Tag Archives: Julia Child

Show 620, March 15, 2025: “Ask the Chef” with Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel

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Chef Andrew Gruel of the Calico Fish House

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

Julia Child aways said, “it’s better with butter.” Julia was 91 at the time of her passing. We’re discussing the benefits of butter versus margarine. Is one healthier than the other? Chefs clearly prefer to cook with butter and a little can go a long way in terms of adding flavor. Andrew’s thoughts on this will be continued on March 22nd.

Andrew Gruel’s Family Cookbook (newly published) is also available with signed copies at his Calico Fish House on Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach.

Show 565, February 17, 2024: Co-Proprietor & Executive Chef Macks Collins, Piccalilli, Culver City Part Two

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Macks Collins of Piccalilli

“Piccalilli located on the busy corner of Culver Blvd. and Bagley Ave. in downtown Culver City is a cozy restaurant and bar (including a lush front patio) with shareable plates that take inspiration from Asia and the American South. The dinner menu is designed around local and seasonal ingredients with a focus on preservation, pickling, and freshness. The bar serves spirit forward pre-prohibition cocktails, local beer, and a small carefully selected wine list. The decor (artfully designed by Preen) has colors of lush green and purple, bright with open garage doors, centered around a beautiful U-shaped bar filled with local spirits.”

“Macks Collins is the Chef & Owner of restaurant Piccalilli in Culver City. A South Carolina native, Collins’ childhood dream of becoming a chef began after watching his idols, Martin Yan, Justin Wilson, and Julia Child cook on PBS. His professional career began when he stepped into a restaurant kitchen at age 16.”

Chef Macks Collins takes a 2nd break from his busy kitchen to continue with us.

Show 442, September 11, 2021: AIWF San Diego Chapter Scholarship Program

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“The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) is a national non-profit educational organization established in 1981 by Robert Mondavi, Julia Child, Richard Graff and others to promote a forum for the study and enjoyment of gastronomy. The AIWF is dedicated to advancing the understanding, appreciation, and quality of wine and food through fun educational experiences in support of its Days of Taste® and Scholarship programs.”

“The San Diego Chapter of AIWF awards scholarships for the pursuit of culinary arts, enology/viticulture, and beverage studies in full or part-time accredited continuing education programs. The scholarships typically range from $350 to $3,000, and the funds do not need to be repaid. All schools must be accredited. Since the money for the scholarships is raised by the San Diego Chapter, scholarships are only awarded to people who are connected to San Diego by school, work, or recent involvement in food or wine in the area. The scholarship money may be used for study within or outside of San Diego County. Applications are accepted until October 1, 2021.”

Representing the San Diego Chapter to explain the Scholarship Program is Heidi Pigeon of Posh Pantry. Heidi is a Board Member of the San Diego Chapter of the AIWF as well as serves on the Scholarship Committee.

Show 362, February 29, 2020: Sherry Villaneuva, Acme Hospitality – Preview of Santa Barbara Culinary Experience

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Sherry Villanueva of Acme Hospitality“Inspired by the mixture of fun and learning about food and drink for which Julia Child, a longtime resident and fan of Santa Barbara, advocated so passionately, the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE) in partnership with the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts welcomes visitors and the local community from March 13th to 16th to celebrate the bounty of what is grown in and around this beautiful region. “Join us to celebrate, learn and invoke Julia’s spirit, while shining a light on Santa Barbara’s culinary, hospitality, tourism and artisan communities.””

“The busy Weekend of activities includes Julia Child-themed events created by local hotels, restaurants and other establishments plus cooking classes, panels, and Q & As with local and nationally recognized chefs, ranchers, fishermen, farmers and winemakers. Also events for children and their families about the science and innovation of food. Finally behind-the-scenes tours of wineries, ranches, gardens, fishing and other culinary attractions and much more!”

SBCE Advisory Committee member Sherry Villaneuva of Acme Hospitality joins us with a preview of the upcoming Weekend festivities in Santa Barbara.

Show 358, February 2, 2020: Preview of Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Part One

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Eric Spivey of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary ArtsThe Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE), in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, is organizing an expansive citywide calendar of events for the three-day weekend on March 13-15, 2020. The SBCE will be an epicurean celebration of both Julia Child and Santa Barbara’s culinary scene involving chefs, mixologists, restaurateurs and the local community, with guest appearances from nationally renowned food and beverage talents.

The late cookbook author, chef and TV personality Julia Child was passionate about teaching others about the culinary arts—and was an aficionado of Santa Barbara, as a longtime resident herself. The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience aims to gather the community and visitors to celebrate the bounty of Santa Barbara’s abundant resources found in its local farms, ranches, vineyards and ocean, inspired by the spirit of Julia and her legacy of culinary education.

Eric Spivey, Chair of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts is our guest with the enticing preview.

Show 358, February 2, 2020: Preview of Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Part Two

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Eric Spivey of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts“The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE) is a world-class three-day event celebrated throughout greater Santa Barbara from March 13-15, 2020. Immersed in the American Riviera and showcasing a taste of Santa Barbara by bringing together local and national talent in the spirit of Julia Child, the public will enjoy Santa Barbara—Julia’s final home—with its dynamic food and wine scene.”

“In partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, participating restaurants, bars and hotels across the city and waterfront will offer their inspired spin on classic Julia Child dishes, signature Julia and Paul Child cocktails, educational programming, memorable stays, tours, talks and other creative programming, all to benefit The Julia Child Foundation.”

“The net proceeds of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience will flow to The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. The majority of those funds will be used to support a range of nonprofits in Santa Barbara County. Click here for more information on the foundation.”

“The mission of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts is to honor and further Julia’s legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding where food comes from, what makes for good food, and the value of cooking. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, the Foundation is a nonprofit organization, which makes grants to support research in culinary history, scholarships for professional culinary training, food writing and media, as well as professional development and food literacy programs.”

“Over the last decade, the Foundation has made more than $2 million in grants to other non-profits. In 2015, the Foundation created the Julia Child Award, presented at an annual Food History Gala hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This annual award honors an individual who has made a profound and significant difference in the way America cooks, eats and drinks and is accompanied by a $50,000 grant from the Foundation to a food-related non-profit selected by the recipient.”

Learn more about the Julia Child Foundation.

Eric Spivey, Chair of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, is our guest and continues with the enticing preview.

Show 315, March 16, 2019: Diane Harris Brown. (Former) Director of Scholarships, The James Beard Foundation

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Diane Harris BrownAfter 30 remarkable years in management with the New York-based James Beard Foundation, Diane Harris Brown retired at the end of 2017. Her final position was as Director of Scholarships and for many years. Before that she served as Director of Community and Educational Programming. What was it like interacting with culinary luminaries including the late Julia Child and Jacques Pepin and Paula Wolfert?

Next month Spoons Across America (The Recipe for Healthier Children) will honor Diane in New York with their Julia V. Jordan Award for Volunteerism. The other honoree that night is Chef Jose Andres (Award for Excellence recipient.) Diane was one of the original Founders of Spoons Across America.

Diane shares some thoughtful reminiscences.

Show 269, April 14, 2018: Chef Andrew Gruel’s “Ask the Chef”

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Andrew and William GruelOur always informed Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio and continues with his “Ask the Chef” series.

Today it’s Butter 411. These days butter is a bit of a maligned cooking fat. Olive oil seemingly reigns supreme. It really can be better with butter as Julia Child told us over the years. Butter adds taste and flavor to recipes and a modest amount can go a long way.

We’ll reflect on this as Chef Andrew puts the butter churn aside and has the flavorful specifics for us.

 

Show 147, November 21, 2015: Chef Jacques Pepin

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Jacques PepinRenowned Chef Jacques Pepin has written more than two dozen cookbooks and hosted more than 13 popular public television cooking series. Chef Pepin recently completed production of his 14th cooking series for PBS, “Jacques Pepin Heart & Soul” for KQED in San Francisco. There is also a newly published companion cookbook of the same name, Jacques Pepin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen.

Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen is an intimate look at the celebrity chef and the food he cooks at home with family and friends—200 recipes in all. There are the simple dinners Jacques prepares for his wife, like the world’s best burgers (the secret is ground brisket). There are elegant dinners for small gatherings, with tantalizing starters like Camembert cheese with a pistachio crust and desserts like little foolproof chocolate soufflés. And there are the dishes for backyard parties, including grilled chicken tenderloin in an Argentinean chimichurri sauce.

Chef Jacques is a true gentleman. He includes his wife’s favorite recipe in the Rice and Pasta section of the book. It’s “Gloria’s Linguine with Clam Sauce” and he shares this treasured recipe with her “permission.”

Spiced with reminiscences and stories, this book reveals the unorthodox philosophy of the man who taught millions how to cook, revealing his frank views on molecular gastronomy, the locovore movement, Julia Child and James Beard, on how to raise a child who will eat almost anything, and much, much more.  For both longtime fans of Jacques and those who are discovering him for the first time, this is a must-have cookbook.

“For this book, mindful that as I approach eighty years old I have a limited number of cookbooks in my future, I decided to gather a collection of recipes that I cook at home today.” Jacques Pepin.

Chef Pepin is our very special guest.

 

Show 58, January 25, 2013: Sanford D’Amato, founder and former Executive Chef of the award-winning Sanford restaurant, Milwaukee, WI

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Sanford D'AmotoGood Stock: Life on Low Simmer was written by Sanford “Sandy” D’Amato, one of America’s most respected chefs and restaurateurs. It is a special memoir of a life in cooking that weaves more than 80 recipes and both personal and food photos in a beautiful and engaging way.

Chef D’Amato tells his life story in brief episodes that are keyed to more than 80 of this James Beard Award-winning chef’s favorite recipes.

Sanford, the restaurant D’Amato opened in his native Milwaukee in 1989 (in the space that once housed his grandfather’s grocery store,) has long been one of the highest rated restaurants in America. Last year he sold it to his long-time sous chef to carry on the proud tradition.

D’Amato and his wife, Angie, currently split their time between Milwaukee and their mini-farm in Hatfield, MA, where they are preparing to open a cooking school (also called Good Stock.)

If you really want to understand what it takes to be a successful, career executive chef this is the book for you. It’s also highly entertaining and a fascinating read. Chef Sandy’s encounters with the legendary Julia Child over the years are priceless.