Show 302, December 15, 2018: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

Now a tempting preview of Saturday’s delectable show. We’re in the true Holiday spirit…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…

Freelance food, libation and travel writer, Anne Marie Panoringan, is on the go, again, and with us in-studio. This time she is reporting for Coast Magazine (Orange County Register) and her travel destination is Healdsburg in picturesque Sonoma County wine country. Anne Marie graciously shares some worthy restaurant, winery, and lodging tips.

We’ve been in Las Vegas this week covering ment’or BKB Foundations’ Fifth Annual Young Chef and Third Annual Commis Competition held on the Campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The winners are awarded the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Lyon, France and support Team USA at the 2019 Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition Finale in January. Team USA will be defending their Gold Medal win from 2017 (an extraordinary achievement.) We’ll introduce the talented winner of the Young Chef Competition!

The new Toast Kitchen + Bakery in Costa Mesa (on the site of the revered Golden Truffle) is the creation of Chef/Partner John Park and restaurateur Ed Lee (Wahoo’s Fish Taco.) There is some incredible food, baked goods & desserts coming out of this kitchen. Think Hot Chicken and Hawaiian Malasadas for Brunch. We’ll meet the creative team from Toast.

After an incredible 46-year run Piero Selvaggio’s Valentino Ristorante will serve its last dinner on New Year’s Eve. Valentino is one of the pioneers of modern Italian food in Los Angeles. Valentino also is credited with introducing premium Italian wines as part of a deep cellar along with polished, unfussy wine service. Our own West Coast Prime Meats Meathead, Terry Hanks, along with Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio share some engaging memories.

Las Vegas Insider Eric Gladstone is the principal of The Feast of Friends. In Las Vegas Eric produces food festivals and provides creative marketing services to restaurants. His specialty is independent, chef-driven projects. Eric is the organizer of the inaugural Vegas UnStripped food festival in Downtown Las Vegas which will return in 2019. We’ll meet him.

Chef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu has been a resounding success since its opening Downtown mid-last year in the Fashion District. On Sept. 13th during service a small kitchen fire temporarily closed the establishment. The better news is that Rossoblu just reopened last week. Congrats, also, to Chef Steve and Dina Samson for having both Rossoblu and Sotto (his other restaurant) included in the closely watched Los Angeles Times’101 Restaurants We Love” list. Chef Steve is our guest.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel joins us with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment. With the Holidays upon us it’s great to have a real working chef in our corner providing handy advice! Tuna in a can, a staple of everyone’s home pantry, is, incredibly, losing popularity with Millennials. We’ll open the can on this one and explain…

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

Show 302, December 15, 2018: Chef / Restaurateur Steve Samson, Rossoblu

Steve Samson of Sotto and RossobluChef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu has been a big success since its opening Downtown mid-last year in the Fashion District. in a historic former produce warehouse. On Sept. 13th during service a small kitchen fire temporarily closed the establishment. The better news is that Rossoblu just reopened last week.

Don’t forget their comfortable outside patio for that special Holiday party.

Steve is a veteran of the kitchen at Valentino, Santa Monica which will close at year’s end. Proprietor Piero Selvaggio is a mentor. Steve shares a few memories of a staff reunion dinner there earlier in the month organized by Providence’s and Connie & Ted’s Donato Poto.

Congrats, also, to Chef Steve and Dina Samson for having both Rossoblu and Sotto Sotto (his other Century City adjacent restaurant) included in the closely watched Los Angeles Times’101 Restaurants We Love” list. Chef Steve is our guest.

December 15: Anne Marie Panoringan, ment’or BKB, Toast Kitchen + Bakery, Valentino’s Farewell, Eric Gladstone, Steve Samson

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Freelance, Food, Libation & Travel Journalist
Segment Three: Chef Ian P. Cairns, Winner of ment’or BKB’s Young Chef Competition
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ed Lee and Chef / Partner John Park, Toast Kitchen + Bakery, Costa Mesa
Segment Five: Valentino Ristorante, Santa Monica
Segment Six: Eric C. Gladstone, The Feast of Friends, Las Vegas
Segment Seven: Chef / Restaurateur Steve Samson, Rossoblu
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group & Co-host

Now a tempting preview of this Saturday’s delectable show. We’re in the true Holiday spirit…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…

Freelance food, libation and travel writer, Anne Marie Panoringan, is on the go, again, and with us in-studio. This time she is reporting for Coast Magazine (Orange County Register) and her travel destination is Healdsburg in picturesque Sonoma County wine country. Anne Marie will graciously share some worthy restaurant, winery, and lodging tips.

We’ve been in Las Vegas this week covering ment’or BKB Foundations’ Fifth Annual Young Chef and Third Annual Commis Competition held on the Campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The winners are awarded the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Lyon, France and support Team USA at the 2019 Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition Finale in January. Team USA will be defending their Gold Medal win from 2017 (an extraordinary achievement.) We’ll introduce the talented winner of the Young Chef Competition!

The new Toast Kitchen + Bakery in Costa Mesa (on the site of the revered Golden Truffle) is the creation of Chef/Partner John Park and restaurateur Ed Lee (Wahoo’s Fish Taco.) There is some incredible food, baked goods & desserts coming out of this kitchen. Think Hot Chicken and Hawaiian Malasadas for Brunch. We’ll meet the creative team from Toast.

After an incredible 46-year run Piero Selvaggio’s Valentino Ristorante will serve its last dinner on New Year’s Eve. Valentino was one of the pioneers of modern Italian food in Los Angeles. Valentino also is credited with introducing premium Italian wines as part of a deep cellar along with polished, unfussy wine service. Our own West Coast Prime Meats Meathead, Terry Hanks, along with Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio share some engaging memories.

Las Vegas Insider Eric Gladstone is the principal of The Feast of Friends. In Las Vegas Eric produces food festivals and provides creative marketing services to restaurants. His specialty is independent, chef-driven projects. Eric is the organizer of the inaugural Vegas UnStripped food festival which will return in 2019. We’ll meet him.

Chef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu has been a big success since its opening Downtown mid-last year in the Fashion District. On Sept. 13th during service a small kitchen fire temporarily closed the establishment. The better news is that Rossoblu just reopened last week. Congrats, also, to Chef Steve and Dina Samson for having both Rossoblu and Sotto (his other restaurant) included in the closely watched Los Angeles Times’101 Restaurants We Love” list. Chef Steve is our guest.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel joins us with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment. With the Holidays upon us it’s great to have a real working chef in our corner providing handy advice! Tuna in a can, a staple of everyone’s home pantry, is, incredibly, losing popularity with Millennials. We’ll open the can on this one and explain…

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

Anne Marie PanoringanFreelance food, libation and travel writer, Anne Marie Panoringan, is on the go, again, and with us in-studio. This time she is reporting for Coast Magazine (Orange County Register) and her travel destination is Healdsburg in picturesque Sonoma County wine country. Anne Marie will graciously share some worthy restaurant, winery, and lodging tips.

A highlight was her stay at River Belle Inn located at the Russian River.

Ian Cairns and Bryn Rene are the winners of the 2018 Young Chef and Commis CompetitionWe’ve been in Las Vegas this week covering ment’or BKB Foundations’ Fifth Annual Young Chef and Third Annual Commis Competition held in the new Hospitality Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The seven Candidates developed a unique recipe based on the selected protein for the competition which was one, whole Bone-In Lamb Saddle provided by Pure Bred. Each Young Chef candidate had a hand-picked assistant helping them during the competition. They had 2 hours and 35 minutes to cook and plate 10 tasting-size portions of the dish for the chef judges.

The winners are awarded the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Lyon, France and support Team USA at the 2019 Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition Finale in January. Team USA will be defending their Gold Medal win from 2017 (an extraordinary achievement.) We’ll introduce the talented winner of the Young Chef Competition.

John ParkThe new Toast Kitchen + Bakery in Costa Mesa (on the site of the revered Golden Truffle) is the creation of Chef/Partner John Park and restaurateur Ed Lee (Wahoo’s Fish Taco.) There is some incredible food, baked goods & desserts coming out of this kitchen. Closed on Monday and Sunday is Brunch service only.

Think Hot Chicken and Hawaiian Malasadas for Brunch.

We’ll meet the creative team from Toast.

Valentino Santa MonicaAfter an incredible 46-year run Piero Selvaggio’s Valentino Ristorante will serve its last dinner on New Year’s Eve.

Valentino is one of the pioneers of modern Italian food in Los Angeles. Valentino also is credited with introducing premium Italian wines as part of a deep cellar along with polished, unfussy wine service.

Many talented chefs with successful restaurants of their own now, polished their skills in the Valentino Kitchen. Piero launches a new restaurant on the Bay in Newport Beach (Louie’s) early in the New Year.

Our own West Coast Prime Meats Meathead, Terry Hanks, along with Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio share some engaging memories.

Eric GladstoneLas Vegas Insider Eric Gladstone is the principal of The Feast of Friends. In Las Vegas Eric produces food festivals and provides creative marketing services to restaurants. His specialty is independent, chef-driven projects.

Eric is the organizer of the inaugural Vegas UnStripped food festival which will return in 2019. Eric is also helping to organize a two-night benefit series for the Intuitive Forager, Kerry Clasby.

Steve Samson of Sotto and RossobluChef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu has been a big success since its opening Downtown mid-last year in the Fashion District. On Sept. 13th during service a small kitchen fire temporarily closed the establishment. The better news is that Rossoblu just reopened last week.

Congrats, also, to Chef Steve and Dina Samson for having both Rossoblu and Sotto (his other restaurant) included in the closely watched Los Angeles Times’101 Restaurants We Love” list. Chef Steve is our guest.

Andy Harris and Andrew Gruel at Cabana 14 at the Cove at Pechanga Resort and CasinoOur own Chef Andrew Gruel joins us with another informative “Ask the Chef” segment. With the Holidays upon us it’s great to have a real working chef in our corner providing handy advice!

Tuna in a can, a staple of everyone’s home pantry, is, incredibly, losing popularity with Millennials.

We’ll open the can on this one and explain…

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Anne Marie Panoringan, Freelance, Food, Libation & Travel Journalist
Segment Three: Chef Ian P. Cairns, Winner of ment’or BKB’s Young Chef Competition
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ed Lee and Chef / Partner John Park, Toast Kitchen + Bakery, Costa Mesa
Segment Five: Valentino Ristorante, Santa Monica
Segment Six: Eric C. Gladstone, The Feast of Friends, Las Vegas
Segment Seven: Chef / Restaurateur Steve Samson, Rossoblu
Segment Eight: Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group & Co-host

Show 283, July 28, 2018: Chef Steve Samson, Superfine Pizza, DTLA

Chef Steve Samson at Superfine PizzaChef Steve Samson of Rossoblu (DTLA) and Sotto (Century City-adjacent) fame is no stranger to preparing premium pizza that generates deserved raves. The superb Neapolitan pizza he cooks at Sotto in a wood burning-oven imported from Italy and assembled on-site by Italian craftsmen is well-known.

Steps from Rossoblu he has just launched Superfine Pizza. It’s a thin-crust pizza with both Neapolitan and New York attributes. The mission is to use as many local, premium ingredients as possible. It’s by-the-slice or whole pies. Unusually the pizzas are cooked in an electric deck oven from Sweden. It gets up to temperature quickly and Chef Steve has found it to be more energy efficient than gas.

By-the-slice options include Tomato, Mozzarella, and Grana Padano ; Four Cheeses & Spinach; Escarole, Red Onion, Salt Cured Olives, Chilies, Fresh Mozzarella and Smoked Provolone; Pepperoni, Tomato, Mozzarella and Grana Padano; and Tomato, Garlic, Capers, Oregano, Chilies, Mint, Parsley, Basil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Vegan).

Chef Steve joins us with a finishing splash of California olive oil.

Delivery is on the horizon.

 

Show 229, June 24, 2017: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

Now an enthusiastic preview of Saturday’s fully-loaded 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 that’s probably a pretty good thing…

In conjunction with its 6-year anniversary, Portola Coffee Roasters has redesigned its flagship location inside The OC Mix at South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa. The new design, intended to improve the customer experience, takes advantage of the latest in brewing technologies to achieve a higher level of service, product quality, and consistency not possible before. Joining us with all the artfully brewed details are proprietors Jeff & Christa Duggan.

The Street Gourmet, Senor Bill Esparza, is back with us with his first cookbook. Richly photographed and authentically local, L.A. Mexicano showcases L.A.’s sophisticated and diverse Mexican-food culture, from Oaxacan tlayudas to Nayarit ceviches, Alta California gastronomy to Boyle Heights burritos. Part cookbook, part food journalism, and part love song to Los Angeles, it’s a definitive (and hugely practical) resource for home cooks, Mexican food lovers, and hungry Angelenos and visitors.

What’s it like to experience a memorable $310 per guest meal at California’s celebrated The French Laundry in Yountville ? There is also a magnificent new $10 million kitchen where your repast is prepared. OC Weekly’s “On the Line” columnist, Anne Marie Panoringan, was just there and provides the salivating commentary.

Three words — cellar, craft, cook — capture the essence of the year-old  Russ Bendel-conceived restaurant Ironwood in Laguna Hills, which uped the ante on the underserved south Orange County dining scene with worldwide wine selections, craft beers, creative cocktails and wine country cuisine made daily with the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients by Bendel’s partner, chef Jared Cook (Vine.) Russ joins us with the tasty specifics.

Chef Steve Samson is well-known to lovers of regional Italian cuisine in Southern California. His newest project (with his wife, Dina) is the ambitious Rossoblu in the emerging City Market South development in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. The menu is influenced by Chef Steve’s summers in Bologna and Emilia- Romagna while he was growing up. We pull Chef Steve away from his custom-built, wood-fired grill in the open kitchen for a full briefing.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Show 229, June 24, 2017: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South

Steve Samson of SottoChef Steve Samson is well-known to lovers of regional Italian cuisine in Southern California. He first came into local prominence as the Executive Chef at Piero Selvaggio’s classic Valentino in Santa Monica. From there he was the opening chef at Pizzeria Ortica in South Coast Plaza. Next was branching out with his own establishment, Sotto, located near Century City. The distinctive wood-burning pizza oven there was imported from Italy and assembled inside the restaurant by skilled Italian artisans.

His newest project with his wife, Dina, is the ambitious Rossoblu in the emerging City Market South development in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. The complex of buildings was the first wholesale produce market in Los Angeles. The menu is influenced by Chef Steve’s summers in Bologna and Emilia- Romagna while he was growing up.

We’ll pull Chef Steve away from his wood-fired grill in the open kitchen for a full briefing.

June 24: Portola Coffee Roasters, Bill Esparza, Anne Marie Panoringan, Ironwood, Steve Samson

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Jeff & Christa Duggan, Portola Coffee Roasters Part One
Segment Three: Jeff & Christa Duggan, Portola Coffee Roasters Part Two
Segment Four: The Street Gourmet’s Bill Esparza
Segment Five: Anne Marie Panoringan, OC Weekly’s “On the Line” Columnist
Segment Six: Restaurateur Russ Bendel, Ironwood, Laguna Hills
Segment Seven: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South Part One
Segment Eight: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South Part Two

Our Angel ticket giveaway is on. Be listening to the first half-hour of the show and you’ll know the answer to the question that goes out at 11:30 a.m. If you’re then the first caller to 1-714-2-830-830 with the correct answer you’ll win a Family 4 pack of tickets to see our Halos play the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, July 2nd at 12:37 p.m. Good luck…

Now an enthusiastic preview of this Saturday’s fully-loaded 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 that’s probably a pretty good thing…

In conjunction with its 6-year anniversary, Portola Coffee Roasters has redesigned its flagship location inside The OC Mix at South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa. The new design, intended to improve the customer experience, takes advantage of the latest in brewing technologies to achieve a higher level of service, product quality, and consistency not possible before. Joining us with all the artfully brewed details are proprietors Jeff & Christa Duggan.

The Street Gourmet, Senor Bill Esparza, is back with us with his first cookbook. Richly photographed and authentically localL.A. Mexicano showcases L.A.’s sophisticated and diverse Mexican-food culture, from Oaxacan tlayudas to Nayarit ceviches, Alta California gastronomy to Boyle Heights burritos. Part cookbook, part food journalism, and part love song to Los Angeles, it’s a definitive resource for home cooks, Mexican food lovers, and hungry Angelenos and visitors.

What’s it like to experience a memorable $310 per guest meal at California’s celebrated The French Laundry in Yountville? There is also a magnificent new $10 million kitchen where your repast is prepared. OC Weekly’s “On the Line” columnist, Anne Marie Panoringan, was just there and provides the salivating commentary.

Three words — cellar, craft, cook — capture the essence of the year-old  Russ Bendel-conceived restaurant Ironwood in Laguna Hills, which uped the ante on the south Orange County dining scene with worldwide wine selections, craft beers, creative cocktails and wine country cuisine made daily with the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients by Bendel’s partner, chef Jared Cook (Vine.) Russ joins us with the specifics.

Chef Steve Samson is well-known to lovers of regional Italian cuisine in Southern California. His newest project (with his wife, Dina) is the ambitious Rossoblu in the emerging City Market South development in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. The menu is influenced by Chef Steve’s summers in Bologna and Emilia- Romagna while he was growing up. We’ll pull Chef Steve away from his wood-fired grill in the open kitchen for a full briefing.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s show!

Jeff and Christa DugganIn conjunction with its 6-year anniversary, Portola Coffee Roasters has redesigned its flagship location inside The OC Mix at South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa. The new design, intended to improve the customer experience, takes advantage of the latest in brewing technologies to achieve a higher level of service, product quality, and consistency not possible before.

“The original idea behind the oval shaped bar was to create a visual theater for our customers curious about the brewing science we employ – it is both interesting and educational to be able to see firsthand how things are done at Portola,” explained Jeff Duggan, who, with his wife Christa, opened the flagship Portola Coffee Roasters location in Costa Mesa in 2011 to bring a 100% single-cup craft brew coffeehouse to Orange County.

“With the new design, this goal is better achieved.  It will be much different than the ‘order here, pick up over there’ model. We will service customers in line so once they order, their drinks will be made while they watch, and they pay at the end when their drink has been served.”

Joining us with all the artfully brewed details are proprietors Jeff & Christa Duggan.

What began as the selfish pursuit for delicious coffee turned into a decade-long fanatic passion for home-roasting coffee for Jeff Duggan, who first opened Portola Handcrafted Coffee Roasters in Irvine in 2009. Using a very small batch roaster, Jeff worked feverishly to keep the pantries and hoppers full in many homes and food establishments throughout Orange County, but roasting meticulously sourced coffee beans and serving them ultra-fresh was not enough. He found that far too many great beans were destroyed at the hands of poor equipment, flawed technique, and coffee service dispensers.

With a focus on quality ingredients, brewing science and freshness – all still relatively uncommon in the industry – Jeff and his wife, Christa, created Portola Coffee Roasters in 2011. The goal was to create a quality-centric coffeehouse that re-focused on the most important ingredient – coffee.

Within a year of bringing a never-before-seen concept and style of coffee to Orange County, Portola Coffee Roasters began creating a distinct brand that revolves around producing an artisanal culinary product, Craft Coffee.

Jeff and Christa Duggan now own and operate six locations within Orange County. Their focus remains on empowering the community with quality, traceable, fresh-roasted and fresh-brewed coffee, presented in an artful context – one cup at a time.

Portola Coffee Roasters locations:

Bill EsparzaThe Street Gourmet, Senor Bill Esparza, is back with us with his first cookbook. Richly photographed and authentically localL.A. Mexicano showcases L.A.’s sophisticated and diverse Mexican-food culture, from Oaxacan tlayudas to Nayarit ceviches, Alta California gastronomy to Boyle Heights burritos.

It’s got it all: recipes, insightful and inspirational profiles of chefs, bakers, restaurateurs, and vendors, and neighborhood guides that point readers to the best markets, taco trucks, restaurants, bars, and more. Part cookbook, part food journalism, and part love song to Los Angeles, it’s a definitive resource for home cooks, Mexican food lovers, and hungry Angelenos and visitors.

With a foreword by Taco USA‘s Gustavo ArellanoL.A. Mexicano shines a long-overdue light on the people behind one of the world’s most complex and delicious cuisines, in one of the world’s most exciting food cities.

Bill Esparza is winner of a James Beard award (with Lesley Bargar Suter) for his coverage of the LA taco scene in Los Angeles Magazine. Considered one of the country’s leading experts on Mexican food, the LA native curates the annual Tacolandia festival in Los Angeles and writes about Mexican food for Los Angeles Magazine and other notable publications.

Anne Marie PanoringanWhat’s it like to experience a very special $310 per guest meal (and it’s a tough pre-paid reservation to even secure) at California’s celebrated The French Laundry in Yountville in the Napa Valley? Chef’s daily nine-course tasting menu and nine-course vegetable tasting menu highlight French technique and the finest quality ingredients available.

There is also a magnificent new $10 million state-of-the-art kitchen where your repast is artfully prepared.

OC Weekly’s “On the Line” columnist, Anne Marie Panoringan was just there and provides the salivating commentary. It’s not her first meal at The French Laundry either…

Russ BendelThree words — cellar, craft, cook — capture the essence of the year-old Russ Bendel-conceived restaurant Ironwood in Laguna Hills , which uped the ante on the south Orange County dining scene with worldwide wine selections, craft beers, creative cocktails and wine country cuisine made daily with the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients by Bendel’s partner, chef Jared Cook (Vine.)

Ironwood’s offerings showcase seasonal ingredients of the highest quality that are prepared daily from scratch. Guests have the choice of selecting from more than 25 global wine selections by the glass, from a cozy indoor bar and dining area or from an outdoor patio featuring spectacular views of Saddleback Mountain. Ironwood is open for dinner only.

Bendel, a longtime fixture on the Orange County dining scene who honed his craft at such fine establishments as Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Newport Beach, assumed ownership of Vine Restaurant & Bar, a Napa Valley-influenced restaurant in San Clemente in 2013. Jared Cook also heads up culinary at the critically-acclaimed, popular eatery. Another Fleming’s veteran and certified sommelier, Kevin Franke, serves as operating partner.

The name of the restaurant was inspired by the evergreen desert tree, the Ironwood, known for its hardiness and used for handles of culinary tools. Two Ironwood trees grace the entrance to the restaurant.

Proprietor Russ Bendel is our guest.

Steve Samson of SottoChef Steve Samson is well-known to lovers of regional Italian cuisine in Southern California.

He first came into local prominence as the Executive Chef at Piero Selvaggio’s classic Valentino in Santa Monica. From there he was the opening chef at Pizzeria Ortica in South Coast Plaza. Next was branching out with his own establishment, Sotto, located near Century City. The distinctive wood-burning pizza oven there was imported from Italy and assembled inside the restaurant by skilled Italian artisans.

His newest project with his wife, Dina, is the ambitious Rossoblu in the emerging City Market South development in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. The menu is influenced by Chef Steve’s summers in Bologna and Emilia- Romagna while he was growing up.

We’ll pull Chef Steve away from his wood-fired grill in the open kitchen for a full briefing.

Rossoblu celebrates Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson’s two home cities, Los Angeles and Bologna, Italy. The menu features house-made salumi, soulful pastas, market produce, and wood grilled fish and meats.

Located in downtown’s City Market South, the site of Los Angeles’s original produce market, Rossoblu’s vaulted dining room and open kitchen create a festive dining environment. The restaurant’s private outdoor piazza allows al fresco diners to feel far removed from the nearby city bustle. An intimate basement wine cellar can be reserved for private parties.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Jeff & Christa Duggan, Portola Coffee Roasters Part One
Segment Three: Jeff & Christa Duggan, Portola Coffee Roasters Part Two
Segment Four: The Street Gourmet’s Bill Esparza
Segment Five: Anne Marie Panoringan, OC Weekly’s “On the Line” Columnist
Segment Six: Restaurateur Russ Bendel, Ironwood, Laguna Hills
Segment Seven: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South Part One
Segment Eight: Executive Chef / Proprietor Steve Samson, Rossoblu, City Market South Part Two

Show 195, October 29, 2016: Rick Rose, Chefs’ Toys Commercial Design Group (previously Michael Blackman & Associates.)

Rick Rose of Chefs ToysWhat does it take to design a well-thought-out bar, restaurant or commercial kitchen? What are the most common mistakes to avoid?

We’ll find out from veteran designer Rick Rose of the Chefs’ Toys Commercial Kitchen Design Group, formerly known as Michael Blackman & Associates. MBA has been operating for over 30 years and is known as one of the top restaurant kitchen designers in Southern California and nationally as well. It was acquired by Chefs’ Toys in late 2015. Currently they are working with Urban Plates, the prototype concept for the revitalized Sizzler, and Chef Steve Samson’s (Sotto) new restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles.

“Chefs’ Toys has provided commercial kitchen design services for many years. Michael Blackman & Associates has developed an exceptional reputation in the industry”, says Steve Dickler President of Chefs’ Toys. “With their deep expertise in kitchen and bar design, restaurant interior design, tremendous knowledge and resources for restaurant fixtures, architecture, planning and construction, the MBA team will help take Chefs’ Toys to a whole new level”.

“Chefs’ Toys has developed a fantastic reputation in the restaurant business for restaurant equipment and smallwares, says Rick Rose, of Chefs’ Toys Commercial Kitchen Design Group. “We are excited to be a part of the Chefs’ Toys team and help build on their already solid project teams. This will create a new synergy that will help us both affording our customers that one-stop-shop, from planning, to building, and managing a high performance commercial kitchen design project.”

Show 169, April 30, 2016: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosExecutive Chef Andrew Gruel of the rapidly growing Slapfish empire with restaurants in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, LAX, Irvine at UCI and, most recently, Brea, is back as today’s special Guest Host

Now a provocative sneak peak of Saturday’s appetizing show and not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. If we’re doing it right we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s actually a pretty good thing…

For 90 years the respected culinary program at Los Angeles Trade Tech College in Downtown Los Angeles has provided practical, affordable culinary training at an incredible value! They do wonders with limited resources. On May 14th Trade Tech’s culinary program is hosting a festive evening which benefits scholarships for the Culinary Arts Program of L.A. Trade Technical College. Culinary Arts Program Chair, Chef Steven Kasmar, and Chefs’ Toys Mike Krepistman join us with the 411.

The annual Dine LBC – Long Beach Restaurant Week is taking place now until May 1, 2016. Each participating restaurant from twelve unique neighborhoods in the city offers a three course menu priced at $20, $30, $40 or $50, either per guest with wine pairing options at fine dining locations OR dinner for two priced at $20, $30, $40 or $50, where diners share an appetizer, each enjoy their own entree, then share a dessert at more casual establishments. One of the participating restaurants in DINE LBC is the new taste Wine-Beer-Kitchen. Chef Brad Neumann of taste joins us.

Chef Steve Samson’s Sotto located just East of Century City recently celebrated its 5th Anniversary. In recognition of the occasion there was a renovation. Chef Steve is with us with an update.

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 just in Bordeaux tasting wines in the barrel from the 2015 harvest. We’ll get his insider’s report on what to expect.

Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) is a national non-profit that transforms lives of at-risk students through the culinary arts and prepares them for college and careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. On Monday is C-CAP Los Angeles’ Scholarship Awards Breakfast. Our guests are Richard Grausman, Founder & Chairman Emeritus of C-CAP and Susan Robbins, President, C-CAP.

Villa Roma restaurant in Laguna Hills is truly one of the undiscovered gems of dining in South Orange County. Unusually they serve a menu of both Argentine and Italian Cuisine. Their Chimichurri is a word-of-mouth favorite. Co-Owner Teresa Razo (also the Marketing & Catering Director) joins us.

Cinco de Mayo is pretty much a non-event in Mexico but it’s huge in the United States. Might have something to do with all the Mexican beer and tequila sold for the festivities. Hey, we’re in favor of a good excuse to party responsibly, too. One of the bigger Cinco de Mayo fiestas in Los Angeles will be staged at Silver Lake’s El Chavo on May 5th from 4:00 p.m. to close. Matt Landes from Cocktail Academy (one of the event organizers) is with us to provide all the festive details.

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

Show 169, April 30, 2016: Proprietor / Executive Chef Steve Samson, Sotto, Los Angeles

Steve Samson of SottoChef Steve Samson’s Sotto located just East of Century City recently celebrated it’s 5th Anniversary. In recognition of the occasion there was a renovation. Chef Steve is with us with an update. He also has a new restaurant on the horizon, Rossoblu, in Downtown Los Angeles

At Sotto expect an honest, market-driven menu of regionally-inspired Southern Italian dishes, including fresh house-made pastas and Neapolitan pizza cooked in an artisan wood burning oven.

The wine program has been called “one of the most interesting lists” in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Times and “one of the best places to drink Italian wine in LA” by Los Angeles Magazine.

The food at Sotto is complemented by a fresh, seasonally relevant cocktail program with a strong background in the classics and the utilization of lesser known Italian liqueurs.

Chef Steve is very proud that as part of the renovation he was finally able to make room in the kitchen for a suitable gelato maker. Gelato is now on the dessert menu at Sotto!

Rossoblu, located in Downtown’s vibrant Fashion District, hopes to launch before year’s end. The menu with be a tribute to the foods of his Mother who is from Bologna in Northern Italy.