We’re going to start referring to Celebrity Chef Susan Feniger as “The Festival Queen.” She is back with us previewing her events for the ongoing Los Angeles Times Food Bowl including “Plant Power – The No Beast Feast – An All-Star Chef Celebration of Vegetable Cuisine” on Saturday, May 19th (5:30 p.m. VIP / 6:30 p.m. GA) at Coral Tree Plaza at Border Grill Downtown LA.

For LA Times Food Bowl, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken will host Plant Power, the No Beast Feast, a garden party focusing on the region’s bountiful produce. On the upper plaza of Border Grill in downtown Los Angeles, guests will be treated to a variety of signature bites and an interactive dessert bar at this al fresco strolling event.

Featuring an international lineup of prominent chefs, this seasonal, vegetarian and vegan extravaganza will showcase innovative vegetable-driven cuisine paired with fine wines, beers and handcrafted cocktails from female winemakers, brewers and distillers.

Besides Milliken and Feniger, participating chefs include cookbook author Nadine Redzepi (Noma), Monique Fiso of New Zealand (Hiakai), Akasha Richmond (Akasha), Antonia Lofaso (Scopa Italian Roots), April Bloomfield (Hearth & Hound), Brooke Williamson (Playa Provisions), Dahlia Narvaez (Mozza), Dakota Weiss (Sweetfin Poké), Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada), Niki Nakayama (n/naka), Nyesha Arrington (Native Santa Monica),

It’s Cinco de Mayo (our favorite created holiday to encourage responsible imbibing) so our thoughts are certainly on festively appropriate food and craft beer. Just across the street from us at Angel Stadium is the new Golden Road Pub OC.

We’ll see what tasty morsels Executive Chef Henry Tran (ex-TAPS) has on the menu. We guarantee you won’t go thirsty there either!

Thankfully this is not typical pub grub served at Golden Road. You’ll initially come for the incredible craft beer selection (40 rotating selections on tap) but the food is destination-worthy, too. Chef Henry comes from TAPS and The Catch so he knows his way around a menu. Surprisingly there are many Vegan options, too.

Instead of Avocado Toast look for Fried Avocado Tacos with corn slaw, black beans, shaved cabbage, tomatillo salsa and chipotle cream. How about Duck Confit Fries?

From the sea the IPA Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels with Vietnamese sausage in a yuzu burre blanc is a standout.

Golden Road Pub OC is also dog friendly. A spacious dog park is in the final stages of competition there.

Parking tip…You can park there before Halo games and then walk across E. Orangewood to the Big “A.” Perfect spot for an after-game nightcap and some dessert. Croissant Bread Pudding, anyone ?

 

Now a tantalizing preview of Saturday’s appropriately satiating 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…

It’s Cinco de Mayo (our favorite created holiday to, of course, encourage responsible imbibing) so our thoughts are certainly on festively appropriate food and craft beer. Just across the street from us at Angel Stadium is the new Golden Road Pub OC. We’ll see what tasty morsels Executive Chef Henry Tran (ex-TAPS) has on the menu. We guarantee you won’t go thirsty there either!

We’re going to start referring to Celebrity Chef Susan Feniger as “The Festival Queen.” She is back with us this morning previewing her events for the ongoing Los Angeles Times Food Bowl including “Plant Power – The No Beast Feast – An All-Star Chef Celebration of Vegetable Cuisine” on Saturday, May 19th at Coral Tree Plaza at Border Grill Downtown LA.

Crustacean Beverly Hills, the 20-year old, award-winning restaurant from House of AN hospitality group, reopened in March following an eight-month-long, $10 million dollar ambitious redesign and reconcepting. It now houses two high-end restaurants. House of An’s Elizabeth An joins us with the stylish details.

A new quality burger concept (originating in New York in 2015) Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer is on its way to an eagerly anticipated West Coast launch at Downtown Disney. Meanwhile you can experience Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Think perfectly outrageous shakes, too. They are also part of Vegas Uncork’d festivities on Saturday evening, May 12th. We’ll meet Founder Joe Isidori, a 3rd generation chef.

The respected food journalist Steve Dolinsky, ABC 7 TV’s “Hungry Hound” in Chicago, is the recipient of an impressive 13 James Beard Foundation Awards for journalistic excellence. For this year’s James Beard Foundation Media A...

Chef Dayne Tanabe oversees the KPC Restaurant at the Hilton Waikola Village on The Big Island. Chef Dayne was instrumental in repositioning the menu direction for KPC – Kamuela Provision Company, the signature restaurant at Hilton Waikoloa Village. KPC features local Hawaii Island produce, prime steaks and fresh island fish and seafood.

As Chef of Restaurants, Dayne now also has the responsibility for overseeing the many dining restaurants at Hilton Waikoloa Village, creating and implementing concept driven menus at Big Island Breakfast, Imari Japanese Izakaya, Lagoon Grill, Orchid Marketplace, Malolo, Boat Landing Cantina and Dona & Toni’s Pizzeria.

This talented young chef has had extensive culinary experience previously on Oahu as a sushi chef at Moa Mua Tei, a Sous Chef at Baja Betty’s Southwest Bar & Grill, and Sous Chef at Keoni’s, located in the Outrigger Ohana Waikiki Hotel.

Chef Dayne and his Pastry Chef, Eddie Enojardo, have a long, impressive history of winning awards at the BICF Gala. Last year Chef Dayne took the honors for “Best Savory” item and Pastry Chef Eddie earned the award for “Best Bonbon.” What will this year bring?

Chef Dayne joins us with his award-winning pastry chef, Eddie Enojardo.

Chef Stéphane Tréand debuted, The Pastry School in 2012, in San Clemente. In 2015, he moved his school to Costa Mesa along with his new pâtisserie (pastry) shop, ST Pâtisserie Chocolat, to the SoCo Collection! He wanted people to come and buy pastries, chocolates, viennoiserie (baked goods such as croissants), and gelato/sorbet at his shop. But he also wanted to show others, “you can learn and create beautiful items such as these, right-next-door with me (Chef Stéphane Tréand) as your teacher!”

“Come and learn from M.O.F. Chef Stéphane Tréand, students of all levels can choose from a wide array of subjects and class styles that meet their specific needs. Anyone can take the classes and learn from the master of The Pastry School.”

“Established in 2014, ST Pâtisserie Chocolat is Chef Stéphane Tréand’s premiere pastry shop! Bringing you the highest fashion in modern, Parisian pastry and confections to the wide and eclectic array of shops and wonders in the South Coast Collection (SoCo) and OC Mix shopping center. ST Pâtisserie Chocolat is filled with delicious delights from pastries to a wide variety in chocolates, even homemade gelato and sorbets you will be sure to take a piece of France home with you.”

At The Big Island Chocolate Festival Chef Stephane is performing two chocolate culinary demonstrations and building a chocolate showpiece.

Wendle Lesher is the Director of Food and Beverage for Mauna Kea Resort, encompassing all restaurant and banquet staff and food and beverage operations at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection and Hapuna Beach Resort, (emerging in late June as The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort).

In his role as Mauna Kea Resort Director of Food and Beverage, Lesher is responsible operationally and fiscally for nearly a dozen food and beverage outlets. We’ll chat with Wendle about the intriguing new restaurants at Hapuna including Meridia, Naupaka Beach Grill and Ikena Landing.

Meridia is Hapuna’s new signature dining experience featuring distinctive Mediterranean inspired cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. The personable Chef there is Chris Galinda who we met last year at BICF when he was cooking next door at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s Hau Tree located adjacent to the sand.

Lesher joined Mauna Kea Resort in 2017 having worked since 2013 at The Fairmont Orchid, first as Director of Outlets, then Director of Food and Beverage and later as Director of Operations. Lesher also worked as Restaurant General Manager at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Alicia Boada is an acclaimed pastry chef and instructor with 20 plus years of experience in the culinary industry. She is the West Coast Technical Advisor for Barry Callebaut Chocolate (The Barry Callebaut Group) whose brands include Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Mona Lisa, among more.

As a Corporate Pastry Chef & Chocolatier, Chef Alicia’s role often calls on her to perform demonstrations and training worldwide keeping her on the edge of what’s happening in the contemporary pastry and chocolate world.

Chef Alicia will be performing two chocolate culinary demonstration as part of the Festival in addition to judging the Gala’s delicious offerings.

She is also introducing Callebaut Finest Belgian Chocolate Gold.

 

Tom Cross is the Hotel Manager (since 2013) for our host, the Hapuna Beach Resort, which just completed a $50 million dollar renovation. By late June it will emerge as The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. It’s part of the magnificent Mauna Kea Resort on the Island of Hawaii.

The renovation’s highlights include new dining concepts/restaurants Meridia, Naupaka Beach Grill, ‘Ikena Landing and Piko Coffee+Bar; an adults-only pool; and wellness-inspired guest experiences, including a CrossFit studio, Westin Workout, Westin Kids’ Club and Hapuna Spa.

The resort’s indoor/outdoor lobby features a Living Wall vertical garden and interactive guest check-in pods, and its 232 guestrooms and 17 suites will be refurbished with Westin-brand signature room furnishings and fixtures.

Tom Cross joined Hapuna in 2013 and in his role as Hotel Manager, he is responsible for all operating departments within the hotel including rooms, and food and beverage and their overall financial performance.

Prior to his position at Hapuna, Cross served as Resort Manager at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore where he began as Director of Conference Services and Food and Beverage. He was promoted to Director of Operations in 2006 with expanded responsibilities and was named Resort Manager in 2009. Cross has also held management positions at Kona Village Resort, Hawaii Regent Hotel and the Hawaiian Waikiki Beach Hotel.

Farsheed Bonakdar is the President of the Kona Cacao Association, the Producer of the 7th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival. The mission and goal of the Kona Cacao Association is to promote the cacao industry on the Big Island of Hawaii by presenting the Big Island Chocolate Festival as an educational and outreach opportunity for local cacao farmers, the hospitality industry and cacao enthusiasts.

Beyond creating, implementing and promoting the Big Island Chocolate Festival, the Kona Cacao Association works with cacao growers, producers, chocolate enthusiasts and chefs to help create a recognizable brand for Hawaii Island Chocolate. KCA members work together towards creating a structure to maintain the quality of cacao grown, marketed and shipped from Hawaii for the future growth of this fledging industry.

Beyond creating, implementing and promoting the Big Island Chocolate Festival, the Kona Cacao Association works with cacao growers, producers, chocolate enthusiasts and chefs to help create a recognizable brand for Hawaii Island Chocolate. KCA members work together towards creating a structure to maintain the quality of cacao grown, marketed and shipped from Hawaii for the future growth of this fledging industry.

Farsheed is also the principal of Cocoa Outlet.

We’re talking all things chocolate with Farsheed.

Next year’s dates for The Big Island Chocolate Festival are Friday, April 26th and Saturday, April 27th.

It’s a very special day of pure indulgence on the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” We’re coming to you from the 7th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival at The Hapuna Beach Resort. This is our 2nd year of participating.

Hawaii is the only state in the USA where cacao, the primary base of chocolate, can be successfully grown commercially.

Now a properly decadent preview of Saturday’s appropriately sinful show. It’s not, with profuse apologies, for dieters. Can you ever get enough of premium chocolate? If we’re successful we will always leave you incredibly hungry and thirsty. In our case that’s probably a pretty good thing…

We fortunate enough to again have a local celebrity as our Remote Engineer. That’s hard-working, on-air radio personality G. Cruz (“Lunchtime Kalabash”) who is also the Program Director for KWXX-FM, “Feel Good Island Music” on The Big Island. We’ll meet him.

Farsheed Bonakdar is the President of the Kona Cacao Association, the Producer of the 7th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival. The mission and goal of the Kona Cacao Association is to promote the cacao industry on the Big Island of Hawaii by presenting the Big Island Chocolate Festival as an educational and outreach opportunity for local cacao farmers, the hospitality industry and cacao enthusiasts. We’re talking all things chocolate with Farsheed.

Tom Cross is the Hotel Manager for our host, the Hapuna Beach Resort, which is just completing a $50 million dollar renovation. By late June it will officially emerge as The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. It’s part of the Mauna Kea Resort on the Island of Hawaii.

Alicia Boada is an acclaimed pastry chef and instructor with 20 plus years of experience in the culinary industry. She is the West Coast Technical Advisor for Barry Callebaut Chocolate (The Barry Callebaut Group) whose brands include Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Mona Lisa, among more. As a Corporate Pastry Chef & Chocolatier,

Chef Alicia’s role often calls on her to perform demonstrations and training worldwide keeping her on the edge of what’s happening in the contemporary pastry and chocolate world. Chef Alicia will be performing two chocolate culinary demonstration as part of the Festival in addition to judging the Gala’s delicious offerings.

Tattoo Tequila CEO, “Tequila John” Atanasio (a Maui resident) set out 7 years ago with the goal of crafting a “Super Premium Tequila” that would use the highest grade of organic...