Fullilove, Robyn Eckhardt, Team USA Bocuse D’Or, Todd Sicolo, Wine Exchange

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef Jason Fullilove, Barbara Jean, Los Angeles
Segment Three: Travel Journalist Robyn Eckhardt, Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey’s Diverse Cuisines Part One
Segment Four: Travel Journalist Robyn Eckhardt, Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey’s Diverse Cuisines Part Two
Segment Five: Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley, COI, San Francisco & Chef Robert Sulatycky, Head Coach, Team USA 2019
Segment Six: Executive Chef Todd Sicolo, InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
Segment Seven: Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish and Trade’s Two Birds & Butterleaf
Segment Eight: Kyle Meyer, Co-Proprietor, Wine Exchange, Santa Ana

Now a salivating preview of this Saturday’s ample show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…

Executive Chef Jason Fullilove is back in a real restaurant space, Barbara Jean Los Angeles, with elevated American Soul Food. He’s a bit hidden on the back patio of Melrose Avenue’s Melrose Umbrella Co. It’s dinner nightly and Brunch on Weekends. We’ll catch up with the peripatetic Chef Jason.

Food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt brings dishes from Istanbul and eastern Turkey to the home cook in ISTANBUL AND BEYOND: EXPLORING TURKEY’S DIVERSE CUISINES. With over 150 recipes, stories about places, people and ingredients, and lush on-location photography, ISTANBUL AND BEYOND takes readers on an unforgettable culinary journey from Turkey’s cosmopolitan cultural capital to its lesser known eastern regions. Food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt, now based in Italy, is our guest.

We’ve actively followed (since 2014,) and reported on, Team USA in their long pursuit of winning a place on the medals stand for the biannual Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition. Team USA 2015 headed by Chef Philip Tessier took the Silver Medal (just missing the Gold) and Team USA 2017 headed by Chef Mathew Peters earned the Gold in 2017, an incredible first for Team USA. Team USA 2019 was just selected in a fierce competition on Thursday, Nov. 9th at The Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas. We’ll talk to the winning chef who will now train with his Commis for the next year, and then helm Team USA 2019 in Lyon.

Executive Chef Todd Sicolo supervises all of the varied dining options at the new InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel at Wilshire Grand with 889 rooms. This is all located on the top floors of the tallest building West of Chicago. Dining options range from Spire 73, a rooftop lounge with breathtaking views, to La Boucherie on 71, an elegant steakhouse with a French accent. Chef Todd is our guest.

Stressed about preparing the Thanksgiving feast for your extended family? Pause…Take a breath…Chef Andrew Gruel to the rescue. Chef Andrew offers his practical chef’s tips for a stress-free, Thanksgiving celebration.

It’s typically a conundrum in selecting the wines for the Thanksgiving feast that really pair well with all the diverse trimmings. You can’t always please all palates but you give it a go. Our resident wine expert, Kyle Meyer of Wine Exchange, joins us with his informed perspective. Cheers!

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Jason FulliloveExecutive Chef Jason Fullilove is back in a real restaurant space, Barbara Jean Los Angeles with elevated American Soul Food. He’s a bit hidden on the back patio of Melrose Avenue’s Melrose Umbrella Co. It’s dinner nightly and Brunch on Weekends.

He also oversees the Bar Bites menu at the adjacent Melrose Umbrella Co.

“Barbara Jean Restaurant is a celebration of American Soul Food. A cuisine that is imbued with the many cultures that make up this vast and diverse country. With a focus on the roots of African American cooking, it’s nutritional foundation and original applications: meats | offal | ancient grains | vegetables | fermentation | with a modern flair a presentation.”

Chef Jason has been a regular fan favorite on the Los Angeles dining scene. He also helmed a dinner series called RED at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) that garnered national attention. At RED he created tasting menus and course meals directly inspired by current art exhibits, live readings and the films of Stanley Kubrick and Danny Boyle.

We’ll catch up with the peripatetic Chef Jason.

Robyn EckhardtFood and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt brings dishes from Istanbul and eastern Turkey to the home cook in ISTANBUL AND BEYOND: EXPLORING TURKEY’S DIVERSE CUISINES. With over 125 recipes, stories about places, people and ingredients, and lush on-location photography, ISTANBUL AND BEYOND takes readers on an unforgettable culinary journey from Turkey’s cosmopolitan cultural capital to its lesser known eastern regions.

The culmination of Eckhardt and photographer David Hagerman’s two-decade-long passion for Turkey, its people and its food, and the result of over sixteen months of research in Istanbul and eastern Turkey, ISTANBUL AND BEYOND takes readers beyond kebab, doner, and baklava to introduce the dishes of Turkey’s distinct regional cuisines. From the Mediterranean province of Hatay to the Black Sea, and from north-central Anatolia to provinces bordering Georgia, Armenia, Iran and Iraq, Eckhardt has assembled a broad collection of dishes – many of which will be new even to those familiar with Turkish food – that are sure to entice readers into the kitchen.

Robyn Eckhardt is an American food and travel journalist specializing in Asia, Turkey and Europe. Her words and recipes have appeared in the New York Times, Saveur, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Food & Wine, Travel+Leisure and other publications. She is co-publisher, with photographer David Hagerman, of the award-winning food blog EatingAsia. After 20 years in Asia she recently moved to Piemonte, Italy, where she lives with her husband, photographer David Hagerman, and a small menagerie of cats and dogs.

Food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt is our guest.

“Turkey touches four bodies of water and shares borders with Bulgaria, Greece, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia…This results in not a nation united by one cuisine, but an array of culinary regions that make it one of the most gastronomically complex countries anywhere.” – Robyn Eckhardt

There is so much more to Turkish food than kebabs and baklava. Dishes like Green Olive Salad with Pomegranate Molasses, Kurdish-style Pot-Roasted Chicken & Onions, and Fava & Bulgar Stuffed Grape Leaves in Tomato Sauce prove just that. In Instanbul & Beyond – Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey, Robyn Eckhardt brings you the most extensive Turkish cookbook to date with a broad collection of 150 easy-to-follow recipes taken from the home cooks, farmers, fishermen, and bakers native to Turkey, all tested for the American home kitchen. Most of these recipes have never been published before in English.

Eckhardt and travel photographer husband, David Hagerman, have been collecting these recipes over the past twenty years and have traveled over 21,000 kilometers along the backroads of Turkey, documenting regional cuisines and life in the villages and cities, farms, and high pastures of the lesser-known provinces.

Matthew KirkleyWe’ve actively followed (since 2014,) and reported on, Team USA in their long pursuit of winning a place on the medals stand for the biannual Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition. Team USA 2015 headed by Chef Philip Tessier took the Silver Medal (just missing the Gold) and Team USA 2017 headed by Chef Mathew Peters earned the Gold in 2017, an incredible first for Team USA.

Team USA 2019 was just selected in a fierce competition on Thursday, Nov. 9th at The Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas. The three competing chef candidates are Ben Grupe, Elaia & Olio, St. Louis, MO; Jeffrey Hayashi, Mourad, San Francisco, CA; and Matthew Kirkley, COI, San Francisco, CA.

We’ll talk to the winning chef to head Team USA 2019 who will now train with his Commis for the next year, and then helm Team USA 2019 in Lyon.

The Ment’or Young Chef & Commis Competitions were held on November 8, 2017 in Las Vegas and featured five young chef teams and six Commis candidates who competed in the kitchen of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Winners from each competition will choose from a cash prize or the unique opportunity to train alongside Bocuse d’Or Team USA 2019.

Todd SicoloExecutive Chef Todd Sicolo supervises all of the varied dining options at the new InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel at Wilshire Grand with 889 rooms. This is all located on the top floors of the tallest building West of Chicago. Dining options range from Spire 73, a rooftop lounge with breathtaking views, to La Boucherie on 71, an elegant steakhouse with a French accent.

The dining options :
-Spire 73 – Perched atop InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown’s 73rd floor is Spire 73, the tallest open-air bar in the Western Hemisphere. This rooftop lounge offers breathtaking views of the entire City, chic fire pits, signature cocktails and a wide selection of whiskey. Culinary expressions are on the menu rivaling the view.

-La Boucherie on 71 – An elegant steakhouse with a French accent, featuring discreet, intimate private dining and VIP booths with floor to ceiling privacy screens that offer panoramic views of the L.A. skyline to accommodate discerning guests.

-Lobby Lounge – Located on the 70th floor of the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, the Lobby Lounge offers guests an upscale lounge experience with a vodka bar at night, serving light snacks, burgers and sandwiches.

-Dekkadance – Located on the 69th floor, it offers a unique farm-to-fork international marketplace. It’s a well-thought-out, contemporary adaptation of the traditional buffet. Dekkadance is an eclectic dining experience for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner featuring interactive cooking stations where guests can consult the chefs and watch their selection being prepared. On the expansive menu are Mediterranean style pizzas, paninis and an impressive array of tempting desserts.

-Sora – Sora is an intimate sushi and omakase restaurant offering a refined menu of fresh cut sushi and prepared dishes presented on the unusual sky view conveyor belt. Also located on the 69th floor, Sora features an extensive selection of the finest Japanese whiskies.

Andrew and William GruelStressed about preparing the Thanksgiving feast for your extended family ? Pause…Take a breath…

Chef Andrew Gruel to the rescue. Chef Andrew offers his practical chef’s tips for a stress-free, Thanksgiving celebration.

 

Kyle Meyer of Wine ExchangeIt’s typically a conundrum in selecting the wines for the Thanksgiving feast that really pair well with all the diverse trimmings. You can’t always please all palates but you give it a go.

Don’t forget sparkling wines can carry throughout the meal. Strong fruit needs to be part of the equation, too. California calling…

Our upbeat resident wine expert, Kyle Meyer of Wine Exchange, joins us with his accessible, informed perspective. Cheers!

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef Jason Fullilove, Barbara Jean, Los Angeles
Segment Three: Travel Journalist Robyn Eckhardt, Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey’s Diverse Cuisines Part One
Segment Four: Travel Journalist Robyn Eckhardt, Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey’s Diverse Cuisines Part Two
Segment Five: Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley, COI, San Francisco & Chef Robert Sulatycky, Head Coach, Team USA 2019
Segment Six: Executive Chef Todd Sicolo, InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
Segment Seven: Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish and Trade’s Two Birds & Butterleaf
Segment Eight: Kyle Meyer, Co-Proprietor, Wine Exchange, Santa Ana