Show 318, April 6, 2019: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

Now a effervescent preview of Saturday’s thirst-quenching show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, and upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience.

Golden Road BrewingIt’s Home Opening Weekend for our Halos. We’re live from Golden Road Pub OC located right across the street (E. Orangewood Ave.) from Angel Stadium from 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon.

The menu offerings at Golden Road Pub OC are far from the pedestrian. Guest satisfaction is high and repeat business is the norm. Golden Road’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe, joins us to set the ample table. Adam started with Golden Road as the original chef in Atwater Village (the flagship brewery) before there was even a kitchen there.

This month Long Beach-based Food Finders is celebrating 30 years of rescuing food and eliminating food insecurity in Southern California. With thirteen employees and 300 volunteers, Food Finders rescues perfectly edible, unserved food from restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, bakeries, produce markets and other food vendors and delivers it within hours to nearby agencies such as shelters, senior centers, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc., that service the food insecure throughout Southern California. Executive Director Patti Larson is our guest to more fully explain the need.

Mark Kamarauskas is the seasoned and vastly experienced General Manager of Golden Road Brewing. He joined Golden Road just under two years ago after 15 years with Chicago’s giant craft beer success story, Goose Island. Mark is with us to discuss the challenges of growing the enterprise while maintaining the product quality and entrepreneurial corporate culture.

For enthusiasts of Japanese beer, sake and sushi, a new festival comes to the calendar in April at Pechanga Resort Casino in Wine Country Temecula. The inaugural Pechanga Sake & Beer Festival takes over the Pechanga Summit Events Center on Saturday, April 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with VIP entry at 12 p.m. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Pechanga Resort Casino’s newly arrived Sommelier, Mark Amodeo, is our spirited guide.

Since we’re at Golden Road Pub OC what would be more appropriate for this show than an appearance from our regular “Ask the Brewers” where we answer listeners’ questions? Joining us is Golden Road’s uber-accomplished Brewmaster, Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Program Note: Next Saturday, April 13th, we unusually follow Halos Baseball at the special time of 3 to 5:00 p.m. Same value-packed show – just a little later in the day. Please join us. It’s just not the same without you.

April 6: Angels Opening Weekend at Golden Road Pub OC!

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Golden Road Brewing’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe
Segment Three: Patti Larson, Executive Director, Food Finders
Segment Four: Mark Kamarauskas. General Manager, Golden Road Brewing Part One
Segment Five: Mark Kamarauskas. General Manager, Golden Road Brewing Part Two
Segment Six: Pechanga Sake and Beer Festival Preview with Pechanga’s Sommelier, Mark Amodeo
Segment Seven: Golden Road Brewing’s Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres Part One
Segment Eight: Golden Road Brewing’s Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres Part Two

Now a effervescent preview of this Saturday’s thirst-quenching show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, and upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… As always, we greatly appreciate you being a part of our loyal listening audience.

Golden Road BrewingIt’s Home Opening Weekend for our Halos. We’re broadcasting live from Golden Road Pub OC located right across the street from Angel Stadium from 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. If you’re going to the game come by and say hello before the 1:05 p.m. start of Angels Baseball versus Texas

The menu offerings at Golden Road Pub OC are far from the pedestrian. Guest satisfaction is high and repeat business is the norm. Chef Henry Tran and Golden Road’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe join us to set the ample table.

This month Long Beach-based Food Finders is celebrating 30 years of rescuing food and eliminating food insecurity in Southern California.

With thirteen employees and 300 volunteers, Food Finders rescues perfectly edible, unserved food from restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, bakeries, produce markets and other food vendors and delivers it within hours to nearby agencies such as shelters, senior centers, Boys & Girls clubs, etc., that service the food insecure throughout Southern California. Executive Director Patti Larson is our guest to explain the need.

Mark Kamarauskas is the seasoned and vastly experienced General Manager of Golden Road Brewing. He joined Golden Road just under two years ago after 15 years with Chicago’s giant craft beer success story, Goose Island. Mark is with us to discuss the challenges of growing the enterprise while maintaining the product quality and entrepreneurial corporate culture.

For enthusiasts of Japanese beer, sake and sushi, a new festival comes to the calendar in April at Pechanga Resort Casino in wine country Temecula. The inaugural Pechanga Sake & Beer Festival takes over the Pechanga Summit Events Center on Saturday, April 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with VIP entry at 12 p.m. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. Pechanga Resort Casino’s newly arrived Sommelier, Mark Amodeo, is our spirited guide.

Since we’re at Golden Road Pub OC what would be more appropriate for this show than an appearance from our regular “Ask the Brewers” where we answer listeners’ questions. Joining us is Golden Road’s uber-accomplished Brewmaster, Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Henry Tran of Golden Road BrewingThe menu offerings at Golden Road Pub OC are far from the pedestrian. Guest satisfaction is high and repeat business is the norm. Chef Henry Tran and Golden Road’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe join us to set the ample table.

Look for the Brewer’s Supper Series where Chef Henry gets to strut his culinary stuff with a 3-course, craft beer-paired menu. The next Brewer’s Supper Series is May 14th.

Happy Hour is from 2 to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Special pricing for the craft beers and select menu items.

Menu specialties include IPA steamed PEI mussels with Vietnamese sausage, grilled baguette and yuzu beurre blanc; Fried Avocado Taco; Short Rib Pot Pie and Sesame Crusted Miso-marinated Salmon with cashew green beans, kewpie glaze, Japanese sushi rice and Thai chili oil.

Food Finders Long BeachThis month Long Beach-based Food Finders is celebrating 30 years of rescuing food and eliminating food insecurity in Southern California.

With thirteen employees and 300 volunteers, Food Finders rescues perfectly edible, unserved food from restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, bakeries, produce markets and other food vendors and delivers it within hours to nearby agencies such as shelters, senior centers, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc., that service the food insecure throughout Southern California. This rescue effort also reduces the amount of CO2 gasses leaked into the atmosphere by keeping discarded food out of the landfills.

A personal effort and passion that began at founder Arlene Mercer’s Seal Beach kitchen table 30 years ago, Food Finders has grown into an organization that has rescued 150 million pounds of food, equating to 125 million meals, since April, 1989.

“We’re proud of our efforts to reduce hunger and food waste over the last 30 years,” said Patti Larson, who succeeded Mercer as executive director of Food Finders in 2011 when Mercer retired. “But we still have a ways to go, considering 1 in 8 in Californians remain food insecure and yet the average family of four throws out $1,500 worth of perfectly good food each year.”

Food Finders 30th Anniversary fundraising goal is to raise $30,000 in financial donations during the month of April. For more information and how to donate, visit their website.

Executive Director Patti Larson is our guest to explain the need.

Mark KamarauskasMark Kamarauskas is the seasoned and vastly experienced General Manager of Golden Road Brewing. He joined Golden Road just under two years ago after 15 years with Chicago’s giant craft beer success story, Goose Island. For most of his tenure there Mark was the Director of Operations. He worked with Goose Island’s founder, John Hall, and also orchestrated the transition after their purchase in 2011 by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Mark joins us to discuss the challenges of growing the Golden Road Brewing enterprise while maintaining the product quality and preserving the hard-to-duplicate, entrepreneurial corporate culture.

Mark AmodeoFor enthusiasts of Japanese beer, sake and sushi, a new festival comes to the calendar in April at Pechanga Resort Casino. The inaugural Pechanga Sake & Beer Festival takes over the Pechanga Summit Events Center on Saturday, April 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with VIP entry at 12 p.m. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley.

More than 40 premium sakes (daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling) including many award-winning brands and styles from all over Japan will be poured alongside Japanese beers. Brews include premium beers, reserve, super dry (European style) and black beers from the island nation. Guests can learn about sakes’ flavors and production styles from experts – the brewers themselves and those close to the brewing process. Pechanga chefs get rolled up in the festival as they prepare fresh sushi to pair with the sake and beer selections.

Chefs Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, Kok Che, executive sous chef of Pechanga’s Asian restaurants, and Duane Owen, Pechanga Executive Chef, will be on hand to meet with guests, present them fresh, made-on-site sushi, and allow visitors to find out their expert suggestions for matching sushi with sake.

Tickets are now on sale and available at Pechanga’s website, by calling (877) 711-2946 or at the Pechanga Box Office. General admission tickets are $75 and include a keepsake sake sampling cup. VIP tickets are $150 and include early entry at 12 p.m. and a wooden sake holder and cup. Tickets include unlimited samples of sake, beer and sushi. Guests must be 21 or older to attend.

The festival’s idea sprang from the popularity of beer and sake within Southern California, as well as the continued rise of sushi as a mainstay of sought-after fare in America. The 2nd place win for Pechanga’s Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar in USA Today’s Best Casino Restaurant readers’ poll also helped cement the festival’s possibility at the Temecula resort/casino.

Pechanga Resort Casino’s newly arrived Sommelier, Mark Amodeo, is our spirited guide.

Steven Torres and Victor Novak at the KLAA StudiosSince we’re at Golden Road Pub OC what would be more appropriate for this show than our regular “Ask the Brewers” segment where we answer listeners’ questions. Joining us is Golden Road’s uber-accomplished Brewmaster, Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres.

On tap is a discussion of the thought of “light” craft beer. Also, fresh fruit is becoming an ingredient for popular styles of craft beer. How can fruit best be utilized in the brewing process?

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Golden Road Brewing’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe
Segment Three: Patti Larson, Executive Director, Food Finders
Segment Four: Mark Kamarauskas. General Manager, Golden Road Brewing Part One
Segment Five: Mark Kamarauskas. General Manager, Golden Road Brewing Part Two
Segment Six: Pechanga Sake and Beer Festival Preview with Pechanga’s Sommelier, Mark Amodeo
Segment Seven: Golden Road Brewing’s Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres Part One
Segment Eight: Golden Road Brewing’s Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres Part Two

June 9: FukuBurger, Golden Road Brewing, Bourbon Steak, Wine Exchange, Journeyman’s Food & Drink, W. Scott Koenig, Pechanga Chili Cookoff Champions

For this Saturday only, June 9th, we’re from 3 to 5:00 p.m. following the Angel Game. Please find us. Go Halos!

Now a salivating preview of this Saturday afternoon’s extra rich show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re here with you live every Saturday with an action-packed show overflowing with tasty treats.

Our dedicated Producer /Board Operator/Engineer Aaron Fry is on assignment at the 10th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Fest & Chili Cookoff in Temecula this afternoon. We’ll get an on the spot report from him on the craft beers of note and favorite chilies he’s sampled thus far.

When it comes to award-winning burgers for the true enthusiast the place to go in Las Vegas is FukuBurger. They have their original rolling grill food truck on the road as well as a bricks-and-mortar location in Chinatown. There were just in L.A. at the Sunday Smorgasburg as the invited guest of noted burger authority, George Motz. We’re flipping a Tamago Burger with Co-Founder Colin Fukunaga.

Golden Road Brewing has an expanding Anaheim production Brewery located right across the street from us at Angel Stadium. Joining us is Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres. It’s not always obvious that beer pairs well with food but it, indeed, does. Both Victor and Steven are experts in matching a food item with just the right style of beer. Beer Pairing 101 commences. Cheers…

Located in Glendale, BOURBON STEAK Los Angeles is Chef Michael Mina’s modern American steakhouse offering timeless dining experiences. At once classic and contemporary, the restaurant accomplishes all the traditions expected from an upscale steakhouse with a flair of excitement. Executive Chef Kyle Johnson joins us.

You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate the high-quality of wine from Bordeaux, France. It’s one of the great wine grape growing regions of the world. Our resident wine authority, Tristen Beamon from The Wine Exchange, was recently in Bordeaux tasting wines in the barrel from the 2016 harvest. We’ll get his insider’s report on what to expect.

Journeyman’s Food & Drink (right off the 91 Freeway in Fullerton) is the most recent passion project of executive chef Zachary Geerson. It’s a real discovery and a true dining experience. The cuisine which can only be explained as Post-modern and globally-inspired, draws from chef Zach and his team’s diverse cultural background and training. Chef Zach, being of Sicilian descent, uses that and his love for Italian cuisine, as a jumping off point for some dishes and inspiration from his wife, Olivia, who is Thai and Laotian. We’ll meet the enthusiastic & passionate Chef Zach.

Culinary Historians of San Diego will present “Seven Days in the Valle de Guadalupe,” featuring Michael Gardiner and W. Scott Koenig, at 10:30 am June 16, in the Neil Morgan Auditorium of the San Diego Central Library. They will discuss the Valle scene and how it bloomed while they take their audience through a week there … all in an hour! W. Scott Koenig is the author of Seven Days In The Valle and is our guest.

The 10th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Fest & Chili Cookoff will be concluding as we finish Saturday’s show. The big news annually is the winner, among the competitive Pechanga Chefs, of the chili cookoff. It’s bragging rights for the next year! Last year 2-time defending chili champ Chef Marlene Moore of Temptations Food Walk was unseated by Chef Kiyo Ikeda of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar with his sake-glazed Kobe beef chili. As the suspense is building Pechanga’s Ciara Green joins us with the just-announced official results.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Colin FukunagaWhen it comes to award-winning burgers for the true enthusiast the place to go in Las Vegas is FukuBurger. They have their original rolling grill food truck on the road as well as a bricks-and-mortar location in Chinatown. There were just in L.A. at the Sunday Smorgasburg LA as the invited guest of noted burger authority, George Motz.

Our emeritus Co-Host, Chef Jet Tila, is a big fan of Fukuburger’s Tamago. Chef Jet even profiled it on Food Network’s “Guilty Pleasures.” It’s an all-beef Fukupatty topped with a fried runny egg, furikake, crispy onion strings, and finished with house-prepared teriyaki sauce and wasabi mayo.

We’re flipping a Tamago Burger with Co-Founder Colin Fukunaga.

Victor Novak and Steven TorresGolden Road Brewing has an expanding Anaheim production Brewery located right across the street from us at Angel Stadium. Joining us is Brewmaster Victor Novak and Anaheim Head Brewer Steven Torres.

It’s not always obvious that beer pairs well with food but it surely does. Both Victor and Steven are experts in matching a food item with just the right style of beer. Beer Pairing 101 commences.

For instance what works with Sours and Fruity Beers? The Brewmasters suggest matching with lighter dishes and fruity desserts. Perhaps summer salads containing fruits and mild cheeses.

Kyle JohnsonLocated in Glendale, BOURBON STEAK Los Angeles is Chef Michael Mina’s modern American steakhouse offering timeless dining experiences. At once classic and contemporary, the restaurant accomplishes all the traditions expected from a steakhouse with a flair of excitement.

“Discover the Piano Bar abuzz with newfound libations, and the glamorous dining room boasting tableside services including our signature Japanese Whisky Cart and Michael Mina’s signature Lobster Pot Pie.”

“Kyle Johnson has worked his way through some of Las Vegas’s finest restaurants and has now landed at Chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak Los Angeles at The Americana at Brand as their Executive Chef.  With his food philosophy focused on sourcing the highest quality ingredients prepared with a strong technique, he looks forward to cultivating a connection to the community. Through relationships with local farms and purveyors, he surprises guests with a locally influenced menu of modern steakhouse fare that’s sophisticated and approachable all at once.”

Executive Chef Kyle Johnson joins us.

Tristan BeamonYou don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate the high-quality of wine from Bordeaux, France. It’s one of the great wine grape growing regions of the world.

Our resident wine authority, Tristen Beamon from The Wine Exchange, was recently in Bordeaux tasting wines in the barrel from the 2016 harvest. We’ll get his insider’s report on what to expect.

Who says Bordeaux is expensive?

This year Tristen has journeyed to Bordeaux twice tasting some of the greatest potential wine values in the world. “So as we like to say here at Wine Exchange…Let the games begin!”

Zachary GeersonJourneyman’s Food & Drink (right off the 91 Freeway in Fullerton) is the most recent passion project of executive chef Zachary Geerson. It’s a real gem of a discovery and a true dining experience.

The cuisine which can only be explained as Post-modern and globally-inspired, draws from chef Zach and his team’s diverse cultural background and training. Chef Zach, being of Sicilian descent, uses that and his love for Italian cuisine, as a jumping off point for some dishes and inspiration from his wife, Olivia, who is Thai and Laotian.

“Welcome to Journeyman’s my friend. What you are about to experience, or have experienced, is a culmination of my team and I’s hard work. We’ve been open for a few months now and we are really proud of what we have accomplished thus far.”

“If you don’t already know, we offer our dining menu in a 4-course, prix-fixe format with four options in each course. This hopefully makes you feel more at ease and makes it feel a little like an a la care menu. These are the best dishes we have to offer you. Please, kick back and relax and let our wonderful team guide you through this experience. I am glad you have given us the opportunity to take care of you and your friends, family, or both.”

From Zach Geerson.
As Chef Zach says, “It’s not the destination…It’s the Journey.”

We’ll meet the energized Chef Zach.

W Scott KoenigCulinary Historians of San Diego will present Seven Days in the Valle de Guadalupe,” featuring Michael Gardiner and W. Scott Koenig, at 10:30 am June 16, in the Neil Morgan Auditorium of the San Diego Central Library. They will discuss the Valle scene and how it bloomed while they take their audience through a week there … all in an hour!

Scott Koenig is known for his blog and alter ego, A Gringo in Mexico, where he reports on food and culture in the state of Baja California — just across the US Mexican border. In Seven Days in The Valle, he focuses his camera lens and writing on the cuisine of the Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s main wine-producing region.

“Chefs in Baja California have been experimenting with recipes combining Mediterranean, Asian and Mexican influences with local ingredients for nearly two decades, creating a unique cuisine.” Koenig explains. They often grow their own vegetables and herbs, source meat from area ranches and enjoy a supply of fresh seafood from the nearby Pacific.

Koenig conceived Seven Days in The Valle while assisting the Culinary Institute of America on a seven-day trip through Baja California as they filmed a documentary. “I had hundreds of images from that experience and a backlog of past photos and interviews; I felt it was time for a book on the Valle de Guadalupe. My goal was to tell the story of this magical place through the experiences of its chefs – whose restaurants are some of my favorites anywhere.

Scott Koenig is the author of Seven Days In The Valle and is our guest.

10th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival and Chili CookoffThe 10th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Fest & Chili Cookoff will be concluding as we finish Saturday’s show. The big news annually is the winner, among the talented and competitive Pechanga Chefs, of the chili cookoff. It’s bragging rights for the next year! Last year 2-time defending chili champ Chef Marlene Moore of Temptations Food Walk was unseated by Chef Kiyo Ikeda of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar with his sake-glazed Kobe beef chili.

As the suspense is building Pechanga’s Ciara Green joins us with the just-announced official results. Whose chili will reign supreme ?

Show 255, January 6, 2018: Executive Chef Duane Owen, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula Continues…

Duane Owen of Pechanga Casino and ResortLaunching on Thursday nights is the all-you-can enjoy Lobster & Seafood Extravaganza.

Pechanga Buffet guests can now satiate their fill of all you can enjoy, one-and-one-quarter pound whole Maine lobster done in an East Coast lobster bake style with roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. From 4PM to close at 10PM on Thursdays, diners receive a piping hot lobster bake bag containing the just-cooked lobster (flown in from Maine the night before) and fixings. The adult price is $44.99 per guest.

Chef Duane forecasts cooking & putting out 300 to 400 lobsters every 45 minutes on Thursday evenings starting at 4:00 p.m. He vows to never run out.

Guests can also fill their plates with enhanced buffet seafood selections from the upgraded sushi station, a whole-salmon carving station, fresh and baked oyster station, snow crab, fish tacos, ceviche, calamari, Dungeness crab, clam chowder, steamed shrimp and much more.

The Pechanga Buffet offers the hungry a wide-ranging and mouthwatering menu featuring over 250 fresh items and interactive action stations for custom-ordered pastas, sushi, seafood, BBQ and grilled meats, pizza and flatbreads, as well Asian food, Mexican and Latin specialties, and Italian and Mediterranean options.

Pechanga sources the lobsters from ecologically responsible purveyors in Maine. Their products are fully inspected and certified. Fisheries they work with use sustainable methods and practices. The lobsters coming to Pechanga are caught one day, refrigerated, packaged, and shipped live across the country where they land at LAX overnight. They are immediately put onto a delivery truck and brought to Pechanga in Temecula. Pechanga’s buffet chefs cook small batches at a time and remaining lobsters are put into tanks.

 

Show 208, January 28, 2017: Duane Owen, Executive Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula

Duane Owen of Pechanga Casino and ResortThe Pechanga Resort + Casino’s executive chef, Duane Owen, is no stranger to the show. Chef Duane joins us to preview Pechanga’s upcoming Chocolate Decadence Event (February 10th) and the 9th Annual Pechanga Wine Festival on February 11th.

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE EVENT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2017 • 7-10PM
VIP* Ticket $75 • General Admission $55 • Designated Driver $30

Enjoy an array of chocolates and pastries while sampling a variety of wines, domestic sparkling wines, champagnes, spirits and dessert wines along with live music.

*VIP ticket includes early entry beginning at 5:30PM, upgraded souvenir wine glass, sliced seasonal fruit, international and domestic cheese and tray-passed hors d’oeuvres.

9TH ANNUAL WINE FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2017 • 1-5PM
VIP* Ticket $85 • General Admission $65 • Designated Driver $40

LIVE MUSIC

The most notable wineries from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Temecula, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and beyond will offer a few hundred of their finest vintages along with live music. Sip and savor as you sample a variety of distinguished dishes from the award-winning chefs of Pechanga Resort & Casino.

Combo VIP Ticket $140 • Combo General Admission Ticket $100