Show 555, December 9, 2023: The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills with Dominick DiBartolomeo Part One

Dominick DiBartolomeo of the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills

“Since 1967, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been an institution in the world of premier gourmet specialty foods while offering genuine personal service. Their team is dedicated to providing a home for people who just simply love food.”

“Since its inception, longtime owner Norbert Wabnig had been determined to build a store that combined new world love for gourmet food while embracing the charm and simplicity of an old-world shop. New owner Dominick DiBartolomeo is bringing his own dedication and vision. The tradition of family ownership continues into what it sure to be an exciting future with a newly relocated and greatly expanded store!”

“Founded by Colonel Sigmund Roth in 1967, Roth sought to build a store with exotic cheese and food at its core. In 1978, the store was sold to Norbert Wabnig to continue Roth’s vision. In 2022, Norbert sold the store to 20-year employee Dominick DiBartolomeo to continue the tradition and bring new energy to the store. While the Cheese Store prides itself on quality service, that service is built on the foundation of family. The Cheese Store Family spends holidays packing and wrapping gift baskets, weeknights working wine tastings, and summer afternoons chatting over cheese.”

The newly expanded and enhanced store features an expansive variety of customizable cheese and meat boards in a range of sizes prepared to order. Catering services are available, too. There is a Daily Menu of premium Sandwiches and Salads. Consider the La Macellaia with Prosciutto Cotto, Finocchiona, Coppa, Spicy Ventricina and Provolone. The Tritata (Italian Chopped Salad) has Chopped Baby Gem Lettuce, Radicchio, Salami, Olives, Guindilla Peppers, Red Onion and Cherry Tomatoes with an Oregano Vinaigrette. European-style, sidewalk seating with umbrella tables will be coming in 2024.

Proprietor Dominick Dibartolomeo is our guest with cheese slicer at the ready.

Show 555, December 9, 2023: The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills with Dominick DiBartolomeo Part Two

Dominick DiBartolomeo of the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills

“Since 1967, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been an institution in the world of premier gourmet specialty foods while offering genuine personal service. Their team is dedicated to providing a home for people who just simply love food.”

“Since its inception, longtime owner Norbert Wabnig had been determined to build a store that combined new world love for gourmet food while embracing the charm and simplicity of an old-world shop. New owner Dominick DiBartolomeo is bringing his own dedication and vision. The tradition of family ownership continues into what it sure to be an exciting future with a newly relocated and greatly expanded store!”

“Founded by Colonel Sigmund Roth in 1967, Roth sought to build a store with exotic cheese and food at its core. In 1978, the store was sold to Norbert Wabnig to continue Roth’s vision. In 2022, Norbert sold the store to 20-year employee Dominick DiBartolomeo to continue the tradition and bring new energy to the store. While the Cheese Store prides itself on quality service, that service is built on the foundation of family. The Cheese Store Family spends holidays packing and wrapping gift baskets, weeknights working wine tastings, and summer afternoons chatting over cheese.”

The newly expanded and enhanced store features an expansive variety of customizable cheese and meat boards in a range of sizes prepared to order. Catering services are available, too. There is a Daily Menu of premium Sandwiches and Salads. Consider the La Macellaia with Prosciutto Cotto, Finocchiona, Coppa, Spicy Ventricina and Provolone. The Tritata (Italian Chopped Salad) has Chopped Baby Gem Lettuce, Radicchio, Salami, Olives, Guindilla Peppers, Red Onion and Cherry Tomatoes with an Oregano Vinaigrette. European-style, sidewalk seating with umbrella tables will be coming in 2024.

Proprietor Dominick Dibartolomeo continues as our guest with cheese slicer at the ready.

Show 433, July 10, 2021: Restaurateur Mike Smith, Chicken Ranch, Palm Springs

Mike Smith of Chicken Ranch

For proprietor Mike Smith at Palm Springs’ Chicken Ranch (a locals’ favorite) preparing good food is simple. “It starts with great ingredients sourced from local farms who apply sustainable, eco-friendly standards to their craft. Chicken Ranch’s rotisserie chicken, crisp, delicious salads and savory, succulent sides are prepared carefully and artistically, with respect to seasonal ingredients, flavors and seasonings. Chicken Ranch is committed to keeping it fresh; bringing farm-fresh produce and free-range poultry from local farms to every guest’s plate.”

Chicken Ranch offers full-service with shaded patio seating with misters. Also a full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and spirits. It’s dog friendly.

The ruler of Chicken Ranch’s roost, Mike Smith, joins us.

Show 392, September 26, 2020: Chef Enrico Glaudo of Tra di Noi in Malibu

Enrico Glaudo of Tra Di NoiAngelenos who dine out frequently may remember the name of Chef Enrico Glaudo (Italian-born) from his long tenure with Piero Selvaggio as executive chef of the fondly remembered Primi in West Los Angeles. He trained at two, 3-Star Michelin restaurants in Italy. Chef Enrico recently joined Malibu’s long-running Tra di Noi Ristorante Italiano as executive chef for proprietor Tarcisio Hess. It’s been a popular local icon of welcoming Italian hospitality and dining for 30 years. The proprietor is highly visible interacting with guests, many of whom dine there multiple times a week.

Tra di Noi literally means “between us”.

“We have chosen this name because we feel and believe in a casual, friendly and homey atmosphere. The decor is warm and romantic. Our cooking style is just as you would find in the Italian countryside.”

“Tra di Noi’s extensive menu features an appealing variety of classic Italian dishes prepared from the finest, freshest ingredients available. All of the pastas are handmade daily. Known for their own special flair in the creation of traditional “cucina autentica,” including a sumptuous selection of pastas, superb crudo, unique salads and delicious seasonal specialties.”

A percentage of Tra di Noi’s produce is from Thorn Family Farm which is a local farm in Malibu. The restaurant also supports the Malibu Farmers Market and Malibu Olive Oil Company.

Chef Enrico joins us to discuss his plans for refreshing the menu and keeping the loyal regulars coming back while attracting new guests.

Show 291, September 22, 2018: Robert Egger, L.A. Kitchen, Founder & CEO

Robert EggarL.A. Kitchen, a pioneering non-profit, is again rallying Angelenos to take a stand and participate in a city-wide party (October 5 to 7) to raise awareness and fight food waste, hunger and unemployment. Shared Plates is L.A Kitchen’s anti-gala, a weekend of dinner parties for good that invites thousands of Angelenos to sit around the table in their backyards, restaurants, businesses and schools across Los Angeles.

100% of the ticket sales help in feeding LA’s homeless and senior population, offering culinary job training to the formerly incarcerated or formerly homeless and towards diverting thousands of pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Look for L.A. Kitchen branded packaged fresh food products at the food outlets at LAX. Sandwiches and salads…

Robert Egger, L.A. Kitchen Founder & CEO sets the table for us.

Show 250, December 2, 2017: Art Sezgin, Co-Founder, Fresh & Ready Foods

Art SezginFresh & Ready Foods®, innovators i food manufacturing for over 25 years, is the smart, efficient answer to all grab & go, catering and box lunch needs. Since 1990, Fresh & Ready Foods has been manufacturing and distributing high quality sandwiches, box lunches, salads, and baked goods.

While Fresh & Ready Foods began by servicing hospitals and colleges (including patient and employee lunches) in Los Angeles; they now reach the entire state of California, Nevada and Western Arizona. Their current customer base includes medical centers, airlines, business dining services, convention centers, hotels, military bases and retail.

Fresh & Ready Foods’ state-of-the-art commercial production facilities have the capacity to manufacture their full line of sandwiches, salads, box lunches and baked goods no matter what size the affair. They source their meats direct from the packers, the produce straight from the farm and Artisan breads come from several local gourmet bakeries daily. Fresh & Ready’s highly-trained production crew is instructed to follow strict guidelines and specifications ensuring a consistent, high quality product.

Art is an accomplished chef by training and there are two additional chefs as part of the operating team there including alums from the Careers through Culinary Arts Program.

In addition to what they make, Fresh & Ready Foods is concerned with how they make it. They have a comprehensive, detailed food safety program that gives them an extra level of confidence in the foods they manufacture.

Co-Founder & President Art Sezgin joins us.

Show 212, February 25, 2017: Adam and Chef Scott Goldberg, Fresh Brothers – Pizza, Salad and Wings. Continues…

Adam and Scott GoldbergHere’s a good one for you. There really are two brothers (Chef Scott and Adam Goldberg) at Fresh Brothers Pizza with 19 locations in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. It’s really all about “Fresh” as even the dough is made fresh daily. Adam & Chef Scott Goldberg continue…

“For those following special diets, Fresh Brothers even offers a gluten-free pizza and other gluten-free items, as well as vegan options. Aside from their health-conscious efforts, Fresh Brothers offers a wide variety of delicious pizzas, salads and more – a little something for everyone!”

Since 2012 Fresh Brothers has offered a special Matzo Pizza for Passover. It’s become a popular, limited time tradition in the Jewish community and beyond…It’s a 7-inch square.

“Adam’s dream of owning a pizza shop has officially turned into a successful venture. Fresh Brothers has expanded over the last 8 years and continues to give back to their community. The company has given thousands in donations to support multiple local SoCal schools and non-profits. In 2016 alone, Fresh Brothers raised almost $30,000 for schools in Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Laguna Niguel. Aside from the delicious ingredients, hospitality and healthy choices, Fresh Brothers has proven that the most important aspect of their business is giving back to their community.”

Show 143, October 24, 2015: Food Historian Richard Foss

Richard FossCulinary Historian Richard Foss is also the California Curator for both The Southern Food & Beverage Museum (home of The Museum of the American Cocktail) and Pacific Food & Beverage. His new book is Food in Air and Space: The Surprising History of Food and Drink in The Skies. There was a time when dining in the sky was actually a true gourmet experience.

Richard shares the stories of the first libations in the air as well as the first meals. He also explains why airline food morphed from extraordinary to dull. In part this was motivated by one executive’s observation about leftover olives on salads. This then became the motivation for budget cutting on food costs along with deregulation…Oops!

The always colorful Richard Foss is our guest.

Show 122, May 16, 2015: Feride Buyuran, Pomegranates & Saffron – A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan

Feride BuyuranImagine a country where East and West are beautifully intertwined in the cuisine and culture and where its treasured cooking secrets are just waiting to be discovered. Welcome to Azerbaijan.

In Pomegranates & Saffron – A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan, Feride Buyuran takes the reader on a delightful culinary journey through this beautiful land in the Caucasus. Interspersed throughout the text are fascinating glimpses of local culture and traditional proverbs related to food that will make the adventure even more memorable.

Explore 200 tempting recipes for appetizers and salads, soups and stews, pasta, meat, vegetable and egg dishes, breads, saffron rice pilafs, aromatic drinks and desserts. All the recipes are adapted for preparation in a Western kitchen.

Feride Buyuran is the creator of AZcookbook.com, a popular food blog that features recipes and stories from Azerbaijan and beyond. Her passion for cooking and fond childhood memories led her to produce Pomegranates & Saffron, her first, about the cuisine of her homeland which was part of the former Soviet Union until 1991.

Author Feride Buyuran is our guest.

Show 97, November 15, 2014: Rick Rodgers, cookbook author and culinary instructor

Rick RodgersRick Rodgers is an award-winning cookbook author and cooking teacher and the accomplished writer of more than forty cookbooks on subjects ranging from baking to grilling, and more. Rodgers often works behind the scenes as a recipe tester, co-author, and valued consultant on cookbooks by other authors, including Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth’s Bakery

Rodgers has also penned corporate cookbooks for well-known clients such as Kingsford Charcoal and Sur La Table, as well as many titles for Williams-Sonoma.

Just in time for the Holidays is The Big Book of Sides – More than 450 Recipes for the Best Vegetables, Grains, Salads, Breads, Sauces and More. What’s the Thanksgiving feast without the assortment of tasty sides? Side dishes make the meal. Rick gives the humble side dish its due, elevating it to its proper, important place on the menu – front and center.

“With 32 color photos, main course pairings for every recipe and a guide to the best cooking methods, The Big Book of Sides provides answers to the age-old question of what to serve with what, with side dishes for all seasons, celebrations, occasions and even everyday weeknight meals.”