Show 469, April 9, 2022: Mayuko Easton, Proprietress, Jay’s Bar, Silver Lake and Master Barman Constantine Williams Part One

Mayuko Easton of Jay's Bar

Jay’s Bar, an American gastropub, is the vision of the late Jason Easton and his wife, Mayuko, who now lovingly carries on his welcoming neighborhood legacy. Jason tragically passed away in February of last year just a week after taking over the establishment. He was only 44.

“Jay’s Bar is located at Sunset Junction in Silver Lake (4321 Sunset Boulevard). The bar is a local favorite where savvy locals (including Oscar-nominated celebrities) come to hang out and socialize while enjoying the craft beers, signature cocktails, wine by-the-glass and bottle and delicious food.”

“Jay’s offers whiskey, craft beers on tap and comfort grub with twists. The food menu is a twist of American and Japanese American cuisine. From local favorites such as Jay’s Burger to their new menu items, including Tontkotsu ramen and Takjoyaki, Jay’s has something tasty for guests to enjoy with a cold, refreshing drink. Specialty cocktails, including The Classic Easton, are the inspired creations of master barman, Constantine Williams, a fraternity brother of Jason’s.”

Proprietress Mayuko Easton joins us.

Show 469, April 9, 2022: Mayuko Easton, Proprietress, Jay’s Bar, Silver Lake and Master Barman Constantine Williams Part Two

Mayuko Easton of Jay's Bar

Jay’s Bar, an American gastropub, is the vision of the late Jason Easton and his wife, Mayuko, who now lovingly carries on his welcoming neighborhood legacy. Jason tragically passed away in February of last year just a week after taking over the establishment which had been a long-held dream. He was only 44.

Jay’s Bar is located at Sunset Junction in Silver Lake (4321 Sunset Boulevard). The bar is a local favorite where savvy locals (including Oscar-nominated celebrities) come to hang out and socialize while enjoying the craft beers, signature cocktails, wine by-the-glass and bottle and delicious food.”

“Jay’s offers whiskey, craft beers on tap and comfort grub with twists. The food menu is a twist of American and Japanese American cuisine. From local favorites such as Jay’s Burger to their new menu items, including Tontkotsu ramen and Takjoyaki, Jay’s has something tasty for guests to enjoy with a cold, refreshing drink. Specialty cocktails, including The Classic Easton, are the inspired creations of master barman, Constantine Williams, a fraternity brother of Jason’s.”

Proprietress Mayuko Easton continues with us and is joined by Jay’s Bar’s Master Barman, Constantine Williams.

Show 311, February 16, 2019: Executive Chef Jo-Jo Doyle, Director of Operations, Honda Center, Anaheim Continues…

Jo Jo DoyleChef Jo-Jo Doyle is the Executive Chef & Director at Honda Center which celebrated its 25th birthday last year. They, unusually, manage all the food and beverage at Honda Center themselves to maintain quality control. It’s everything from a giant meatball with pasta to sit-down dining options in the Club Restaurants. Gluten-free and healthy snacks, too, from the Melissa’s carts.

Honda Center Food & Beverage Highlights :

  • Wine Cellar preserved by Sub-Zero: opened in December 2018 and features over 250 bottles from over 200 winemakers. It is the first of its kind in U.S. arenas. Sommeliers assist guests with bottle purchases that are poured into a decanter and can be enjoyed from their seats. Bottles are available for purchase from suites, in-seat, and at onsite restaurants. Wine is also available by the glass. (Open to guests on the Pacific Premier Club Level.)
  • Specialty Cocktails: Honda Center staff creates a specialty cocktail for each concert that comes to the building. Each one being handcrafted to the audience and themed to the artist/tour. We’ve received great feedback from guests who love to see what we have for each show.
  • Express Eats & The Kitchen: this unique location opened at the beginning of the ’17-’18 hockey season and features quick grab and go options at Express Eats and fresh sharable items at The Kitchen. The most popular item in this area are the three types of loaded fries: chicken, pastrami, and tri-tip.
  • Southern California: This stand is fresh twist on Southern favorites with a SoCal twist! Items like shrimp po’boy burritos, hot chicken sandwiches, and beignets are among the top sellers.

We’ll find out more of what’s new on the menu as we continue our conversation with Chef Jo-Jo.

Show 175, June 11, 2016: Damien Stanley, Executive Sous Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Danian StanleyChef Damien Stanley is the Executive Sous Chef at the Pechanga Resort & Casino. He’s responsible for creating the initial menu for the newest, full-service restaurant at Pechanga, the well-received Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar.

With his promotion Chef Stanley turned the sushi mat and chopsticks at Umi over to Kiyokuni Ikeda (ex-Morimoto.)

Umi means “sea” in Japanese. On the extensive menu are sushi, sashimi, nigiri, rolls, oysters on the half shell, seafood platters, specialty cocktails and so much more.

Chef Stanley held the Pechanga chili crown for two years in 2015 and 2014. He’s not competing this year but will provide an expert’s overview for us of the nine chef-created chilies in competition for 2016.

Chef Stanley will also give us a hint about the two new full-service restaurants which will be part of the current, in-the-works expansion. One will be a poolside bar and grill adjacent to the new Las Vegas-style resort pool deck.

 

Show 110, February 14, 2015: Damian Stanley, Executive Sous Chef, Pechanga Resort & Casino Continues…

Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar at Pechanga Resort and CasinoChef Damian Stanley is the always on the move Executive Sous Chef at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. Since the hotel tower and casino opened in 2002 at Pechanga they have enjoyed an outstanding reputation for the quality and diversity of their food and beverage offerings.

Chef Damian was the project manager for one of their newest interactive fine-dining spots, Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar. which launched after Thanksgiving in 2013. Umi means “sea” in Japanese. Sushi, sashimi, nigiri, rolls, oysters on the half shell, seafood platters, specialty cocktails and lots more are on the varied menu at Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar.

Three highly skilled Japanese sushi chefs (actually from Japan) are part of the culinary team. It’s an interactive and highly entertaining experience with the sushi chefs if you dine at the sushi bar.

There is a hint of the South on the menu, too. Look for gumbo and jambalaya. The specialty bouillabaisse has clams, fish, shrimp, scallop, and mussels in the hearty seafood broth.

A standout dish is the Bone Marrow Lobster with pear, tatsoi salad, celery root skordalia and black truffle vinaigrette.

Show 19, March 2, 2013: Executive Chef Rick Moonen of rm seafood at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas

Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las VegasJet recognizes Chef Moonen as probably the finest seafood chef in the United States. He’s also a pioneer in the sustainable seafood movement.

On Thursday evening March 14th Chef Moonen is joining forces with Chef Matthew Accarrino of SPQR in San Francisco to collaborate on a special evening benefiting the Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas. Accarrino was previously the chef de cuisine for Moonen’s Restaurant RM in Las Vegas.

The menu is a five-course, wine-paired, Shellfish Lovers’ Paradise with the chefs alternating courses. The evening will start with a cocktail reception featuring hand-crafted specialty cocktails by rm seafood lead barman Nathan Greene. All guests will receive an autographed copy of Chef Accarrino’s new cookbook, SPQR: Modern Italian Food & Wine.

February 16: Marcus Samuelsson, Dean McDermott, Chick Marshall, Nyesha Arrington, Greg Daniels, Brian Howard

Podcasts

Segment One: Dean McDermott, Actor, “The Gourmet Dad, and contestant on Season 2 of Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-off”
Segment Two: Chick Marshall of Mr. Stox Restaurant, Anaheim
Segment Three: Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster and Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem. Author of Yes, Chef, his biography
Segment Four: Nyesha Arrrington the Executive Chef of The Wilshire in Santa Monica
Segment Five: Greg Daniels – Executive Chef & Partner of Haven Gastropub in Orange and Old Pasadena
Segment Six: Brian Howard, Executive Chef of Comme Ca by David Myers in the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

We’re honored to have one of the food world’s most prominent celebrity chefs with us to talk about an upcoming visit to Los Angeles. We’ll also be catching up with the results of a Food Network competition series and talking with an important Orange County chef as well as a Los Angeles celebrity chef with new ventures. Another feature is saying good-bye to an OC fine dining institution.

Dean McDermottWhen we left him six weeks ago, actor, reality TV star, and “Gourmet Dad,” Dean McDermott, was competing for “Team Guy” on Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy (Fieri) – Celebrity Cook-Off.”

The finale of “Rachael vs. Guy” on February 10th pitted singer and TV host Carnie Wilson of Team Rachael against Dean McDermott of Team Guy. The winner is to be awarded $50,000 for their charity of choice.

Dean joins us to share the results of the finale and what’s next for him.

Chick Marshall of Mr. Stox in AnaheimChick Marshall is one of the long-time, co-owners of the highly regarded OC fine dining institution, Mr. Stox, located near Angel Stadium. His partners are his brother, Ron, and Ron’s wife, Debbie. One of their trademarks is an extensive wine cellar of some 15,000 bottles, one of the largest in Orange County.

Mr. Stox launched in 1968 and the Marshall’s acquired the restaurant in 1977. Many of their loyal employees have been with them more than 20 years.

The Marshalls have decided to retire and March 15, 2013 will be the last dinner service for Mr. Stox. It’s a bittersweet transition for the regulars. Fortunately the Marshalls own their land which has been sold for residential and commercial development (combined with adjacent parcels.)

Marcus SamuelssonMarcus Samuelsson has cooked around the world but has settled into Harlem, New York as his home base. He owns the hugely successful Red Rooster and Ginny’s Supper Club there. Marcus has prepared State Dinners for President Obama as well as is the recipient of many prestigious culinary awards. Last year his very revealing autobiography, Yes, Chef, was published which should be required reading for every aspiring culinarian.

Marcus proudly serves on the National Board of the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) which provides foodservice training and career opportunities for underserved youth. Every year hundreds of thousands of dollars in culinary scholarships are awarded to deserving high school graduates in key cities across the USA to pursue careers in the culinary arts.

On Tuesday evening, February 26th Marcus Samuelsson will be joining forces with Chef Govind Armstrong to present “A Taste of Harlem” at Govind’s restaurant, Post & Beam, located in Baldwin Hills. The menu is reimagined soul classics. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to C-CAP Los Angeles.

Tickets are $140 per guest and the evening is very close to capacity.

For reservations : atasteofharlem.brownpapertickets.com

Nyesha Arrington of WilshireIn 2011 Nyesha Arrington (mentored by Melisse’s Josiah Citrin) became the executive chef of the (already established) The Wilshire in Santa Monica. Unusually, she won the coveted position in an intense cook-off on the first season of Food Network’s “Chef Hunter”.

She was also a popular cheftestant on Bravo’sTop Chef: Texas.”

The food has never been better at The Wilshire and Chef Arrington is a big supporter of the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Greg Daniels of Haven GastropubGreg Daniels is the well respected executive chef for the busy Haven Gastropubs in Orange and Old Pasadena. It’s innovative pub-grub fare that’s elevated. They feature a great beer list and now brew their own proprietary line of seasonal craft beers.

An Orange County craft brewer of note established & operated a well-stocked gourmet specialty food shop directly across the street from the original Haven Gastropub in Orange. They recently decided they just didn’t have the time available to properly maintain (the brewery is expanding) it so it was going to close. Haven Gastropub came to the rescue and their revamped food emporium, Provisions, will now be supervised by Chef Daniels. Happy ending for all…

Comme Ca is well-known, highly successful French bistro in West Hollywood so it was no surprise when owner/chef David Myers opened a branch in the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

What is very surprising is that instead of bringing in a chef de cuisine to simply execute David’s established recipes he recruited a young executive chef with imagination who has expanded the concept with his own creations for Las Vegas. He has an unusual amount of creative freedom in the kitchen.

Brian Howard of Comme Ca in Las VegasExecutive Chef Brian Howard will join us to talk about the freedom he has been given and why this has made the spot the most highly regarded French bistro in Las Vegas.

Great specialty cocktails, too.

Podcasts

Segment One: Dean McDermott, Actor, “The Gourmet Dad, and contestant on Season 2 of Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-off”
Segment Two: Chick Marshall of Mr. Stox Restaurant, Anaheim
Segment Three: Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster and Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem. Author of Yes, Chef, his biography
Segment Four: Nyesha Arrrington the Executive Chef of The Wilshire in Santa Monica
Segment Five: Greg Daniels – Executive Chef & Partner of Haven Gastropub in Orange and Old Pasadena
Segment Six: Brian Howard, Executive Chef of Comme Ca by David Myers in the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

Show 10, December 22, 2012: Jacqueline Canter of Canter’s Deli

Canter's Delicatessen in the Fairfax District of Los AngelesCanter’s Deli has been an institution in Los Angeles for 82 years. They relocated West to N. Fairfax Ave. from Boyle Heights in 1948. They are still one of the few respectable late night spots for a nosh in their area. (24 hours by the way…) Live music at night, too featuring up-and-coming groups.

3rd generation Canter Family member, Jacqueline, joined us to discuss the menu rehab at Canter’s. (2nd , 3rd, and 4th generation Canter Family members are active in the enterprise.) They listened to their guests and adapted accordingly. They now have a selection of gluten-free items including bagels. There are even a variety of appealing vegetarian offerings. New specialty cocktails, too.

They are particularly proud of their new selection of grilled deli Panini sandwiches. In addition to the expected meat selections there are also tasty vegetarian options. Who knew…?

Want Canter’s Deli in your driveway for your next party ? Canter’s Deli has a food truck that’s available for private parties!