Located in Macy’s South Coast Plaza shopping center in Costa Mesa, California, the new Wolfgang Puck Kitchen specializes in Wolfgang’s interpretation of global comfort fare. The menu features a variety of signature recipes made with the best available, locally-sourced ingredients.

Highlights include the signature Chinois Chicken Salad, Crab Cakes with marinated tomatoes and basil aioli, and Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with Yukon gold potato puree, crispy onion strings and with a port wine sauce. Wolfgang Puck was one of the pioneers of California-style pizza at the original Spago located high above the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. The Smoked Salmon Pizza with dill cream, capers and chives is now an off-menu item at Spago but part of the regular menu at Wolfgang Puck Kitchen.

As one of the newest casual concepts in the Wolfgang Puck dining collection, Wolfgang Puck Kitchen promises a welcoming and relaxed dining environment, appropriate for a business meeting, leisurely lunch, family dinner or meal on the go. A peaceful, shaded patio (where you can have a real conversation) is part of the design.

General Manager and Executive Chef Joshua Turner joins us.

 

Now an appetizing preview of Saturday, September 30th’s tantalizing 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, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…

Porto’s Bakery on the Westside? For the very first time Porto’s is temporarily making a limited engagement appearance (on now through March 4, 2018) at the Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City) in the Dona Dulce Café in connection with the “Cuba Is” photography exhibit. Betty Porto joins us with the sweet details.

Upon learning that rice and bread were the culprits for her husband’s Type 2 diabetes, entrepreneur Deepa Thomas deconstructed and reinvented her native Indian cuisine. She slow-carbonized family recipes, used Western cooking techniques, incorporated breaking-news research on gut health and weight loss, and even drew from her grandfather’s Ayurvedic wisdoms. After three months, Deepa lost twenty-five pounds and freed her husband from a ten-year-long routine of insulin shots. The impressive result is documented in Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine. We’ll meet her.

Kenyon Paar is the seasoned General Manager of the historic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar as well as the adjacent SideDoor. Both are still refreshingly Family-owned. Upcoming is Porktoberfest and the much-anticipated, festive Holiday season activities at both establishment. Congrats to Kenyon, our guest, on her year anniversary at Five Crowns and SideDoor.

Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.” Chef Jonathan joins us sharing all the proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

Los Angeles’ itinerary for The James Beard Foundation’s 5th Annual Taste America Los Angeles will kick off on Friday, October 6 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Evan Funke (Felix,...

Porto’s Bakery on the Westside? For the very first time Porto’s is temporarily making a limited engagement appearance (through March 4th of 2018) at the Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City) in the Dona Dulce Café in connection with the “Cuba Is” photography exhibit. The coffee is from F. Gavina & Sons.

Open 11am-5pm, Wednesday through Sunday, Doña Dulce immerses guests in a Havana-inspired space that temporarily transports visitors to the Caribbean island nation with a taste of authentic Cuban delights.

Sweets

Milk ‘n Berries

Cappuccino Mousse

Mango Mousse

Taste of Cuba (1 guava cheese roll, 2 cheese rolls)

Havana Kiss (1 chocolate besito, 1 hazelnut besito, 1 raspberry besito and coconut glaze)

Beverages

Café Cubano

Cortadito

Café con Leche

Brewed Coffee – House Blend

Betty Porto joins us with the sweet details.

Upon learning that rice and bread were the culprits for her husband’s Type 2 diabetes, entrepreneur Deepa Thomas deconstructed and reinvented her native Indian cuisine. She slow-carbonized family recipes, used Western cooking techniques, incorporated breaking-news research on gut health and weight loss, and drew from her grandfather’s Ayurvedic wisdoms (“When diet is right, medicine is of no need; and when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.”).

After three months, Deepa lost twenty-five pounds and freed her husband from a ten-year-long routine of insulin shots. The impressive result is fully documented in Deepa’s Secrets – Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine.

Part Indian cookbook, diet guide, kitchen companion, and memoir, Deepa’s Secrets introduces breakthrough slow carb and gut-healing recipes that are simple and healthy without sacrificing their rich South Asian flavors. To demystify an “exotic” cuisine, Thomas provides step-by-step instructions with ingredient substitutions (all ghee-free!), shortcuts, and secret techniques that will make New Indian easy, everyday fare. Beautifully photographed with menu plans, kitchen wisdom, and scientific commentary, Deepa’s Secrets includes East-to-West recipes.

A journey from old traditions to modern Indian cooking with deliciously simple and gut-healing recipes that leave you feeling fulfilled—rather than full.

Proceeds of the book sales benefit the American non-profit, FoodCorps. Their mission is to connect kids with the skills (and meals) they need to thrive.

A graduate of Delhi University with degrees in journalism and political science, Deepa Thomas moved to the US and, in 1985, founded Deepa Textiles. After 21 years and 23 design awards, the company has been credited with transforming the $10 billion a year contract furniture industry.

We’ll meet Deepa.

Kenyon Paar is the seasoned General Manager of the historic Five Crowns in Corona del Mar as well as the adjacent SideDoor. Both are still refreshingly Family-owned. Upcoming is Porktoberfest and the festive Holiday season activities at both establishments. A great seasonal tradition…

The ever-popular SideDoor Cheese Takeovers continue the third Wednesday of each month through January.

On October 18th the 6th annual Porktoberfest returns to the Five Crowns Greenhouse and Garden. A 6-course meal from Executive Chef Anthony Endy will be paired with Firestone Walker beers and hosted by Co-Founder David Walker, himself.

Congrats to Kenyon, our guest, on her year anniversary at Five Crowns and SideDoor.

Jonathan Melendez, a C-CAP graduate, is a food photographer, blogger, cook, baker, recipe developer and the author of The Slider Effect – You Can’t Eat Just One. “Break out of that burger rut, and switch things up with sliders for breakfast, lunch or dinner.”

“Way better than a cupcake, sliders are delicious and fun—you can’t eat just one. They are the perfect bite that can be served as an appetizer, tapa, entrée, side, or midnight snack. Indulge in the awesome world of sliders and mini sandwiches through 75 omnivorous and vegetarian recipes, complete with homemade breads, buns, and sauces. These are that are more than just your usual mini burgers.”

“The ingredient and flavor combinations that can fit between two buns are limitless. The Slider Effect focuses on these amazing small bites, featuring the best recipes and 60 delicious photographs designed to turn you into a slider pro. The four main chapters focus on meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian sliders, and there is something for everyone.”

“In the Meat chapter you’ll find recipes for Grilled Steak and Potato Sliders as well as Mediterranean Lamb Sliders. The Poultry chapter will introduce you to Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle Sliders, Turkey-Bacon BLT Avocado Sliders, and Chicken Curry Sliders. The Seafood chapter ranges from Fish and Chips Sliders to Shrimp Fajita Sliders. And in the Vegetarian chapter you’ll find tiny buns filled with ingredients like roasted beets, eggplant, polenta, and black beans. If you feel like making your own rolls, there are recipes ranging from biscuits to challah and from waffle to pretzel buns. And what slider would not be complete without a dab of Cilantro, Lime, and Green Chile Aioli or Arugula Pumpkin Seed Pesto on top? There is no end to what you can make work in a slider.”

Chef Jonathan joins us to share all his proven tricks to true slider nirvana.

Laura Donadoni is our expert wine ambassador when it comes to selections from her native Italy. This time we’re talking about the wines of Lugana D.O.C. from the Lombardy region of Italy.

“Lugana is the name of the magical land nestled within the ancient Quadrilateral defense system of the Lake Garda region. The Lugana wine region encompasses two provinces (Brescia and Verona) and two regions (Lombardy and Veneto) in the morainic plain south of Lake Garda. Its unique qualities originate from the beneficial microclimate of the lake, the local clay soil, and a particular variety of grapes named “turbiana” that make it full-bodied, age worthy, and grant it a floral and citrus bouquet.”

Los Angeles’ itinerary for The James Beard Foundation’s 5th Annual Taste America Los Angeles will kick off on Friday, October 6 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Evan Funke (Felix, Venice), Justin Hilbert (Maude, Beverly Hills), Sara Kramer (Kismet, Los Angeles), Amanda Chapman and Johnny Ray Zone (Howlin’ Ray’s, Los Angeles) and David Schlosser (Shibumi, Los Angeles) as well as host chef Neal Fraser (Redbird, Los Angeles).

Afterwards, guests will be seated for an extraordinary one-night-only dinner prepared by Taste America All-Star & James Beard Award-Winner Barbara Lynch (Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston) along with Local Star Michael Cimarusti (Providence and Connie and Ted’s, Los Angeles) and pastry chef Shannon Swindle (Craft Los Angeles, Los Angeles).

Host Chef Neal Fraser joins us with the delectable details.

What’s the recipe for a really successful wine dinner? On Oct. 12th Café del Rey in Marina del Rey is hosting a very special Wines of Italy Dinner presented by Italian wine authority Laura Donadoni.

The evening starts festively with flat bread with smoked sundried tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil paired with Franciacorta, Ca’del Bosco, Brut, Cuvee Prestige. Just desserts is goat cheese ice cream with a honey oregano drizzle and with a pistachio cranberry biscotti matched with Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, Spumante, Dolce.

General Manager Brian Cousins and Executive Chef David Vilchez join in the conversation. We’ll learn how the menu is created and how the Italian wine pairings are conceived.

Be listening for all the details about how you (and a guest) can win a pair of hosted seats at the upcoming Wines of Italy Dinner at Cafe del Rey curated by sommelier Laura Donadoni on Thursday, Oct. 12th. A lucky listener (and guest) will be Café del Rey’s very special guests.

Now a mouthwatering preview of this Saturday’s delectable 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, upon careful reflection, that’s probably a pretty good thing…

Program Note: We’re unusually preempted by a just rescheduled Angel game in Houston on Saturday morning, September 23rd. Go Halos…We’ll see you thereafter on Saturday morning, September 30th at 10:00 a.m. as usual!

Congrats to our own, Chef Andrew Gruel. Regular contributor to the OC Weekly, Anne Marie Panoringan, published a piece on Sept. 13th entitled “Sexy Mothercluckers: Here’s the Best Fried Chicken at OC Food Halls.” Among her top five praiseworthy clucks is Chef Andrew’s Mac & Cheese Fried Chicken Burrito at Two Birds at Trade in Irvine. It’s an off-menu item. Just ask for it…

Chris Bianco is the chef-owner of the award-winning Pizzeria Bianco, as well as Pane Bianco and Tratto, all located in Phoenix, Arizona. He also produces a lineup of organic tomatoes, Bianco DiNapoli, and early next year will open an eagerly anticipated restaurant (Tartine Manufactory) in Downtown Los Angeles in ROW DTLA, a collaboration with his friend and founder of San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery, Chad Robertson. His impressive new cookbook is Bianco : Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like. We’ll meet him.

Pier del Sol on Sunday, Oct. 8th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. is an exciting and unique day of fun on the historic Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park. At the only culinary festival fused with a backyard private Amusement Park experience, attendees can enjoy an exclusive VIP brunch featuring mouthwatering tastings from over 35 of L.A.’s top Chefs and restaurants, entertainment, music, arts & crafts, games, and unlimited rides at Pacific Park. All proceeds from this annual event benefit the athletes of Special Olympic Southern California. Special Olympics Southern California’s Maureen Barclift and supporting restaurateur Peter Garland of Beverly Hills’