Show 74, May 31, 2014: Executive Chef Scott Brandon, Fireside Tavern, Costa Mesa

Scott Brandon of Fireside TavernFireside Tavern is an undiscovered gem of a new destination restaurant in the unlikely location of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa just off the 405 Freeway. The secret is Executive Chef Scott Brandon.

Chef Scott’s credits include Oysters in Corona del Mar, Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona del Mar, and LinX in Old Towne Orange.

It’s located just South of South Coast Plaza.

The space is inviting, comfortable and there is an outside patio with lots of shade.

There is a great Happy Hour menu served daily from 3 to 6:00 p.m. and then again from 10 to midnight. Lots of fun & appealing food selections and libations priced at a good value.

“Fireside is an American gastropub, offering a contemporary menu of upscale tavern fare for lunch and dinner. Fireside features a menu of freshly sourced meat, seafood and cheese, along with a bar menu of small plates. The bar serves an array of American wines, craft draft beer, and signature cocktails.”

Breakfast is a buffet served from 6 to 9:00 a.m.

Fireside is a property of Sentinel Restaurant and Hospitality Group. Executive Chef Rainer Schwarz (ex-Patina Restaurant Group) is a partner.

May 31: Wolfgang Puck, Cathy Thomas, Coffee Bean, Fireside Tavern, Joan’s on Third,

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Cathy Thomas, food journalist, Orange County Register and Los Angeles Register
Segment Three: Jay Isais, Senior Director, Coffee Roasting and Manufacturing, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Segment Four: Chef Wolfgang Puck
Segment Five: Executive Chef Scott Brandon, Fireside Tavern, Costa Mesa
Segment Six: Chester Hastings, Cheesemonger and Chef, Joan’s on Third, Los Angeles
Segment Seven: Bill Esparza, “The Street Gourmet” & Curator for Tacolandia Part One
Segment Eight: Bill Esparza, “The Street Gourmet” & Curator for Tacolandia Part Two

Chef Jet and Producer Andy preview the show.

Pioneering California Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck with destination restaurants around the globe really needs no introduction. Among many accomplishments he cooks for the VIP guests at the Oscars every year. His new book, Wolfgang Puck Makes it Healthy : Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life is a true labor of love.

The Orange County Register’s award-winning food writer, Cathy Thomas, has just returned from a cruise on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. She shares her travel and food adventures in India and Singapore.

What’s the most exotic coffee bean in the world ? Our resident coffee expert from the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has the unexpected answer. It’s unusual…

The 2nd Annual Tacolandia (“Where All Your Taco Dreams Come True”) is coming up June 28th. The Taco in Chief (a.k.a. “The Street Gourmet,”) Bill Esparza, serves it up.

Understanding and selecting specialty cheese can be a bit intimidating. Cheesemonger extraordinaire, Chester Hastings, to the rescue!

Fireside Tavern is an undiscovered gem of a new destination restaurant in the unlikely location of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa just off the 405 Freeway. The secret is Executive Chef Scott Brandon.

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

Special Note:
Michael Puglisi
You’ve heard Chef Michael Puglisi (ex-Bouchon Beverly Hills) of the soon-to-be Electric City Butcher in The (upcoming) 4th Street Market in Santa Ana on the show.

On Monday, June 2nd Chef Puglisi is part of a special Chef’s Dinner at 320 Main – New American Eatery in Seal Beach.

The 6-course menu is from Chef Puglisi, Chef Jaime Carrano of 320 Main, and Chef Eddie Ruiz of Corazon y Miel. Corazon y Miel in Bell was just included in Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants 2014 as presented in the Los Angeles Times.

Chefs Michael and Eddie also work together at the recently opened PICNIK in Old Pasadena. “These three friends are pleased to bring an amazing menu and incredible dining experience for the latest in 320 Main’s Chef’s Dinner series.”

$95 per guest including tax and gratuity.

Reservations & Information: 562.799.6246.

Cathy ThomasCathy Thomas is the long-established food writer and former Food Editor at The Orange County Register. She has won numerous well-deserved awards for her journalism and is a good friend of chefs and restaurateurs.

Cathy Thomas was just on a short leg (12 days) of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth’s World Cruise. She left the ship for four days on land in India traveling to the Taj Mahal. Cathy will enlighten us on luxury cruising, Indian street food, and dining at Ku De Ta, a hot restaurant in Singapore with an incredible view.

Look for Cathy’s piece on Indian Street Food in an upcoming Wednesday Food Section in the Orange County Register.

Jay Isais of the Coffee Bean and Tea LeafJay (“Eye-Zay-Us”) Isais is the Senior Director, Coffee Roasting and Manufacturing, for the Coffee Bean and Teal Leaf.

The rarest coffee beans in the world (from Sumatra) must be the Kopi Luwak beans. They are “harvested” in an unusual way.

Jay explains this highly sought-after coffee oddity…

Wolfgang PuckWhat is now known as California Cuisine never had a better day than when Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck opened the original Spago on The Sunset Strip in 1982. Its ambitions were modest…

Now the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group has restaurants around the world with a second stronghold in Las Vegas.

Chef Puck was the first Chef to cook a meal at New York’s famed James Beard House. He is also the recipient of multiple James Beard Foundation Awards.

Another high-profile division, Wolfgang Puck Catering, provides the food for the Annual Governors Ball for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Wolfgang is better known internationally than many of the celebrities who he graciously serves !

Another unit, Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. franchises casual Wolfgang Puck restaurants, licenses consumer products, is involved in book publishing, television and internet programming, and other licensing and merchandising efforts.

Wolfgang Puck’s most recent book, Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy – Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life is a personal project for him.
In the words of Chef Wolfgang Puck :

“I never, ever expected to write this book. If you had suggested to me ten years ago, or even five, that my next book would focus on healthy recipes and fitness, I would’ve said you didn’t know me very well.

I have figured out where I can modify ingredients to make a healthier dish. And today I can eat all my favorite foods without overeating anything.

I feel good because of the combination of eating well and exercising I’ve developed. Now I want to help you achieve the same goal, to feel healthy and happy, with plenty of energy to do the things you love to do.”

Scott Brandon of Fireside TavernFireside Tavern is an undiscovered gem of a new destination restaurant in the unlikely location of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa just off the 405 Freeway. The secret is Executive Chef Scott Brandon.

Chef Scott’s credits include Oysters in Corona del Mar, Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona del Mar, and LinX in Old Towne Orange.

It’s located just South of South Coast Plaza.

The space is inviting and there is an outside patio with lots of shade.

There is a great Happy Hour menu served daily from 3 to 6:00 p.m. and then again from 10 to midnight. Lots of fun & appealing food selections and libations priced at a good value.

“Fireside is an American gastropub, offering a contemporary menu of upscale tavern fare for lunch and dinner. Fireside features a menu of freshly sourced meat, seafood and cheese, along with a bar menu of small plates. The bar serves an array of American wines, craft draft beer, and signature cocktails.”

Chester HastingsCheesemonger (and Chef) Chester Hastings of Joan’s on Third in Los Angeles literally wrote the book on enjoying cheese. His latest title is The Cheesemonger’s Seasons – Recipes for Enjoying Cheese with Ripe Fruits and Vegetables. His first cheese book was the well-reviewed, The Cheesemonger’s Kitchen.

The Cheesemonger’s Season contains ninety amazing cheese-centric recipes, from appetizers to desserts, all of them simple, and each one showcasing the absolute best of what the season has to offer.

When Chester started at Joan’s over 12 years ago they carried seven varieties of cheese. Today they stock over 100 varieties of domestic and imported cheeses.

Bill EsparzaThe 2nd Annual Tacolandia (“Where All Your Taco Dreams Come True”) is coming up June 28th at El Pueblo De Los Angeles. The hours are 3 to 7:00 p.m.

The Taco in Chief, Bill Esparza (a.k.a. “The Street Gourmet,”) serves it up.

It’s 40 plus taco vendors, the Tequila Tasting Experience, and live Mariachi entertainment.

Bill previews the incredible taco creations of a number of the chefs participating in LA Weekly’s Tacolandia. The best tacos on food trucks, too…

The 2nd Annual Tacolandia (“Where All Your Taco Dreams Come True”) is coming up June 28th at El Pueblo De Los Angeles. The hours are 3 to 7:00 p.m.

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Cathy Thomas, food journalist, Orange County Register and Los Angeles Register
Segment Three: Jay Isais, Senior Director, Coffee Roasting and Manufacturing, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Segment Four: Chef Wolfgang Puck
Segment Five: Executive Chef Scott Brandon, Fireside Tavern, Costa Mesa
Segment Six: Chester Hastings, Cheesemonger and Chef, Joan’s on Third, Los Angeles
Segment Seven: Bill Esparza, “The Street Gourmet” & Curator for Tacolandia Part One
Segment Eight: Bill Esparza, “The Street Gourmet” & Curator for Tacolandia Part Two

Show 39, August 31, 2013: Scott Brandon, Chef / Proprietor of Linx in Old Towne Orange

Scott Brandon of Linx DogsLinx is located at 238 W. Chapman Ave. adjacent to Wahoo’s. Last year Chef Scott operated Linx out of an Airstream trailer at his location during the Fair because he hadn’t opened yet. On his menu are incredible artisan sausages served on fresh OC Baking Company bread.

Hand-cut Belgian fries are also top dog here. They are twice-fried and really good. They come with a variety of flavorful dipping sauces all prepared in-house.

Chef Scott comes from an impressive fine-dining background. Corona del Mar residents remember him from his long tenure at Oysters.

Show 39, August 31, 2013: Deanna Durigon, Old Towne Orange Walking Food Tours

On Saturday we were live from the heart of Old Towne Orange. Old Towne is now home to an impressive variety of specialty restaurants. Haven Gastropub and Linx immediately come to mind along with the original Bruxie.

Deanna DurigonOld Towne Orange Food Walking Tours is a fun way to get introduced to the culinary delights of the area. They offer both the Orange Sampler Tour as well as the Vintage Orange Food Tour.

Enthusiastic co-owner Deanna Durigon both lives and works in Orange. She was with us to provide all the appetizing details.

We also talked about some of the standout ethnic food items available at The Street Fair. A new item attracting a lot of attention for 2013 is the all-natural line of Front Porch Pops. They include refreshing fruit flavors which are real standouts. They were available on Polynesian Street.

August 31: Orange International Street Fair

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Co-Host Kedric Francis, Producer Andy Harris and Jet Tila via Satellite
Segment Two: Scott Brandon, Chef / Proprietor of Linx in Old Towne Orange
Segment Three: Chef Marco Zapien of Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria in Pico Rivera
Segment Four: Deanna Durigon, Old Towne Orange Walking Food Tours
Segment Five: Executive Chef Greg Daniels & Managing Partner / Beverage Director Wil Dee of Provisions Market
Segment Six: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival
Segment Seven: Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco
Segment Eight: Travis Rodgers, host of “The Travis Rodgers Show” on AM 830 KLAA

Please join us each week at our new starting time of 10:00 a.m.

Orange International Street FairToday it’s the last hurrah for the Summer. We broadcasting live from the Orange International Street Fair in Orange. This is a massive community event attracting up to 400,000 people to Old Towne Orange over the two and-one half day festival. The Fair continues until Sunday night.

All of the top quality ethnic street food available is authentically prepared by area non-profits. You have an international melting pot of flavors ranging from Australian to Swiss.

Eight entertainment stages, too!

Kedric Francis, the Executive Editor of both Coast Magazine and The Orange County Register Magazine joins us on Saturday for the festivities as co-host.

Scott Brandon of LinX DogsScott Brandon, the Chef/Proprietor of LinX Artisan Sausages at 238 W. Chapman Ave., is with us. Last year Chef Scott operated LinX out of a trailer at his location during the Fair because he hadn’t opened yet. On his menu are incredible artisan sausages.

Hand-cut Belgian fries are also top dog here. They are twice-fried and really good. They come with a variety of flavorful dipping sauces all prepared in-house.

Marco Zapien of Zapiens Salsa Grill and TaqueriaChef Marco Zapien is the owner/chef of Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria in Pico Rivera. It’s proudly family-owned and a locals’ favorite since 1994.

The fare represents the various regions of Mexico. They are known for lengua (tongue) and enchiladas en mole. The corn tortillas for the chips and salsa are made-in house.

On Saturday, September 7th Zapien’s is hosting their 2nd Annual Hatch Chile Roasting and brunch for charity. Hatch Chiles will be sold by the case, roasted or fresh, and Hatch Chile food and drink specials will be available.

Deanna DurigonWe’re in Old Towne Orange today. Old Towne is now home to an impressive variety of specialty restaurants. Haven Gastropub and LinX immediately come to mind along with original Bruxie.

Old Town Orange Food Walking Tours is a fun way to get introduced to the culinary delights of the area. They offer both the Orange Sampler Tour as well as the Vintage Orange Food Tour.

Co-owner Deanna Durigon, who both lives and works in Orange, is the co-owner. She joins us to provide all the appetizing details.

Greg Daniels of Haven GastropubProvisions Market, a new gourmet specialty food store, sandwich shop, and craft beer emporium, on Glassell is the talk of Old Towne Orange. 30 rotating beers are available on tap as well as Sidecar Doughnuts.

Coming soon will be a full service coffee bar operated by Portola Coffee Lab of The Mix in Costa Mesa.

Executive Chef Greg Daniels (Haven Gastropub) and Managing Partner Wil Dee will be with us to explain all the delicious elements and what’s to come.

Joshua Lurie of Food GPSThere is no better Summer picnic food than fried chicken. Leave it to Joshua Lurie of Food GPS to create a festival around incredible fried chicken!

The 2nd Annual Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival is set for Sunday, Sept. 15 from 4 to 7:00 p.m. in Downtown Los Angeles at LOT 613.

Eleven of L.A.’s top toques will be there showcasing multiple styles of their fried chicken for the guests to sample and enjoy at their pleasure. Also on the menu are appropriate side dishes, desserts, craft beer, and cocktails.

Chef Jason Neroni of Superba Snack Bar in Venice and producer Joshua Lurie of Food GPS join us to preview the Festival.

Wing Lam of Wahoo's Fish TacosThe coolest dude in Orange County has to be the incomparable Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco. It just comes to him naturally…It’s their 25th anniversary this year.

Wing is also active in many local charitable activities as well as enjoys teaching marketing. He’s also a master at guerrilla marketing.

Wing joins us in-person to reveal how he keeps Wahoo’s fresh after 25 years of increasing success…

Travis RodgersTravis Rodgers quarterbacks The Travis Rodgers Show heard weekday mornings on AM 830 KLAA from 6 to 10:00 a.m. It’s SoCal’s only live, local morning sports show. Travis actually lives in Orange County!

You might not know that Travis is equally passionate about all kinds of food. We’ll eagerly talk food with Travis and find out what he’s looking forward to tasting at The Orange International Street Fair this Weekend!

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Co-Host Kedric Francis, Producer Andy Harris and Jet Tila via Satellite
Segment Two: Scott Brandon, Chef / Proprietor of Linx in Old Towne Orange
Segment Three: Chef Marco Zapien of Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria in Pico Rivera
Segment Four: Deanna Durigon, Old Towne Orange Walking Food Tours
Segment Five: Executive Chef Greg Daniels & Managing Partner / Beverage Director Wil Dee of Provisions Market
Segment Six: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival
Segment Seven: Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco
Segment Eight: Travis Rodgers, host of “The Travis Rodgers Show” on AM 830 KLAA