Show 410, January 30, 2021: Chef Rich Mead, Proprietor, Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, Corona del Mar

Rich Mead of Farmhouse at Rogers Gardens

Rich Mead, Owner and Executive Chef of Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, offers guests patio seating on a lush, garden setting for lunch and early dinner with an all-day menu. With over 4,000 square feet of al fresco dining, guests can relax outdoors while responsibly enjoying an award-winning cocktail or a seasonal, sustainably sourced meal.

“Also available is a robust menu of takeout offerings including a Curbside Market with local ingredients and pantry staples, nourishing Family Meals and weekly Farmers Market Produce Boxes.  Classic and signature cocktails are available for dine-in or curbside pickup courtesy of Chef de Swigs, Anthony Laborin and his team.” 

Please note hours for Dine-in are currently 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and for Takeout 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Phone is 949.640.1415 for Reservations and Takeout.

Chef/Proprietor Rich Mead is our guest speaking from the Saturday Farmers Market in Santa Monica.

Show 410, January 30, 2021: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Andy Harris and Andrew Gruel at Cabana 14 at the Cove at Pechanga Resort and Casino

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants which is a genuine (and increasingly growing) concern. This week restaurants in Southern California were finally allowed to reopen for outside/patio dining at reduced capacities with all the requisite COVID 19 safety precautions. It’s a welcome start back. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”

Los Angeles County remains the most restrictive with new outside dining prohibitions. There is an odd new requirement on televisions. If a restaurant has a TV monitor (or monitors) in their outside dining area it can’t be on. This is while tables need to be kept 8 feet apart and dining groups are limited to a maximum of 6 guests who must all be from the same household. (How is that even enforced?) The TV restriction apparently doesn’t apply in any other SoCal County that we are aware of.

Chef Andrew updates us on the inspiring progress for the grass-roots, 86 Restaurant Struggle campaign to benefit out-of-work and struggling restaurant workers. Chef Andrew and his wife, Lauren, have already distributed over $300,000 in small grants to deserving restaurant workers in need. All applications are carefully vetted by the Gruels. The need continues…

Show 388, August 29, 2020: Piero Selvaggio, Managing Partner, Drago Centro, Downtown Los Angeles Part Two

Piero Salvaggio of Valentino Santa Monica“For over forty years, Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio (Valentino and Valentino Restaurant Group) and Restaurateur/Chef Celestino Drago of the famed Drago Brothers have been close friends, colleagues, and competitors in the thriving Los Angeles dining scene. Now, their longstanding relationship transcends to a proprietary level as Chef Celestino Drago officially has welcomed Piero Selvaggio to Drago Centro in Downtown Los Angeles as new Managing Partner!”

“Over the years Piero and Celestino have remained very close and have done many events together. Both men have also dedicated their legacies to promoting modern Italian cooking with fine ingredients, so it is no surprise that these two celebrated restaurateurs would finally come together. Says Celestino, “When Piero decided to retire, we just kept talking. You can never really retire from this business, so the conversation just kept going.” And, the timing could not be more serendipitous as Celestino just reopened Drago Centro while introducing a stunning new outdoor Dining Patio, new Summer Menu, Takeout, Delivery, Curbside Pickup, and now the exciting celebratory new partnership between Chef Celestino Drago and the hospitality maestro himself, Piero Selvaggio!”

“As Angelenos are able to take advantage of L.A.’s great summer weather, Piero and Celestino have created a magical al fresco dining experience featuring a new Summer Menu on their new Outdoor Dining Patio. The tables for dining are spaciously and safely placed all throughout this stunning outdoor atrium surrounded by luscious greenery, verdant olive trees, and a resplendently calming water feature, where the pair await to take each guest on an extraordinary journey as they sip and savor under the stars.”

Drago Centro has reopened for distinctive patio fine dining and the welcoming Piero Selvaggio now continues with us.