Tag Archives: rooftop garden

Show 142, October 17, 2015: Jonathan Club’s Executive Chef Jason McClain and C-CAP’s Lisa Fontanesi

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Mitzie CutlerThe Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) provides culinary training and scholarship opportunities for at-risk high school students interested in pursuing careers in the culinary arts. For some 20 years Mitzie Cutler has directed the Southern California program. She has recently transitioned to volunteer status working on special projects.

C-CAP has organized a celebratory dinner in her honor to benefit the new Mitzie Cutler Scholarship Fund to provide high school students in the Los Angeles area the opportunity to attend culinary college and/or postsecondary school. The multi-course, wine-paired sumptuous repast will be presented at The Jonathan Club’s Rooftop Garden and Members’ Dining Room on Tuesday evening, Oct. 20th under the direction of their acclaimed Executive Chef, Jason McClain. It’s rare for non-members to have the opportunity to experience the culinary excellence of The Jonathan Club.

C-CAP’s Lisa Fontanesi and Executive Chef Jason McClain join us with the mouthwatering specifics.

Show 109, February 7, 2015: Executive Chef Jason McClain, Jonathan Club

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Jason McClain of the Jonathan ClubChef Jason McClain is the executive chef of the storied Jonathan Club, a very exclusive private club in Los Angeles established in 1894 with a rich history. He’s been an executive chef with The Four Seasons, the exec at Pechanga Resort & Casino, and has owned his own restaurants.

The Jonathan Club’s main building is located in Downtown Los Angeles with a second facility, the Jonathan Beach Club (established in 1927) located on the sand in Santa Monica. A prestigious social club at this level needs to have outstanding food and beverage as an amenity for their discerning members.

Chef McClain will take us behind the scenes on what resources and imagination he uses to fulfill this promise. He likes to say (with a dash of humor) he’s responsible for “the best restaurant in Downtown that no one knows about.”

One small example of his commitment to quality is his urban rooftop garden positioned on a former handball court where seasonally they grow heirloom tomatoes, broccolini, baby carrots, blueberries, figs, snap peas and yuzu. All the fruits and vegetables find their way onto the Club’s menu. This represents over $100,000 in produce annually. It helps that Chef Jason’s father is a retired landscape architect and could creatively bring the rooftop garden project in on a modest budget.