SoCal Restaurant Show

“Master Baker Chef Alex Peña preserves generations of Mexican Pan Dulce techniques in the groundbreaking cookbook, The Mexican Bakery. "Some of the best conversations of my life happened over the bakery bench," says Master Baker Chef Alex Peña, recalling the rhythm of work at his family's Cypress Park bakery, La Morenita. "It was a harmony of hands and hearts, built around old-world dough.

For generations, the techniques behind authentic Mexican pan dulce have been passed down at those benches, with closely guarded regional recipes perfected by bakers who traveled north from Central America, gathering knowledge at bakeries throughout Mexico. These itinerant bakers became deeply polished in their craft, but their expertise remained unwritten, preserved only through demonstration and years of apprenticeship. Until now. In The Mexican Bakery, Chef Alex has created the industry's first comprehensive guide to Mexican pan dulce and its evolution in North America. This 333-page cookbook captures over 50 traditional recipes spanning the five categories of pan dulce that have been the backbone of Mexican bakeries.” Chef Alex puts down his whisk to join us.

“Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, co-owners of CookNSolo Restaurants, have redefined Israeli cuisine in the U.S. and beyond. With five James Beard Awards, including Zahav’s “Outstanding Restaurant” accolade in 2019, they are celebrated for honoring Israel’s diverse culinary traditions through innovative flavors and vibrant settings. Their Philadelphia-based group includes beloved concepts like Dizengoff, Goldie, K'Far, and Laser Wolf, with recent expansions in New York and, now, Miami’s 1 Hotel South Beach with AVIV. Through their acclaimed cookbooks and the launch of Zahav Restaurant Recipe Hummus (Zahav Foods) at Whole Foods, they continue to share their signature approach to Israeli flavors with a nationwide audience.” Mike Solomonov takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us.

“The fourth annual Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week returns May 17-24, 2026. The event is organized by United Cambodian Community (UCC) of Long Beach, a California registered 501(c)3 non-profit. May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week is a medium to bring everyone to the table, from all walks of life, to showcase the city's delicious Cambodian food scene. The eight- day event also seeks to highlight Cambodian-owned food businesses as well as Cambodian chefs and bartenders. Long Beach is home to the largest community of Cambodians outside of the country itself, many refugees settling in Long Beach after escaping the Khmer Rouge regime genocide of the late 1970s.” Long Beach’s Shlap Muan (a founding restaurant of LB Cambodian Restaurant Week) is one of the participating establishments. “Shlap Muan (Khmer for chicken wings) is a love and hate child between proprietors Hawk Tea and his wife, Sophia. It started out as a sandwich shop, but more importantly as a way for Sophia and Hawk to get away from the corporate grind.” Locations in Long Beach and a newly debuted location in Monrovia. Also they serve every Sunday at Smorgsburg L.A. in Downtown Los Angeles. The Wing Man himself, Hawk Tea, joins us.

“Master Baker Chef Alex Peña preserves generations of Mexican Pan Dulce techniques in the groundbreaking cookbook, The Mexican Bakery. "Some of the best conversations of my life happened over the bakery bench," says Master Baker Chef Alex Peña, recalling the rhythm of work at his family's Cypress Park bakery, La Morenita. "It was a harmony of hands and hearts, built around old-world dough.

For generations, the techniques behind authentic Mexican pan dulce have been passed down at those benches, with closely guarded regional recipes perfected by bakers who traveled north from Central America, gathering knowledge at bakeries throughout Mexico. These itinerant bakers became deeply polished in their craft, but their expertise remained unwritten, preserved only through demonstration and years of apprenticeship. Until now. In The Mexican Bakery, Chef Alex has created the industry's first comprehensive guide to Mexican pan dulce and its evolution in North America. This 333-page cookbook captures over 50 traditional recipes spanning the five categories of pan dulce that have been the backbone of Mexican bakeries.” Chef Alex puts down his whisk to join us.

We have a 90-minute show so Chef Andrew Guel will be back with us next week with his always anticipated “Ask the Chef” segments. We’re talking about the California mussel contamination scare and revisiting the escalating credit card fees for (already squeezed) restaurants.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

“Mike Solomonov is Philadelphia's beloved champion of Israeli cuisine and is widely credited with helping to introduce Israel's extraordinarily diverse culinary landscape to American diners. Along with Steve Cook, he is the co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants, including the trailblazing Zahav, recipient of the 2019 James Beard Award for "Outstanding Restaurant" (the first Israeli-American restaurant to receive this honor).”

“Solomonov is the co-author of four cookbooks, and the recipient of five James Beard Awards, including “Book of the Year” in 2016 for Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking" and “Outstanding Chef” in 2017 for his work at Zahav.”

“In addition to Zahav, Solomonov co-owns Philadelphia's Federal Donuts & Chicken, Dizengoff, Goldie, K’Far, Laser Wolf, Lilah Events, and Jaffa Bar. CookNSolo expanded to Brooklyn in 2022, bringing grill house sensation Laser Wolf and K’Far to The Hoxton hotel. In 2024, Solomonov released the iconic Zahav Restaurant Recipe Hummus exclusively at Whole Foods Markets across the US. Aviv — a restaurant embracing ancient cooking methods with the modern energy of Miami & Tel Aviv — recently launched at the 1 Hotel South Beach. Outside of the restaurants, you can often find Mike with Steve at Pho 75 in South Philly, working out the kinks in their Israeli village.”

“Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, co-owners of CookNSolo Restaurants, have redefined Israeli cuisine in the U.S. and beyond. With five James Beard Awards, including Zahav’s “Outstanding Restaurant” accolade in 2019, they are celebrated for honoring Israel’s diverse culinary traditions through innovative flavors and vibrant settings. Their Philadelphia-based group includes beloved concepts like Dizengoff, Goldie, K'Far, and Laser Wolf, with recent expansions in New York and, now, Miami’s 1 Hotel South Beach with AVIV.”

“Through their acclaimed cookbooks and the launch of Zahav Restaurant Recipe Hummus (Zahav Foods) at Whole Foods, they continue to share their signature approach to Israeli flavors with a nationwide audience.”

Zahav Foods, the CPG brand co-founded in 2024 by Chef Mike Solomonov and Steven Cook of the Michelin Recommended Zahav Restaurant in Philadelphia—has just launched Hummus Schug, its first flavored hummus and debut line extension.

“Hummus Schug features the Zahav Restaurant-Recipe Hummus base and a topping of Schug—a fiery, herbaceous Yemenite condiment made from fresh green chiles—designed to be swirled together at the table. Its layered flavor is driven by serrano peppers, parsley and cilantro; a fragrant spice blend of coriander, cumin and cardamom; and garlic, lemon and olive oil for brightness. Initially it’s available exclusively at Whole Foods.”

“The flagship Zahav Hummus itself offers an expert balance of flavor that relies on just six natural ingredients and no added oils: tehina, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and garlic. Zahav Hummus is made with approximately four times the amount of premium roasted tehina (sourced from Soom Foods) as other brands, and was the first tehina-forward style of hummus on U.S. grocery shelves.”

Mike Solomonov takes a break from his busy kitchens to stay with us.

“The fourth annual Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week returns May 17-24, 2026. The event is organized by United Cambodian Community (UCC) of Long Beach, a California registered 501(c)3 non-profit. May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.”

“Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week is a medium to bring everyone to the table, from all walks of life, to showcase the city's delicious Cambodian food scene. The eight- day event also seeks to highlight Cambodian-owned food businesses as well as Cambodian chefs and bartenders.”

“Long Beach is home to the largest community of Cambodians outside of the country itself, many refugees settling in Long Beach after escaping the Khmer Rouge regime genocide of the late 1970s.”

“Long Beach's own "Cambodia Town" is a bustling collection of eateries, shops and retailers. Cambodian-owned Restaurants, Food Trucks, Caterers, Bakeries, Pop-ups, Cottage Businesses and Retail Food Businesses are participating.”

Long Beach’s Shlap Muan (a founding restaurant of LB Cambodian Restaurant Week) is one of the participating establishments. “Shlap Muan (Khmer for chicken wings) is a love and hate child between Hawk Tea and his wife, Sophia. It started out as a modest sandwich shop, but more importantly as a way for Sophia and Hawk to get away from the corporate grind.” Locations in Long Beach and a newly debuted location in Monrovia. They serve every Sunday at Smorgsburg L.A. in Downtown Los Angeles.

The Wing Man himself, Hawk Tea, joins us.

“Master Baker Chef Alex Peña preserves generations of Mexican Pan Dulce techniques in the groundbreaking cookbook, "The Mexican Bakery"”

"Some of the best conversations of my life happened over the bakery bench," says Master Baker Chef Alex Peña, recalling the rhythm of work at his family's Cypress Park bakery, La Morenita. "It was a harmony of hands and hearts, built around old-world dough.

“For generations, the techniques behind authentic Mexican pan dulce have been passed down at those benches, with closely guarded regional recipes perfected by bakers who traveled north from Central America, gathering knowledge at bakeries throughout Mexico. These itinerant bakers became deeply polished in their craft, but their expertise remained unwritten, preserved only through demonstration and years of apprenticeship. Until now.”

“In The Mexican Bakery, Chef Alex has created the industry's first comprehensive guide to Mexican pan dulce and its evolution in North America. This 333-page cookbook captures over 50 traditional recipes spanning the five categories of pan dulce that have been the backbone of Mexican bakeries.”

“Chef Alex grew up learning these techniques at La Morenita before training at Le Cordon Bleu and building an international career as Director of Product Development at Bellarise. When the pandemic brought him back to his home kitchen in 2020, he realized these treasured recipes and techniques existed only in the memories and hands of family panaderos.”

“The Mexican Bakery carries on these traditions for home and professional bakers while setting a new standard for cookbooks. Every single recipe features detailed step-by-step photography. Professional costing and conversion tools allow bakers to scale from home batches to commercial production. In addition, QR codes link directly to over $400 in master classes taught by Chef Alex at the Baking Evolution School of Baking in Duarte, California, offering in-depth guidance beyond the page. From delicate sandwich cookies like besos to the warmth of a fresh telera, each recipe in The Mexican Bakery combines technical precision, artistry, history, and the camaraderie between bakers that make Mexican baking traditions so rich.”

Chef Alex Peña puts down his whisk to join us.

“Master Baker Chef Alex Peña preserves generations of Mexican Pan Dulce techniques in the groundbreaking cookbook, "The Mexican Bakery"”

“In The Mexican Bakery, Chef Alex has created the industry's first comprehensive guide to Mexican pan dulce and its evolution in North America. This 333-page cookbook captures over 50 traditional recipes spanning the five categories of pan dulce that have been the backbone of Mexican bakeries.”

“Chef Alex grew up learning these techniques at La Morenita before training at Le Cordon Bleu and building an international career as Director of Product Development at Bellarise. When the pandemic brought him back to his home kitchen in 2020, he realized these treasured recipes and techniques existed only in the memories and hands of family panaderos.”

“The Mexican Bakery carries on these traditions for home and professional bakers while setting a new standard for cookbooks. Every single recipe features detailed step-by-step photography. Professional costing and conversion tools allow bakers to scale from home batches to commercial production. In addition, QR codes link directly to over $400 in master classes taught by Chef Alex at the Baking Evolution School of Baking in Duarte, California, offering in-depth guidance beyond the page. From delicate sandwich cookies like besos to the warmth of a fresh telera, each recipe in The Mexican Bakery combines technical precision, artistry, history, and the camaraderie between bakers that make Mexican baking traditions so rich.”

Chef Alex stays with us with his rolling pin at the ready.

Set for Friday evening, May 15th is the always anticipated Culinary Careers Program’s (C-CAP) 2026 Los Angeles Gala fundraiser saluting an evening of Alumni Culinary Excellence. The evening is celebrating the extraordinary alumni who have called C-CAP Los Angeles home at pivotal moments in their culinary journeys. “Founded in 1990 by culinary educator and cookbook author Richard Grossman, and in partnership with board Co-chair Marcus Samuelsson, Culinary Careers Program is a national workforce development nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting the next generation of food and hospitality leaders.” Representing C-CAP with us is Lisa Fontanesi, the National Program Director.

It’s that time of the year where we eagerly break bread with Legends Executive Chef Dennis Radcliffe to chat about what’s new in salivating food and beverage options at Angel Stadium. A returning dessert item that was a smash hit in previous years is the crave-worthy Walk Off Waffles featuring the newly added (and decadent) Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Waffle. (Walk-Off Waffles Section 232, 412, 1st Base Food Court.) Another standout dessert is the Brookie. In the savory area a must-have is the Fried Mortadella Panini along with the Pork Chile Verde Mac & Cheese. Executive Chef for Angel Stadium, Dennis Radcliff, takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us. He’s accompanied by Chuck Abair, his Executive Sous Chef.

It’s that time of the year where we eagerly break bread with Legends Executive Chef Dennis Radcliffe to chat about what’s new in salivating food and beverage options at Angel Stadium. A returning dessert item that was a smash hit in previous years is the crave-worthy Walk Off Waffles featuring the newly added (and decadent) Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Waffle. (Walk-Off Waffles Section 232, 412, 1st Base Food Court.) Another standout dessert is the Brookie. In the savory area a must-have is the Fried Mortadella Panini along with the Pork Chile Verde Mac & Cheese. Executive Chef for Angel Stadium, Dennis Radcliff, takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us. He’s accompanied by Chuck Abair, his Executive Sous Chef.

“Created by Chef Rose Previte, Maydan Market is an 10,000-square-foot space inspired by markets from around the world. Designed as a gathering place anchored by a central live-fire hearth, Maydan Market brings diverse gems together under one roof, including Rose’s Middle Eastern restaurant and bar from DC, Maydan, her beloved Compass Rose, as well as various market outposts including Golden Mountain Chicken, Lugya’h by James Beard Award-nominated Poncho’s Tlayudas, and Maléna. Maydan Market also includes Club 104, a rotating residency space, and a Middle Eastern convenience store, Sook, that offers grab and go foods, hard-to-find middle eastern pantry staples and freshly prepared dishes served from the counter. Rooted in the sensory experiences of global marketplaces, Maydan Market encourages guests to wander, taste, and connect. Designed to reflect the cultural and culinary richness of Los Angeles, it offers independent food businesses the opportunity to grow alongside one another in a spirit of discovery, community, and shared tradition.” Chef and Restaurateur Rose Previte joins us to unwrap all that is Maydan Market.

For our concluding segment at 11:45 a.m. our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. For the first time in years commercial salmon fishing off the coast of California is again permissible. It’s a short window. Chef Andrew explains the potential impact. Also some tips/strategies for successful Mother’s Day Dining.

Set for Friday evening, May 15th is the always anticipated Culinary Careers Program’s (C-CAP) 2026 Los Angeles Gala fundraiser saluting an evening of Alumni Culinary Excellence. The evening is celebrating the extraordinary alumni who have called C-CAP Los Angeles home at pivotal moments in their culinary journeys. “Founded in 1990 by culinary educator and cookbook author Richard Grossman, and in partnership with board Co-chair Marcus Samuelsson, Culinary Careers Program is a national workforce development nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting the next generation of food and hospitality leaders.” Representing C-CAP with us is Lisa Fontanesi, the National Program Director.

It’s that time of the year where we eagerly break bread with Legends Executive Chef Dennis Radcliffe to chat about what’s new in salivating food and beverage options at Angel Stadium. A returning dessert item that was a smash hit in previous years is the crave-worthy Walk Off Waffles featuring the newly added (and decadent) Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Waffle. (Walk-Off Waffles Section 232, 412, 1st Base Food Court.) Another standout dessert is the Brookie. In the savory area a must-have is the Fried Mortadella Panini along with the Pork Chile Verde Mac & Cheese. Executive Chef for Angel Stadium, Dennis Radcliff, takes a break from his busy kitchens to join us. He’s accompanied by Chuck Abair, his Executive Sous Chef.

“Created by Chef Rose Previte, Maydan Market is an 10,000-square-foot space inspired by markets from around the world. Designed as a gathering place anchored by a central live-fire hearth, Maydan Market brings diverse gems together under one roof, including Rose’s Middle Eastern restaurant and bar from DC, Maydan, her beloved Compass Rose, as well as various market outposts including Golden Mountain Chicken, Lugya’h by James Beard Award-nominated Poncho’s Tlayudas, and Maléna. Maydan Market also includes Club 104, a rotating residency space, and a Middle Eastern convenience store, Sook, that offers grab and go foods, hard-to-find middle eastern pantry staples and freshly prepared dishes served from the counter. Rooted in the sensory experiences of global marketplaces, Maydan Market encourages guests to wander, taste, and connect. Designed to reflect the cultural and culinary richness of Los Angeles, it offers independent food businesses the opportunity to grow alongside one another in a spirit of discovery, community, and shared tradition.” Chef and Restaurateur Rose Previte joins us to unwrap all that is Maydan Market.

For our concluding segment at 11:45 a.m. our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. For the first time in years commercial salmon fishing off the coast of California is again permissible. It’s a short window. Chef Andrew explains the potential impact. Also some tips/strategies for successful Mother’s Day Dining.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!