Show 557, December 23, 2023: Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, for the Holidays with Executive Chef Andrew Vaughan

Andrew Vaughan of the Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes

“The talented culinary team at Southern California’s luxury Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes with its one-of-a-kind Pacific oceanfront location have created memorable holiday dining experiences to delight destination travelers and local and regional family and friends – from a Breakfast with Santa to Christmas Day specials at various dining venues for tantalizing Christmas Eve and Day brunches and dinner buffets at catalina kitchen and lavish gourmet holiday dining at mar’sel, the resort’s signature restaurant.”

“Serenely set at its one-of-a-kind location along the Pacific Ocean, Southern California’s luxurious Terranea Resort is a grand place to kiss 2023 a fond farewell and embrace 2024 with open, appreciative greetings. For local and destination travelers who love sharing fine dining with family and friends, Terranea offers an appealing choice for festive New Year’s Eve culinary offerings from a luxurious Hollywood-themed extravaganza to a Winter Wonderland family dinner and more,”

Ongoing in the Lobby Lounge is the holiday-themed Gingerbread Lounge where guests experience Terranea’s largest confectionary creation! This is truly the work of the Resort’s long-time Executive Pastry Chef’s (Pierino Jermoni) art. Featuring festive cocktails, seasonal sips, and house-made sweet treats (including freshly-baked Gingerbread Cookies and Peppermint Chocolate Bark) that are sure to make spirits bright.

Terranea’s Executive Chef, Andrew Vaughan, is our guide to all of Terranea’s special Holiday dining options. Chef Vaughan has been working in Terranea’s kitchens for nine years.

Show 350, December 7, 2019: Chef George Geary on Celebratory Cheesecakes for the Holidays

Cookbook Author George GearyCheesecake! The Emmy award winning show The Golden Girls made eating cheesecake a nightly ritual on the hit television series. The pastry chef who made those luscious and delicious cheesecakes and many other foods for hit sitcoms is George Geary. He later became the first award winning pastry chef for the Walt Disney Company at Disneyland.

Geary’s cheesecakes became one of his most popular culinary calling cards so he then published his favorite recipes in his first cookbook, 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes in 2002, and it was such a hit that a follow up book, The Cheesecake Bible was published in 2008 and became a best-seller.

Now Geary has expanded his cheesecake repertoire even more with the highly anticipated 2nd Edition of The Cheesecake Bible: 300 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Cakes and More George provides home cooks with extensive how-to instructions, tips and techniques to make the perfect cheesecake.

Recipes in the book range from holiday favorites, savory and citrus cheesecakes, no-bake cheesecakes, to bars, pies, toppings and sauces, and breakfast items. Some of the delicious recipes in the book include:  Artichoke Cheesecake, Maine Lobster Cheesecake, Passover Honey Cheesecake, Blood Orange Spiced Cheesecake, Eggnog Rum Cheesecake, Italian Zabaglione Cheesecake Bars, Blood Orange Cheesecake Crępes, Cheesecake Bonbons and many more unique flavored desserts.

Chef George is our encore guest offering decadent ideas for the best in holiday cheesecakes (Eggnog Nutmeg Rum Cheesecake, Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake and New Year’s Champagne Cheesecake) and pro’s tips for stress-free holiday baking.