“Ubon was my daddy. Family BBQ goes back several generations. To know that that name will live on through my baby and my grand baby, it’s real uplifting.” Garry Roark. July 14, 2018. Windy City Smokeout Garry Roark was a gracious gentleman, a formidable BBQ pitmaster and above all a loving father and family man.…

A Special Tribute to Ubon’s Garry Roark

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Monica Rothgery, former COO of KFC US, part of Yum Brands, shares inspiring lessons about excellence along with surprising insights into fast food kitchens. Monica’s recent book, “Lessons from the Drive-Thru: Real Life Wisdom for Frontline Leaders” goes beyond optimal team management practices and provides great advice for everyone who is pursuing excellence in their…

Monica Rothgery: Lessons from the Drive Thru

Thanks to Executive Pastry Chef Riccardo Meniccuci and his team, Beverly Wilshire is a sweet destination, especially during Oscars Week. This year’s amenities included a film projector made of Valrhona Manjari, a luxury chocolate, in addition to a thoughtfully designed and braided croissant representing the team of talented people required to create a film. And…

Executive Pastry Chef Riccardo Menicucci: A Taste of Luxury, History and Hospitality at Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel

As we await the beautiful produce that will soon be arriving at our Farmer’s Markets, I thought it would be a good time to celebrate Spring with this encore piece featuring Alice Waters. Always remember to take a moment and Savor the Day! Chef Alice Waters is a counterculture culinary hero who has helped pioneer the…

Chef Alice Waters – Queen of the Garden Encore

“Latin American Cuisine is like a house. I see Mexico as the front door with all the dishes we are most familiar with. But once you open and walk through that door, you can see twenty other kitchens full of food, vibrancy and amazing ingredients.” Sandra Gutierrez Sandra Gutierrez and I met in the White…

Sandra Gutierrez: The Julia Child of Latin American Cuisine

“Everything changes. The only thing that remains immovable across the centuries and fixes the character of a people is cooking.” Victor Hugo The Cathedral de Notre Dame holds a special place of legacy for Chef Florian V. Hugo and for me. Chef Florian is the great great great great great-grandson of the literary maestro Victor…

A Special Tribute to Ubon’s Garry Roark

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