Show 512, February 11, 2023: Executive Chef Wes Whitsell, Hatchet Hall, Culver City Part One

Wes Whitsell of Hatchet Hall

Hatchet Hall in Culver City (on the border with Los Angeles) is your lively neighborhood restaurant and bar (with a Michelin Star) focusing on the simplicity of quality ingredients, relationships to their farmers, and a relaxed good time.”

“Hatchet Hall specializes in working relationships with local farmers and purveyors to provide the best quality experience for the table. The basis of the restaurant is family — whether it’s your loved ones, farmers, or guests, — we all gather around the same table. The menu changes daily, reflecting the seasons of California and Chef Wes Whitsell’s creativity, purchasing produce with limitation and the idea of keeping things exciting for the staff and guests. The food is simple; not heavily plated or overdone, finding beauty in imperfection.”

“The wine list is regularly updated with limited runs on by the glass options, focusing on the culture and history of the wine as well as the natural wine movement of all organic, biodynamic, and sustainable wines. The spirits list is vast, specializing in American Whiskey with expressions and nuances that you’re only able to get from being able to purchase a full single barrel.”

“Raised in a small Texas town, by an avid outdoorsman and farmer, Chef Wes grew up eating what was hunted and gathered in the traditional sense. Before it was a trend, it was Wes’s way of life.”

“Hatchet Hall is a restaurant that aligns deeply with his values. Wes has a strong belief in the integrity of the food he cooks, while never forgetting those early lessons he learned from his own roots: that small Texas town. At Hatchet Hall, he taps into his Southern roots, the live fire component that makes the restaurant so special, while drawing inspiration from his past culinary experiences, his relationships to farmers, and the amazing produce California has to offer.”

Reservations are suggested for Dinner but walk-ins are also graciously accommodated. Brunch on Sunday.

Chef Wes Whitsell takes a break from his busy kitchen to be with us.

Show 464, March 5, 2022: Executive Chef Richard Archuleta, Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena Part One

Richard Archuleta of Alexander's Steakhouse Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena offers a fine dining interpretation of a Modern American Steakhouse with hints of global influences throughout the menu. Featuring classic cuts such as Ribeye, Bone-In New York and Filet Mignon, to sustainable seafood, their signature Hamachi Shot and a large selection of Wagyu. Alexander’s also highlights dry-aged steaks and offers the finest and most luxurious products available including a Chef’s Tasting menu and an extensive and thoughtfully selected Wine List. A full bar featuring some of the most unique specialty cocktails and is a great way to begin your evening at Alexander’s Steakhouse.”

Highly credentialed Executive Chef Richard Archuleta (ex-One Pico at Shutters on the Beach and Openaire at The Line Hotel) with a background in French and Italian cuisine is the culinary maestro overseeing the substantial kitchens at Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena and is our guest.

Show 464, March 5, 2022: Executive Chef Richard Archuleta, Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena Part Two

Richard Archuleta of Alexander's Steakhouse Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena offers a fine dining interpretation of a Modern American Steakhouse with hints of global influences throughout the menu. Featuring classic cuts such as Ribeye, Bone-In New York and Filet Mignon, to sustainable seafood, their signature Hamachi Shot and a large selection of Wagyu. Alexander’s also highlights dry-aged steaks and offers the finest and most luxurious products available including a Chef’s Tasting menu and an extensive and thoughtfully selected Wine List. A full bar featuring some of the most unique specialty cocktails and is a great way to begin your evening at Alexander’s Steakhouse.”

Highly credentialed Executive Chef Richard Archuleta (ex-One Pico at Shutters on the Beach and Openaire at The Line Hotel) with a background in French and Italian cuisine is the culinary maestro overseeing the substantial kitchens at Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena and continues as our guest.

Show 432, July 3, 2021: Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group, A.O.C. Brentwood

Caroline Styne of Lucques Restaurant Group

Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne, owners and operators of The Lucques Group, debuted the long-in-the-works A.O.C. Brentwood early last month. Located at 11648 San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood, the restaurant features the small plates format that A.O.C. originated with Suzanne’s regularly changing menu inspired by California’s seasons and regional farmers’ markets which helped her win the coveted Outstanding Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2016.”

“Caroline, who similarly won Outstanding Restaurateur in 2018, curates the wine program for which A.O.C. is known. Designed for discovery and exploration, the A.O.C. wine list highlights small-production wines from grapes that are either sustainably, organically or biodynamically grown and features a large selection available by the glass and carafe. The beverage program features local beer producers and a seasonal selection of market-driven cocktails.

“The decor encompasses three interior dining spaces: the main bar room with cozy velvet booths and banquettes, a long rough-hewn communal table and a spectacular charcoal wood back bar with mirror detail. A second dining room in gorgeous hues of green runs along the Darlington Avenue side of the building. And with an eye to the post-Covid future, there is an intimate private dining room perfect for gatherings of up to 40 guests. The rooms are vibrant and cozy with beautifully textured fabrics, lively yet sophisticated wallpapers and charming Nickey-Kehoe-designed lighting throughout.”

“We are incredibly excited about this as we have seen such positive response to A.O.C. at our Third Street location and feel that there is definitely a need for our small plates dining format on the Westside,” states Caroline Styne. “After the devastation and tragedy of the past year, we are beyond thrilled to reopen this restaurant with a new concept and lively, forward-looking energy. We feel so fortunate to have this moment to build on the positivity of the city and country as it comes back to life. And, more than anything, we can’t wait to get our staff back to work!”

“A.O.C. in Brentwood is now serving dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 p.m., expanding to lunch, weekend brunch and breakfast in the coming weeks with takeout and delivery options as well.”

Show 403, December 12, 2020: The Raymond 1886 with Chef Jonathan Quintana and General Manager Andrew Bugreyev Part One

Andrew Bugreyev and Executive Chef Jonathan Quintana of the Raymond 1886The Raymond 1886 (restaurant) is a living example of Pasadena’s colorful past and carries on the city’s great traditions of craftsman architecture and unparalleled hospitality.” Under State of California guidelines The Raymond 1886 is currently open for takeout & delivery of the food menu as well as specialty cocktails.”

“The Raymond 1886 offers an innovative and contemporary menu in a historic setting, featuring the finest quality ingredients and a dedication to superior service.”

“The dining menu showcases their curated classic American cuisine featuring global influences. Utilizing a mix of contemporary and classic cooking techniques, Executive Chef Jonathan Quintana combines familiar ingredients with an exotic flair.”

“Hidden and tucked away inside, guests can celebrate, sip and savor at The Raymond’s internationally acclaimed cocktail bar, 1886. Accompanied by 1886’s signature handcrafted cocktails, their award-winning Wine List features a special selection of domestic and international varietals from both premier and boutique wineries.”

General Manager Andrew Bugreyev and Executive Chef Jonathan Quintana join us.

Show 359, February 8, 2020: Restauration – Finely Recrafted Food + Beverage (Long Beach)

Dana Tanner and Philip Pretty of Restauraton in Long Beach“What’s old is new again. Restauration – Finely Crafted Food + Beverage is a combination of two of our favorite words that are defining pillars of the Long Beach community: restaurant+restore. Situated in the vibrant and creative stretch on 4th street between Cherry and Temple dubbed Retro Row, our little eatery brings the Long Beach family together to pay tribute to the American culinary spirit while embracing modern fare.” Restauration recently relaunched after a renovation and refreshening as a result of an unfortunate fire in late 2018.

“Menus for Restauration created by Chef / Owner Philip Pretty are locally sourced and responsibly grown, using seasonal ingredients based on the abundant bounty available on the Southern and Central Coast. Many options are served family style intended for sharing. Our beer offerings feature craft beer on draft and in bottles/cans from across the US. The comprehensive wine list highlights small producers from California and other unique wine growing regions from afar.”

“Our vision was to create an environment that encourages an audience to stay awhile and brings them together in a hospitable space. We were able to do just that by recrafting the interior and exterior space with an urban style that integrates vintage and upcycled materials for a comfortable yet sophisticated feeling. Repurposed lighting, handmade tables & benches, a 70-seat patio encircled with vertical gardens that are warm yet refreshing all contribute to the inviting atmosphere.”

Show 131, July 18, 2015: Rick Reich, Brix At The Shore, Long Beach

Rick ReichRick Reich’s Brix at The Shore brings a special taste of The Big Apple to the seaside community of Belmont Shore in Long Beach with its authentic pastrami sandwiches, intimate wine bar ambiance and thoughtful selection of craft beer. Rick also doubles as the establishment’s entertaining sommelier. He has an inspired wine or beer pairing for every item on his extensive menu. Rick’s an original…

He describes himself as a certified W.I.N.O. That is short for “Wine is not Ostentatious.”

Brix at The Shore offers something the area is lacking: a place that caters to Generation X and Baby Boomers where these forty to sixtysomethings can make their own hangout with music from their era, everything from ‘80s alternative to Sinatra; a rotating wine list with an impressive and thoughtful selection of vintages; a collection of taps that pour craft beer; and an intimate environment that provokes casual conversation among its guests.

“I wanted somewhere that had a great wine, but not wine snobs,” added Reich. “I’m probably the only sommelier you’ll find sporting baggy shorts and Hawaiian shirts. Brix at The Shore is about enjoying good wine, good beer and great pastrami while meeting new people.”

Proprietor Rick Reich joins us.

Show 83, August 9, 2014: The 12 Bottle Bar

David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson“A new kind of cocktail book, The 12 Bottle Bar, distills the craft cocktail movement for the home bar. Irresistibly uncomplicated, just 12 bottles create over 200 distinct and seasonal cocktails, including beer and wine cocktails.”

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, the husband-and-wife authors (and noted cocktail enthusiasts) are with us.

“We’re living in the midst of a cocktail renaissance – artisanal cocktails. Celebrity mixologists, drink menus that outshine wine lists and feature ingredients as fresh and complex as the most sought after meals. Just as home cooks have looked to popular restaurants and chefs for new recipes, imbibers want to bring the magic of a local speakeasy straight to the living room.”

August 9: Jimmy Shaw, FoodGPS, Richard Foss, AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery, CremaCafe, David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, Golden Foodies

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and The Torta Co.
Segment Three: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival, Chinatown
Segment Four: Food Historian & Author Richard Foss
Segment Five: Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery
Segment Six: Tarit Tanjasiri of CremaCafe & Bakery
Segment Seven: The 12 Bottle Bar
Segment Eight: The Golden Foodies

Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill restaurants and Producer Andy preview the show.

Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill is with us. He brought the rich Mexican Street Food of his native Mexico City to Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles is the 2nd largest Mexican City in the World. It all started in 2002 with a modest stand in the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles.

Chef Jimmy Shaw educates us on the ample Mexican sandwich, The Torta. He also talks about stocking Mexican ingredients in your home pantry.

Josh Lurie of Food GPS is at it again with delectable food and beverage events. The 3rd Annual Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival is set for Sunday afternoon, August 17th in Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza.

The Museum of the American Cocktail (based in New Orleans at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum) is presenting an evening of cocktails, food, and entertainment featuring (the always entertaining) culinary historian and author Richard Foss on August 18th at 6:30 p.m. at Roxanne’s Lounge in Long Beach. The presentation is : “Dry With a Twist: A Liquid Lesson in How Prohibition Changed America.”

One of the most important wine regions in Mexico is the Valle de Guadalupe located about an hour and one-half South of Tijuana. The best of these wines are slowly finding their way North to Southern California. Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental winery joins us from the Valle de Guadalupe with his Family’s story.

Tarit Tanjasiri is the baker/proprietor of the revered CremaCafe in Seal Beach. It started as a small breakfast and lunch spot. Tarit couldn’t source a bread for his sandwiches that satisfied him so he added an adjacent production bakery. We’ll meet him.

“A new kind of cocktail book, The 12 Bottle Bar, distills the craft cocktail movement for the home bar. Irresistibly uncomplicated, just 12 bottles create over 200 distinct and seasonal cocktails, including beer and wine cocktails.” The husband-and-wife authors are with us.

Orange County’s answer to the prestigious, red carpet awards shows is The Golden Foodies. Voting has started for this year in the first group of categories and the public is invited to vote for their favorite restaurants and related categories. Good luck to all…

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

Jimmy Shaw of Loteria Grill and Torta CompanyChef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill is with us. He brought the rich Mexican Street Food of his native Mexico City to Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles is the 2nd largest Mexican City in the World. It all started in 2002 with a modest stand in the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles.

There are now Loteria! Grill restaurants in Hollywood, Studio, City, Westlake Village, Santa Monica and Downtown at Fig at 7th.

“Lotería! Grill has grown from the open-air stall at the Farmers Market to become a nationally renowned group of restaurants that offer a casually elegant, fun and relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy everything from a refreshing agua fresca or margarita to award-winning, delicious regional specialties and slowly cooked guisos served with handmade corn tortillas.  Favorites like the Chicharrón de Queso, and the Probaditas, a mini-taco sampler of our signature guisos, have their guests coming back frequently for more.”

Chef Jimmy Shaw educates us on the ample Mexican sandwich, the Torta. He also talks about stocking Mexican ingredients as part of your regular home pantry.

Joshua Lurie of Food GPSJosh Lurie of Food GPS is at it again with delectable food and beverage events. The 3rd Annual Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival Presented by Bolthouse Farms is set for Sunday afternoon, August 17th in Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza. Hours are 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

This all-inclusive, chef-focused event includes some of L.A.’s best chefs preparing unique fried chicken dishes and complimentary sides. Additionally, there are an array of delicious desserts (Valerie Confections) and beverages.

Participating chef Jesse Furman (Free Range LA) and Josh Lurie of Food GPS preview the Festival.

Dry with a Twist: A Liquid Lesson in How Prohibition Changed AmericaThe Exhibition Room at Roxanne’s Cocktail Lounge & Latin Grill, Long Beach’s “hidden speakeasy,” hosts the next edition of Touring the Cocktail: MOTAC Los Angeles, a liquid lesson in how Prohibition changed America. Come out for an evening of culture and cocktails, costumes and music! Dress as a flapper, bootlegger, moonshiner, or temperance crusader (no hatchets please, ladies). There will be prizes for the best costume, giveaways, and more!

Whether you were a regular tippler or never let a drop of alcohol past your lips, Prohibition affected every American’s life. Dining options, dating habits, vacation choices, and perhaps most infamously, the attitude of citizens toward law enforcement, were forever altered by the temperance movement’s short-lived crowning achievement. Even so, most Americans don’t really understand who we were before that great experiment, how Prohibition came to pass, and the ways in which the period reverberates to this day.

Historian Richard Foss, author of “Rum: A Global History,” transports participants to a world of temperance terrorists and flappers, moonshiners and smugglers, and ordinary citizens who just wanted a drink and would get it by any means necessary. Drinkmaster David Valiante executes a menu of five period cocktails, illustrating the ways in which America’s palate for drinks has changed.  (Don’t worry, bathtub gin will not appear on the menu, but some delightful and largely forgotten beverages will make a glorious reappearance.) A light dinner of savory specialties from Roxanne’s Latin Grill is included in the price of admission.

Tickets are $40 in advance, $35 for members of SoFAB/MOTAC and the USBG. Tickets at the door are $50 (subject to availability.)

Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino ElementalOne of the most important (and historic) wine regions in Mexico is the Valle de Guadalupe located about an hour and one-half South of Tijuana. The best of these wines are slowly finding their way North to Southern California. Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental winery joins us from the Valle de Guadalupe with his Family’s story.

Wine tasting and tours are available to visitors at this architecturally significant winery.

“AlXimia is a wine-making project born from the meeting of the senses and the world, with special attention to the earth, the plant, the fruit and its benefits. We are trying to understand, use and preserve nature.

Baja California is wine country, and wines are, in our view, the product of the transmutation of the four natural elements:

  • the earth that nourishes and gives rise to the vineyards
  • the scarce water that is vital in the Valle de Guadalupe
  • the fresh air that comes from the sea and
  • the fire in the form of the heat from the sun, providing the freshness and warmth needed to ripen the grapes and give them the adequate acidity, while at the same time generating the energy needed for the process
  • When you assemble these 4 elements, the space (or ether) becomes the fifth element that makes possible their existence.

AlXimia is a family business focused on the work of the sensible. It is a group born at home, amidst the respect for the environment, in the tradition of teaching and knowledge transfer. AlXimia travels through the wine trail manifested in a free and existential thinking against the structured and accurate scientific thought process, daring to innovate.  Started by a mathematician turned winemaker, this amazing winery was built by an innovative architect, the mathematician-winemaker and his astronomer father.”

Tarit TanjasiriTarit Tanjasiri is the consumed baker/proprietor of the revered CremaCafe & Artisan Bakery in Seal Beach. It started eight years ago as a small breakfast and lunch spot. Tarit couldn’t source a bread for his sandwiches that satisfied him so two years ago he added an adjacent production bakery. It’s the café on one side and the bakery on the other. We’ll meet him.

Tarit’s Kouign Amann was one of the OC Weekly’s “100 Favorite Dishes of 2014.”

According to Anne Marie Panoringan of the OC Weekly : “Per Tarit, a Kouign Amann is a pastry from the Brittany region of France. It’s often considered more of a cake than a pastry, although Crema utilizes croissant dough for their version. Layers of butter, dough, sugar and a bit of sea salt are formed. Shaped to resemble a blooming rose, it is then placed in the deck oven to bake. Sweetness and density are much higher in France, and they come in many more sizes, shapes and filling flavors.”

David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson“A new kind of cocktail book, The 12 Bottle Bar, distills the craft cocktail movement for the home bar. Irresistibly uncomplicated, just 12 bottles create over 200 distinct and seasonal cocktails, including beer and wine cocktails.”

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, the husband-and-wife authors (and noted cocktail enthusiasts) are with us.

“We’re living in the midst of a cocktail renaissance – artisanal cocktails. Celebrity mixologists, drink menus that outshine wine lists and feature ingredients as fresh and complex as the most sought after meals. Just as home cooks have looked to popular restaurants and chefs for new recipes, imbibers want to bring the magic of a local speakeasy straight to the living room.”

Golden Foodie AwardsOrange County’s answer to the prestigious, red carpet awards shows is The Golden Foodies. Voting has started for this year in the first group of categories and the public is invited to vote for their favorite restaurants and related categories. There are two more weeks of voting cycles…

Winners are chosen by the people. It’s a People’s Choice Food Awards. The Golden Foodie Awards Gala at The Fairmont in Newport Beach is Saturday evening, September 28th. Good luck to all…

Voting concludes on August 9th for the categories of : Mexican, Vegetarian, Pizza, Beer, American Cuisine, Burger, Cocktail, and Best Food Talk Radio Show.

The Founder of The Golden Foodies, Pamela Waitt, and J.C. Clow of The Winery Newport Beach join us. It’s been announced that J.C.’s The Winery Newport Beach has been nominated (one of three nominees in the category) for Best New Restaurant.

Podcasts

Segment One: Guest Host Chef Jimmy Shaw and Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris preview the show
Segment Two: Chef Jimmy Shaw of Loteria! Grill and The Torta Co.
Segment Three: Food GPS Fried Chicken Festival, Chinatown
Segment Four: Food Historian & Author Richard Foss
Segment Five: Manuel Alvarez of AlXimia Vino Elemental Winery
Segment Six: Tarit Tanjasiri of CremaCafe & Bakery
Segment Seven: The 12 Bottle Bar
Segment Eight: The Golden Foodies

Show 78, July 5, 2014: Miguel Rodriguez, General Manager and Executive Chef Marc Johnson, Oak Grill and Aqua Lounge, The Island Hotel, Newport Beach Part Two

At Oak Grill there are over fifty wines available by the glass. Hundreds more by the bottle. Oak Grill boasts one of the most extensive wine lists in the area, all curated by Miguel.

They offer a robust program of craft beers on tap. Most are local.

Aqua Lounge Newport BeachAqua Lounge
“Afternoon cocktails. After work drinks. An evening out, or a late night rendezvous. DJ’s and pop-up performances. A casual menu of gourmet shareable bites and late night delectables and trendy street foods. That’s what we are. What we do is bring a whole new take on nightlife to Newport Beach.”

“Tableside mixology reinvents traditional bottle service and is one feature of a truly imaginative and engaging approach to craft cocktails, guided by renowned mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim. Assemble your own mule, or sit back and enjoy a delicious summer punch bowl.”

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights Chef Marc offers a special late night street food menu in Aqua Lounge. It’s satisfying comfort foods ranging from street tacos to poutine. It even includes his signature Moki Breakfast Burrito. It starts at 11:00 p.m. and goes until 1:30 a.m.