Show 39, August 24, 2013: Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence and Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood

Michael Cimarusti, Jet Tila and Andy HarrisCelebrity Chef Michael Cimarusti (Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters”) is the seafood king in Los Angeles. He’s the executive chef and co-owner of Providence in Hollywood, California’s premier fine-dining seafood restaurant. It’s a prestigious 2-Star Michelin establishment.

A few months ago he launched the far more casual Connie & Ted’s (a New England-style seafood shack) in West Hollywood. It’s been an instant hit with the critics and the crowds just keep on coming.

Michael provided some great tips on selecting and preparing lobster.

August 27: Hatch Chile Roast with Melissa’s / World Variety Produce at Bristol Farms Santa Monica

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila & Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Kevin Davis, President and CEO of Bristol Farms
Segment Three: Farmer Duane Gillis and Robert Schueller from Melissa’s.
Segment Four: Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence and Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood Part One
Segment Five: Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence and Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood Part Two
Segment Six: Executive Chef Roy Hendrickson, Zimzala at The Shorebreak Hotel, Huntington Beach
Segment Seven: Russ Parsons, Food Editor, Los Angeles Times
Segment Eight: Delilah Snell, home canning and preservation authority

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

Today we’re at the brand new Bristol Farms (opened on Wednesday) store in Santa Monica broadcasting live. The address is 3105 Wilshire Blvd. If you’re in the neighborhood come on by. There is lots of parking in back of the store.

Melissa’s is roasting Hatch Chiles exhibition-style next to our broadcast location in front of the store’s entrance. They are also sampling incredible edibles using the most enticing Hatch Chile recipes from the new Melissa’s Hatch Chile Cookbook.

Chef Ida Rodriquez of Melissas World Variety ProduceMelissa’s Corporate Chef, Ida Rodriguez, will be with us to explain the widely expanding appeal of Hatch Chiles from New Mexico. The season is only six weeks. Chef Ida is the co-author of Melissa’s Hatch Chile Cookbook. She will be autographing books during the broadcast. Great for Holiday gifts.

Kevin Davis, the President and CEO of Bristol Farms joins us.

Kevin Davis CEO of Bristol FarmsBristol Farms has 13 stores in California including San Francisco. They are locally owned and based in Carson.

Bristol Farms opened their first store in Rolling Hills in 1982 and it’s quite a success story. Mr. Davis will provide insight on how a boutique food retailer with a point of difference can prosper among the giants of retailing!

Bristol Farms is expanding and opening new stores…

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety ProduceDuane Gillis is a farmer based in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico. He grows Hatch Chiles. This is the only place in the world where these coveted chiles are grown.

Robert Schueller is the long-time resident produce expert at Melissa’s. If it’s a fruit or vegetable he’s difficult to stump. He’ll be with us to provide all the stats on Hatch Chiles.

Michael Cimarusti of Providence and Connie and TedsCelebrity Chef Michael Cimarusti is the seafood king in Los Angeles. He’s the executive chef and co-owner of Providence in Hollywood, California’s premier fine-dining seafood restaurant. A few months ago he launched the far more casual Connie & Ted’s (a New England-style seafood shack) in West Hollywood. It’s been an instant hit and the crowds just keep on coming.

Chef Cimarusti previews the “Field to Fork” event he is co-hosting on August 31st at Paramount Studios as part of the Los Angeles Times’ Taste.

Chef Michael joins us in Santa Monica to talk about cooking with chiles.

Roy Hendrickson of Zimzalu in Huntington BeachExecutive Chef Roy Hendrickson oversees Zimzala at The Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach.

He makes a cravable Hatch Chile Ice Cream in-house.

Russ Parsons is the long-time Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times. He’s been covering food there for over 20 years. He’s written extensively about chiles. Like this story on New Mexico’s Green Chiles or this article about the amazing success of the Hatch Chile.

Russ will also be previewing his event for The Los Angeles Times’ The Taste next weekend.

Delilah SnellDelilah Snell is a prominent certified home canner and preserving expert. There are creative ways to preserve Hatch Chiles other than roasting and then freezing them.

Delilah was just in Hatch, New Mexico presenting a seminar on preserving Hatch Chiles.

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila & Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Kevin Davis, President and CEO of Bristol Farms
Segment Three: Farmer Duane Gillis and Robert Schueller from Melissa’s.
Segment Four: Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence and Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood Part One
Segment Five: Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence and Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood Part Two
Segment Six: Executive Chef Roy Hendrickson, Zimzala at The Shorebreak Hotel, Huntington Beach
Segment Seven: Russ Parsons, Food Editor, Los Angeles Times
Segment Eight: Delilah Snell, home canning and preservation authority

Show 31, June 15, 2013: Dining with Jet and Producer Andy

The new dining room of Spago Beverly HillsChef Jet and Producer Andy have been doing some noteworthy dining around…

Jet recently experienced the renovated Spago Beverly Hills which remains one of the bastions of fine dining in the West. The new look is more retro in the style of AMC’s “Mad Men” series. The servers are smartly attired in vests with ties.

Serving portions are by the numbers. One’s are the appetizers. Two’s are small plates and Three’s are big plates which you can share. Standouts for Jet are the grilled corn agnolotti and the veal steak tartar. Expensive but worth it…

Connie & Ted's in West HollywoodProducer Andy reported on the new Connie & Ted’s on Santa Monica Blvd. in WeHo. This is Celebrity Chef Michael Cimarusti’s (Providence) greatly anticipated East Coast / New England-style seafood “shack” with his front of the house partner from Providence, Donato Poto, one of the most welcoming in the business. It’s housed in an architecturally significant new building. The front looks like a wave and the inside has the feeling of openness with an open kitchen.

Producer Andy was particularly taken with their lobster roll. You can get it hot or cold but Andy commented on the hot variation which is poached lobster served on a house-baked, toasted hot dog –style bun slathered in drawn butter. All breads and rolls are baked in-house including the oyster crackers for the three versions of clam chowder.