Tag Archives: Tracy Nelsen

Show 385, August 8, 2020: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

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Late last month Corona del Mar’s historic Five Crowns and SideDoor (part of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants) reopened the spacious backyard of the expansive property for open-air dining in the charming setting reminiscent of an English country garden. Set with thoughtfully spaced tables and accented by fire pits, the backyard of the beloved, dining establishment offers the same gracious hospitality for which the restaurants are known. Guests sip on specialty cocktails under the twinkling lights and experience signature dishes from both Five Crowns and SideDoor offered on a single menu available for backyard dining and to-go. Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager, Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with a tempting overview of what’s now on the menu.

Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Their specialty is authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin, high-end Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

3rd generation restaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo. Salisbury is not one for utilizing voluminous operating manuals but over the years has acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America by-the-way.) It’s truly an essential and valuable read for all aspiring restaurateurs. Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Winemakers and life partners Mireia Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream boutique winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County. Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs. Grenache and Graciano are in their future. Winemakers Tara and Mireia join us to pull the cork on all that is Camins 2 Dreams.

“DTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza concept is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.” “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ.  These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.” Chef Michael Hung joins us to artfully toss & stretch the from-scratch pizza dough. 

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately take-out/delivery when you can surely helps… National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about fully appreciating oysters. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone ?

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness (with proper Social Distancing) on this week’s not-to-miss show!

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Show 385, August 8, 2020: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar

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Tracy Nelsen of Five CrownsLate last month Corona del Mar’s historic Five Crowns and SideDoor (part of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants) reopened the spacious backyard for open-air dining in the charming setting reminiscent of an English country garden.

Set with thoughtfully spaced tables and accented by fire pits, the backyard of the beloved, dining establishment offers the same gracious hospitality for which the restaurants are known. Guests sip on specialty cocktails under the twinkling lights and experience signature dishes from both Five Crowns and SideDoor offered on a single menu available for backyard dining and to-go.

In addition to Five Crowns specialties including Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and Skillet Jidori Chicken with pearl couscous, charred corn and salsa verde, four cuts of the classic Lawry’s Prime Ribs of Beef are available. SideDoor featured items available range from the always changing Artisanal Cheese Plate to Prime Rib Chili.

Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager certified Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with the specifics of what’s on the menu.

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August 8: Five Crowns & SideDoor, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Ron Salisbury, Camins 2 Dreams, DTLA Pizza

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Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Three: Filippo Fusco, Managing Partner, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Irvine
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part Two
Segment Six: Winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo, Camins 2 Dreams Winery, Lompoc
Segment Seven: Chef Michael Hung, DTLA Pizza, Los Angeles
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Late last month Corona del Mar’s historic Five Crowns and SideDoor (part of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants) reopened the spacious backyard of the property for open-air dining in the charming setting reminiscent of an English country garden. Set with thoughtfully spaced tables and accented by fire pits, the backyard of the beloved, dining establishment offers the same gracious hospitality for which the restaurants are known. Guests sip on specialty cocktails under the twinkling lights and experience signature dishes from both Five Crowns and SideDoor offered on a single menu available for backyard dining and to-go. Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager, Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with a tempting overview of what’s now on the menu.

Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Their specialty is authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

Restaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo. Salisbury is not one for utilizing voluminous operating manuals but over the years has acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America.) It’s truly an essential read for all aspiring restaurateurs. Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Winemakers and life partners Mireia Taribo Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream boutique winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County. Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs. Winemakers Mireia and Tara join us to pull the cork on all that is Camins 2 Dreams.

“DTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza concept is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.” “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ. These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.” Chef Michael Hung joins us to artfully toss & stretch the pizza dough.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately Take-Out / Delivery when you can surely helps… National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about fully appreciating oysters. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone?

Tracy Nelsen of Five CrownsLate last month Corona del Mar’s historic Five Crowns and SideDoor (part of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants) reopened the spacious backyard for open-air dining in the charming setting reminiscent of an English country garden.

Set with thoughtfully spaced tables and accented by fire pits, the backyard of the beloved, dining establishment offers the same gracious hospitality for which the restaurants are known. Guests sip on specialty cocktails under the twinkling lights and experience signature dishes from both Five Crowns and SideDoor offered on a single menu available for backyard dining and to-go.

In addition to Five Crowns specialties including Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and Colorado Lamb Chops four cuts of the classic Lawry’s Prime Ribs of Beef are available. SideDoor featured items available range from the Artisanal Cheese Plate to Prime Rib Chili.

Tracy Nelsen Five Crowns’ and SideDoor’s Restaurant Manager certified Cheesemonger, Sommelier and Cicerone joins us with the specifics of what’s on the menu.

Filippo Fusco of Angelina's Pizzeria NapoletanaAngelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana is a fine-casual Italian restaurant located in Irvine in the Los Olivos Marketplace. At Angelina’s, guests dine on authentic Italian food made with only the finest ingredients imported from Italy and fresh produce from local farms. From one-of-a-kind artwork to hand-picked fixtures, the modern, upscale interior redefines the concept of a pizzeria.

Angelina’s Pizzeria specializes in authentic Neapolitan-style pizza (pizza Napoletana). Each pizza is made using traditional techniques and cooked in their twin Ferrara wood-burning pizza ovens, making Angelina’s one of the few restaurants in the United States to hold a VPN Certification (Vera Pizza Napoletana). Overseen by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Napoli, the VPN certifies that Angelina’s adheres to the strict requirements that make their pizzas “true Neopolitan Pizza.”

Angelina’s Managing Partner, Filippo Fusco, is our guest, pizza peel at the ready.

Ron Salisbury of El CholoRestaurateur Ron Salisbury has been running successful, high-volume restaurants for sixty-six years, a period of time in which most people are born and retire. He grew up working after school as a dish sorter, busser, and steam table expediter in his parents’ Los Angeles restaurant, El Cholo.

In the decades since Ron has launched restaurants throughout Southern California. In addition to the El Cholo’s newer ventures are The Cannery and Louie’s By the Bay, both located in Newport Beach.

Salisbury is not one for voluminous operating manuals but over the years he acquired a bushel of practical morsels of wisdom for operating a successful restaurant. Starting with “Our Seven Pillars” Ron has collected all these short vignettes of incredibly useful advice into the very easy-to-read volume, What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. (That’s the Culinary Institute of America.) It’s truly an essential read for all aspiring restaurateurs.

Ron Salisbury is the recipient of the Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Chapter of the California Restaurant Association. He has lectured at The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University Pomona.

Ron Salisbury is with us to generously share a sampling of the practical wisdom from What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A.

Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo Tena of Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc CaliforniaWinemakers and life partners Mireia Taribo Tena and Tara Gomez are the creative forces at Camins 2 Deams in Lompoc, their dream winery. The grapes are sourced exclusively from select vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, a unique appellation in Santa Barbara County.

Their philosophy is to make hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines that are fermented with natural yeast and use minimal intervention in the winery. Camins 2 Dreams believes wine is made in the vineyard and desires to showcase the typicity of each site where the grapes originate.

“We are lucky both to live and make our wines in the Santa Rita Hills where foggy mornings and cool nights combine with marine soils to make the perfect ingredients for outstanding wines. “

Current releases include Gruner Veltliner, Rose of Syrah, and three vineyard specific Syrahs.

Tara Gomez, a Native American, is also the Winemaker for Kita Wines, a small premium winery in the Santa Ynez Valley owned by the Chumash Tribe (Chumash Casino Resort.)

Mireia and Tara join us to pull the cork on Camins 2 Dreams.

Michael Hung of Faith and Flower“DTLA Pizza is a new Takeout and Delivery concept from Chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower. The goal for Chef Michael’s new DTLA Pizza establishment is to serve meat lovers and vegans alike, quality and comfort food driven dishes prepared with house-made sourdough crusts, toppings such as Impossible beef, locally grown produce, along with Burgers that are made with American Kobe beef and burst with flavor.”

“Los Angeles meets the Oranges, as in the same area of northern New Jersey as the Sopranos, at DTLA Pizza. This area is also Chef Michael Hung’s inspiration as he drew from his New Jersey roots to create DTLA Pizza’s menu of true pizzeria classics. “As the world is today, I find myself craving comfort foods. The menu for DTLA Pizza reflects my time growing up in New Jersey eating at such institutions such as Star Tavern in Orange, NJ.  These dishes and flavors remind me of home and the joyful times I spent with my friends and family as a kid.””

“DTLA Pizza features two different styles of Pizza – expertly crafted Neapolitan-Style Pies from the wood oven and Sicilian-Style Pan Pizzas with thick focaccia crusts. In addition to the classic 4-Cheese Pizza, DTLA Pizza offers two other Signature Pizzas: The Street Meat Magic Pizza loaded with pepperoni, mortadella, Italian sausage, and prosciutto, and It’s Literally Possible Pizza which is a fully plant-based pizza prepared with Impossible sausage, marinated peppers and onions, and vegan mozzarella. In addition to the Signature Pizzas, guests can also Build Your Own Pizza with a selection of over a dozen toppings, and all of the Pizzas at DTLA Pizza can be made either Neapolitan Style or Sicilian Style.”

DTLA Pizza is open for Takeout, Delivery, and Curbside Pickup (only) every Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. To order, please call 213.465.9400 and guests can Curbside pickup at 709 West 9th Street in South Park district of downtown Los Angeles by calling DTLA Pizza upon arrival, or choose Delivery through Caviar, DoorDash, Grubhub, Tock, or UberEats.

Chef Michael joins us to artfully toss and stretch the dough.

Chef Andrew Gruel savoring a New Jersey style Pizza“Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants. Dine-in is slowly, with multiple hiccups, starting to come back but with a lot of new rules that restrict guest counts. Alternately Take-Out / Delivery when you can surely helps…

National Oyster Day was August 5th. We started the conversation last week about appreciating oysters in the raw state. Chef Andrew is our resident authority on these bivalve mollusks enjoyed since ancient times. We’ll resume with tips about cooking with oysters. Oyster stew anyone?

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurant Manager Tracy Nelsen, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Three: Filippo Fusco, Managing Partner, Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Irvine
Segment Four: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part One
Segment Five: Restaurateur Ron Salisbury (El Cholo) – What They Don’t Teach You at the C.I.A. Part Two
Segment Six: Winemakers Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo, Camins 2 Dreams Winery, Lompoc
Segment Seven: Chef Michael Hung, DTLA Pizza, Los Angeles
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Show 355, January 11, 2020: Executive Chef Alejandra Padilla, Five Crowns & SideDoor Part Two

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Alejandra Padilla of Five Crowns and SidedoorThe iconic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar was established in 1965 and is a member of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants, which includes Lawry’s The Prime Rib with domestic locations in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas and the historic Tam O’Shanter in Los Angeles.

SideDoor gastropub, recipient of Orange Coast Magazine’s “2010 Restaurant of the Year” Award and Corona del Mar’s first and only English gastropub, is also housed within the historic Five Crowns building; its primary entrance is on Poppy Street. They will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary in March.

Five Crowns has a new seasonal Winter menu courtesy of Executive Chef Alejandra Padilla. Guests will experience the vibrant flavors of the season’s most inspiring ingredients to complement Five Crowns’ cherished classic dishes.

“SideDoor is soon presenting the next eagerly anticipated Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Party, culminating from another successful creamery takeover series, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 6 to 9 p.m. with a special Cheese Education Class from 5:30-6 p.m. led by SideDoor’s own certified cheesemonger, sommelier and cicerone, Tracy Nelsen.”

“Known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, SideDoor started the monthly series to highlight unique creameries, dedicating one evening a month to small batch cheesemakers and specialty cheeses. Twice a year the series reaches its pinnacle with the ultimate celebration of fromage. The indulgent evening will showcase the previous five months of creameries in the series including Haystack Creamery from Colorado (August), Boutique creameries from Sonoma County (September), Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese from Kentucky (October), River’s Edge Chevrè from Oregon (November), and Cowgirl Creamery from California (December).”

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Show 256, January 13, 2018: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel

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Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s abundant 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, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re always here with you live every Saturday morning throughout the new year.

Surprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and craft beers can now reach thirsty restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery. We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder, Conner Watts.

January 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations. Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Chef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening. We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

All sports fans anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers along the way? For the 3rd year the ever-creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

On the horizon is the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor. Their own resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Situated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County. Chef Gabe uncorks the unusual experience for us.

Our always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018. Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

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

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Show 256, January 13, 2018: Tracy Nelsen, Cheese Monger, SideDoor, Corona del Mar

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Tracy NelsenIt’s the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor.

SideDoor is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and in 2017 began presenting a new series dedicating one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. A different creamery is featured at each event, and twice a year the series culminates in the ultimate celebration of fromage with the Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party – the next taking place on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

The evening will showcase the previous four creameries of the series including Jasper Hill (September 2017), Rogue (October 2017), French Theme (November 2017), and Andante (December 2017), and offer cheese, charcuterie, passed appetizers and beverage pairings. SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, will be on hand to educate guests on the various cheeses presented and to recommend the perfect pairings.

SideDoor is Corona del Mar’s first and only English gastropub. A red key hangs over the entryway on Poppy Street as an unspoken invitation to indulge in world-class spirits, craft beer and wine flights.

SideDoor’s resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

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January 13: Los Muertos Brewery, Noods Noods Noods, Neal Fraser, Native Son Alehouse, Sidedoor, Tierra Sur

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Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel
Segment Two: Conner Watts, Founder, Los Muertos Brewery, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Segment Three: Elie Ayrouth, Founder of Foodbeast, Noods Noods Noods
Segment Four: Executive Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown L.A.
Segment Five: Jon Sanchez, Proprietor, Native Son Alehouse, Santa Ana
Segment Six: Tracy Nelsen, Cheese Monger, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Seven: Chef Gabriel Garcia, Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s abundant 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, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing… Keep in mind we’re always here with you live every Saturday morning throughout the new year.

Surprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and craft beers can now reach thirsty restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery. We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder, Conner Watts.

January 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations. Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Chef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening. We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

All sports fans anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers along the way? For the 3rd year the ever-creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

On the horizon is the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor. Their own resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Situated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County. Chef Gabe uncorks the unusual experience for us.

Our always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018. Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

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

Conner WattsSurprisingly craft beer is still a bit of a novelty in Mexico due to some odd distribution regulations. Fortunately (due to very hard work among dedicated & patient beer aficionados) these archaic regulations have been relaxed in the last few years and local craft beers can now reach restaurants and bars. In Sunny Puerto Vallarta the first craft brewery and brewpub to gain traction is the growing Los Muertos Brewery.

“For years during the proliferation of tourism in Mexican beach destinations like Puerto Vallarta the beer scene was completely dominated by smooth drinking Mexican lagers. As demonstrated by every Corona commercial ever this is great for sitting on a beach. To this day many tourists think of a “local” Mexican beers as Corona, Pacifico, or Dos Equis XX. But as a growing number of beer drinkers are pushing craft tastes into the mainstream these standard macro beers definitely leave many connoisseurs wanting more. Upon relocating full time to Puerto Vallarta, the founders of Los Muertos could not have agreed more. Driven by the thirst for flavorful varieties of beer, bringing Vallarta its first craft brewery became their dream.”

We’ll enjoy a cold one with founder & restaurateur Conner Watts.

Elie AyrouthJanuary 27th marks the return of Orange County’s all-noodle-everything food festival, NOODS NOODS NOODS, presented by Foodbeast. This wild and unrestrained food festival will feature some of the craziest, most delicious, and inspired noodle creations.

Event Date: January 27th, 2018
Event Location: Downtown Santa Ana, outside of Esports Arena at 120 W 5th st, Santa Ana CA 92701

Standard Ticket Price: $10 Marketplace | $60 VIP

Tickets for NOODS NOODS NOODS can be purchased right here.

Foodbeast Founder Elie Ayrouth joins us with the slurp-worthy details.

Neal FraserChef Neal Fraser of Redbird in Downtown Los Angeles is the Host Chef for the upcoming C-CAP Los Angeles Full Circle Winter Dinner Benefit on February 9th. Chef Neal has assembled an impressive group of celebrity chefs to join him for the stellar evening.

It’s 6:30 p.m. for the Cocktail Reception featuring a specialty libation created by mixologist Devon Espinosa of Sunset & Vinyl and also a C-CAP alum. The grand, five-course premium wine & craft beer-paired Dinner (and the Live Auction) is set for 7:30 p.m.

The A-List chef brigade stars Host Chef Neal Fraser, Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Ray Garcia & Ivan Marquez (Broken Spanish), David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post), Jason Neroni (Rose Cafe), Amar Santana (Vaca & Broadway by Amar Santana), Michael Voltaggio (ink.well) and Sherry Yard (iPic Entertainment).

We also caught on national TV Chef Neal in colorful chef’s attire riding on the front of the Kaiser Permanente 2018 Rose Parade float. The float was named “Inspiring Healthy Communities.” We’ll ask Chef Neal about this unusual New Year’s Day honor.

We’ll pull Chef Neal out of the busy Redbird and Vibiana kitchens to provide a tempting preview.

Jon SanchezAll sports fans eagerly anticipate putting their brackets together for the college basketball championships. Why not a craft beer bracket competition with great prizes and samples of unique craft beers from 14 small producers?

For the 3rd year the ever- creative Jon Sanchez, the proprietor of the popular Native Son Alehouse in Downtown Santa Ana, has done just that. Every Thursday night, with the finals on March 29th, craft brewers are competing head-to-head in pairs. All participants were invited by the staff at Native Son Alehouse.

Already decided are the matchups between Artifex and Cellador Ales, and Mikkeller and Homage Brewing.

At any given time Native Son rotates a carefully hand-picked selection of 27 craft beer styles for their discriminating guests to enjoy. A new addition is the Ember BBQ kitchen serving Kansas City-style barbecue.

Jon taps the keg on the spirited competition just for us.

Tracy NelsenIt’s the culmination of SideDoor’s current cheese series. On January 17th it’s the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party at Corona del Mar’s SideDoor.

SideDoor is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and in 2017 began presenting a new series dedicating one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. A different creamery is featured at each event, and twice a year the series culminates in the ultimate celebration of fromage with the Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party – the next taking place on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

The evening will showcase the previous four creameries of the series including Jasper Hill (September 2017), Rogue (October 2017), French Theme (November 2017), and Andante (December 2017), and offer cheese, charcuterie, passed appetizers and beverage pairings. SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, will be on hand to educate guests on the various cheeses presented and to recommend the perfect pairings.

SideDoor is Corona del Mar’s first and only English gastropub. A red key hangs over the entryway on Poppy Street as an unspoken invitation to indulge in world-class spirits, craft beer and wine flights.

SideDoor’s resident certified expert cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen is our guest.

Gabriel GarciaSituated inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, Tierra Sur Restaurant contin­ues to receive national recognition as one of the finest restaurants in Southern California. Head Chef Gabriel Garcia and his team bring bold and exciting ideas to life – while using only seasonal ingredients, sourced fresh from local farm­ers. Year over year, Tierra Sur has deservedly received the highest ZAGAT ratings in Ventura County.

Modern and inspired New American fare, and the ambiance of dining inside of the area’s largest winery delight guests of this truly one of a kind, farm-to-table concept. It’s unusually a kosher restaurant but you don’t have to be Jewish (or keep kosher) to fully appreciate the fine food or refined atmosphere.

Being located in the center of the region’s largest winery has its benefits; guests may order from a special ‘Wine Tasters Menu’ and enjoy a three -course prix fixe selection, each paired with Herzog Special Reserve award-winning wines. Whether stopping on the way to Santa Barbara, or traveling to Ventura County – Tierra Sur offers exceptional dining and a charming stop along the way.

Chef Gabe gently pulls the cork on the unusual experience for us.

Andrew Gruel at the AM830 KLAA StudiosOur always dynamic Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel, is back in-studio from his recent adventures in Park City, Utah where he has just debuted the third Slapfish in Utah. Chef Andrew will share (and explain) some important hospitality business trends he sees for 2018.

Is delivery a growing trend for better restaurants? Is ticketing (and paying in advance) for fine dining a viable business model? Is a cashless restaurant good hospitality? This is another chapter of his conversation continued from the previous weeks.

Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris & Chef Andrew Gruel
Segment Two: Conner Watts, Founder, Los Muertos Brewery, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Segment Three: Elie Ayrouth, Founder of Foodbeast, Noods Noods Noods
Segment Four: Executive Chef Neal Fraser, Redbird & Vibiana, Downtown L.A.
Segment Five: Jon Sanchez, Proprietor, Native Son Alehouse, Santa Ana
Segment Six: Tracy Nelsen, Cheese Monger, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Seven: Chef Gabriel Garcia, Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard
Segment Eight: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel, Slapfish Restaurant Group

Show 228, June 17, 2017: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris

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Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s properly decadent 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…

Farmer Luke Girling is an unusual organic urban farmer in Oceanside, CA. He has two acres of farm land tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood with an ocean view. In addition to his popular Saturday Farm Stand he also supplies fruits, vegetables (by the season) and flowers to savvy young chefs at local restaurants. We’ll get him out of the strawberry patch for a chat.

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) is a small, family-run winery dedicated to crafting exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Certified Sommelier Matt Sobczak, Presqu’ile’s Assistant Tasting Room Manager, joins us with the story.

Bone Marrow is increasing in prominence on restaurant menus. You’ll frequently see it as an appetizer or as an accompaniment as part of an entrée. Our resident Meatheads from West Coast Prime Meats, Terry Hanks and Jay Henderson, will provide us with the rich 411.

SideDoor in Corona del Mar is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and now dedicates one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. Monthly SideDoor will embrace a full “cheese takeover” showcasing a select portfolio of artisanal cheeses and Wednesday, June 21 welcomes Cypress Grove Creamery. SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, is our guest.

Brandon Hernandez is a savvy local beer, food & wine journalist based in San Diego. He contributes to a bevy of publications including elebrator Beer News, USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune and San Diego Magazine. Brandon joins us with an expert’s overview of the dynamic and evolving San Diego craft beer scene.

The Tavern’s (Brentwood) Annual Low Country Boil is cooking on Sunday, June 25th. The night (and menu) is inspired by Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick’s childhood in South Carolina. We’ll meet her.

Last Saturday was the  9th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival & Chili Cook-Off. Chef Marlene Moore’s (Temptations Food Walk) back-to-back wins (2015 & 2016) as Pechanga’s resident Chili Champ was on the line…Joining us with the outcome of this hearted battle for “Best Chili” (and a year of bragging rights) is Pechanga’s Assistant Executive Chef Damian Stanley (a two-time Chili Champ himself in 2013 & 2014.)

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

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June 17: Cyclops Farms, Presqu’ile, West Coast Prime Meats, SideDoor, Brandon Hernandez, Tavern, Pechanga Chili Cookoff

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Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Farmer Luke Girling, Cyclops Farms, Oceanside
Segment Three: Matt Sobczak, Certified Sommelier, Presqu’ile, Santa Maria
Segment Four: The Meatheads from West Coast Prime Meats (Terry & Jay)
Segment Five: Cheese Monger Tracy Nelsen, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Six: Brandon Hernandez, Food, Wine & Craft Beer Journalist, San Diego
Segment Seven: Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick, Tavern, Brentwood
Segment Eight: Pechanga’s Assistant Executive Chef, Damian Stanley

Happy Father’s Day to all our Dads out there….You’re appreciated.

Now an enticing preview of this Saturday’s properly decadent 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…

Farmer Luke Girling is an unusual organic urban farmer in Oceanside, CA. He has two acres of farm land tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood with an ocean view. In addition to his popular Saturday Farm Stand he also supplies fruits, vegetables (by the season) and flowers to savvy young chefs at local restaurants. We’ll get him out of the strawberry patch for a chat.

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) is a small, family-run winery dedicated to crafting exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Certified Sommelier Matt Sobczak, Presqu’ile’s Assistant Tasting Room Manager, joins us with the story.

Bone Marrow is increasing in prominence on restaurant menus. You’ll frequently see it as an appetizer or as an accompaniment as part of an entrée. Our resident Meatheads from West Coast Prime Meats, Terry Hanks and Jay Henderson, will provide us with the rich 411.

SideDoor in Corona del Mar is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and now dedicates one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. Monthly SideDoor will embrace a full “cheese takeover” showcasing a select portfolio of artisanal cheeses and Wednesday, June 21 welcomes Cypress Grove Creamery. SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, is our guest.

Brandon Hernandez is a savvy local beer, food & wine journalist based in San Diego. He contributes to a bevy of publications including Celebrator Beer News, USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune and San Diego Magazine. Brandon joins us with an expert’s overview of the dynamic and evolving San Diego craft beer scene.

The Tavern’s (Brentwood) Annual Low Country Boil is cooking on Sunday, June 25th. The night (and menu) is inspired by Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick’s childhood in South Carolina. We’ll meet her.

Last Saturday was the 9th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival & Chili Cook-Off. Chef Marlene Moore’s (Temptations Food Walk) back-to-back wins (2015 & 2016) as Pechanga’s resident Chili Champ was on the line…Joining us with the outcome of this heated battle for “Best Chili” (and a year of bragging rights) is Pechanga’s Assistant Executive Chef Damian Stanley (a two-time Chili Champ himself in 2013 & 2014.)

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

Luke GirlingFarmer Luke Girling is an unusual organic urban farmer in Oceanside, CA. He has two acres of farm land tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood with an ocean view.

In addition to his popular Saturday Farm Stand he also supplies fruits, vegetables (by the season) and flowers to savvy young chefs at local restaurants.

An incredible experience at Cyclops Farms is Farmer Luke’s Sunday (once-a-month) Water Bill Dinners hosted on the farm. Young, enthusiastic guest chefs from the area collaborate in preparing a real multi-course farm dinner. Even the heartiest eaters leave fully satiated!

The meal’s backbone is what’s fresh from the farm. Area craft beer and wines paired with each course are curated by Native Wines. The premium bread is from Prager Brothers Artisan Bread in Carlsbad.

We’ll get Farmer Luke out of the strawberry patch for a chat.

Matt SobczakLocated in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, Presqu’ile (pronounced press-KEEL) is a small, family-run winery dedicated to crafting exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Designed and planted to create a diverse tapestry of vineyard blocks, the sustainably certified, 73-acre Presqu’ile Vineyard features an array of clones, exposures and elevations. Made using this estate fruit and grapes from a handful of the finest vineyards in the valley, Presqu’ile’s wines capture the essence of their vineyards and vintages, and have earned acclaim for their elegance and balance.

Presqu’ile is a multigenerational collaboration between Madison and Suzanne Murphy, their three adult children, Matt, Anna and Jonathan, and their daughters-in-law, Amanda and Lindsey. No strangers to agriculture, four generations of the Murphy family have been farming land in Louisiana going back almost a century.

The Murphys are also a family of wine lovers, with a deep appreciation for the world’s great Pinot Noirs. This love of the land, combined with their shared reverence for great wine, and a deep desire to create something meaningful and enduring together, led the Murphys to pool their talents and establish Presqu’ile Winery.

Certified Sommelier Matt Sobczak, Presqu’ile’s Assistant Tasting Room Manager, joins us with the story.

Bone Marrow Mac and Cheese at the Recess RoomBone Marrow is increasing in prominence on restaurant menus. You’ll frequently see it as an appetizer or as an accompaniment as part of an entrée.

Locally the new Recess Room in Fountain Valley has Bone Marrow Mac & Cheese and the Bone Marrow Burger on their menu.

Our resident Meatheads from West Coast Prime Meats, Terry Hanks and Jay Henderson, will provide us with the rich 411.

Tracy NelsenSideDoor in Corona del Mar is known for its award-winning cheese and charcuterie offerings, and now dedicates one evening a month to boutique creameries and specialty cheeses. Monthly SideDoor will embrace a full “cheese takeover” showcasing a select portfolio of artisanal cheeses. On Wednesday, June 21 SideDoor welcomes Cypress Grove Creamery.

SideDoor’s own certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, will be on hand at each takeover to educate diners on the various cheeses presented and recommend the perfect pairings. The featured cheeses will also find their way into select SideDoor menu items for that evening only. A different creamery will be featured monthly culminating with the ultimate complete cheese takeover celebration showcasing the four creameries of the series in August.

SideDoor’s own resident certified expert and cheese monger, Tracy Nelsen, is our guest.

Brandon HernandezBrandon Hernandez is a savvy local beer, food & wine journalist based in San Diego. He contributes to a bevy of publications including Celebrator Beer News, USA Today, San Diego Union Tribune and San Diego Magazine. Brandon joins us with an expert’s overview of the dynamic and evolving San Diego craft beer scene.

We’ll tap the keg on the new Urge Common House in San Marcos, San Diego’s first organic brewery, the best beers to pair with chili and lots more.

Amy DeaderickThe Tavern’s (Brentwood) Annual Low Country Boil is cooking on Sunday, June 25th. The night (and menu) is inspired by Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick’s childhood in South Carolina.

On that Sunday at TAVERN, Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne and Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick reprise their Low Country Boil – a wonderful regional tradition from the Coastal areas of the Carolinas. Developed from the Gullah Islands off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, the meal was created from food that was easily accessible and a treasured way for families and neighbors to bond.

This this one-pot celebration of seafood bounty and local food culture features crawfish, Andouille sausage, potatoes and sweet corn, all served on newspaper at the center of the table, as is the local tradition.

Deaderick’s father regularly went out ‘shrimpin,’ bringing home pounds of shrimp to go with the piles of blue crabs the rest of the family dug out from the coastal marshlands. “My dad prepared the crab boil base and was painstakingly particular about the order of things. He was the only one allowed to touch the stock pot and to season the crab boil,” recalls Deaderick. “As the sky darkened, the back porch light would light up, the universal signal for all children to high tail it home. When we arrived home, we found newspapers carefully laid out on a plywood table top with sawhorse legs, and we waited, impatiently, for the boil to be done.”

“Once it was ready, the boil was poured onto the newspapers and we devoured our daily catch. It was the most satisfying feast our hungry bellies could imagine.”

We’ll meet Chef Amy.

Danian StanleyLast Saturday was the 9th Annual Pechanga Microbrew Festival & Chili Cook-Off in Temecula wine country. Chef Marlene Moore’s (Temptations Food Walk) back-to-back wins (2015 & 2016) as Pechanga’s resident Chili Champ was again on the line…

Joining us with the outcome of this heated battle for “Best Chili” (and a full-year of bragging rights) is Pechanga’s Assistant Executive Chef Damian Stanley (a two-time Chili Champ himself in 2013 & 2014.)

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Podcasts

Segment One: Show Preview with Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Farmer Luke Girling, Cyclops Farms, Oceanside
Segment Three: Matt Sobczak, Certified Sommelier, Presqu’ile, Santa Maria
Segment Four: The Meatheads from West Coast Prime Meats (Terry & Jay)
Segment Five: Cheese Monger Tracy Nelsen, SideDoor, Corona del Mar
Segment Six: Brandon Hernandez, Food, Wine & Craft Beer Journalist, San Diego
Segment Seven: Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick, Tavern, Brentwood
Segment Eight: Pechanga’s Assistant Executive Chef, Damian Stanley