Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurateur & Chef Katherine Gonzalez, Mija Handcraft Kitchen, Culver City Part One
Segment Three: Restaurateur & Chef Katherine Gonzalez, Mija Handcraft Kitchen, Culver City Part Two
Segment Four: Restaurateur Qiana Mafnas, Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ, Long Beach Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Qiana Mafnas, Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ, Long Beach Part Two
Segment Six: Chef Marco Zapien, Zapien’s Salsa Grill, Pico Rivera Part One
Segment Seven: Chef Marco Zapien, Zapien’s Salsa Grill, Pico Rivera Part Two
Segment Eight: Co-Host and Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”
Happy Labor Day Weekend.
Andy Harris, Executive Producer and Co-host previews the show.
“Mija Handcraft Kitchen in Culver City is now open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Pop champagne with friends, enjoy a refreshing cocktail or celebrate with a special bottle of wine to compliment their modern delicious California Mexican dishes made from local ingredients. Chef and owner, Katherine Gonzalez, was raised in Southern Arizona. Her mother’s family migrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, and her father’s family from Spain. Growing up, there was always a pot of beans cooking, freshly made flour tortillas, salsa, and sopas fideo. Every celebration featured warm and delicious comfort food including her mother’s famous tamales, chips, and fresh salsas.” Chef Katherine takes a break from her busy kitchen to join us with a plate of the signature Mom’s Chilaquile in hand.
“Black Restaurant Week is presenting its sixth annual campaign in the Los Angeles Region. It’s on until September 3rd. Discover black-owned restaurants, food trucks, sweets, and more across Los Angeles and additional surrounding metro areas.” One of the participating restaurants in Los Angeles Black Restaurant Week is Long Beach’s Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ. “Ian and Qiana Mafnas of Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ are a husband and wife pitmaster / executive chef team, who have over 20 years of restaurant experience between the two of them. Ian has been developing his love for smoking meats over a period of eight years, and Qiana has worked in some of the finest restaurants in California. They have finally decided to share their experience as well as the love for smoking meats and cooking with their community.” Qiana Mafnas joins us with a tempting brisket plate in hand.
“Once a year Zapien’s Salsa Grill in Pico Rivera hosts a series of Hatch Pepper-themed events to celebrate the New Mexican spicy, yet savory pepper from Hatch, NM, including a Saturday Hatch Pepper Roast. Join the Salsa Grill for a special Hatch Pepper Brunch on Saturday, September. 9 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. with over 10 Hatch Pepper inspired dishes. Enjoy all-you-can eat specialties, handmade Tortillas, Sparkling Wine and Mimosas. The Hatch Chile Brunch Menu also includes some classic favorites like Menudo and Pozole. Think Hatch Chile Verde and lots more. Zapien’s will also be turning on the roasters that same day, so take home a case (ordered in advance) of Roasted Hatch Peppers. For Zapien’s Salsa Grill’s grand Hatch Pepper Finale for 2023 join Chef Marco Zapien at the award-winning Zapien’s Salsa Grill & Taqueria on Wednesday evening, September 13th from 6 to 8:00 p.m. for one of his lively and entertaining cooking demonstrations and dinner, combined with his creativity and the seasonal Mexican Hatch Pepper.”
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. It’s Labor Day Weekend, the official last stand of the Summer grilling season. Chef Andrew has some useful hints including thoughts on grilling fish.
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
“Mija Handcraft Kitchen in Culver City is an artisan eatery featuring a variety of modern Mexican fare inspired by the Californian lifestyle. Made with locally-sourced ingredients, all of their made-from-scratch recipes are vibrant, unique, delicious, and oh so bueno!”
“Mija Handcraft Kitchen is now open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Pop champagne with friends, enjoy a refreshing cocktail or celebrate with a special bottle of wine to compliment their modern delicious California Mexican dishes made from local ingredients.
“Chef and owner, Katherine Gonzalez, was raised in Southern Arizona. Her mother’s family migrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, and her father’s family from Spain. Growing up, there was always a pot of beans cooking, freshly made flour tortillas, salsa, and sopas fideo. Every celebration featured warm and delicious comfort food including her mother’s famous tamales, chips, and fresh salsas.”
“Katherine’s love for heritage-inspired dishes began at a young age while cooking with her mama. After years of watching her mother in the kitchen, Katherine began learning how to make her signature tamales, chips, and salsa. Over time, Katherine began to experiment with her family’s recipes to create different flavor profiles. She spent many hours learning the secrets to vibrant and tasty dishes which she is proud to share through Chúla Artisan Eatery in La Quinta and, now, Mija Handcraft Kitchen!”
Chef Katherine takes a break from her busy kitchen to join us with a plate of the signature Mom’s Chilaquiles in hand.
“Black Restaurant Week is presenting its sixth annual campaign in the Los Angeles Region. It’s on until September 3rd.
Discover black-owned restaurants, food trucks, sweets, and more across Los Angeles and additional surrounding metro areas.”
“Founded in 2016 by Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell, and Derek Robinson, Black Restaurant Week® is dedicated to celebrating the flavors of African-American, African, and Caribbean cuisine nationwide. Through a series of events and promotional campaigns, Black Restaurant Week’s culinary initiatives nationwide help introduce culinary businesses and culinary professionals to the community.”
“Black Restaurant Week celebrates the flavors of African American, African and Caribbean cuisine with a series of regional cultural events and aims to support Black-owned culinary businesses with substantial programming outside of their multi-city tour across the United States.”
One of the participating restaurants in Los Angeles Black Restaurant Week is Long Beach’s Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ. Ian and Qiana Mafnas of Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ are a husband and wife pitmaster / executive chef team, that have over 20 years of restaurant experience between the two of them. Ian has been developing his love for smoking meats over a period of eight years, and Qiana has worked in some of the finest restaurants in California. They have finally decided to share their experience as well as the love for smoking meats and cooking with their community and the “Axiom Fam”.
“Axiom Kitchen is managed and run by the Mafnas family, including their son and daughter-in-law, Chef Tai and Chef Dominique, and front-of-house managers Elleana and Robbie. Add their amazing expediters Kevell, Christopher, Callista, Ian Jr., and Amara and you have magic!”
Qiana Mafnas is our guest with a brisket plate in hand.
“Once a year Zapien’s Salsa Grill in Pico Rivera hosts a series of Hatch Pepper-themed events to celebrate the New Mexican spicy, yet savory pepper from Hatch, NM, including a Saturday Hatch Pepper Roast.”
“Join the Salsa Grill for a special Hatch Pepper Brunch on Saturday, September. 9 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. with over 10 Hatch Pepper inspired dishes. Enjoy all-you-can eat specialties, handmade Tortillas, Sparkling Wine and Mimosas. The Hatch Chile Brunch Menu also includes some classic favorites like Menudo and Pozole. Think Hatch Chile Verde and lots more. Zapien’s will also be turning on the roasters that same day, so take home a case (ordered in advance) of Roasted Hatch Peppers.”
“This year’s Hatch Pepper Roast will again allow patrons to pick-up roasted Melissa’s Hatch Peppers by the case and by the preferred level of spice, from mild to hot. Come by and enjoy the festivities as Chef Marco Zapien turns on the roasters for a fun day of celebrating on Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
“For Zapien’s Salsa Grill’s 2023 Hatch Pepper Finale join Chef Marco Zapien at the award-winning Zapien’s Salsa Grill & Taqueria on Wednesday evening September 13th from 6 to 8:00 p.m. for one of his lively and entertaining cooking demonstrations, combined with his creativity and the seasonal Mexican Hatch Pepper. Chef MZ shares his passion for classic and contemporary Mexican cuisine by teaching his expert cooking techniques and tricks of the trade. This unique demonstration will include various dishes with Hatch Pepper in the recipe. This one-of-a-kind pepper is available only once a year for a short season after they are grown and distributed from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico. Zapien’s partners annually with Melissa’s World Variety Produce to stage these fun and interactive Hatch Chile-centric events.”
Chef Marco joins us with a Hatch Pepper Coctel de Camaron at the ready.
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of the fast-casual Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.
It’s Labor Day Weekend, the official last stand of the Summer grilling season. Chef Andrew has some practical hints including thoughts on grilling fish with no hassles.
Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurateur & Chef Katherine Gonzalez, Mija Handcraft Kitchen, Culver City Part One
Segment Three: Restaurateur & Chef Katherine Gonzalez, Mija Handcraft Kitchen, Culver City Part Two
Segment Four: Restaurateur Qiana Mafnas, Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ, Long Beach Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Qiana Mafnas, Axiom Kitchen Smoked Meats & BBQ, Long Beach Part Two
Segment Six: Chef Marco Zapien, Zapien’s Salsa Grill, Pico Rivera Part One
Segment Seven: Chef Marco Zapien, Zapien’s Salsa Grill, Pico Rivera Part Two
Segment Eight: Co-Host and Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”
