Show 559, January 6, 2024: “LOST LA” on PBS SoCal

PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern California’s flagship PBS stations are soon airing the 2024 “return of the locally produced, historical documentary series LOST LA, a co-production with the University of Southern California Libraries, part of their longstanding commitment to building public engagement with regional history collections. Public historian and writer Nathan Masters returns as Host for the sixth season of LOST LA with untold histories behind tiki culture, fast food, Historic Filipinotown, hiking, tuberculosis and cemeteries.”

“The new season of LOST LA is scheduled on PBS SoCal beginning Tuesday, January 2 at 7:30 p.m. PT. After the broadcast, each episode of LOST LA is available to stream on their companion websites and on the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal and KCET will get early access to stream all six episodes on PBS Passport starting Jan. 2.”

“The half-hour series LOST LA explores the region’s hidden past through documents, photos and other rare artifacts from California libraries and archives. Since its premiere in January of 2016, the series has continued to challenge the assumption that Los Angeles is a city without a history. Instead, LOST LA offers a history of Southern California that is not often told, or has been forgotten, bringing primary sources of Los Angeles history to the screen and connecting them to the Los Angeles of today.”

The Director of all the new season’s episodes of LOST LA, Matt Bass, is our well-informed guide to all that is LOST LA.

Show 446, October 9, 2021: Executive Chef Andreas Roller, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles

Andreas Roller of the Jonathan Club

Jonathan Club is a private social club with a rich history. Founded in 1895, the Club’s diverse member base enjoys fine dining, athletics and wellness facilities, spa services, social events and award shows. For over a century, Jonathan Club has long reflected the warm and inviting character of southern California, making it an exceptional place its members could truly call a home away from home. With two locations — one in downtown Los Angeles and one on the Santa Monica beach — Jonathan Club offers its members the very best of Southern California, and so much more.”

As part of Jonathan Club’s commitment to generously giving back to the community they are hosting the Michelin Stars Under the Stars fundraiser benefiting The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) on Friday evening, October 22nd at the Town Club facility in Downtown Los Angeles. The headlining Chef is Dominique Crenn of the 3 Michelin Star Altier Crenn in San Francisco. The coordinating chef is Jonathan Club’s Executive Chef Andreas Roller. Also in the esteemed chefs’ brigade that evening are Josiah Citrin (Melisse,) Gary Menes (Le Comptoir) and Pastry Chef Donald Wressell (Guittrard Chocolate Co.) Chef Roller joins us with an enticing preview.

Show 331, July 6, 2019: Kyle Meyer, Managing Partner, Wine Exchange, on Worthwhile Wine Publications and the return of the Michelin Guide

Kyle Meyer of Wine ExchangeKyle Meyer, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Santa Ana’s Wine Exchange, our resident wine authority (sans attitude,) joins us for another informative wine commentary responding to listeners’ thoughtful questions.

What credible wine publications are worth reading & subscribing to when the casual wine connoisseur wants to increase their wine IQ? Just looking for honest, journalistic reporting without pretension and possible advertorial coverage.

The Michelin Guide is back covering Southern California after a long absence. (They dismissively dropped the Los Angeles Guide after 2009.) Chefs and restaurateurs are talking about who was included along with the conspicuous omissions. Kyle knows fine-dining. His thoughts on the significance…?

Show 314, March 9, 2019: Chef John Cox and The Bear and Star’s (Los Olivos) Pop-Up at Jar

John CoxOn Sunday, March 10, 2019, JAR (Los Angeles) is hosting Chef John Cox with THE BEAR AND STAR POP-UP showcasing specialty selections from this Central Coast gem. Chef John and Katie Parker McDonald, the granddaughter of the late Fess Parker, will be on hand with their 30′ custom-built reverse-flow Texas smoker to smoke and grill meats and produce sourced from the Fess Parker Ranch and farm for this one-night-only dinner.

Chef Suzanne Tracht and her team will complement the menu with Jar’s favorite salads and desserts.

In 2017, Chef Cox teamed with siblings Eli and Ashley Parker of the famed Fess Parker family in Santa Barbara County to open The Bear and Star restaurant, located in the heart of Los Olivos, California, a concept of “refined ranch cuisine” inspired by Texan family recipes with a California sensibility. Cox and the Parkers combined resources to realize their dream of creating a true ecosystem on the 710-acre family ranch designed to supply the restaurant. Shepherded by John’s passion and vision, the ranch and its ecosystem exceed expectations of sustaining the restaurant with responsibly raised Wagyu beef, pork, rabbits, quail, chicken, bees and organically grown vegetables, herbs and fruits.

Suzanne TrachtJAR, a modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles, impresses Angelenos with the allure of Chef Suzanne Tracht’s familiar retro dishes from the American culinary repertoire, including her signature Pot Roast, Kansas City Steak, wild and sustainable fish, Lemon Grass Chicken, Black Mussels with Lobster Béarnaise and Fennel Salt, award-winning French Fries, market-fresh sides and perfectly mixed martinis.

Chefs John & Suzanne briefly escape their busy kitchens to provide the enticing menu details.

Show 233, July 22, 2017: Olympic Historian Richard B. Perelman, Editor & Publisher – The Sports Examiner

Rich PerelmanIf all the hush-hush, closed-door negotiations between The International Olympic Committee (IOC), Paris and Los Angeles go well Los Angeles will host the Olympics again for the 3rd time in either 2024 or 2028. What does it all mean? Can a modern Olympics even break-even for the host city?

Our Olympics expert and historian, Richard B. Perelman, joins us with a true insider’s perspective. Rich was the youngest Vice President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC) for the 1984 Games and also was the Editor of the 1984 Olympic Games Final Report, a massive two-volume book.

In his daily e-newsletter, The Sports Examiner, Perelman suggested the simultaneous dual city awards for 2024 and 2028 (and the reasoning for this unprecedented approach) weeks before it was reported on in the mainstream media as even a possibility for the IOC to consider.

Rich will encore with us in September with analysis & commentary after the IOC announces their final selections of Host Cities (and order) for the Games in 2024 and 2028. This includes which City (Paris or Los Angeles) is awarded 2024 and then 2028’s Host City.

Show 229, June 24, 2017: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South Continues…

Steve Samson of Sotto and RossobluRossoblu celebrates Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson’s two home cities, Los Angeles and Bologna, Italy. The menu features house-made salumi, soulful pastas, market produce, and wood grilled fish and meats.

Located in downtown’s City Market South, the site of Los Angeles’s original produce market, Rossoblu’s vaulted dining room and open kitchen create a festive dining environment. The restaurant’s private outdoor piazza allows al fresco diners to feel far removed from the nearby city bustle. An intimate basement wine cellar can be reserved for private parties.

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Show 211, February 18, 2017: 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards – Announcement of Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists

James Beard AwardsThis past week the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists were announced. Congratulations to all the California Semifinalists. On March 15th The Foundation will announce the Final Nominations in all categories at a breakfast press conference at a.o.c restaurant in Los Angeles. This is the first time in the 27-year history of The Awards that the Final Nominations will be announced in Los Angeles.

A tip of the toque to Chef Curtis Stone on the Semifinalist Nomination for Gwen for Best New Restaurant, Caroline Styne on the Semifinalist Nomination for Outstanding Restaurateur, Marche Moderne for the Semifinalist Nomination for Outstanding Service and Studio at Montage, Laguna Beach for the Semifinalist Nomination for Outstanding Wine Program.

Best wishes to all!

Show 185, August 20, 2016: Remembering Chef Michel Richard with Food Journalist & Author, Russ Parsons

Michel RichardIn the late 80s one of the most prominent chef – pioneers in Los Angeles was Michel Richard of Citrus. He was an amiable, larger-than-life culinary personality. Sadly he left us on August 13th.

Chef Michel opened a branch of Citronelle in Georgetown in 1993 and became a prominent figure on the Washington, D.C. culinary scene. It was his later home base.

Russ Parsons (the former, long-time Food Editor at The Los Angeles Times) knew him well. Russ joins us for a remembrance.

Russ Parsons and Michel RichardFrom Russ Parsons in the Los Angeles Times, November 1, 2006 :

“Every cook has his chef — someone they look up to above all others — and for almost 20 years (and even beyond, it turns out), Michel has been mine. I am not alone in this. He is regarded by his peers as a chef’s chef–an endless and generous source of new ideas and techniques. When Thomas Keller wrote his foreword to Michel’s new book, Happy in the Kitchen,” he titled it “Why Didn’t I Think of That?””

“It has been my terrific fortune to know a lot of really talented chefs over the years. Some have a wonderful innate sense of flavor. Some have a jeweler’s eye when it comes to presentation. Some can play technical tricks that make you gasp. Michel combines all three along with wit and intelligence.”

“I used to tease Michel that if someone told him he was the best chef in Los Angeles, he’d ask, “What about California?” If they said California, he’d ask, “What about the United States?” And so on. Even if someone told him he was the best chef in the world, he’d ask, “What if there are restaurants on other planets?””

In closing Russ observes that Chef Michel’s Happy in the Kitchen stands the test of time. It’s a beautiful book with gorgeous photos. He enthusiastically recommends it for every home cook’s library.

Show 123, May 23, 2015: Ment’or BKB Foundation’s Young Chef Competition

Krystyn Navarro and Daniel BouludKrystyn Navarro is the Chef de Partie at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills. Last year she won the New Orleans competition for the prestigious Ment’or BKB Foundation’s Young Chef Competition Series. She is currently completing her stagiaire at [One] in Chapel Hill, NC. The nationally prominent Co-Executive Chefs there are Kim Floresca and Daniel Ryan.

Applications (due by June 1st) are now open for the 2015 competitions in Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and New York City.

The Los Angeles competition is set for August 27th, 2015.

“Ment’or BKB Foundation is proud to host our 2nd annual Young Chef Competition series, designed to help find up and coming culinary leaders, identify future ambassadors for the culinary arts, and showcase the skill level and cuisine in America. These public competitions will take place in four different cities across the country. Young cooks will be asked to demonstrate their technical skills and creativity in a spirited and challenging contest.”

All chefs ages 22-27 who are currently eligible to work in the Unites States, and have at least 3 years of work experience, are invited to apply for the 2015 Young Chef Competition Series on the ment’or website.

Each 1st place team will receive a $10,000 prize, which the candidate may use towards a stage.

Krystyn Navarro joins us with all the needed 411.