Show 23, March 30, 2013: Barbara Fairchild, former long-time editor of Bon Appetit magazine. Educator, speaker and hospitality industry consultant (Continued…)

Barbara FairchildBarbara continued with her adventures in Venice which is more seafood oriented.

There is a newer, faster train from Rome which she was quite happy with. No hassle at the airport…You take a water taxi to your hotel from the train station. Many of the hotels have porters to meet their arriving guests at the docks.

For dining suggestions Barbara mentioned the “Eat Venice” App also from Ms. Minchilli.

JC Clow of The Winery Restaurant in Tustin

The Winery in Newport Beach and TustinJC, the managing partner of The Winery, joined us in the closing minutes of the show with a major announcement.

It’s now official that there will be a beautiful new Winery Restaurant on the water in Newport Beach. In the last few days the lease was signed for the former Villa Nova site on West Pacific Coast Highway.

A lot of renovation work needs to be done and JC and his partners are hoping for a Fall opening!

March 9: Anne Burrell, Barbara Hansen, Jason Quinn

Podcasts

Segment One: Chef Anne Burrell, Star of Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” and “Chef Wanted”
Segment Two: Barbara Hansen, veteran food & travel journalist Part One
Segment Three: Barbara Hansen, veteran food & travel journalist Part Two
Segment Four: Jet Tila
Segment Five: Jason Quinn, Executive Chef and Owner of Playground & Playground 2.0 in Santa Ana Part One
Segment Six: Jason Quinn, Executive Chef and Owner of Playground & Playground 2.0 in Santa Ana Part Two

This week it’s a showcase of extraordinary culinary talent. Food Network’s biggest female star is with us along with a preview of a just-published Korean Restaurant Guide for Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Then it’s on to a groundbreaking young Orange County chef who started as a partner on a winning food truck and now has two unconventional (and very much in-demand) restaurants.

Anne Burrell of Food NetworkIt’s hard to miss celebrity Chef Anne Burrell on Food Network these days which is currently airing two popular Anne Burrell shows. “Worst Cooks in America” is in it’s fourth season and “Chef Wanted” is in it’s second season. Anne was also Mario Batali’s ace sous chef during his long tenure on “Iron Chef America.”

 

 

Barbara Hansen of EatMX and LA Weekly Squid InkBarbara Hansen is a greatly respected, veteran food journalist on the Los Angeles scene. She is best known for her many years as a staff writer for The Los Angeles TimesFood Section. Now Barbara is a regular contributor to the “Squid Ink” food blog at the LA Weekly. She also writes and edits, “The Table Conversation” blog on food, wine, travel, and recipes as well as EatMx.com, a Mexican food blog.

Barbara just finished a fascinating project for the Korean Food Foundation. It’s the newly published Korean Restaurant Guide – Los Angeles which includes Orange County. To complete the book on a tight deadline Barbara dined in 40 area Korean restaurants with a Korean-American translator as her guide.

Jet was in Tampa, Florida during the last week and squeezed in a dine-around. He’ll share his take on the quintessential family-owned steakhouse there (55 years and still aging) and some local bakeries of distinction.

The chef/partner of then OC based The Lime Truck, winners of Season 3 of Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race,” is the outgoing Jason Quinn.

Jason Quinn of the Lime Truck and Playground DTSAShortly after Season 3 concluded he opened the bricks-and-mortar Playground in November of 2011in the downtown Santa Ana redevelopment area. It’s a bit unconventional in concept and Chef Jason takes pride in doing things his way. It’s high energy all the time…

The menu changes daily and there is serious attention to pairing draft beer with the food. Produce is also used creatively on the menu.

Jason’s latest ambitious effort is the next door, IO, a culinary theater.

Podcasts

Segment One: Chef Anne Burrell, Star of Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” and “Chef Wanted”
Segment Two: Barbara Hansen, veteran food & travel journalist Part One
Segment Three: Barbara Hansen, veteran food & travel journalist Part Two
Segment Four: Jet Tila
Segment Five: Jason Quinn, Executive Chef and Owner of Playground & Playground 2.0 in Santa Ana Part One
Segment Six: Jason Quinn, Executive Chef and Owner of Playground & Playground 2.0 in Santa Ana Part Two

Show 13, January 19, 2013: Rahul Aggarwal, Director & Founder–Trip Feast

One of the highlights of visiting the 8th Annual Travel & Adventure Show in Long Beach on January 13th was stumbling across Trip Feast, who was exhibiting there. They are based in London. The boutique firm organizes small group tours with a insider’s culinary twist.

You actually cook with chefs from the visited country learning the secrets of the local cuisine.  You can even dine in small groups at the homes of locals.

Food and drink is very much an integral part of the travel experience and Trip Feast visits countries with a rich culinary heritage.

Featured countries (with new stops in development) are India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Mexico, South Africa, Portugal, Ireland, Serbia, Morocco, and Lebanon.

January 5: Cathy Thomas, Linda Kissam, Anita Lau, Dean McDermott

Podcasts

Segment One: Cathy Thomas, long-time, award-winning Food Journalist for The Orange County Register and best-selling author Part One
Segment Two: Cathy Thomas, long-time, award-winning Food Journalist for The Orange County Register and best-selling author Part Two
Segment Three: Linda Kissam, Food, Wine & Travel Journalist, First Vice President of International, Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association
Segment Four: Anita Lau of the “Diary of a Mad Hungry Woman” Blog”
Segment Five: Cooking Channel star, Aarti Sequeira
Segment Six: Dean McDermott, actor. Dean is a celebrity contestant on Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy : Celebrity Cook-off” for Season 2

We’re starting off the New Year right with some fresh thinking on increasing our energy level and feeling good. We’ll also give some attention to contemplating travel opportunities for 2013 and how you can be better informed on the possibilities!

Cathy Thomas is the long-time, award-winning food writer for The Orange County Register. No writer is more knowledgeable or enthusiastic about the restaurant and food scene in Orange County.

Melissa's 50 Best Plants on the Planet CookbookCathy’s third book has just been released in hard cover. That’s Melissa’s 50 Best Plants On The Planet: The Most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes.

This carefully researched volume with beautiful, full-page color photos is not a diet book. It’s an easy to follow reference for adding more tasty fruits and vegetables to your diet. The big plus is more energy and you’ll be feeling good.

The Forward is by James Beard Award-winning chef Cheryl Forberg, RD who is the nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser series.

All of the recipes in the book really work in the home kitchen. The corporate chefs at Melissa’s tested every recipe in their modern test/research kitchen.

Did we say travel?

Linda Kissam joins the show. Linda is an accomplished (and seasoned) travel writer who was probably on the road last year more than she was home.

Linda is also the newly elected First Vice President of the International Food, Wine, & Travel Writers Association, a global group of credentialed food, wine and travel writers who endeavor to elevate the professionalism of their members.

Linda is part of a panel on Sunday afternoon, January 13th at The 8th Annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show at the Long Beach Convention Center. She will preview her panel and pass along some helpful travel tips.

Anita Lau of Mad Hungry WomanAnita Lau has to be one of the more fascinating food writes blogging about dining in Orange and San Diego Counties. Her entertaining blog is “Diary of a Mad Hungry Woman.” It’s always illustrated with helpful food photography of the dishes she samples.

Anita joins us to talk about one of her recent dining discoveries in San Diego County and her encounter with menudo in National City.

Jet and Producer Andy chat about some of their recent dining. Jet had a festive New Year’s Eve at Sotto (a really wonderful Italian restaurant) near Century City where there is a serious (and accomplished) chef in the kitchen.

Dean McDermottThe 2nd season of Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy : Celebrity Cook-off” launches on Sunday, Jan. 6th. This season was all shot in LA.

Celebrity contestant from “Team Guy,” Dean McDermott, joins the show to preview the frenetic 2nd season. He’s also known as “The Gourmet Dad.” Dean lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Tori Spelling, and their kids.

Podcasts

Segment One: Cathy Thomas, long-time, award-winning Food Journalist for The Orange County Register and best-selling author Part One
Segment Two: Cathy Thomas, long-time, award-winning Food Journalist for The Orange County Register and best-selling author Part Two
Segment Three: Linda Kissam, Food, Wine & Travel Journalist, First Vice President of International, Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association
Segment Four: Anita Lau of the “Diary of a Mad Hungry Woman” Blog”
Segment Five: Cooking Channel star, Aarti Sequeira
Segment Six: Dean McDermott, actor. Dean is a celebrity contestant on Food Network’s “Rachael vs. Guy : Celebrity Cook-off” for Season 2

December 29: Russ Parsons, Neal Fraser, Marcel Vigneron, Jason Collis, Jason Kessler

Podcasts

Segment One: Russ Parsons, Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times Part One
Segment Two: Russ Parsons, Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times Part Two
Segment Three: Chef Neal Fraser of FritziDog at The Original Farmers Market
Segment Four: Chef Marcel Vigneron – Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef: Redemption”
Segment Five: Chef Jason Collis of Plated Events by Jason in Ventura
Segment Six: Jason Kessler (food writer) for Food Republic and Bon Appetit Magazine

It’s our last show of the year so we’re looking forward and also taking a peak back. It’s time to think of travel, too.

Russ Parsons (“The California Cook”) is the long-time food editor of The Los Angeles Times. He’s also an award-winning author. Russ joins us to talk about modern restaurant reviewing and food trends. The Times has now published two e-books and the recipes in each were fully tested in The Times Test Kitchen.

Neal Fraser of Grace Restaurant and FritzidogChef Neal Fraser is well known on the Los Angeles culinary scene. Grace Restaurant had a healthy run on Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles and, eventually, will be reborn at the Vibiana Events Center in Downtown Los Angeles. His more casual bld is very popular located near The Farmers Market.

Neal is one of the newest food tenants at The Original Farmers Market at Third & Fairfax with his gourmet hot dog emporium, FritziDog.

Chef Marcel Vigneron of the just concluded season of Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef : Redemption” and Bravo’s “Top Chef” fame joins us to talk about the incredible season of “Next Iron Chef.” We’ll also ask him about his preparation of a fabulous coconut ice cream made with lots of rich coconut meat and a dash of liquid nitrogen!

Representing the Culinary Stage at the upcoming Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show at the Long Beach Convention Center (January 12th & 13th) is Chef Jason Collis of Limoneria Ranch. He’ll be performing cooking demos on both days.

You’ve asked for him and now he’s back…Food writer for Food Republic and Bon Appetit Magazine, Jason Kessler, joins us to say goodbye to 2013 with his thoughtful end-of-year musings..

Podcasts

Segment One: Russ Parsons, Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times Part One
Segment Two: Russ Parsons, Food Editor of the Los Angeles Times Part Two
Segment Three: Chef Neal Fraser of FritziDog at The Original Farmers Market
Segment Four: Chef Marcel Vigneron – Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef: Redemption”
Segment Five: Chef Jason Collis of Plated Events by Jason in Ventura
Segment Six: Jason Kessler (food writer) for Food Republic and Bon Appetit Magazine