SoCal Restaurant Show

“Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room.”

“Their Outdoor Concert Series is not to be missed, with music ranging from country to jazz. Patrons bring picnic blankets and chairs and enjoy live music from the hillside along with food and dancing. Two harvest festivals are hosted each summer that offer visitors the chance to harvest grapes and participate in a grape stomp.” Tours are available by appointment and winemaker Jeff Landry typically personally conducts the Saturday afternoon tour. Also available onsite for guests are cottages, RV parking and disc golf.

On the Landry Vineyards estate they grow Blanc du Bois, Lenoir/ Black Spanish and Muscadine grapes. Muscadine is the only wine grape actually native to Louisiana.

Proprietor and Winemaker Jeff Landry is our guest to uncork all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.

Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room.

“Their Outdoor Concert Series is not to be missed, with music ranging from country to jazz. Patrons bring picnic blankets and chairs and enjoy live music from the hillside along with food and dancing. Two harvest festivals are hosted each summer that offer visitors the chance to harvest grapes and participate in a grape stomp.” Tours are available by appointment and winemaker Jeff Landry typically personally conducts the Saturday afternoon tour. Also available onsite for guests are cottages, RV parking and disc golf.

On the Landry Vineyards estate they grow Blanc du Bois, Lenoir/ Black Spanish and Muscadine grapes. Muscadine is the only wine grape native to Louisiana.

Proprietor and Winemaker Jeff Landry stays with us uncorking all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.

The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine in Manhattan Village took place on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and Saturday, September 13th, 2025. Based on the success of last year both nights were sold out.

“Over the two-nights 46 All-Star Chefs prepared world-class cuisine along with premier wines, top spirits, handcrafted cocktails, and craft beer pairing seamlessly with pulse-raising beats. Guests discovered a dynamic flow of music and flavor, spotlighting the unmistakable spirit of the South Bay.”

Lawrence Moore of Lawrence Moore and Associates joins us to provide a postscript on Manhattan Beach Food & Wine 2025 with a look into the return in 2026. She served as the very busy restaurant coordinator and public relations representative for MBF&W.

Sommelier Kelsey Kramer, the Director of Education for the Hill Country Wine Academy near Fredericksburg, Texas, is a theater major turned wine professional and educator, currently navigating the WSET Diploma program with 13+ years of hospitality, restaurant, and wine experience under her belt. After earning a B.F.A. in Acting at Ball State University, she started studying wine full-time with Takashi's Japanese-Fusion restaurant in Chicago. Kelsey earned her CMS Sommelier certification in 2017, and at the same time began teaching about wine at High Street Wine Co. in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She began class programming and beverage selection for various wine education programs before shifting to virtual education program models in the COVID-19 shutdown.

During this time of the COVID-19 shutdown, Kelsey decided to dedicate her efforts to the growing Texas wine industry, and to pursue her studies as a wine educator through the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. In 2019 she started her journey with William Chris Vineyards interactive virtual education program, and wine education became her full-time pursuit at the Texas Hill Country-based William Chris Wine Co. in 2022 she was promoted to the Director of Education there (now known as the Hill Country Wine Academy) and became a certified WSET educator.

With a colorful background, Kelsey's educational style is performative, engaging and positive. Kelsey's classes typically focus on hospitality, tasting technique, and looking at Texas wine through an international wine industry lens.

Kelsey Kramer is our guest pulling the cork on all that is the Hill Country Wine Academy.

Social Media can have an enormous impact on restaurants both on the upside as well as the unfortunate negative. Chef Andrew is skilled at managing and utilizing Social Media (for the good) to build his brand. He shares his well-informed insights.

“Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa  has recently debuted its first-ever Halloween pop-up bar. Step inside Pete’s Spookeasy if you dare, where Pete’s Sunset Grille, the resort’s coastal restaurant, has been transformed into a spooky, over-the-top Halloween playground, featuring immersive décor, themed lounges, playful surprises at every turn, and touches from Tipsy Elves, the pop-up’s seasonal partner.” Joining us to provide all the hauntingly exciting specifics is longtime Executive Chef Manfred Lassahn.

“Since the birth of Laderach Swiss (fresh Swiss gourmet chocolates) in 1962, they have been refining fresh chocolate into extraordinary creations – and taking great pleasure in sharing them. While Laderach initially did so as a supplier to selected Swiss chocolate shops, today they share their delights globally. Three generations, one World Chocolate Master and countless innovations. Once a small chocolate factory in Glarus, today Laderach is represented in more than 25 countries around the world – and they are still thoughtfully expanding.” Laderach’s Scott Perry, West Coast Regional Manager, is our guest to unwrap all the decadent deliciousness that is Laderach Swiss.

“Since the birth of Laderach Swiss (fresh Swiss gourmet chocolates) in 1962, they have been refining fresh chocolate into extraordinary creations – and taking great pleasure in sharing them. While Laderach initially did so as a supplier to selected Swiss chocolate shops, today they share their delights globally. Three generations, one World Chocolate Master and countless innovations. Once a small chocolate factory in Glarus, today Laderach is represented in more than 25 countries around the world – and they are still thoughtfully expanding.” Laderach’s Scott Perry, West Coast Regional Manager, is our guest to unwrap all the decadent deliciousness that is Laderach Swiss.

“Rationale Brewing’s founder, Jamie Fay, and his sons were sitting around the campfire having a few beers and talking about beer, naturally. His oldest was about to leave for college (and pledge a fraternity,) so Jamie encouraged him to think for himself when it came to drinking alcohol, regardless of the peanut gallery's opinions. Making a rational choice feels pretty damn radical...so why not screw the rules, make that radical choice and own the moment? They got pretty fired up about the idea of crafting a flavorful, non-alcoholic beer that doesn't play by the rules. They started brewing RationAle and haven’t looked back since.” Founder Jamie Fay is our guest to tap the keg on all that is Rationale Brewing.

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 a fast casual establishment, or any successful restaurant, what’s the ideal pathway to branching? Should it be a franchise network like McDonalds or perhaps company owned stores in the In-N-Out model? Chef Andrew has been there and will provide his informed insight.

“Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa  has recently debuted its first-ever Halloween pop-up bar. Step inside Pete’s Spookeasy if you dare, where Pete’s Sunset Grille, the resort’s coastal restaurant, has been transformed into a spooky, over-the-top Halloween playground, featuring immersive décor, themed lounges, playful surprises at every turn, and touches from Tipsy Elves, the pop-up’s seasonal partner.” Joining us to provide all the hauntingly exciting specifics is longtime Executive Chef Manfred Lassahn.

“Since the birth of Laderach Swiss (fresh Swiss gourmet chocolates) in 1962, they have been refining fresh chocolate into extraordinary creations – and taking great pleasure in sharing them. While Laderach initially did so as a supplier to selected Swiss chocolate shops, today they share their delights globally. Three generations, one World Chocolate Master and countless innovations. Once a small chocolate factory in Glarus, today Laderach is represented in more than 25 countries around the world – and they are still thoughtfully expanding.” Laderach’s Scott Perry, West Coast Regional Manager, is our guest to unwrap all the decadent deliciousness that is Laderach Swiss.

“Rationale Brewing’s founder, Jamie Fay, and his sons were sitting around the campfire having a few beers and talking about beer, naturally. His oldest was about to leave for college (and pledge a fraternity,) so Jamie encouraged him to think for himself when it came to drinking alcohol, regardless of the peanut gallery's opinions. Making a rational choice feels pretty damn radical...so why not screw the rules, make that radical choice and own the moment? They got pretty fired up about the idea of crafting a flavorful, non-alcoholic beer that doesn't play by the rules. They started brewing RationAle and haven’t looked back since.” Founder Jamie Fay is our guest to tap the keg on all that is Rationale Brewing.

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 a fast casual establishment, or any successful restaurant, what’s the ideal pathway to branching? Should it be a franchise network like McDonalds or perhaps company owned stores in the In-N-Out model? Chef Andrew has been there and will provide his informed insight.

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

“Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa  has recently debuted its first-ever Halloween pop-up bar. Step inside Pete’s Spookeasy if you dare, where Pete’s Sunset Grille, the resort’s coastal restaurant, has been transformed into a spooky, over-the-top Halloween playground, featuring immersive décor, themed lounges, playful surprises at every turn, and touches from Tipsy Elves, the pop-up’s seasonal partner.”

“The pop-up features a curated Halloween menu, with inventive bites such as “BUGS” in Stinky Cheese, with whipped goat cheese, dates, marzipan “grubs,” figs, hot honey, micro thyme and Raincoast crackers; Cauldron Queso, with pepper jack queso dip, ground beef, corn salsa, micro cilantro and tortilla chips; Char-boo-terie, with a soft twist pretzel, Fiscalini cheddar, Beehive cheese, chorizo salame, capicola, cornichon and ale mustard; and Pasta from the Black Lagoon, with squid ink spaghetti, sautéed shrimp, lobster cream sauce, roasted tomato, asparagus and micro parsley.”

“Signature cocktails include Hex on the Beach, with Mt. Gay Black Barrel Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut and nutmeg, and BooBerry Margarita, with Don Julio Blanco tequila, fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juice, agave and a black salt rim.”

Joining us to provide all the hauntingly exciting specifics is longtime Executive Chef Manfred Lassahn who was the opening chef for the property.

“Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa  has recently debuted its first-ever Halloween pop-up bar. Step inside Pete’s Spookeasy if you dare, where Pete’s Sunset Grille, the resort’s coastal restaurant, has been transformed into a spooky, over-the-top Halloween playground, featuring immersive décor, themed lounges, playful surprises at every turn, and touches from Tipsy Elves, the pop-up’s seasonal partner.”

“The pop-up features a curated Halloween menu, with inventive bites such as “BUGS” in Stinky Cheese, with whipped goat cheese, dates, marzipan “grubs,” figs, hot honey, micro thyme and Raincoast crackers; Cauldron Queso, with pepper jack queso dip, ground beef, corn salsa, micro cilantro and tortilla chips; Char-boo-terie, with a soft twist pretzel, Fiscalini cheddar, Beehive cheese, chorizo salame, capicola, cornichon and ale mustard; and Pasta from the Black Lagoon, with squid ink spaghetti, sautéed shrimp, lobster cream sauce, roasted tomato, asparagus and micro parsley.”

“Signature cocktails include Hex on the Beach, with Mt. Gay Black Barrel Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut and nutmeg, and BooBerry Margarita, with Don Julio Blanco tequila, fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juice, agave and a black salt rim.” The beverage staff created all these Halloween themed libations from scratch.

Staying with us providing more of the hauntingly exciting specifics is longtime Executive Chef Manfred Lassahn.