Show 483, July 16, 2022: OC Fair Preview with Evy Young, Agricultural Education and Culinary Arts Supervisor Part One

Evy Young of the OC Fair

The beloved OC Fair is back in Costa Mesa from July 15th through August 14th. for “Feel the Sunshine.” If you love to cook or love to eat, this is the place to meet! “Culinary Arts is again taking center stage at the 2022 OC Fair in the OC Promenade. The Main Stage there is booked every day throughout the fair and will be host to chefs, bakers, farmers, floral artists, food bloggers, mixologists, brewers, butchers and more. (Every evening there’s a great band to provide music.)”

The OC Fair’s long-time Agriculture Education and Culinary Arts Supervisor, Evy Young, is our guide to all the delights including the happenings in Centennial Farm. Centennial Farm is the showcase for viewing adorable newborn, baby farm animals. Look for the piglets and baby goats.

Show 483, July 16, 2022: OC Fair Preview with Evy Young, Agricultural Education and Culinary Arts Supervisor (Part Two) and Team USA’s Finish at Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection

Evy Young of the OC Fair

The beloved OC Fair is back in Costa Mesa from July 15th through August 14th. for “Feel the Sunshine.” If you love to cook or love to eat, this is the place to meet! “Culinary Arts is again taking center stage at the 2022 OC Fair in the OC Promenade. The Main Stage there is booked every day throughout the fair and will be host to chefs, bakers, farmers, floral artists, food bloggers, mixologists, brewers, butchers and more. (Every evening there’s a great band to provide music.)”

The OC Fair’s long-time Agriculture Education and Culinary Arts Supervisor, Evy Young, continues as our knowledgeable guide to all the delights in the OC Promenade and the happenings in Centennial Farm.

Team USA (Head Chef Jeffery Hayashi and Commis Franco Fugel) competed in Santiago, Chile, last Thursday in the Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection vying to be one of the five teams of eight participating to be able to move on to the bi-annual Bocuse d’Or in Lyon France in January of 2023.

Team USA had 5 hours and 35 minutes (following the Bocuse d’Or format) to prepare and showcase their elaborate platter interpretation of Salmon and a plated vegetarian theme with quinoa. Team USA was awarded First Place for their considerable effort and moves on to Lyon in January.

Congratulations Team USA!

Show 434, July 17, 2021: Evy Young, Agriculture Education Supervisor, OC Fair

Evy Young of the OC Fair

The beloved OC Fair is back in Costa Mesa from July 16th through August 15th. “If you love to cook or love to eat, this is the place to meet!”

“Culinary Arts is taking center stage at the 2021 OC Fair in the OC Promenade. The Main Stage there is booked every day throughout the fair and will be host to chefs, bakers, farmers, floral artists, food bloggers, mixologists, brewers, butchers and more. (And every evening there’s a great band to provide music.)”

“Learn from the best during demos and tasting sessions stocked with kitchen secrets, war stories and more – straight from the experts.”

The OC Fair’s long-time Culinary Arts Supervisor, Evy Young, is our guide to all the delights. Evy supervises Centennial Farm, year-round, a hidden gem of an attraction there for families.

Show 434, July 17, 2021: Robert Schueller, “The Prince of Produce,” Melissa’s Part One

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety Produce in the AM830 KLAA Studio

Robert Schueller of Melissa’s (our resident Prince of Produce) is presenting two talks on the Culinary Stage in the OC Promenade on Opening Day at the 2021 OC Fair. On the menu are California Specialty Fruit Crops and California Specialty Vegetable Crops. Also a preview of the always eagerly anticipated upcoming Hatch Chile season which just started.

Robert shares a highlighted version of his California Specialty Fruit Crops engaging presentation with us as well as the preview of the Hatch Chile season.

“Melissa’s kicks off Hatch Pepper season with an all-new Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Cookbook, a compilation of delicious recipes from the Melissa’s Corporate Chefs Team. These recipes have been collected over several seasons during their annual Hatch Pepper promotional campaigns. The recipes are divided into nine groups: Appetizers, Salads, Sides, Drinks, Condiments, etc., demonstrating the versatility of this unique pepper variety with more than one-hundred recipes. There are Hatch dishes for every meal of the day and for every culinary skillset from the novice cook to the serious chef.”

Melissa’s Produce will be featured in many cooking demonstrations on the Main Stage in the OC Promenade, the site of the major culinary happenings. For the run of The Fair they will be showcased in the Rare Fruit Growers exhibit located in the Centennial Farms area.

Show 434, July 17, 2021: Robert Schueller, “The Prince of Produce,” Melissa’s Part Two

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety Produce in the AM830 KLAA Studio

Robert Schueller of Melissa’s (our resident Prince of Produce) is presenting two talks on the Culinary Stage in the OC Promenade on Opening Day at the 2021 OC Fair. On the menu are California Specialty Fruit Crops and California Specialty Vegetable Crops. Also a preview of the always eagerly anticipated upcoming Hatch Chile season which just started.

Robert now shares a highlighted version of his California Specialty Food Crops engaging presentation with us as well as the preview of the Hatch Chile season.

“Melissa’s kicks off Hatch Pepper season with an all-new Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Cookbook, a compilation of delicious recipes from the Melissa’s Corporate Chefs Team. These recipes have been collected over several seasons during their annual Hatch Pepper promotional campaigns. There are Hatch dishes for every meal of the day and for every culinary skillset from the novice cook to the serious chef.”

Melissa’s Produce will be featured in many cooking demonstrations on the Main Stage in the OC Promenade, the site of the major culinary happenings. For the run of The Fair they will be showcased in the Rare Fruit Growers exhibit located in the Centennial Farms area.

Show 331, July 6, 2019: Melissa’s “Prince of Produce” – Robert Schueller previewing his presentations at the OC Fair

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety Produce in the AM830 KLAA StudioThe 2019 OC Fair opens the gates on Friday, July 12th. The Culinary Arts programming in the OC Promenade building is always a major attraction during the Fair. Our own Prince of Produce, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s, has two interactive presentations on the Culinary Stage there for Opening Day.

Robert will first be on the Culinary Stage in the OC Promenade at 1:00 p.m. with “Acres of Fruit.” Think Dragon Fruits for starters and more…At 3:00 p.m. Robert returns with “Acres of Vegetables.” Think Dutch Yellow Potatoes and Pee Wee Dutch Yellow Potatoes, too, grown in Idaho. Also, the increasing popularity of the incredibly versatile, Jackfruit.

Robert joins us with a juicy preview.

Show 331, July 6, 2019: Pamela Wnuck, Culinary Arts Supervisor for the OC Fair

Pamela WnuckThe 2019 OC Fair opens the gates on Friday, July 12th. The Culinary Arts programming, including exhibits, tastings & demonstrations in the OC Promenade building, is always a popular attraction during the Fair.

“If you love to cook or love to eat, this is the place to meet!”

Culinary Arts is taking center stage at the 2019 OC Fair. The Main Stage on the OC Promenade is booked every day throughout the fair and will be host to chefs, bakers, farmers, floral artists, food bloggers, mixologists, brewers, butchers and more. (And every evening there’s a great band to provide music.) Learn from the best during demos and tasting sessions stocked with kitchen secrets, war stories and more – straight from the experts.

Thermomix will be in the new “Culinary Playground” with a hands-on cooking school brought to life like never before. Six fairgoers will have the opportunity to make a signature dish alongside Chef Lynette. Class topics include “Waste Not,” exploring how to get the most from your food.”

“Join celebrity pastry chef and MOF Stéphane Tréand on the Main Stage every Sunday at 1 p.m. as he teaches how to make some of his delectable desserts. Each class has limited space of eight spots per Sunday class. Children ages 9-17 and adults 18 and over are welcome. Each session is 30 minutes. Classes are free.”

Northgate Markets will be showcasing a new gourmet Guacamole Bar. Avocado toast and more fresh avocado favorites will be available for sale.

Pamela Wnuck, the Culinary Arts Supervisor for the OC Fair, cooks up a delectable preview of the 23 days of programming there.

Show 281, July 14, 2018: OC Fair Culinary Arts Programming – OC Promenade Building

OC Promenade Culinary Arts BuildingThe OC Promenade Building at the OC Fair (through August 12th) is the Home of all the entertaining OC Fair Culinary Arts programming including the OC Promenade Main Stage. It’s the year of “Feed Your Inner Farmer!” celebrating people who play a key role in California agriculture.

If you love to cook or love to eat, this is the place to meet at The OC Fair!

Culinary Arts is taking center stage at the 2018 OC Fair. The Main Stage is booked every day throughout the fair and will be host to chefs, bakers, farmers, floral artists, food bloggers, mixologists, brewers, butchers and more.

Be sure to sample the local honey offerings at the OC Local Honey station, see the incredible macarons at Master Pastry Chef Stephane Treand’s Patisserie, and sample the natural beverages at Fermentation Farm. (Don’t miss the flavorful root beer that tingles.) Also look for the creations of the magician of fruit carvings, Chef Ray Duey.

Learn from the best during demos and tasting sessions stocked with kitchen secrets, war stories and more – straight from the experts. The 30-minute culinary demonstrations are always new and exciting, educational and FREE. For the inside scoop on everything culinary, stop by the information desk. The stage schedule changes daily and is subject to change without notice.

Show 184, August 13, 2016: Rachel Klemek, Blackmarket Bakery, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana

Rachel Klemek of Blackmarket Bakery and the CampRachel Klemek’s Blackmarket Bakery is a home-grown institution in The Camp in Costa Mesa and now in Santa Ana, too, in the Santora Building. Her newest location, in the City of San Diego, will launch soon. Rachel also has a pop-up at The OC Fair in the OC Promenade through August 14th. It’s time for our annual visit with baker, Rachel Klemek.

Chef Rachel, grew up in the South, influenced by her two sugar-loving Grandmas. Baking and eating cookies, Bojangles (biscuits), breads and other delicacies were forms of communication, a way of showing — and sharing — family love. After experimentation and hands on experience in the industry, she attended the Culinary Institute of America, Napa Valley, in Baking & Pastry, graduating at the top of her class.

In 2004, she struck out on her own, founding Blackmarket Bakery in an inauspicious industrial space in Irvine, CA. Since then, her product line, legend and lore have grown. Her incredible cakes, cookies, brownies made from wine flour and fresh breads are just a few items that showcase Chef Rachel’s culinary playfulness.  Her new egg sandwiches have also generated a loyal following.

Furthering her goal of empowering the community with quality, Blackmarket Bakery offers a selection of fresh, whole-food based items that are pleasing to the body and the mind.  By using fundamentals – butter, flour, sugar, eggs (all black market goods during WWII) – Chef Rachel focuses on delivering what the community is missing.