Show 73, May 24, 2014: Carlos Enriquez, Corporate Pastry Chef, Patina Restaurant Group

Carlos EnriquezWhat does it take to become the Corporate Pastry Chef at the highly thought of Patina Restaurant Group? Chef Carlos Enriquez, who learned the basics of pastry in his parents Los Angeles bakery, joins us to explain. It takes more than hard work…

Chef Carlos was part of the opening team of the Paris Hotel on The Strip in Las Vegas. He then moved to Colorado to serve as Executive Pastry Chef for Sky Goble at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. A year later, Enriquez joined Goble at the Ahwahnee Resort in Yosemite National Park. In 2006 Chef Carlos returned to Las Vegas and worked as Assistant Pastry Chef at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and later at Alex Restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas. He was Executive Pastry Chef at Café del Rey in Marina del Rey before joining the Patina Restaurant Group as Corporate Pastry Chef in 2012.

Chef Carlos was the father of twins when he still was in his late teens. He now has six children. Imagine the sacrifices involved in climbing the culinary career ladder at such a young age and having a huge family to support, too.

May 24: Celebrity Cruises, Daniel Boulud, John Shelton, Bill Chait, Carlos Enriquez

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef and VP of Food & Beverage Operations John Suley, Celebrity Cruises
Segment Three: Chef Daniel Boulud, New York City, Las Vegas and The World Part One
Segment Four: Chef Daniel Boulud, New York City, Las Vegas and The World Part Two
Segment Five: Executive Chef John Shelton, Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, CA
Segment Six: Bill Chait, Los Angeles-based Restaurant Impresario Part One
Segment Seven: Bill Chait, Los Angeles-based Restaurant Impresario Part Two
Segment Eight: Carlos Enriquez, Corporate Pastry Chef, Patina Restaurant Group

Chef Jet and Producer Andy preview the show.

Celebrity Cruises is launching their first-ever land-based wine and food festival on May 31st in the Orange County Great Park. Celebrity’s executive chef is with us with the full details. It’s a benefit for charity.

Chef Daniel Boulud has returned to Las Vegas with the opening of db Brasserie at The Venetian Hotel on Las Vegas fabled Strip. His chef de cuisine there is David Middleton. Chef Boulud joins us to share what’s on the menu.

The Hotel Del Coronado is California’s premier, classic beachfront hotel dating back to 1888. It represents luxury from another age. Last week we met the chef at their casual, seafood-centric, ocean-view restaurant, Sheerwater. This week it’s a conversation with Chef John Shelton, the executive chef overseeing all of Hotel del Coronado.

Restaurant impresario Bill Chait is responsible for some of the most successful and high profile restaurant openings in L.A. His most recent effort is Republique with acclaimed Chef Walter Manzke. Next up is Redbird at the old Vibiana cathedral in Downtown and the eagerly anticipated restaurant in Eli Broad’s upcoming contemporary art museum.

The Corporate Pastry Chef for the Patina Restaurant Group, Carlos Enriquez, has an incredible story of personal achievement. He’s with us to talk about what it takes to get there.

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

Special Note…

50 Best Plants On The Planet – The most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious RecipesA good friend of the show’s, Cathy Thomas, the long-time food writer for the Orange County Register, is hosting a special dinner at Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 29th. It’s celebrating her third book, 50 Best Plants On The Planet – The most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes.

Executive Chef Paul Gstrein will prepare a special four-course meal for the occasion. Most of the dishes will be prepared from Cathy’s favorite recipes in the book.

The main course is Pistachio Crusted Free Range Chicken Breast with Farro “Risotto,” Brussels Sprouts “Two Ways,” and Bing Cherry “Agro Dolce.”

Cathy will be there for the entire evening chitchatting with the guests. She will also sign books.

You can make a reservation for anytime between 6 and 9:00 p.m. For reservations please call 949.721.1222. It’s a modest $45 per person. Specify the “Cathy Thomas Dinner” when you call.

John Suley of Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Cruises ships are easily recognized with their iconic “X.”

On May 31st the 2014 Celebrity Cruises Great Wine Festival featuring more than 30 exceptional wineries, fine cuisine, a silent auction and opportunity drawing, and musical entertainment launches. This event will take place at the Orange County Great Park, the first great metropolitan park of the 21st century, located in the heart of Orange County.

It’s a benefit for Legal Aid of Orange County.

Featured restaurants include Montage Laguna Beach, Clay Oven, Slapfish, and James Republic. John Suley, Celebrity’s Executive Chef and VP of Food & Beverage Operations will be there with a tasting station, too. He is our guest.

For libations look for Cakebread, Jordan, JUSTIN, Grgich Hills, Alaskan Brewing Co., Pyramid Brewing, and many others.

Daniel BouludAcclaimed Chef Daniel Boulud has returned to Las Vegas with the opening of db Brasserie at The Venetian. His executive chef there is David Middleton (ex-Marche Bacchus.) (Daniel previously had a restaurant (the now closed Daniel Boulud Brasserie) at Wynn Las Vegas.)

The restaurant, which Boulud calls his “ideal brasserie,” is an updated version of the French Brasserie, with contemporary twists and international appeal.

“Like me, the brasserie was born in France but has traveled the world,” says Boulud. “I wanted to create a menu with my favorite French dishes, charcuterie, shellfish – all the brasserie staples – and international flavors from my travels that are a bit exotic and transporting.”

Reservations can be made at 702.430.1235.

db brasserie in Las Vegasdb Brasserie boasts a wine list of approximately 300 international selections, curated by Boulud’s group Wine Director Daniel Johnnes and db Brasserie Sommelier Devin Zendel.

The list pays tribute to the glories of American Wine, which are presented in three categories : PIONEERS ‘the first to prove the quality of American terroir’; NEW FRONTIER ‘young wineries inspired by their old-world counterparts’; and CLASSICS ‘next generation American winemaking, classics in their own right’.

The spacious restaurant seats 280 diners, including two private dining rooms, as well as a casual bar and lounge.

Located at the start of Restaurant Row (in the former Valentino Las Vegas space,) just off the casino floor, db Brasserie is accessible from both The Venetian and Palazzo.

Later in the Summer Chef Boulud will be opening a new restaurant in Washington, DC.

Chef Boulud is The Chairman of Bocuse d’Or USA supporting Team USA in the prestigious international culinary competition which is the Bocuse d’Or held in Lyon every other year. Daniel explains why this is very important to the American culinary community. The next competition in Lyon is set for January 27 & 28th in 2015.

John Shelton of Hotel del CoronadoThe Hotel Del Coronado is California’s premier, classic beachfront hotel dating back to 1888. It represents luxury from another age.

Executive Chef John Shelton who oversees all the food and beverage operation at The Del is our guest. He also loves to fish.

Restaurants at the Del range from the fine-dining 1500 OCEAN to the award-winning Sunday Brunch spectacular buffet served in the historic and architecturally significant Crown Room.

June is Culinary Craftsman Month at Sunday Brunch. Local exceptional food products will be featured.

Bill ChaitRestaurant impresario Bill Chait is responsible for some of the most successful and high profile restaurant openings in L.A. His most recent effort is Republique with acclaimed Chef Walter Manzke.

Next up is Redbird with Chef Neal Fraser (BLD) at the old Vibiana cathedral’s rectory in Downtown.

Bestia Restaurant in the Los Angeles Arts DistrictAlso the eagerly anticipated 6,000 square foot restaurant in Eli Broad’s upcoming contemporary art museum in Downtown. Timothy Hollingsworth (ex-chef de cuisine at the French Laundry) is at the culinary helm. Rory Herrmann, formerly the opening chef de cuisine at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills is also a part of the project. Hermann is the Director of Culinary Operations for Chait’s Sprout Restaurant Group.

Bill explains how his company is evolving (a catering division is in the plans) and how he approaches projects.

Many new ventures with high profile chefs are in the pipeline. Bill’s culinary partners in Bestia (Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis) have a new concept in the works for Downtown’s Arts District.

Carlos EnriquezWhat does it take to become the Corporate Pastry Chef at the highly thought of Patina Restaurant Group? Chef Carlos Enriquez, who learned the basics of pastry in his parents Los Angeles bakery, joins us to explain. It takes more than hard work…

Chef Carlos was part of the opening team of the Paris Hotel on The Strip in Las Vegas. He then moved to Colorado to serve as Executive Pastry Chef for Sky Goble at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. A year later, Enriquez joined Goble at the Ahwahnee Resort in Yosemite National Park. In 2006 Chef Carlos returned to Las Vegas and worked as Assistant Pastry Chef at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and later at Alex Restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas. He was Executive Pastry Chef at Café del Rey in Marina del Rey before joining the Patina Restaurant Group as Corporate Pastry Chef in 2012.

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Executive Chef and VP of Food & Beverage Operations John Suley, Celebrity Cruises
Segment Three: Chef Daniel Boulud, New York City, Las Vegas and The World Part One
Segment Four: Chef Daniel Boulud, New York City, Las Vegas and The World Part Two
Segment Five: Executive Chef John Shelton, Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, CA
Segment Six: Bill Chait, Los Angeles-based Restaurant Impresario Part One
Segment Seven: Bill Chait, Los Angeles-based Restaurant Impresario Part Two
Segment Eight: Carlos Enriquez, Corporate Pastry Chef, Patina Restaurant Group

April 26: Donald Wressel, Melissa’s Great Pepper Cookbook, Eric Greenspan, Choctal Ice Cream

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Guittard Chocolate Co’s Executive Chef, Donald Wressell
Segment Three: Robert Schueller, The Prince of Produce, Melissa’s / World Variety Produce, Inc.
Segment Four: Chef Jet Tila
Segment Five: Chef Eric Greenspan (ex-Foundry on Melrose,) Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese Part One
Segment Six: Chef Eric Greenspan (ex-Foundry on Melrose,) Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese Part Two
Segment Seven: Michael Leb, Chief Executive Officer, Choctal Single-Origin Ice Creams
Segment Eight: Test Kitchen Director, Chef Tom Fraker, Melissa’s / World Variety Produce

Chef Jet and Producer Andy preview the show.

It’s the City of Beverly Hills’ 100th Birthday. It takes a mega-talented pastry chef (and his skilled team) to create and bake a massive edible cake befitting this very special occasion. 15,000 slices will be served.

Peppers are a great addition to almost any dish as they add flavor (and not just heat.) We’ll dive into the just released The Great Pepper Cookbook : The Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Cooking with Peppers.

The Corporate Pastry Chef for the Patina Restaurant Group has an incredible story of personal achievement. He’s with us to talk about what it takes to get there.

Chef Eric Greenspan (ex-Foundry on Melrose) is a genuine character and an accomplished chef. He’s now also the maestro of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches!

Crave rich & decadent ice cream? There is a new super premium brand now available locally that both the chocolate and vanilla are single origin.

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

Donald WressellTwenty five years ago Donald Wressell was then the highly regarded executive pastry chef at The Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Chef Donald was responsible for the production of everything from the fresh, buttery croissants to eye-popping wedding cakes. He created a stunning edible birthday cake for Beverly Hills’ Diamond Jubilee celebration. It was a miniature of Beverly Hills’ iconic City Hall. The rest of the cake was 100 sheet cakes. 10,000 slices were served!

It’s now the 100th Birthday of Beverly Hills. Chef Donald is now the executive chef for the Guittard Chocolate Co. How do you possibly top yourself?

For the Century Celebration festivities in addition to the 9-foot tall, 8-foot wide replica of Beverly Hills City Hall there is a miniature replica of Rodeo Dr. with edible shopping bags containing items sold on Rodeo Drive. Talk about artistry…

The cake will weigh some 4,000 pounds and serve 15,000 celebrants. It’s a dark chocolate cake with 150 layers with dark chocolate filling and a white chocolate buttercream frosting.

Look for the cake @ 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 27th in front of the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive in the 300 N. block.

It’s all part of Taste Beverly Hills that afternoon.

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety ProduceOur friends at Melissa’s have done it again. Newly published is Melissa’s “The Great Pepper Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Cooking with Peppers.”

Fresh and dried peppers are a key ingredient in many cuisines around the world and they have gained popularity here in the U.S. recently thanks to the culinary world’s embracement of the vast variety of peppers. Beyond jalapenos, home cooks are now looking to learn more about these flavorful fruits, not just for their heat level, but to cook beyond their comfort zone.

This highly visual and engaging book shows readers how simple it is to use 37 different varieties of peppers.

Robert Schueller, Melissa’s resident produce authority, is our guest.

Carlos EnriquezWhat does it take to become the Corporate Pastry Chef at the highly thought of Patina Restaurant Group? Chef Carlos Enriquez, who learned the basics of pastry in his parents Los Angeles bakery, joins us to explain. It takes more than hard work…

Chef Carlos was part of the opening team of the Paris Hotel on The Strip in Las Vegas. He then moved to Colorado to serve as Executive Pastry Chef for Sky Goble at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. A year later, Enriquez joined Goble at the Ahwahnee Resort in Yosemite National Park. In 2006 Chef Carlos returned to Las Vegas and worked as Assistant Pastry Chef at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and later at Alex Restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas. He was Executive Pastry Chef at Café del Rey in Marina del Rey before joining the Patina Restaurant Group as Corporate Pastry Chef in 2012.

Eric GreenspanChef Eric Greenspan’s (ex-Foundry on Melrose) long in the works grilled cheese café is now open. It’s Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese located next door to the Melrose Umbrella Co, (the former Foundry location.)

Eric won the 2008 Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles which was the inspiration for the grilled cheese café.

Chef Eric is also the Chef/Owner of The Roof on Wilshire.

Eric talks about his extensive portfolio of Food Television appearances. He is one of the very few chefs to “reign supreme” over an Iron Chef on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” He bested Iron Chef Bobby Flay!

He participates in national pop-ups under the catchy El Nosh Latin / Jewish brand.

Choctal Single Origin Ice CreamIt’s ice cream weather. New to SoCal is Choctal – Single-origin Ice Creams. The premium flavors are properly rich and decadent as the name suggests. Michael Leb, Chief Executive Officer, is our guest with all the sinful details.

“Indulgent treats sustainably sourced from the world’s finest indigenous sources.”

“Choctal ice cream is decidedly different because we highlight the different flavor profiles by using:

  • Single-origin chocolate or vanilla from rainforests across the globe.
  • All natural base; no artificial additives.
  • Gluten-free, egg free recipes.
  • Less air for more density.”

Tom FrakerOur friends at Melissa’s have done it again. Newly published is Melissa’s “The Great Pepper Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Cooking with Peppers.”

Keep in mind that cooking with peppers is about adding flavor to food. It’s way beyond just adding heat.

Chef and Melissa’s Test Kitchen Director Tom Fraker is our guest. He tested, and retested, each and every recipe in the book using equipment found in home kitchens.

There is a difference in preparing and using chiles in their fresh and dry forms. Chef Tom will be our informed guide in understanding the nuances.

Podcasts

Segment One: Host Jet Tila and Producer Andy Harris
Segment Two: Guittard Chocolate Co’s Executive Chef, Donald Wressell
Segment Three: Robert Schueller, The Prince of Produce, Melissa’s / World Variety Produce, Inc.
Segment Four: Chef Jet Tila
Segment Five: Chef Eric Greenspan (ex-Foundry on Melrose,) Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese Part One
Segment Six: Chef Eric Greenspan (ex-Foundry on Melrose,) Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese Part Two
Segment Seven: Michael Leb, Chief Executive Officer, Choctal Single-Origin Ice Creams
Segment Eight: Test Kitchen Director, Chef Tom Fraker, Melissa’s / World Variety Produce