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Monterey. a quality of light, a nostalgia, a dream
Adventures. For everything Monterey. www.adventuresmontereybay.com by The Monterey County Herald, Monterey’s only daily newspaper
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For exclusive offers and upcoming events, visit CarmelCalifornia.com “ # 8 T R A V E L D E S T I N A T I O N ” A N D “ # 1 B E S T A M B I A N C E ” I N T H E U . S . – Condé Nast Traveler *
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For decades, the stunning natural beauty of Carmel-by-the-Sea has inspired artists, sparked romances, and attracted world travelers. Rated a top-10 destination in the United States*, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a unique, European-style village nestled above a beautiful white-sand beach where everything is within walking distance. From performing arts to hundreds of shops, art galleries, spas, wine tasting rooms, and restaurants, you can do everything or nothing at all.
Condé Nast Traveler November 2010 issue.
Photograph by Jeff Burghardt
Get inspired. Be in love. Reconnect with life. Or perhaps, just gaze at one of the most beautiful places on ear th.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE FIRST ANNUAL
Los Angeles Food & Wine OCTOBER 13-16, 2011
A Tribute to Daniel Bolud
PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING
Co-Founders David Alan Bernahl, II Robert Weakley Vice President, Operations Anand Menon Corporate Executive Chef Mark Ayers Vice President, Brand Relations James Velarde
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LA's Culinary Roots
Brand Relations Jordan Funk Event Manager Beth Lane Senior Event Coordinator Tonyia D. Sampognaro Media and Press Relations Sarah Potter Executive Wine Director Lara Sailer Long Chief Financial Officer Lisa Kohrs Operations Assistant Kelly Thaanum Accounting Michaela Weakley Culinary Team Ian Appelt Matt Bencivenga Josellyne Del Rosario Dory Ford Dorothy Maras-Ildiz Rob Osborne Tawnee Palmer Cellar Managers Jay Perrin Thamin Saleh
CONTENTS
12 16 32 33 35
"He has an incredible heart, and is, in my opinion, New York city's definitive chef" - Daniel Humm
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Event Operations Thomas Fichera Alex Guillen Gary Obligacion Devin Padgett Claudia Sawyer Alan Semsar William Townsend Joan Wrede Sponsorship Support Manager Christopher Holguin Amber Jacroux Website Design and Development La Visual Sun Star Media
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Contributing Design Iatesta Design, Carmel, CA Contributing Writers Alia Akkam Lesley Balla Mike Hale Joshua Lurie Jeff Miller Epicure Los Angeles Food & Wine was produced and published by The Monterey County Herald Gary Omernick, Publisher Robert Powell, Advertising Director Jacqueline Peeler, Graphic & Content Designer Vanessa Ramirez, Graphic Designer & Page Layout Lucia Fernandez, Page Layout Meena Lewellen, Special Sections Coordinator
LA's Culinary Roots Setting trends 30 years ago and again today
Volunteer Coordinator Margo Daniels Wine Program Andrea Fulton Bonnie Graves Seth Kunin
Welcome Letter Our Sponsors A Letter from Wolfgang Puck Benefiting St. Vincent Meals on Wheels Tribute to Daniel Bolud
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Schedule of Events
54
Venue Map
62
Cooking Demos
77
The Chefs
147 Bye Bye Bottle Service Exploring the State of the Bar in LA
149 The Sommeliers 161 Live Entertainment 164 Celebrating 5 years of Pebble Beach Food & Wine 170 Wine Tasting Notes 193 The Wineries 217 Special Thanks NEITHER THIS MAGAZINE NOR ANY ELEMENT THEREOF, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, TEXT, GRAPHICS, IMAGES, PHOTOGRAPHS, LIKENESSES, OR OTHER MATERIALS, MAY BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, UPLOADED, POSTED, TRANSMITTED, OR REDISTRIBUTED WITHOUT THE PRIOR EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT Of COASTAL LUXURY MANAGEMENT. TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS, AND LOGO DESIGNS OWNED BY THIRD PARTIES ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS AND ARE USED BY PERMISSION.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Los Angeles Food & Wine Co-founders
Robert Weakley
Friends & Foodies, Amazingly we reach the summit of what has been a two year process of planning the first ever Los Angeles Food & Wine Event. It’s always remarkable to watch mere ideas become breathing, living concepts that we can touch, taste, feel, and enjoy. When a concept is pushed to its potential and that potential is realized, great things can happen… and people around it feel the effects and the benefits of its journey and its presence. In this case… memories will be made, enjoyment will be had by all, and a lasting positive impact will be left on a local community charity. For our inaugural year, more than 100 of the country’s best chefs and 300 of the world’s greatest wines come together to showcase their best across the entertainment capital of the world, creating the largest first year culinary event in the country. With them, we celebrate 70 unique events that highlight the cultural and culinary diversity of Los Angeles’ neighborhoods. Finally we mix that all up with an incredible lineup of live musical performances and celebrity appearances. What’s even more amazing is that while we sip and savor throughout the weekend, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, an amazing local charity that feeds thousands in need every single day, is feeling a positive impact. So many amazing partners came together to make this inaugural event possible. We look back at the countless sun-filled patio meetings with Wolfgang Puck at Spago while we contemplated how to best carry on the 28 year tradition of giving at the American Wine and Food Festival or the hours, days, and months we worked with our friends at dick clark productions creating new unique ways to celebrate this great culinary city. We reminisce on walk through after walk through with our partners at L.A. LIVE, where we would envision a Nokia Plaza filled with the greatest chefs and wineries. We could not be more appreciative of the unending support from our partners at American Express Publishing and Lexus who saw our vision from its infancy and helped make it a reality. We are utterly thrilled to welcome you to the inaugural Los Angeles Food & Wine, an event built for those who share a passion for food & wine. We hope that this weekend will be filled with memories, friendship, decadence, and fun. This event is for you. Never hesitate to share with us what you’d like to see as Los Angeles Food & Wine grows. We’re committed to making this one of the greatest events in the world. To all of our guests, chefs, wineries, sommeliers, mixologists, partners, sponsors, and friends… thank you, this wouldn’t be possible without your support. Cheers,
David Alan Bernahl, II
JOIN US ON:
#lafw
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
“SPECTACULAR AND DAZZLING! AN ELECTRIFYING CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF FRANK SINATRA.”
Frank Sinatra © Sid Avery, Photo by Ruven Afanador
– NEW YORK TIMES
OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 6 10+ GROUPS SPECIAL SERVICE!
BroadwayLA.org 800.982.2787
866-755-3075 • NedGroups.com
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Thank You to Our Sponsors
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Thank You to Our Sponsors Official Card of LAFW
www.montereyherald.com
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Monterey County’s Health Magazine
Exquisit
August 2011
ESTAT ES
OF MO NT
EREY
e
BAY
The eyes have it All about eye health In Monterey County
MON
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Y CO U
NTY’
S LU XU
RY H OME
MAG
August
AZIN
E
2011
You know events – we know publishing! The Monterey County Herald is your event partner. We produce superior quality event programs with attention to detail. THE MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD PRODUCES: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am official program Big Sur International Marathon official program Epicure — The Pebble Beach Food & Wine official program First Tee Open spectator guide Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix official program
Contact Robert Powell for information on producing your official event program. Phone: 831-646-4301 Email: rpowell@montereyherald.com
Life happens every day. So does The Herald. www.montereyherald.com
Imagine a city wide celebration…Imagine the largest first year food and wine event in the nation with over 70 venues, over 100 Chefs and over 300 wines. Only the team at Coastal Luxury Management has the vision and passion to undertake such a phenomenal feat. Congratulate Coastal Luxury Management on meticulously pairing the finest celebrity chefs and world-class wineries to create a stupendous city-wide celebration! Welcome food and wine aficionados! It is time to tempt your palette with exquisite culinary masterpieces, delectable libations and world-class wines. The seventy plus event line-up promises to display the culinary diversity of Los Angeles neighborhoods with once in a lifetime events such as: Red Carpet Premiere at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles, Lexus LIVE On The Plaza at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles, The Tribute Dinner to Daniel Boulud at the Montage in Beverly Hills, I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills, California Clambake with Tom Colicchio at The Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica, Lunch at RED O with Guest Chef Mark Kiffin in Hollywood and “Decadence,” Hosted By Sherry Yard — coined “LA’s Sweetest After Party” at the AT&T Center in Downtown Los Angeles. This is just a sampling of what to expect ; see the complete listing of once in a lifetime events on page 51. Please take the opportunity to explore the Los Angeles Food & Wine Epicure program as you read about all the remarkable individuals locally and nationally that are here to craft enchanting moments and memories that will last a lifetime in support of the St Vincent Meals on Wheels, a charity that has prepared and served a total of 1,172,282 meals with the help of over 275 volunteers driving 226,185 miles in 2010. The Monterey County Herald had the tremendous privilege of producing the official program for the 4th Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine and now the 1st Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine. I am extremely honored that Coastal Luxury Management designated The Monterey County Herald in partnership with the Los Angeles Newspaper Group the privilege of producing this year’s official program for The 1st Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine. Thank you to all who supported and contributed diligently to this magnificent publication. The 1st Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Epicure program is epic with 220 pages spotlighting over 100 incredibly respected chefs and over 200 world-class wineries. Sip, savor and indulge in all that Los Angeles has to offer. Cheers!
Robert Powell
Robert Powell Director of Advertising & Marketing The Monterey County Herald
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ROMÉO JULIETTE et
starring
and
conducted by
VITTORIO GRIGOLO
NINO MACHAIDZE
PLÁCIDO DOMINGO
LAOpera.com 213.972.8001 plácido domingo eli and edythe broad general director james conlon richard seaver music director
original photo: ©Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala
charles gounod
WITH PROJECTED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
NOV 6–26 ORIGINAL PRODUCTION AND REVIVAL MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS GIFT FROM THE
MARC AND EVA STERN FOUNDATION
official timepiece of la opera
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
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WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL 2011/12 From jazz vocals to classic horror, this season has it all.
SING THE TRUTH! with
ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO DIANNE REEVES LIZZ WRIGHT
JANE KRAKOWSKI Sun OCT 23
Sat OCT 22 Generously sponsored by Acura
ORGAN & FILM
GORAN BREGOVIC´
THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
and his WEDDING and FUNERAL ORCHESTRA
Clark Wilson organ Sun OCT 30
Wed OCT 26 Media sponsor: 89.9 KCRW
Media sponsor: Laemmle Theatres
Get Your Tickets Today! LAPhil.com • 323.850.2000 Groups (10+): 323.850.2050 Programs, artists, prices and dates subject to change
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL Music Director
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©Bring It On The Musical LLC. All Rights Reserved.
! n o s n a m h A Y L B A K UNMISTA “NOTHING LIKE YOU EXPECTED AND EVERYTHING YOU WILL LOVE.” —AOL.com
5-SHOW SEASON TICKETS start at
99
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Oct 30 – Dec 10, 2011
“THRILLING, EMOTIONALLY CHARGED, AND AS MOVING as anything on Broadway!” —Charles Isherwood, The New York Times
SAY “HELLO GORGEOUS” to a new STAR. the groundbreaking BROADWAY musical
Jan 15 – Feb 26, 2012
Mar 13 – Apr 22, 2012
“More than a musical. AN ECSTACTIC PHENOMENON!”
Photo by © Simon Annand.
Photos by Monique Carboni.
—Time Out, New York
Apr 25 – June 3, 2012
“GENIUS isn’t too strong a word to describe this astonishing production.” —Daily Telegraph, London
TONY AWARD® WINNER – BEST PLAY 2011
June 13 – July 22, 2012
season sponsors
Ahmanson Theatre
213.972.4444 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
For almost 30 years, it has been my honor to host the American Wine & Food Festival, one of the country’s longest running food and wine events. Due to your support and generosity over the years, we have been fortunate enough to raise more than $15 Million for local charities, namely the Meals on Wheels program of Greater Los Angeles. I am very excited and proud to see AWFF will live on through a bigger and better event that will ultimately help us increase our charitable impact while showcasing this great culinary city. For years I have had a wish to give the already successful AWFF a breath of fresh air and grow it into something bigger and better. I wished for an event that could raise more awareness for the amazing culinary community here in Los Angeles as well as the benefitting charities. When David Bernahl and Robert Weakley from Coastal Luxury Management (CLM) told me about their plans for a citywide, 4-day, high- end culinary experience in Los Angeles, I was amazed and felt this could be the perfect way for the AWFF to live on. Carrying on in the tradition and quality of Pebble Beach Food & Wine, CLM and I are proud to launch the most exciting new culinary event LA has ever seen, Los Angeles Food & Wine. I am so very excited to work with CLM, who has partnered with L.A. LIVE, AEG, American Express Publishing, Lexus, LA Inc, dineLA, and dick clark productions to continue the charitable giving tradition of AWFF.
Wolfgang Puck
This weekend is going to be amazing!!! Los Angeles Food & Wine pairs celebrity chefs, celebrity talent, the best food, the best wines, and charitable giving all right here in our beautiful city of Los Angeles! I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting our inaugural event and helping to make it a success for St Vincent Meals on Wheels and for Los Angeles! Cheers
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
St. Vincent Meals On Wheels 2200 W. Third Street., Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90057 213-484-7325 Fax 213-484-5323 www.stvincentmow.org
WELCOME! After 35 years, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels’ commitment to serve L.A.’s hungry and homebound seniors is stronger than ever, but without our friends, our mission would go unfulfilled. For nearly 30 years, it has been our honor to be the recipient of the proceeds generated from the American Wine & Food Festival, one of the country’s longest running food and wine events. Now with the Los Angeles Food & Wine, we are thrilled to expand on the 28 years of tradition to an event that spans the great city of Los Angeles. As the largest privately funded Meals on Wheels program in the country, we depend on partnerships and support from the community in which we live to ensure that we are able to continue to prepare and deliver over 4,700 meals a day throughout Los Angeles. Most of our clients are too frail or ill to buy or prepare simple meals. Many struggle to live on small fixed incomes that fall below the poverty level. Our mission is simple, to prepare and deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles. We serve anyone in need, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion or ability to pay. Imagine being hungry…imagine being alone. While we are dining in the most unique venues, having the most inspired food and wine pairings and enjoying world class entertainment, the First Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine will be raising funds to make sure that our homebound seniors will continue being fed. Loyal and caring friends like Wolfgang Puck and Los Angeles Food & Wine have placed their trust in our ability to deliver food and love, day after day, year after year, to those who need us the most. We want to thank each and every one of you for supporting our efforts and thus raising your voices on behalf of those who have none. We celebrate you and all you do to help transform the lives of those in need for the better, one meal at a time. By attending these fantastic events, you are also helping to provide the financial support for the next hot meal for a homebound senior. Personally, that warms my heart beyond compare. I hope it does the same for you. Much thought and effort and planning have gone into making this four day city-wide, City of Angels event an experience to remember. The most highly regarded chefs and vintners in the world have come together for this unique celebration of Food and Wine in the spirit of giving something back to a cause that is so worthy of your support, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels. For your support, we are forever grateful.
Sincerely and with gratitude,
Sister Alice Marie Quinn, D.C. Executive Director St. Vincent Meals on Wheels
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WICKED IS FLYING BACK TO LOS ANGELES.
PANTAGES THEATRE NOVEMBER 30, 2011 – JANUARY 29, 2012 TICKETS ON SALE NOW Ticketmaster (800) 982-2787, BroadwayLA.org Box Office Open Daily 10am-6pm Group Sales 20+ Call (866)755-3075 NedGroups.com
wickedthemusical.com • Grammy® Award-Winning Cast Recording available on Decca Broadway
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Tribute to a Culinary Master…
daniel boulud W
hen Daniel Boulud moved his restaurant, Daniel, into a larger, swankier space in 1999, Ruth Reichl, then food critic for the New York Times, wrote, “How’s the food? Do you really need to ask? If you were a fan of Daniel, you know what to expect: First-rate French food from a talented chef at the peak of his powers.” What’s remarkable is that over a decade later, those exact words still ring true. Instead of resting on his laurels, the magnetic French chef, now one of the world’s most lauded, is just as committed and ambitious as ever. Daniel, the first restaurant Boulud opened in New York City after snagging a James Beard Award as executive chef of Le Cirque, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2013. Today, dining at the restaurant still elicits a thrill among patrons, old and new. This excitement is testament not only to Boulud’s food but his dedication to constantly improve. “The restaurant has evolved, always on an upward path,” Boulud shares. “The mentors I trained with in France were all three Michelin star chefs, so their standards of excellence are what guided me, but not necessarily the stars themselves. Those did
eventually come, soon after Michelin established a guide in New York. But my team and I are cooking to delight people.” Enthralling customers, providing them with a memorable experience that is out of reach in any other dining room, is the hallmark of each of Boulud’s restaurants, of which there are now many: Café Boulud, db Bistro Moderne, DBGB Kitchen and Bar, Bar Pleiades, Bar Boulud, Boulud Sud, and Epicerie Boulud in New York; Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Florida; db Bistro Moderne in Miami; Bar Boulud in London; Maison Boulud in Beijing; db Bistro Moderne in Singapore; and the soon-toopen Maison Boulud in Montreal. Because of his surroundings, Boulud was inspired to cook early on. “I had the great fortune of being born in Lyon, where even as a young boy, I was surrounded by so many of France’s greatest chefs. Observing their craftsmanship, creativity, and professionalism, and the respect they had in the community, had a tremendous influence,” he recounts. Living on a farm also fostered Boulud’s deep reverence for ingredients: “At home we just ate what we grew. In fact, my family’s farm supplied local chefs.”
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
At his restaurants, starting with Daniel, Boulud has long emphasized seasonal ingredients as a guiding principle. “Daniel has always been a French restaurant that reflects my heritage, but it’s also a restaurant that has New York and New Yorkers and their unique energy in mind. It’s not a restaurant you would find in Paris or Lyon. Our cooking is rooted in French tradition and always inspired by the season, but in a way that is really geared to this town and its tastes,” Boulud explains. “When I opened I wanted to create a really wonderful neighborhood place, only the neighborhood happened to be the Upper East Side of Manhattan, possibly the most sophisticated in the country.”
everything from a great burger at db Bistro to a hot dog at DBGB to perfect take-out lobster salad at Epicerie Boulud. Daniel’s integrity, talent, and humor are always fused, which makes sense for a guy whose most famous dish back in ‘88 was sea scallops in a black tie.” “Daniel’s singular ability to delight and inspire diners with every one of his remarkable restaurants places him at the top of a very short list of the world’s best chefs,” Christina Grdovic, Food & Wine’s publisher, continues. “Selfishly, we count ourselves very fortunate that Food & Wine’s NYC offices are literally across the street from db Bistro. When we’re traveling, we love that we can dine in Daniel Boulud restaurants from Miami to London and Singapore. While we adore his food, we feel the same way about spending time with Daniel especially when he serves late-night scrambled eggs and Champagne.” By the time Ruth Reichl started reviewing his restaurants, Boulud had long paid his dues, she recalls: “He was about to explode. He’s an extraordinary chef, not just talented but an extraordinary manager and charismatic. There aren’t a lot of people at his level building a team who can translate a vision. He’s tireless.”
Boulud got his start in New York at the Polo Lounge at The Westbury Hotel. “Coming to New York in my late ‘20s was a defining presence in setting the pace for my career,” he shares. It was at the Polo Lounge where Boulud worked with another chef who would also be catapulted into culinary stardom: Thomas Keller, now Boulud’s partner in the creation of the Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation. “I’ve known Daniel since 1983 so it qualifies me to say in all honesty that on occasion, I believe Daniel wishes he were Thomas Keller. That’s ok. He’s French and sometimes thinks he is American, so I’ll give him that much. But with that said, the shoe is also on the other foot and I wish I were French and Daniel Boulud,” Keller jokes. “In all seriousness, however, I am proud to say we’ve enjoyed a wonderful friendship through the years--one that is long lasting, one that I’ve cherished, and one that has afforded both of us many great memories. Because at the end of the day, it is all about these shared memories. While we were born continents apart, we share a kinship that is without equal.” Many of Boulud’s relationships are long lasting. “At Food & Wine we’ve been avid Daniel Boulud fans ever since we named him Best New Chef in 1988 when he was at Le Cirque. Back then we were dazzled by his modern cooking with French technique,” says the magazine’s editorin-chief, Dana Cowin. “In the intervening years we’ve watched him experiment - and succeed- at 36
Daniel Humm, revered chef at New York City’s Eleven Madison Park and close friend of Boulud, concurs: “He never, ever runs out of energy. Every single time I have gone out with Daniel, I go to bed first. I am the young Daniel, but he makes me feel old.” This innovative spirit propels Boulud to tackle new territory with the same precision and soul as his iconic restaurants. Consider how he brightened a stuffy Lincoln Center dining scene: first with charcuterie at Bar Boulud, then refined Mediterranean flavors at Boulud Sud and eat-in and take-out market and café, Épicerie Boulud. “It’s the first time I’ve done something that’s not a traditional sit-down restaurant,” Boulud notes. DBGB Kitchen and Bar was another departure for Boulud, where sausage and beer is what lures in guests to this casual brasserie meets tavern. According to Boulud, “The DNA of my restaurants is definitely French, but filtered through almost three decades of life in New York. So that’s the common thread you’ll find throughout. You’ll also find I don’t mind breaking the mold of the French chef and teasing my guests with things like great burgers – in the right setting. But I take the same care with those burgers at DBGB as I do with a tasting menu at Daniel. The only way to accomplish that is with a very strong team. I’m surrounded by very dedicated people who make it happen with me every day.”
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DANIEL’S FAVORITES What is your earliest food memory? At age 6 my parents took me to St Malo in Brittany for my very first trip to the beach. Coming from a small inland farming village, it made a big impression. What really stayed with me was the towering platter of seafood we had at a local restaurant. It was at least two feet tall, piled with crabs, pink shrimp, lobster, oysters, and snails. Now I serve platters just like it at DBGB Kitchen and Bar. What food is your biggest weakness? Avocados. I had my first one at age 15 at Nandron, the restaurant where I was apprenticing in Lyon. I snuck a piece as I was preparing the famous crayfish salad. Now I have one almost every day. One food you don’t like? Bananas – it’s led to the occasional altercation with my pastry chef.
Sang Y Yoon, oon, o th the he L Los os Angeles chef wh who o is widely credited cr edited with h rrevolutionizing evolutionizing the high-quality, h high-quality , casual food food cr craze c aze with F Father’s ather ’s Offic Office ce in Santa Monica, is one e of those collaborators. collaborators.. Yoon Yo oon first first before cooking met Boulud 14 4 years years ago, ago, the night bef oec or ooking att his firs firstt Jam James Beard dinner.. ““A crazy azy estaurant a mes Bear d dinner A cr y rrestaurant crawl” cr awl” ensued ensued,, as did a ffew ew hours in
For a rejuvenating escape, where is your favorite place to travel? I would escape for a week to Chef Michel Guérard’s Les Prés d’Eugenie, in Eugenie Les Bains for incredible pampering, fine dining, and the ultimate spa. All I’d need with me: A good book and a good travel companion. Guérard was one of the first to develop a true spa cuisine, and one that is deeply satisfying.
Daniel’ss coveted skybox Subway Daniel’ covetted sk ybox to to watch watch the th he Sub way Eric Series. “It was was like like a guitarist guitarist meeting g g Er ric Clapton,” Clapt p on,,” Yoon. young chef,, thiss w was very rreflects eflects Y oon.. ““As As a y oung chef as v ery impressionable.” impr essionable e.”
What’s playing on your iPod? Phoenix, the hottest French rock band; Renée Fleming’s La Traviata; Joao Gilberto
The have playful rivalry over T he two two chefss ha ve a pla yful riv alry o ver who has better burger, Boulud the bett er bu rger, but sstill, till, when Bou lud set out tto o open DBGB DBGB, B, it w was as Y Yoon oon he turned to o to for for help, help, sending staff staff to to Los Los Angeles to to become becom me savvy savvy in the rrealms ealms of beer and wine served served on n tap under Y oon’s guidance. guidan nce. “If a legend lik e Dan niel Boulud Yoon’s like Daniel asks you you something, something, it ’s a tr emendouss honor ’s it’s tremendous honor.. It It’s lik e God calling gy ou,” Y o oon points out. like you,” Yoon
What inspires you? The ingredients I cook with, the seasons that define my menus, and the young talent on my team of my chefs. When you’re not at one of your own restaurants, where is your favorite place in New York to enjoy a nice, elegant meal?
Boulud’ can--do attitude attitude is also vis sible in his Boulud’ss can-do visible social interactions. interac ctions. Reichl Reichl fondly fondly remembers remembers when Gourmet Gourme et celebrated celebrated its 60th anniversary a anniv ersary a ey Museum and Boulud sstopped topped b y, att the Whitne Whitney by, spontaneously y inviting inviting 7 0 people tto o c ome by by 70 come Café Boulud afterwards. a erwards. “This aft “This w wasn’t asn’t planned p y yet et sstaff taff w were ere sna snapping pping white white tablecloths and a pas passing sing hors d d’ oeuvress and Champagne as sstunned; tunned; he d’oeuvres Champagne.. I w was should be a ge eneral,” she laughs. general,”
The newly redesigned Le Bernardin, Jean Georges for lunch, Corton when I go downtown, Eleven Madison Park, Adour, and the ultimate NYC classic: The Four Seasons What city, anywhere in the world, do you think has the most dynamic food scene now? San Sebastian, Chicago, Singapore, and Los Angeles
“Daniel’s singular “Daniel’s s ability to to delight and inspire insp pirre diners with every ev verry one of his remarkable reemark kable restaurants reestaurrants a s places places him at at thee top top of a very verry short shorrt list list of the world’s w orld’’s be best est chefs” – Christina Christina Gr G Grdovic, dovic, Food Fo ood & Wine Magazine Magazin ne 37
Humm also highlights Boulud’s bigheartedness: “He came for dinner at Campton Place just months after I arrived in America, and after dinner asked if he could meet the chef. The conversation we had in the dining room that night was the beginning of one of my most valued friendships, and hearing him speak highly of my food was one of the most motivational moments of my life as a chef. Daniel is the consummate host; you walk into his restaurants and always feel an incredible sense of warmth. He has always been generous with me, not only with things, but with himself, always willing to give advice and support. He has an incredible heart, and is, in my opinion, New York City’s definitive chef.” When Humm was invited to cook at the James Beard House while still at Campton Place, Boulud offered up the kitchen at Daniel to prep. “At the end of the day, when we had finished our work and were getting ready to leave, he insisted that we all stay and dine with his compliments in the skybox,” Humm muses. “The meal was incredible, but it was his generosity that was so humbling. He sat with us, and we exchanged stories for hours over great food and wine- it was a night I will never forget.” Boulud is not just kind to his friends; he has been an active member of Citymeals-on-Wheels, which delivers meals to homebound senior citizens, since 1998, when he first hosted a dinner at Daniel. Now,
he serves on the board of directors. “We were closing the first restaurant Daniel to prepare for our move. There was such a clamor to be there on the last night, we realized we could leverage that demand to do something really important. But in my charitable approach, I wanted to focus on feeding people. A restaurant guest introduced me to Citymeals. Working with them, my staff and I have a sense of serving needy people who are a part of our local community, but are now often forgotten” Beth Shapiro, who first met Boulud as Citymeals’ Director of Marketing and Communications, and now serves as Executive Director, notes how Boulud has helped raise millions for the non-profit organization: “He helps gather different chefs, and is never satisfied with just okay; every event has to make more than the last. He personally gets on the phone and rallies people. He’s a fabulous auctioneer who woos the crowd.” Boulud, who was the first person to send Shapiro a congratulatory note on her promotion, “understands he is lucky and privileged to do what he loves and be successful at it,” according to Shapiro. “He gives back, and it only makes sense he gives back with food.” But the reason for Boulud’s success is simple, believes Yoon: “He is a straightforward guy, and truthful and passionate from the heart.”
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
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39
LA‘S CULINARY ROOTS SETTING TRENDS 30 YEARS AGO AND AGAIN TODAY by Lesley Balla Wolfgang Puck
F
orr far o far ttoo oo man many y y years, earrs, primarily thanks t anks to tha to mo movies vies and reality rea ality T.V., T.V., the Los L os Angeles dining scene scene e has been lumped sproutsoutslump ped into into two two categories: categorie es: spr loving loving and celeb-drenched. celeb-drenched. And, really, really, we we have have plenty of restaurants res staurants tto o support those e claims. But today, today, L.A. is s seen as a new new culinary mecca, mecca, and as a magnet for forr the best best and brightest brightest cu culinary ulinary talent from from around around d the c country. ountry. F For or the ffood-obsessed, ood-obsessed, this is e exactly where everyone wants be.. xactly wher ee veryone w ants tto o be
Jeremiah combined Jer emiah Tower Tower and Alice Alice Waters, Waters, the c ombined group shape what known gr oup would would o what soon became b kno wn “California cuisine.”And spread through as “Calif o ornia cuisine .”And it spr ea ad thr ough the country like c ountry li ike wildfire. wildfire. We have tree Los W e ha ve a lush rrestaurant estaurant ffamily amily tr ee in L os Angeles, where where the culinary lineage lineage can be traced traced from matriarchs like McCarty,, fr om the patriarchs patriarchs and ma triarch hs lik e McCarty Puck, P uck, Silverton Silv verton and Joachim Splichal Splic chal directly directly to to stars scene Think th s the tars off our dining di i sc ene today. tod d y. T da hi k off it hink we this way: way: If it weren’t weren’t for for Michael’s, Michael’s, s w e might not have Sang Yoon’s Father’s or ha ve San ng Y o oon’s F ather ’s Office. Office. Or if not ffor Spago,, ma maybe wouldn’t have come Spago m ybe Campanile w ouldn’t ha ve c ome Mozza, tto o be, be, which wh hich would would mean no Mo zz za, and then no Spice Table, Bryant Ng’s Singaporean-Vietnamese Spic eT ab able, Bry ant Ng’ s Singapor e eanVietnamese different are, rrestaurant estauran nt downtown. downtown. As diff eren nt as they they ar e, they’re alll ine inextricably the y’re al xtricably tied ttogether. ogethe er. played important One restaurant resta aurant that that pla yed an im mportant rrole ole in now—here across the genesis genes sis of how how we we eat eat no w—h h e and acr her oss Michael’s, eponymous the country—is country—is Michael’ s, McCarty’s McCarty’s epon ymous debuted 1979. Santa Monica Mo onica spot that that debut ed in n 19 79.
It wasn’t wasn’t much m different different 30 years years ago ago,, when places places like like Michael’s, M Michael’ s, Spago and Patina Patina we’re we’re at at the forefront forefrontt of a ne new w culinary w world orld or o order. der. T These hese restaurants restaurants helped h launch the careers careers s of man many y of today’s Waxman, today’s celebrity celeb brity chefs: When Jonathan Jonatha an W axman, Mark Peel Nancy Silverton wanted Peel and a Nanc y Silv erton w an nted tto o find their ffooting kitchen, they went work ooting g in the kit chen, the yw entt tto ow ork ffor or Michael McC McCarty Wolfgang Puck, Carty and W olfgang P uck k, two two of the most of their most innovative innovative chefs and restaurateurs restaurateurs e time.. Along with Northern Californian like time California an chefs lik e 40
bestt “Back then, the en, if you you asked asked anyone anyone what what the bes rrestaurant estauran nt was was in town, town, you you would’ve would’ve been ttold old classic French like says a clas sic Fr ench restaurant restaurant lik e L’Ermitage,” L’Ermitage,” sa ys McCarty.. ““And you wanted cook, McCarty And if y ou w anted tto oc o ook, the rule of thumb was was a Escoffier, Escoffier, which meantt no variation variation of theme,, no concept, theme no rregional egional c oncept, no ffarm-to-table. arm-to-table. I wanted w anted to to change that.” that. t” McCarty and his opening chefs—Jonathan chefs—Jonathan Waxman, W axman, Ken Ken Frank Frank and Mark k Peel Peel among them—used picked them—us sed classic classic ttechniques echniques tthey hey pick ed up European kitchens culinary in Eur ope ean kit chens and culinar ry schools, and introduced fresh, produce intr oduced e fr esh, locally rraised aised pr p oduce tto o the was menus. It w as the beginning of a food food o rrevolution. evolution.
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
“We were very simple… we loved the foundations of French cooking. We grilled a lot. We used fresh vegetables. We understood that we needed nouvelle cuisine, and that what was the norm is no longer. It got a lot people thinking.” — Michael McCarty In the 80s, when McCarty took the concept to New York, there were a few restaurants like it on the East Coast. Some that had a direct link to his own kitchen. In addition to Waxman—who was already doing a California-centric menu at Jams in New York back then and now owns Barbuto in Manhattan—the list of chefs that came out of Michael’s kitchen reads like a who’s who of the food world : Gordon Naccarato, who ran L.A.’s popular Monkey Bar in the 90s, and is now with Pacific Grille in Takoma, WA; Roy Yamaguchi, founder of the Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion group; and Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton, who met there and eventually went on to open Campanile and La Brea Bakery. This was also the time when farmers’ markets were coming onto the scene, most importantly the Santa Monica market, which debuted in 1981. Now, farm-to-table cuisine is de rigueur; then, it was practically unheard of. “Part of it was getting the farmers to grow some of these ingredients we wanted,” says McCarty. “The other part was finding a marketplace for it. But we knew that, even if the product was more expensive, the chefs would want them. And then as more diners came to the restaurants and learned about certain things, they’d want to buy them for home, to use at their own dinner table. And now look at how many markets there are!” As a young 20-something, Silverton thought Michael’s was one of the most cutting-edge restaurants in the country. After discovering her love of cooking in college, the Los Angeles native went to study at the Cordon Bleu in France, and when she returned to the States, she went to Michael’s for dinner with her parents. This, she decided, was the place to be. “Besides Chez Panisse, there was very little happening in the Bay Area at the time,” she recalls. “L.A. just had a more dynamic food scene, not only with Ma Maison, but also Michael’s, which had just opened. I loved the attention to the food, it was edgy. It was controversial.” Being a pastry chef was the farthest thing from Silverton’s mind when she went to work at
Nancy Silverton
Michael’s. She was first put on ordering duty using a new computerized system in the front of the house, which wasn’t her forte. (“I swear, it’s why I never use computers to this day,” she laughingly says.) And then, knowing she wanted to get into the kitchen, Waxman, who was executive chef at the time, told her to work with pastry chef Jimmy Brinkley. She figured it was one step closer to the hot line, where she really wanted to work and learn. So she took the job. “This was one of the first restaurants to make their own desserts,” Silverton recalls. “But at Michael’s, not only was Jimmy making the desserts, he was making desserts that didn’t really have names. It was the first time I saw desserts listed by ingredient instead of by name.” She admits she wouldn’t be where she is today if it wasn’t for Michael’s, or for Waxman giving her a chance, and for Brinkley. It’s also where she met her future husband and business partner, Mark Peel, who convinced her to work with Wolfgang Puck at his new Italian-inspired restaurant, Spago. Like many young chefs, Puck came here to work in what was fast becoming one of the most exciting restaurant scenes in the country. In 1975, he took over the reins at the French restaurant Ma Maison. But he was most pivotal in shaping his version of California cuisine when he opened Spago on the Sunset Strip in 1982. 41
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Through the years, Spago, both the original and the current Beverly Hills location, became home ground for many of L.A.’s greatest chefs. Peel and Silverton worked there for two years before they opened Campanile and La Brea Bakery. Sherry Yard, the queen of sweets, and chef Lee Hefter continue doing great things for the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group across the country. Husband and wife team Suzanne Goin and David Lentz, who now have six restaurants between them (Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern and three Hungry Cats), met there. Govind Armstrong (8 oz.) peeled potatoes as a teenager in the Spago kitchen, and Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Neal Fraser (Grace, BLD), and Quinn Hatfield (Hatfield’s) all did turns at the stoves. “Places like Spago and Michael’s were about mentoring, where we got support and encouragement,” says Silverton. “More people stay with Wolf because he has so many restaurants to move around. He always said, ‘They’ll leave me, so I open more.’”
more schooling, and upon her return, she landed at Patina. Now she owns and operates four successful restaurants in Northern California: the much heralded Jardinere, Mijita and Public House in San Francisco, and Manzanita in Lake Tahoe. Octavio Becerra, now with Palate Food + Wine, was at Patina in the beginning. Joe Miller, who worked with Splichal for several years before branching out on his own, took what he learned and opened a more casual version at Joe’s in Venice, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Eric Greenspan was the last chef at the original Patina before it moved to the Disney Concert Hall downtown, and now he owns the super popular Foundry on Melrose. Walter Manzke, who many herald as one of L.A.’s best new chefs, grew at Patina; he and his wife Margarita will open their own downtown restaurant and bakery, République, next year.
“I learned more from the one restaurant that didn’t work than from all the ones that were successes.” — Wolfgang Puck And he did: His reach is now global, with more than 20 fine dining and, an expansive number of casual restaurants around the world. By the time Joachim Splichal opened the first Patina in 1989, California cuisine was firmly planted in the mindset and palates of America. Stuffy French restaurants were on their way out, and people wanted to have more fun in the kitchen and dining room. He saw this as a time for more innovation. At Patina, Splichal created new experiences with tasting menus, and using seasonal and local ingredients. Indeed, these are almost overused buzzwords today, but the idea was fresh and new then. He blended Mediterranean flavors and French technique, and created a fine dining aesthetic, one he hoped would get better with age. “Like the name suggests,” he says. This was yet another restaurant for young chefs to cultivate their skills and talent, like Traci des Jardin, one of the first female executive chefs on the scene. She tried out for a job at Splichal’s 7th Street Bistro, where she ended up running her own station within two weeks. He sent her to France for
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Joachim Splichal
And that’s before we even get to Café Pinot, Zucca, Nick & Stef’s and the other myriad Patina Group restaurants. And even today, Splichal fosters up-and-coming talent, like Kris Morningstar, who’s making waves at Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA. “What I try to do is take the raw talent, but I don’t try to instill the creativity in them,” says Splichal. “I try to guide them, to direct them in the right direction so they are successful, so they have a good career path.” While buzzwords like “local” and “seasonal” were brand new when Michael’s started using them in the late 70s, they’re still widely used today. But our “California cuisine” is decidedly more robust and globally inspired. It’s no longer just Italian or
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
In 1979, soon after Michael’s opened in Santa Monica, McCarty (foreground) posed on the steps to the garden patio with (from left) his kitchen brigade: Jonathan Waxman, Mark Peel, and Ken Frank.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
French influe French influenced, enced, but more more regionally regiona g lly y influenc influenced ed fr from om those and other o Eur European opean c countries. ountrie es. A After fter W Wolfgang olfgang Puck’s P uck’s Chinois Chinois and Nobu Matsuhisa’s Matsuhisa a’s Matsuhisa Matsuhisa and Nobu, Asian n fla flavors vors ar are e mor more e pr prominent ominent in everything everything from fr om sushi tto o salads tto o ha having ving sak sake e on non-tr non-traditional aditional wine lists. lists. We We have have high-end Peruvian Peruvian n ffood ood no now, w, thanks tto o Picca Picca Peru’s Perru’s Ricar Ricardo do Zarate, Zarate, and dishes d from from remote remote corners c orners of Me M Mexico xico sho showing wing up in the lleast east lik likely ely plac places. es.
From FFrench-inspired From rench-inspirred Californian Calif ornian Cuisine ttoo Singaporean Singapor ean homee ccooking ooking
And chefs who’v who’ve w e trickled do down wn th the e branches branches of our culinary family fam mily tree tree continue continue to to open ope en new new restaurants restaurants across acr oss the city. c . Sang Y city Yoon, oon a Mich oon, Michael’s hael’s alum, hael alum serv serves es one of the best b t burgers bes burgers in town town at at tw ttwo o F Father’s ather ’s Offic Office e gastropubs, gas tropubs, and opened a wonderful wonderful Southeas Southeastt Asianinspired inspir ed restaurant, restaur t ant, Lukshon. Bryant Bryantt Ng, who w worked orked att both Cam a Campanile mpanile and Pizz Pizzeria eria Mo Mozza, z zza, has a ffantastic antastic Singaporean-Vietnamese Singapor ean n-Vietnamese rrestaurant, estaurant, T The he Spic Spice eT Table, able, in a Little Tokyo. To okyo. Vinny Vinny Dotolo Dotolo and Jon S Shook, hook, who w worked orked with Ben Ford Forrd and Govind Govind Armstrong Armstrong at at their rrestaurant, estaurant, Chadwick, now n w have no have two two of the hottest hotttest restaurants restaurants in Animal ttown, own, Anima al and Son of a Gun. What’s more, there’s new from Wha t’s mor e, ther e’s a whole ne w fleet fl of chefs fr om around ever-growing ar ound the country country hungry to to tap into into the e ver-growing scene. L.A. dining sc cene. We We have have chefs from from New New York, Yo ork, Chicago and San Francisco Francisco all clamoring tto o sstake take a claim, some them (Thomas Keller, rreturning eturning to to where where it all sstarted tarted ffor or the em (T homas K eller, one). ffor or one ).
WOLFGANG W OLFGANG PU PUCK CK Spago Smokedd salmon Smoked caviar and ca v pizza viar
Head pastry pastry chef at at Spago
It’s West Coast bounced It ’s as if the flavors flavors of the W est C oa ast bounc ed tto o the Eastt Coast, again, creating Eas Coast, around a ound the country ar country and back b creating richer,, more landscape day by day. a richer more delicious culinary land dscape da y b y da y. It’s, mostt e exciting It ’s, s once once again, aga ain one of the mos ain, xciting times for for dining here, everywhere, says her e, and e verywhere, sa ys McCarty
NANCY SILVERTON NANCY SILVVERTON Mozza Mo zza Pizza: Finnochiona F salame mozzarella, salame,, mozzarella, ttomato omato & FFresno resno chiles
This is what This what happens when these rrevolutions evolutions oc occur,” cur,” he adds. “T “There here has tto o be a plac place e where where it sstarts.” tarts.” All photos photos courtesy court o esy of of dineLA Chef fs Family Fa amily Tree Tree Project Project Chefs F or more o more c o onnections and gr eat visu ualizations visit the For connections great visualizations dineLA w ebssite a amilytr a ee.dineLA..com. website att ffamilytree.dineLA.com.
LLos o Angeles Chefs FFamily os am mily TTree ree
On opening tteam eam at at Pizzeria Pizz eria Mozza Mozza
BRYANT BR RYANT NNGG The Spice Sppice TTable able a B SSatay atay Lamb Belly
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Bubbles & Beats at Club Nokia Hosted By Sang Yoon
Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 MARQUEE EVENT 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM Red Carpet Premiere
L.A. LIVE - Club Nokia Time to turn up the volume and get your party hat on! We've got Beats, we've got Bubbles and we've got a Hot Spot that lets you rock out to both. Celebrate Thursday Night like you never have before - This is Bottle service on steroids as we pour on the bubbles to get you in the right mood for a night of rocking music, great tastes of food from celebrity chefs and a glimpse at the life of an A-Lister. No more waiting for New Year's Eve we are popping the bubbles right now. CHEFS: Chris Pandel, Jared Van Camp, Mitchell Rosenthal, and Steven Rosenthal
L.A. LIVE - Nokia Plaza Los Angeles – where celebrity meets celebrity chef! Thirty top chefs walk the red carpet in a gala kick-off night that transforms the Nokia Plaza into a culinary wonderland. Two hundred wineries from around the world will pour their very best alongside top breweries and distilleries. This is your chance to rub shoulders with culinary royalty while feasting and toasting all that makes LA great – from rock stars to rock star chefs to Hollywood elites and the elitist of wines, this is the night not to be missed.
Schedule of Events
Friday, Oct. 14, 2011
CHEFS: Tim Love, Daniel Boulud, Michael Cimarusti, Josiah Citrin, Bill Corbett, Robert Del Grande, Graham Elliot, Michael Ginor, Hubert Keller,Michael Mina, David Myers, Hiro Sone, Joachim Splichal, Floyd Cardoz, Bradley Ogden, Susan Feniger, John Sedlar, Ricardo Zarate, Kerry Simon, Sara Johannes, Lydia Shire, Sam Choy, Elizabeth Falkner, Donald Wressell, Ben Spungin, John Lechleidner, Craig von Foerster, Nona Sivley, Kent Torrey, Tony Esnault, Mary Sue Milliken, Megan Logan, and Jonathan Grahm
WINE SEMINAR 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Cult Wines and Perfect Pairings – A Rare Wine Tasting With Fromagier Kent Torrey JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE A hand-picked selection of exotic wines from the 1999 vintage including Abreu Madrona Ranch, Dunn Howell, Harlan Estate from the US and Château Latour, La Mondotte, Château Valandraud from France. This is an exceptional opportunity to taste a superb collection of wines and get to understand them in relation to a stellar line up of cheese which elevates the experience to spectacular heights. Kent Torrey from the acclaimed Cheese Shop in Carmel curates this splendid combination and hand picked every small part of this seminar.
AFTER HOURS PARTY 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English L.A. LIVE - Lucky Strike Thursday's late-night action is hosted by Lucky Strike and Chef Todd English at an after-hours party where pinot noir and pork reign supreme. Come taste the country's very best pinot noirs while Chef English and a team of select celebrity chef friends design an homage to the pig. Two very special guest DJs and six of Los Angeles' top mixologists round out the evening's excitement so come on out and join the fun. Non-Stop music, bacon and beverages … what else do you have planned for Thursday?
Caviar, Bacon & Bubbles With Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Start your epicurean weekend off right with this “Breakfast of Champs” hosted by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson whose expertise in matching food and wine is unparalleled. For this Friday morning feast, Andrea will showcase how caviar and pork are best paired with sparkling wines from around the world. Blinis and bubbles? Get your coffee early…and your tickets too; this wildly successful seminar sells out whenever Andrea presents it.
CHEFS: Todd English, Mark Estee, Ray Garcia, Mark Kiffin, Susan Spicer, Mindy Segal, and Bill Starbuck
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
LUNCH 11:30 AM - 2:30 AM A Fall Harvest Lunch at M.B. Post
Sip Like a Pro - Wines that Drink at Twice Their Price Hosted By Anthony Giglio
MB Post - Dining Room
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
The critically acclaimed Manhattan Beach Post in Manhattan Beach has been getting rave reviews since it opened. This lunch is a unique opportunity for Chef David LeFevre to partner with guest chefs Casey Thompson and Lincoln Carson to create a harmony of cuisine that will leave your spellbound. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Three-Course Menu inspired by the fall Harvest paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
Ever wonder what wine pros actually drink on their own time and dime? Ever feel like you’ve discovered a great wine value or conversely, feel like you overpaid for an overhyped wine that didn’t deliver? Wine expert, journalist, author and educator Anthony Giglio will lead you through a tasting of the former: amazing wines that taste like you paid double for them. Learn the insiders’ tricks of the trade, the secrets of how varietal, vintage and vigneron converge to create value that has smarty-pants sommeliers whipping out their credit cards.
Lunch At CUT With Guest Chef Paul Bartolotta
Burgundy's Brilliance: A Decade of Wines from Domaine de Hospices de Beaune
CUT - Dining Room A chic spot in the heart of Beverly Hills, CUT has become the place to see and to be seen and has garnered high praise from prestigious outlets and publications.This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join CUT's Executive Chef Ari Rosenson as he hosts renowned Chef Paul Bartolotta and they team for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE For the past 150 years, the winemakers of Burgundy have converged for the world’s most famous charitable wine auction, the legendary Hospices de Beaune held each fall on third weekend in November. This year at Los Angeles Food & Wine, we are excited to showcase the winemaking of Roland Masse who has designed the Domaine de Hospices de Beaune’s proprietary bottlings for the past decade. Come taste these exuberant chardonnays and pinot noirs as a panel of experts will guide us through the complexities of Burgundy’s terroirs and appellations. Presented by Christie’s, the world’s oldest auction house (1766). This is your passport to France – an opportunity to taste, buy and bottle legendary Burgundian wine without leaving LA. Did someone say Christmas gifts?
Lunch at WP 24 With Guest Iron Chef Morimoto WP24 - Dining Room Twenty four floors above the Los Angeles skyline sits WP24 by Wolfgang Puck at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at L.A. Live. The restaurant features Wolfgang's award-winning modern Chinese cuisine and reflects Puck's time spent in the Far East and passion for Asian ingredients and techniques. This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join WP 24's Executive Chef Sara Johannes as she hosts Iron chef Masaharu Morimoto and they team for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Lexus Presents - They Sing. They Act. They Cook? L.A. LIVE - Event Deck Two accomplished chefs; two of Hollywood’s elite; put them in the kitchen and suddenly the tables are turned. Of course, everyone’s culinary talent is bound to shine when an accomplished chef is thrown in the mix. Lexus gives you the opportunity to watch as Hollywood’s A-List are paired with Lexus Culinary Masters to prepare something delicious (and no doubt entertaining)! Two dynamic duos will collaborate to create a signature dish for your enjoyment. Needless to say…there will be more than food cooking in this kitchen. CHEFS: Michael Chiarello and Christopher Kostow CELEBRITY SOUS CHEFS: Busy Phillips and Eric Stonestreet
Lunch at Providence With Guest Chef Richard Reddington Providence Inspired by the natural abundance of coastal living, Providence is a fine dining destination offering an array of the world's premium wild seafood and shellfish presented in
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Hollywood hangout and so offers a tapas menu designed for a more relaxed dining experience.This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join Nobu's Executive Chef Nobu Matsuhisa as he hosts a guest chef and creates a memorable dining experience unlike any other. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
their purest form. Located on Melrose Ave, in the space formally occupied by the original Patina, the restaurant has been redesigned into a sleek and modern dining destination with subtle nods to its ocean heritage. This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join Providence's Executive Chef Michael Cimarusti as he hosts Chef Richard Reddington of REDD in Napa Valley and they team up for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
Lunch at Melisse With Guest Chef Douglas Keane Melisse
Simply Seasonal - Lunch at FIG With Guest Chef Graham Elliot
From the intriguing season-driven menu to its world-class wine list, Melisse is both a two Michelin Star Award winning restaurant and the recipient of Zagat’s highly coveted number one rated restaurant in Los Angeles since 2003. Situated in downtown Santa Monica, Melisse inspires all of the senses with its chic ambiance, superb, contemporary French cuisine and gracious service.This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join Melisse's Executive Chef Josiah Citrin as he hosts Executive Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus fame as they team up for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
FIG At FIG restaurant they put ingredients first. Their menu is built around what's in peak season and they always seeking out the region's best growers and producers. They also serve simple, bistro-inspired dishes that bring out the best of what nature has already put in –nothing experimental or overworked; just pure, flavorful ingredients delivered to your table.Come join Fig's Executive Chef Ray Garcia as he hosts Chef Graham Elliot from Chicago and Top Chef Master's fame as they team for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing chardonnay is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines from Far Niente, EnRoute, Nickel & Nickel as well as Dolce, all presented by Beth Nickel.
The Italian Table - Lunch at Mozza Osteria Mozza - Dining Room
Meat in the Middle - With Guest Chef Chris Cosentino
A four-course lunch with wine pairings is the perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon. Osteria Mozza is an Italian Restaurant owned by Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich's and Nancy Silverton. Its location is on the famous Melrose Avenue and borders the busy commercial area of Hollywood and an upscale residential neighborhood. This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join Osteria Mozza's Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina as they host Pastry Chef Gina DePalma of Babbo Resturant & Enoteca and they team for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
Lukshon Heads or Tails… or maybe both… Two of the most skilled whole animal chefs in the country, Sang Yoon (Father’s(Father’s Office and Lukshon) and Chris Cosentino (Incanto) will showcase the amazing decadence one animal can provide as they start from nose and the tail and finally “meat” in the middle. Trotters to tongue, belly to brisket, tail to tenderloin… this will be one amazing culinary experience you won’t want to miss. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
Lunch at Nobu With Guest Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino
Lunch at RED O With Guest Chef Mark Kiffin
Nobu
Red O
Nobu Los Angeles opened in the spring of 2008 and was designed by world renowned architect David Rockwell in the famed L'Orangerie space on La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood. The bar and lounge has become a local
RED O Restaurant with Mexican Cuisine by Rick Bayless is located along a bustling stretch of Melrose Ave. RED O’s bold, dramatic décor includes custom furnishings and ac-
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Food & Wine to showcase the inspired cuisine. Chef Daniel Elmaleh plays host to acclaimed Executive Chef Levi Mezick of 1833 in Monterey, Ca. Cleo's distinctly light and fresh menu evokes a contemporary Mezze bar, featuring seasonal grilled Pinchos, small-plate selections of meats, seafood and vegetables, as well as delicious salads, homemade Laffa flatbreads, a delectable raw bar and an array of vegetarian items. Executive Chef Daniel Elmaleh highlights the menu with a collection of unforgettable dishes prepared by a stone oven, only further reinforcing why Cleo is quickly becoming one of Hollywood's most sought after culinary experiences.
cents arranged in an open floor plan, enabling one to survey it in its entirety from almost any spot in the restaurant! This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join RED O’s Executive Chef Rick Bayless as he hosts Executive Chef Mark Kiffin of The Compound Restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico as they team up for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course Menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
Lunch at Patina Restaurant With Guest Chefs Jonathan Waxman and Daniel Boulud
WINE SEMINARS 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM California's Côte d'Or: The Wines of Au Bon Climat Presented by Jim Clendenen
Patina - Patina
Schedule of Events
Located in the spectacular Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, the flagship restaurant Patina expresses the highest culinary ideals of Master Chef Joachim Splichal. The recipient of a prestigious Michelin star, Patina's elegant al fresco dining and always-impeccable service, define luxury dining on the West Coast. This restaurant is only open for dinner but we have bent the rules and they have granted us exclusive access to their restaurants during lunch time. Come join Patina’s Executive Chef Joachim Splichal as he hosts two incredible NYC chefs, Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto and Daniel Boulud of Daniel as they team up for this unique culinary experience. A reception with delectable passed hors d'oeuvres and some refreshing bubbles is followed by a Four-Course menu paired with some hand selected, perfectly paired wines.
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE As the California wine industry has struggled to make good on all its climactic promise, one winery has defiantly stood apart from fads,trends and silly scores. Founded by would-be attorney Jim Clendenen in 1982, Au Bon Climat (“a well situated place”) and its wines represent an unwavering commitment to world-class Burgundian varietals like chardonnay and pinot noir. Situated in the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the coolish northern Santa Maria Valley, Au Bon Climat is arguably California’s first great domaine – a place where terroir and time have triumphed in a fickle wine market. Come meet Jim, the winemaker and the legend, and learn why he makes California wines that respect France while remaining wholly ours.
Giada De Laurentiis Lunch at Cecconi
The Wines of Château Palmer: The World of Margaux
Cecconi's
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Lovers of great Bordeaux need no introduction to the legendary wines of Château Palmer, one of Margaux's most esteemed properties with wines that are highly prized by collectors. Palmer epitomizes the finesse and refinement native to great Margaux wines; its somewhat unusual cépage balances nearly equal amounts of cabernet sauvignon and merlot with the aromatics of a small percentage of petit verdot. Less stoic and stodgy than its northern Médoc neighbors, Palmer as it ages acquires incredible complexity of perfume and texture. Come taste an amazing retrospective from one of the Left Bank's sexiest chateaus – Palmer and its fascinating sister wine, Alter Ego, will remind you how Margaux became Margaux.
A four course lunch follows an hors d'oeuvres reception where the bubbles are flowing. TV star Giada De Laurentiis lends her talents to a defining experience. With a focus on sourcing the finest quality ingredients and maintaining affordability, Cecconi's West Hollywood features a menu of simply prepared, Venetian influenced food and drink. An entirely new dining experience in West Hollywood. Combine Giada's unquestionable talents with those of the host chef Andrea Cavaliere and you find an unparalleled dining experience.
Lunch At Cleo With Guest Chef Levi Mezick Cleo - Dining Room A great opportunity to enjoy some great hors d'oeuvres with a glass of bubbles followed by a Four-course lunch paired with hand selected wines. The restaurant is being opened up for lunch service specifically for Los Angeles
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COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 4:30 PM - 5:45 PM
Rick McCarthy and Danny Fischer launched Baby Blues BBQ back in October 2004 in Venice, CA, with a goal of providing delicious down-home barbecue to people who were looking for it. Riding a wave of great reviews and even better word of mouth, Baby Blues has since expanded with locations in Hollywood, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Grilled Cheese & Great Wines With Laura Werlin L.A. LIVE - Event Deck Taste the mouthwatering grilled cheese prepared with recipes from Laura Werlin’s latest book, Great Grilled Cheese, enjoy the wonderfully paired wines and take a stroll down memory lane with your favorite experience of this iconic comfort food. Laura Werlin is one of the country's foremost authorities on cheese and is the award-winning author of four books on the subject. Her most recent book, James Beard award-nominated Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007), is the go-to guide for anyone with cheese questions including how to buy it, how to create successful cheese and wine pairings, how to store cheese and how to entertain and cook with cheese. Laura has appeared on several television shows including The CBS Early Show, ABC 7's "View From the Bay," NBC 11's "In Wine Country," "Joey Altman's Bay Café; " Sara's Secrets and Cooking Live! with Sara Moulton on the Television Food Network, Martha Stewart Living Television, Plum TV in Aspen, Colorado, California Country, "Fox & Friends" and "Fox News Magazine," and many others. She has written for national magazines including Food & Wine, Culture, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Cooking Light,and Every Day with Rachael Ray. She is an active member of the American Cheese Society, where she served on the board for six years, and is a member of the James Beard Foundation, San Francisco Professional Food Society, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
MARQUEE EVENT 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM I Heart Champagne & Caviar At L'Ermitage Beverly Hills L'Ermitage - Rooftop We are redefining Happy Hour! Fighting for elbow room at a local pub has its moments but rubbing shoulders with the elite at an event based entirely on Champagne and Caviar is a true statement. L'Ermitage Beverly Hills stands among the finest of Beverly Hills California luxury hotels, a stately property embodying the spirit of a sophisticated private club and a gracious urban residence. This spectacular venue will be host to one of the most elaborate and over-the-top events featured at Los Angeles Food & Wine. Pairing champagne and caviar together is a perfect match and combining them with this 5 star location makes for an impeccable evening under the stars on the rooftop terrace. CHEFS: Hubert Keller, Masaharu Morimoto, Wolfgang Puck, Cal Stamenov, Rick Tramonto, Jonathan Waxman, Jared Van Camp, John Folse, Craig von Foerster, and Joseph Elevado
Schedule of Events
DINNER 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM Krug House Dinner Private Residence - Dining Room A very exclusive dinner for a select group of only 30 lucky individuals. Each course is paired with an exceptional vintage of Champagne Krug. Held at a private estate in the hills which, for this weekend is called, The Krug House. CHEFS: Walter Manzke and Shawn Gawle
Dan Dunn's Booze, Blues & BBQ L.A. LIVE - Event Deck Talk about an event that sizzles! On the heels of their soldout stand at Pebble Beach Food and Wine, Dan Dunn and the rowdy band of booze-loving BBQers from Baby Blues bring their sauce-soaked sideshow back to their home turf. It's grill-ified gastronomy meets master mixology, as delectable tastes from the Baby Blues menu are paired with incredible cocktails created by a bartender extraordinaire. One of the adult beverage industry's most colorful personalities, former Playboy columnist Dan Dunn recently appeared on Conan and The Adam Carolla Show to promote his latest book, Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation and the Pursuit of the Never-ending Happy Hour. Time magazine columnist Joel Stein had this to say about the book: "After all the self-pitying, unfunny books about alcoholism, it's so much fun to read a book that's honest about how fun drinking is. I'm so glad Dan Dunn wrote this now before he dies of liver poisoning." Living Loaded is being developed into a scripted series at Fox by Dunn and the creators of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master Montage For the first annual Los Angeles Food & Wine we are excited to pay tribute to the inspiring and extremely talented restaurateur, author and award winning chef, Daniel Boulud. Boulud’s culinary accolades include James Beard Foundation awards for “Outstanding Restaurant,” “Outstanding Restaurateur,” “Best Chef, New York City” and “Outstanding Chef of the Year.” In addition, he has been named a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government. Restaurant DANIEL has been cited as “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, has earned three Michelin stars, a coveted four star rating from The New York Times, Wine Spectator’s
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they are in the presence of one of the most respected chefs in the country. Enjoy a lively and high spirited demonstration of some of Michel's favorites and don't miss an opportunity to get an autograph. Michel’s second book Happy in the Kitchen published by Artisan in 2006, earned a 2007 James Beard Nomination for Cooking froma Professional Point of View. In January 2007 Central Michel Richard opened in downtown Washington, DC, and won the 2008 James Beard Best New Restaurant Central Michel Richard, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington 2008 Best Bar Scene, 2009 Power Spot of the Year, and continues as a favorite among the critics. In the fall of 2010, Michel, a modern French restaurant, opened at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, and Sweet Magic, published by Harper Collins, hit the shelves nationwide. Constantly engaged in something new, in the fall of 2011, the world will be dining at Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, the first-ever round-the-clock restaurant to be helmed by a James Beard award-winning chef. For those familiar with his “American cuisine with a French accent,” they will be pleasantly surprised to know their favorite signature dishes will be offered at the new West Coast location.
“Grand Award” and is ranked eighth among Restaurant Magazine’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” Boulud has over 14 restaurants spread all over the world which include Bejing, China, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, London, United Kingdom, Manhattan, New York and Palm Beach and Miami, Florida. Not only will you pay tribute to a culinary legend but you will also get to experience food from Chef Boulud’s culinary friends. Come celebrate this award winning chef and everything he has done for the culinary world at a once-in-a-lifetime dinner proudly presented by Lexus. CHEFS: Rory Herrmann, Joachim Splichal, Sang Yoon, Richard Ruskell, Francois Payard, Paul Bartolotta, and Gabriel Ask
MARQUEE EVENT 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Schedule of Events
California Clambake with Tom Colicchio The Jonathan Beach Club
We bring the best of the East coast to the warm beaches of Santa Monica, with an evening event featuring unique takes on coastal cuisine.Guests will enjoy delicious bites and sample fantastic beach friendly wine, beer and spirits. Join Tom Colicchio and his culinary friends as they cook up a clambake for guests to enjoy. Stroll and enjoy bites from over 10 amazing chefs while you work your way through 20 of the weekend’s best wine producers. Come experience this exclusive event while sampling some of the best that seafood has to offer! CHEFS: Tom Colicchio, Robert Del Grande, Stephan Pyles, Roy Yamaguchi, Kerry Heffernan, Jimmy Schmidt, Susan Spicer, Kenny Callaghan,and Roger Stettler
Tyler Florence - Stirring The Pot L.A. LIVE - Event Deck A Cooking Demonstration with a master craftsman and enigmatic personality is sure to be a great start to a Saturday morning.For the past fifteen years, Chef Tyler Florence (www.tylerflorence.com) has delighted the masses by sharing the sights, sounds and flavors of his unique culinary vision to fans around the world. After graduating from the prestigious culinary program at Johnson and Wales University, Florence tackled the Big Apple where he helmed multiple acclaimed restaurants and established himself as a one of New York City’s finest young stars. In New York, he honed his culinary skills under the tutelage of some of the city's premier chefs, including Charlie Palmer at Aureole, Marta Pulini at Mad 61 and Rick Laakonen, ultimately moving on to become executive chef at Cafeteria. As the buzz about the charismatic young chef’s food picked up steam, a fresh new television network took notice and the rest, as they say, is history. After 12 plus years as a franchise star of the Food Network, Florence has taken his food and his wit across the globe. He has starred in such series as How to Boil Water, a cooking show for novices, Food 911, his hugely popular “recipe rescue” show, as well as his signature series, Tyler’s Ultimate. Tyler is a regular guest on the TODAY Show, CNN, The View, The Tonight Show, Oprah, Access Hollywood, Extra, Good Morning America and more. Tyler recently released two new top-selling cookbooks – Stirring The Pot, and Dinner at my Place (Wiley) in addition to his three previous books- Tyler’s Ultimate, Eat This Book, and Real Kitchen (Clarkson Potter). In July of 2008,
AFTER HOURS PARTY 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM HEAT - LA's Spiciest After Party L.A. LIVE - Club Nokia We are lighting it up for Friday Night. Party the night away with a private performance. Don't stop at the music because we have some of the best Chefs in the country presenting their take on food of all styles and origins with one common theme - HEAT! CHEFS: Floyd Cardoz, John Cuevas, John Sedlar, Bryant Ng, and Daniel Holzman
Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Michel Richard - Happy In The Kitchen L.A. LIVE - Event Deck Nothing describes Celebrated Chef Michel Richard better than the title of his book, Happy in the Kitchen. The jovial Frenchman is full of smiles and humor and has such an entertaining persona that sometimes people forget that
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The Magic & Seduction Of Cheese & Wine With Laura Werlin
Tyler opened his first kitchen retail shop, The Tyler Florence Shop, in Mill Valley, California. In early 2010, Tyler opened his first signature restaurants, Wayfare Tavern, in San Francisco’s Financial District and El Paseo in Mill Valley. In Spring of 2010,adjacent to The Tyler Florence Shop in Napa, Tyler also be opened a new restaurant concept, Tyler Florence Rotisserie & Wine.
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Few food and drink combinations are as festive, exciting, and romantic as the age old pairing of cheese and wine. When put together,cheese and wine add up to more than just food and drink; they are an experience. This is not a lecture on Cheese or Wine. This is a rare opportunity for an interactive, hands-on tasting of a selection of cheese and wine while talking through the reasons why some combinations work better than others. Enjoy as Laura Werlin, one of the country's foremost authorities on cheese and an award-winning author of four books on the subject, teaches us how to get the most from your pairings, what to do, and what not to do, all while drinking some fabulous wines.
WINE SEMINAR 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Secrets of a Sommelier Blind Tasting Pinot Noirs JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE No grape is as temperamental nor as transcendent as pinot noir. It’s fussy and fickle, expensive to grow and expensive to make yet when pinot noir is handled right, it is considered by many to be the apex of the art of winemaking. Come out to learn from the dream team of sommeliers we’ve assembled from Los Angeles and beyond for this blind tasting. Sniff, sip and deconstruct seven different pinot noirs from around the globe as our experts guide you along the pinot path. (Trust us, they don’t know what the wines are ahead of time!) You could spend thousands of dollars on bottles and books and learn less than what this single seminar can reveal.
Schedule of Events
GRAND TASTING 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday L.A. LIVE - Event Deck The Lexus Grand Tasting at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the most spectacular opportunity to enjoy over 300 wines from 200 of the world’s most prestigious wineries. 30 Celebrity Chefs will showcase their culinary skills and provide delicious and decadent tasting samples of their cuisine. During this remarkable strolling event you will have access to cooking demos, book signings and photo sessions with some of the weekend’s biggest chef celebrities. This event takes place on the Event Deck at LA LIVE where the entire space is transformed into a feast for all senses! Don’t miss this great opportunity to experience food and wine at its best. CHEFS: Graham Elliot, Todd English, Tyler Florence, Michael Mina, Michel Richard, Rick Tramonto, Bradley Ogden, David LeFevre, Joe Miller,Mark Peel, Ricardo Zarate, Chris Pandel, Kenny Callaghan, John Folse, Roger Stettler, Andrea Cavaliere, Taylor Boudreaux, Casey Thompson,Bill Starbuck, Kent Torrey, Hasty Torres, and Paul Shoemaker
Kongsgaard: A Napa Love Story JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
Fifth-generation Napa Valley natives, Maggy and John Kongsgaard and their legendary wines epitomize a family’s love of a place and its people. They began their own Napa love story in the late 1970s, when they planted a ten-acre vineyard on a rocky hilltop that had been in their family for fifty years. Long before it was fashionable to do so, John and Maggy favored minimalist winemaking with severely limited crop sizes and micro quantities – as John puts it, they limit production to what they can make with their own hands. Come taste these astonishing wines which critic Robert Parker calls the “Holy Grail…some of the most interesting natural wines one will find on Planet Earth.”
WINE SEMINAR 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM Secrets of a Sommelier - Blind Tasting Cabernet Sauvignons
The Spectacular Wines of Colgin Cellars JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE If ever there were a modern Renaissance woman, it's Ann Colgin whose cultural fluency encompasses art, architecture and, importantly, wine where her eponymous label has quickly become synonymous with cult wines. Colgin's wines are made in tiny quantities and are available only via a coveted mailing list or in highly-select restaurants with exorbitant prices to match. This year for our inaugural Los Angeles event, we are honored and humbled to have Ann showcase a once-in-a-lifetime retrospective tasting of her wines. Every vintage of Colgin from 1999 to 2008 is being showcased in this once in a lifetime tasting.
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Sign up for the second session with our sommelier panel as they host a Master Class on all things cab. For nonprofessionals, the ability to stick one’s nose in a glass of wine and pronounce its origin seems like magic. Our sommelier team will break down and decipher each of seven cabernet sauvignon wines along with you. Learn how aroma, tannin, texture, alcohol and acidity all contribute tell-tale clues –it’s an imperfect science, but a fun one with happy homework assignments for aspiring home enthusiasts.
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COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM Wolfgang Puck - Live Learn Love
Winemaker for a Day: A Wine Blending Seminar Featuring JUSTIN Isosceles JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
L.A. LIVE - Event Deck
Ever fantasize about leaving your day-job to become a winemaker? It's a long and difficult apprenticeship but here at Los Angeles Food& Wine, we've provided you with a shortcut to the very top tier - JUSTIN Isosceles. The acclaimed Isosceles is a “left bank” Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and at this amazing seminar, you get to create your very own version of it. You will start with all the same components that Fred Holloway uses to make the final wine. Get your pipettes and your palates ready and compare your blend to the actual wine released. Unleash the mad scientist within you and see what it takes to make the wine in your glass taste the way it does.
A cooking demonstration presented by the one and only Wolfgang Puck is a unique opportunity to spend time with a genius who has long been the benchmark for culinary arts in Los Angeles. Puck began cooking at his mother’s side as a child. She was a chef in the Austrian town where he was born, and with her encouragement,Wolfgang began his formal training at fourteen years of age. He worked in some of France’s greatest restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, and the Michelin 3-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence. The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts. The famous chef has built an empire that encompasses three separate Wolfgang Puck entities: Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. Wolfgang came to Los Angeles in 1975 and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef and eventually part owner of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous, with Wolfgang as the star attraction. And the rest, as they say…is culinary history.
Schedule of Events
Icons of Austria presented by Vin Divino JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
Come taste a rare retrospective of two of Austria's greatest wine legends - Hirtzberger and Kracher. Few countries produce wines of such extraordinary quality and breadth - from the bone-dry gruner veltliners of the Wachau to the luscious coveted sweet wines from Burgenland, these two powerhouses showcase why many sommeliers consider Austria to be the epicenter of exciting wine production in Europe. We know Wolfgang Puck particularly loves both Hirtzberger and Kracher so hope he'll stop by to raise a glass with us in honor of Alois Kracher, whose untimely death was a blow to many in the wine industry. These wines are of exceptional quality and rarity so buy your tickets early.
MARQUEE EVENT 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM Lexus LIVE On The Plaza L.A. LIVE - Nokia Plaza
MARQUEE EVENT 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Guy Fieri's Brew B'Que On Santa Monica Pier
An unbelievable strolling reception, capped with an extraordinary musical performance from the multi-GRAMMY® award winning, platinum-selling artists, TRAIN. 30 chefs and 200 wines will serve up delicious samples while TRAIN provides a rockin’ soundtrack with hit songs like, “Drops of Jupiter”, “Meet Virginia”, and “Hey Soul Sister.” This is the culmination of a city-wide celebration of all things Food, Wine, Celebrity and Los Angeles. CHEFS: Scott Conant, Michael Ginor, Rory Herrmann, Christopher Kostow, Nobu Matsuhisa, Matt Molina, Masaharu Morimoto, Wolfgang Puck,Richard Reddington, Nancy Silverton, Joachim Splichal, Ben Ford, Kerry Heffernan, Jimmy Schmidt, Paul Prudhomme, Lydia Shire, Sam Choy,Gino Angelini, Luciano Pellegrini, Nathan Eckhaus, Stephen Lewandowski, Rene Mata, Ari Rosenson, Suzanne Tracht, Tetsu Yahagi, Diego Velasco, Kris Morningstar, and Jonathan Grahm
Santa Monica Pier - Event Deck What's not to love about Sunshine, BBQ, Beers, Music and Friends? Combine all those ingredients and you have a memorable event.Enjoy a day on the famous Santa Monica Pier and take in the sun-drenched view of the Pacific Ocean, the sounds of music from some Rockstar bands, BBQ tastes from celebrity chefs and beer from some of the most notable breweries around the world! - All this at one price ALL INCLUSIVE. You will never find a pub crawl that will give you this opportunity. A perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. CHEFS: Tim Love, William Bloxsom-Carter, Chris Cosentino, Mark Estee, Guy Fieri, Ray Garcia, Mark Kiffin, Charles Phan, Stephan Pyles, Roy Yamaguchi, Roy Choi, Frank Ostini, Danny Fischer, and Rick McCarthy
AFTER HOURS PARTY 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA's Sweetest After Party L.A. LIVE - Event Deck Sherry Yard, queen of all things sweet for Wolfgang Puck, curates the best pastry chefs, and a night of surprises for all the dessert lovers and night owls.If you have a sweet tooth
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Tête de Cuvée: The Best Champagnes Of the 1990 Vintage
or know someone who does, you just cannot afford to miss this party. Great Wine, great Spirits and decadent morsels of heavenly desserts is the perfect way to finish an evening. Check out the stellar line-up of pastry chefs and you will understand why we are so excited to get them all under one roof. CHEFS: Bill Corbett, Gina DePalma, Claudia Fleming, Johnny Iuzzini, Yigit Pura, Sherry Yard, Elizabeth Falkner, Donald Wressell, Dahlia Narvaez, Martin Howard, Zac Young, Mindy Segal, Ben Spungin, Shawn Gawle, Lincoln Carson, and Sarah Koechling
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Champagne is traditionally an appellation whose artistry in wine is based on blending, not on vintage alone. Yet in certain years, a given vintage is so compelling that the grand marcs or houses and humble growers alike bottle it as a standalone year. Such was the case with the astonishing 1990 harvest for the champenoise, a vintage whose wines demonstrate incredible finesse and an ageability that declare it as one for the ages. Come taste the stars, the best of the best at this incredible tasting that will feature the “Tête de Cuvées” of the major houses this is a seminar not to be missed for any serious Champagne enthusiast
Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011 COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM The Magic of Mexican Cuisine - Rick Bayless
GRAND TASTING 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
Schedule of Events
L.A. LIVE - Event Deck
L.A. LIVE - Event Deck
Enjoy a Sunday morning cooking demonstration with the incomparable Rick Bayless who has long been considered a master and champion of Mexican cuisine. Award-winning chef-restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality Rick Bayless has done more than any other culinary star to introduce Americans to authentic Mexican cuisine and to change the image of Mexican food in America. Rick is fourth generation in an Oklahoma family of restaurateurs and grocers. From 1980 to 1986, after studying Spanish and Latin American Studies as an undergraduate, and doing doctoral work in Anthropological Linguistics at the University of Michigan, Rick lived in Mexico with his wife, Deann, writing his now-classic Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From The Heart of Mexico (William Morrow,1987). The New York Times’s legendary Craig Claiborne hailed this work as the “greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable."
The Lexus Grand Tasting at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the most spectacular opportunity to enjoy over 300 wines from 200 of the world’s most prestigious wineries. 30 Celebrity Chefs will showcase their culinary skills and provide delicious and decadent tasting samples of their cuisine. During this remarkable strolling event you will have access to cooking demos, book signings and photo sessions with some of the weekend’s biggest chef celebrities. This event takes place on the Event Deck at LA LIVE where the entire space is transformed into a feast for all senses! Don’t miss this great opportunity to experience food and wine at its best. CHEFS: Rick Bayless, William Bloxsom-Carter, Claudia Fleming, Ray Garcia, Masaharu Morimoto, Charles Phan, Stefan Richter, Roy Yamaguchi,John Cuevas, Kerry Heffernan, Roy Choi, Celestino Drago, Eric Greenspan, Kerry Simon, Frank Ostini, Nathan Eckhaus, Mitchell Rosenthal,Bryant Ng, Steven Rosenthal, Daniel Holzman, Matt Bencivenga, Levi Mezick, Nona Sivley, Gabriel Ask, Barbara Batiste, Micah Wexler, Mohan Ismail, and Danny Elmaleh
WINE SEMINAR 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Pretty In Pink - Sparkling Rosés Around The World
MARQUEE EVENT 11:30 PM - 5:00 PM Wolfgang Puck's Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Raise your hand if you like bubbles! Raise both hands if you like pink bubbles! Wrap up your epicurean weekend with an incredible tasting of rosé sparkling wines from around the world. Wines will include domestic bubblies from California and Oregon and international standouts from France, Italy and beyond. We’ve put together an assemblage of style and palette that range from delicate peach to racy rouge. Learn how this spectrum of pink color is created as you taste along with our panel of bubbly experts. Santé!
This is the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Arguably the most lavish brunch of the year, certainly the most star-studded. The line-up of chefs for this great meal and fantastic cause is awe-inspiring. The most highly regarded chefs in the world have come together for this unique celebration of Food and Wine in the spirit of giving something back to a cause that is worthy of your support. All proceeds of this event including tickets and Auction funds will go to St. Vincent Meals On Wheels right here in Los Angeles. Live music and an A-list performance will add to the exciting experience of this fabulous event. CHEFS: Rory Herrmann, Douglas Keane, Nobu Matsuhisa, Wolfgang Puck, Michel Richard, Sherry Yard, Craig von Foerster, Francois Payard,and Paul Bartolotta
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COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS Soak it in. Before your eyes, a pantheon of culinary and epicurean stalwarts will translate decades of practice into take-out sized morsels of knowledge. Their instinctive movements and careful precision will create a theater to delight all of the senses. With time, their tutelage will become your inspiration to pursue a greater experience in the kitchen; to dazzle and engage your friends and family, much as you were captivated by the grand exhibition of culinary prowess here at Los Angeles Food & Wine. Meet your favorite celebrity chef at the Barnes & Noble platform in the Lexus Grand Tasting and take home an autographed copy of your favorite cookbook!
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LEXUS PRESENTS THEY SING. THEY ACT. THEY COOK? Two accomplished chefs; two of Hollywood’s elite; put them in the kitchen and suddenly the tables are turned. Of course, everyone’s culinary talent is bound to shine when an accomplished chef is thrown in the mix. Lexus gives you the opportunity to watch as Hollywood’s A-List are paired with Lexus Culinary Masters to prepare something delicious (and no doubt entertaining)! Two dynamic duos will collaborate to create a signature dish for your enjoyment. Needless to say…there will be more than food cooking in this kitchen
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GRILLED CHEESE & GREAT WINES WITH LAURA WERLIN Taste the mouthwatering grilled cheese prepared with recipes from Laura Werlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest book, Great Grilled Cheese, enjoy the wonderfully paired wines and take a stroll down memory lane with your favorite experience of this iconic comfort food. Laura Werlin is one of the country's foremost authorities on cheese and is the award-winning author of four books on the subject. Her most recent book, James Beard award-nominated Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007), is the go-to guide for anyone with cheese questions including how to buy it, how to create successful cheese and wine pairings, how to store cheese and how to entertain and cook with cheese. Laura has appeared on several television shows including The CBS Early Show, ABC7's "View From the Bay," NBC11's "In Wine Country," "Joey Altman's Bay CafĂŠ;" Sara's Secrets and Cooking Live! with Sara Moulton on the Television Food Network, Martha Stewart Living Television, Plum TV in Aspen, Colorado, California Country, "Fox & Friends" and "Fox News Magazine," and many others. She has written for national magazines including Food & Wine, Culture, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Cooking Light, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. She is an active member of the American Cheese Society, where she served on the board for six years, and is a member of the James Beard Foundation, San Francisco Professional Food Society, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
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DAN DUNN'S BOOZE, BLUES & BBQ Talk about an event that sizzles! On the heels of their sold-out stand at Pebble Beach Food and Wine, Dan Dunn and the rowdy band of booze-loving BBQers from Baby Blues bring their sauce-soaked sideshow back to their home turf. It's grillified gastronomy meets master mixology, as delectable tastes from the Baby Blues menu are paired with incredible cocktails created by a bartender extraordinaire. One of the adult beverage industry's most colorful personalities, former Playboy columnist Dan Dunn recently appeared on Conan and The Adam Carolla Show to promote his latest book, Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation and the Pursuit of the Never-ending Happy Hour. Time magazine columnist Joel Stein had this to say about the book: "After all the self-pitying, unfunny books about alcoholism, it's so much fun to read a book that's honest about how fun drinking is. I'm so glad Dan Dunn wrote this now before he dies of liver poisoning." Living Loaded is being developed into a scripted series at Fox by Dunn and the creators of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Rick McCarthy and Danny Fischer launched Baby Blues BBQ back in October 2004 in Venice, CA, with a goal of providing delicious downhome barbecue to people who were looking for it. Riding a wave of great reviews and even better word of mouth, Baby Blues has since expanded with locations in Hollywood, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
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MICHEL RICHARD - HAPPY IN THE KITCHEN Nothing describes Celebrated Chef Michel Richard better than the title of his book, Happy in the Kitchen. The jovial Frenchman is full of smiles and humor and has such an entertaining persona that sometimes people forget that they are in the presence of one of the most respected chefs in the country. Enjoy a lively and high spirited demonstration of some of Michel's favorites and don't miss an opportunity to get an autograph. Michel’s second book Happy in the Kitchen published by Artisan in 2006, earned a 2007 James Beard Nomination for Cooking from a Professional Point of View. In January 2007 Central Michel Richard opened in downtown Washington, DC, and won the 2008 James Beard Best New Restaurant Central Michel Richard, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington 2008 Best Bar Scene, 2009 Power Spot of the Year, and continues as a favorite among the critics. In the fall of 2010, Michel, a modern French restaurant, opened at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, and Sweet Magic, published by Harper Collins, hit the shelves nationwide. Constantly engaged in something new, in the fall of 2011, the world will be dining at Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, the first-ever round-the-clock restaurant to be helmed by a James Beard award-winning chef. For those familiar with his “American cuisine with a French accent,” they will be pleasantly surprised to know their favorite signature dishes will be offered at the new West Coast location.
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TYLER FLORENCE - STIRRING THE POT A Cooking Demonstration with a master
craftsman
and
enigmatic
personality is sure to be a great start to a Saturday morning. For the past fifteen years,
Chef
Tyler
Florence
(www.tylerflorence.com) has delighted the masses by sharing the sights, sounds and flavors of his unique culinary vision to fans around the world. After 12 plus years as a franchise star of the Food Network, Florence has taken his food and his wit across the globe. He has starred in such series as How to Boil Water, a cooking show for novices, Food 911, his hugely popular “recipe rescue” show, as well as his signature series, Tyler’s Ultimate. Tyler is a regular guest on the TODAY Show, CNN, The View, The Tonight Show, Oprah, Access Hollywood, Extra, Good Morning America and more. Tyler recently released two new top-selling cookbooks – Stirring The Pot, and Dinner at my Place (Wiley) in addition to his three previous books- Tyler’s Ultimate, Eat This Book, and Real Kitchen (Clarkson Potter). In July of 2008, Tyler opened his first kitchen retail shop, The Tyler Florence Shop, in Mill Valley, California. In early 2010, Tyler opened his first signature restaurants, Wayfare Tavern, in San Francisco’s Financial District and El Paseo in Mill Valley. In Spring of 2010, adjacent to The Tyler Florence Shop in Napa, Tyler also be opened a new restaurant concept, Tyler Florence Rotisserie & Wine. Tyler Florence Shop in Napa, Tyler also be opened a new restaurant concept, Tyler Florence Rotisserie & Wine.
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WOLFGANG PUCK - LIVE, LEARN, LOVE A cooking Demonstration presented by the one and only Wolfgang Puck is a unique opportunity to spend time with a genius who has long been the benchmark for culinary arts in Los Angeles. Puck began cooking at his mother’s side as a child. She was a chef in the Austrian town where he was born, and with her encouragement, Wolfgang began his formal training at fourteen years of age. He worked in some of France’s greatest restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, and the Michelin 3-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence. The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts. The famous chef has built an empire that encompasses three separate Wolfgang Puck entities: Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. Wolfgang came to Los Angeles in 1975 and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef and eventually part owner of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous, with Wolfgang as the star attraction. And the rest, as they say…is culinary history.
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THE MAGIC OF MEXICAN CUISINE - RICK BAYLESS Enjoy a Sunday morning cooking demonstration with the incomparable Rick Bayless who has long been considered a master and champion of Mexican cuisine. Award-winning cookbook
author,
chef-restaurateur, and
television
personality Rick Bayless has done more than any other culinary star to introduce Americans to authentic Mexican cuisine and to change the image of Mexican food in America. Rick is fourth generation in an Oklahoma family of restaurateurs and grocers. From 1980 to 1986, after studying Spanish and Latin American Studies as an undergraduate, and doing doctoral work in Anthropological Linguistics at the University of Michigan, Rick lived in Mexico with his wife, Deann, writing his now-classic Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking From The Heart of Mexico (William Morrow, 1987). The New York Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legendary Craig Claiborne hailed this work as the "greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable."
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Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares
Healthy Choices. Healthy Oceans. Sadly, human activities like industrial-scale fishing threaten ocean life as never before. The solution is in your hands when you use a Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch card or mobile app. Seafood Watch helps millions of people, concerned chefs and
major seafood buyers make ocean-friendly seafood choices. Won’t you help?
And tell your friends.
Print a Seafood Watch card from the Aquarium’s website; download the iPhone/Android app; or connect through your mobile device.
Together we can save the oceans — one meal at a time.
montereybayaquarium.org
EATING AND DRINKING YOUR WAY THROUGH LA’S NEIGHBORHOODS By Jeff Miller
Los Angeles is stereotypically – and fairly – described as a series of neighborhoods connected by freeways; though the description can be thought of as a derogatory slam on the city’s lack of cohesiveness, Angelenos prefer to think of it as a positive, thanks to the same disjointedness allowing the city to enjoy a wealth of cultures, each just a short car ride away (traffic dependent). With that in mind, here’s your local’s guide to navigating the four neighborhoods that anchor the festival. The cool surf air (and even cooler surf culture) make Santa Monica a haven for healthy hippies and their yuppie mothers. But Santa Monica’s actually jampacked with yoga studios, seafood restaurants, and an often-misleading laid-back pace: there’s excitement just below the surface. WHERE TO EAT: Hit the he just-opened Misfit (225 Santa Monica Blvd; 310.656.9800) for elevated American standards like a crispy, moist buttermilk fried chicken in a two-story, darklywooded bistro that appears to have been craned in from Paris, or head to nearby Venice’s Gjelina (1429 Abbott Kinney; 310.450.1429), an airy, patio-enhanced ode to farm-fresh food that’s
become a mecca for fans of succulent bites like squid ink chitarra (Monterey squid, cherry tomatoes, fresno chiles, and mint.) WHERE TO DRINK: With a bar backed by awardwinning mixologists, Copa D’Oro (217 Broadway; 310. 576.3030) raids Santa Monica’s famous farmer’s market for fresh produce to muddle into its strong, choose-your-own-adventure style cocktails (don’t accidentally turn to page 53, or the ending will be ruined!) WHERE TO VISIT: You can head to Montana Ave if you’re a window shopper, but you can get clothes anywhere: instead, ride the rollercoaster and ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier for a classic day that’s LA-only.
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They say dreams are made here – which must be why the streets are patrolled by platoons of model-and-rocker types hoping for a big break. Thankfully, there’re plenty of places for them to show off what they’ve got, even if it’s just a great tattoo and 4 1/2inch stilettos. WHERE TO EAT: It’s not hard to objectively claim that Los Angeles can stake a claim to the best sushi in the country, and around Sunset and Hollywood Blvd you’ll find a slew of designer-driven raw fish emporiums dedicated to various amounts of both style and substance, including the glitzy, celeb-stocked Katsuya (6300 Hollywood Blvd; 323.871.8777). But the fact of the matter is you’ll get higher-quality fish (and more local bragging rights) at the hole-in-a-wall, stripmall-located Sushi Ike (6051 Hollywood Blvd #105; 323.856.9927), helmed by its namesake for almost 20 years and serving unique, traditional nigiri like the you’ve-got-to-eat-it-immediately-so-it-melts-in-yourmouth “Seared Salmon Right Away.” Nom. WHERE TO DRINK: Cocktailer Steve Livigni made his award-winning reputation for liquor-based creativity in the private downtown club the Doheny; he can now often be found at his homebase Harvard & Stone (5221 Hollyowood Blvd; 323.466.6063), a low-ceilinged, lightbulb-lit, fireplace-abetted room loosely dressed up like a miner’s office, with a back bar boasting a constantly-changing menu dedicated to a singular, often-visiting mixmaster’s most unique creations. If you can get in, there’s also the speakeasystyle Sayers Club (1645 Wilcox; 323.871.8233), hidden behind a hot dog joint, where surprise afterhours performances from bands like Florence and the Machine are the soundtrack to a slew of model-type’s cocktailing jones. WHERE TO VISIT: It’s hard to avoid becoming a tourist when you’re standing in front of the Mann’s Chinese on the Walk of Fame, but try to find your way up to the Magic Castle (7001 Franklin Ave; 323.851.3313), a still-kind-of-secret decades-old ode to the black arts, where, on a choice night, Pixies guitarist Dave Lovering will blow your mind (before asking where it is). If dreams are made in Hollywood, Beverly Hills is still thought of as the place you move to once those dreams have become reality – though these days, the money (and the crowds) are slightly older, and maybe even a bit more surgically enhanced. WHERE TO EAT: With Spago (176 N Canon; 310.385.0880) Wolfgang Puck established Beverly Hills’s stature decades ago and has maintained both its quality and reputation, but when Thomas Keller brought Bouchon (235 N Canon; 310.271.9910) to Beverly Hills, LA’s foodistas all breathed a new,
buttery sigh of relief – sweetened only by the pastries at his sister-store, Bouchon Bakery. WHERE TO DRINK: Just adjacent to Beverly Hills on La Cienega, The Roger Room (370 N La Cienega; 310.854.1300) is an intimate, dark, wood-laden room decorated with antique carnival memorabilia whose creative drinks aren’t clowning around. WHERE TO VISIT: Yup, you can glitz yourself up at Cartier (370 N Rodeo; 310.275.4272)) and Barney’s (9570 Wilshire; 310.276.4400) but Robertson Blvd’s much cooler; check out Moods of Norway (113 S Robertson; 310.271.7172) for attention-grabbing beyond-the-pond suits and colorful pants. The recent renaissance of Downtown LA is staggering: just a few short years ago, the only reason to head that far East after dark was for a Lakers playoff game or if you were heading through the skyscrapers on your way to Palm Springs; now, thanks to a significant investment in the massive L.A. LIVE complex and the persistence of visionaries like bar owner Cedd Moses, Downtown’s become one of LA’s liveliest nightlife neighborhoods – even if, after last call, it can still feel like a ghost town. WHERE TO EAT: Though the rest of Downtown’s recently also stepped it up food-wise (props to the high-end Mexican eatery Rivera (1050 S Flower; 213.749.1460) and Drago Centro’s glossy take on Italian food (525 S Flower; 213.228.8998), arguably the most exciting culinary mini-neighborhood in LA is Little Tokyo, with two blocks full of ramen houses like Daikokuya (327 E 1st; 213.626.1680) serving up rich, fatty bowls of pork broth. Those traditional holein-the-walls have recently been joined by The Spice Table (114 S Central; 213.620.1840), whose pungent, forward-thinking Southeast Asian specialties are bringing the neighborhood a progressive twist. WHERE TO DRINK: The underground Edison (108 W. 2nd; 213.613.0000) is unquestionably one of the most jaw-dropping drinkeries in the city, a industrialfeeling compound populated by Absinthe fairies and occasional vaudeville dancers, as well as a slew of the city’s best mixologists – many of whom have graduated to their own joints. Just don’t wear tennis shoes: their dress code is unimpeachable. WHERE TO VISIT: Go see some music: you could catch a monster show from Katy Perry at Staples Center (1111 S Figueroa; 213.742.7340), enjoy a DJ set from Chromeo at a bedside pool at the Standard (550 S Flower St; 213.892.8080), see an up-andcoming local band like the One Am Radio before they break at Casey’s (613 S Grand; 213.629.2353) – or just wander the industrial district, hoping that someone’s throwing a covert party you can talk your way into amid the rows and rows of ripe-for-renting warehouses.
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THE CHEFS For chefs, their art is not a profession, it’s a culinary obsession. Their raison d’etre: A perpetual pursuit of perfection on a plate. These stalwarts snare five-star ingredients, unraveling their true potential. Through spontaneity or strategy, a chef can preserve an ingredient’s purity or rebuild, repurpose and redefine it entirely. Abracadabra: Your palate and point of view are transformed. Down to the most diminutive of detail, they dish up the consummate dining experience. Here with us in Los Angeles, our chefs make anything possible.
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GINO ANGELINI
GABRIEL ASK
GINO ANGELINI was born and raised in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, an area acclaimed for its rich history and tradition in fine Italian cuisine and known as the cradle of renowned Italian chefs. Influenced in childhood by the unforgettable blends of fragrance, color and flavor from the family kitchen, Gino began his professional culinary training at age 14 Gino’s star rose quickly as he attained the status of Master Chef and recognition as an expert in historic Italian menus. Among the rich and famous he has prepared meals for are Francois Mitterand, Mikhail Gorbachov, Pope Jon Paul II, Luciano Pavarotti, Federico Fellini, and Prime Ministers Craxi and Andreotti.s In 1997 Gino came to America to continue his career at Mauro Vincenti’s visionary Rex Il Ristorante in downtown Los Angeles and subsequently at Vincenti in Brentwood. A leading restaurant reviewer labeled him as “the best Italian chef in Los Angeles.” In late 2001 he opened Angelini Osteria. The “Osteria” was an immediate success and named “one of the ten best restaurants in Los Angeles.” It has been featured in many publications including the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Gourmet, Food & Wine, and “The Best of LA” In 2004 Gino launched La Terza Angelini Bar & Ristorante in Los Angeles. At La Terza, Gino displays his flair for both country and contemporary Italian cusisine. His culinary skills and organizational talents have elevated La Terza into one of Los Angeles’ most popular and critically acclaimed restaurants.
GABRIEL ASK JOINED Montage Hotels & Resorts as Executive Chef for Montage Beverly Hills in February 2011. In this role, Chef Ask leads the culinary operations of Montage Beverly Hills, continuing the property’s commitment to creative dining experiences that feature a modern infusion of California’s finest seasonal ingredients and artisanal products. Chef Ask is responsible for the special events, private dining, catering and conference services, banquets, and the stunning rooftop restaurant, The Conservatory Grill, which features unparalleled views of the Hollywood hills, at Montage Beverly Hills. Chef Ask began his culinary career working for award-winning chef Thomas Keller at famed French Laundry and continued on to hone his skills under such other prestigious chefs as Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon. Most recently, Chef Ask served as Executive Sous Chef for The Resort at Pelican Hill. Prior to that, he was with the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. In his free time, Chef Ask enjoys spending time with his wife and infant son, skiing, golfing, traveling, and cooking with friends.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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MARK AYERS
PAUL BARTOLOTTA
AS COASTAL LUXURY MANAGEMENT’S Corporate Executive Chef, Mark Ayers is the man who deftly coordinates all things culinary at the annual premiere west coast epicurean lifestyle production, Pebble Beach Food & Wine and now, The First Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine as well. As the brand ambassador for the CLM Culinary team he also oversees their two new restaurants in Monterey. Cannery Row Brewing Company opened in the summer of 2010 and was named “Best New Restaurant in Monterey” quickly thereafter. Restaurant 1833 debuted in May of 2011 and has already been featured in Vogue Magazine and received a glowing review from Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY in 1992 ranked number one in his class and voted most likely to succeed, Ayers quickly moved up the kitchen ladder from his start as the Kitchen Manager for Dante’s Restaurant Inc. in Pennsylvania where he was responsible for the start up of a new unit in the restaurant group. Later, he spent years honing both his considerable culinary skills and his organizational abilities with the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado as well as The Highlands Inn Carmel & Hyatt Regency Monterey where he was the Executive Chef and oversaw both properties. During his tenure at the Highlands Inn, Chef Mark facilitated the annual Masters of Food & Wine which prepared him well for his current position at CLM.
FOR A TRUE TASTE of the Italian seaside, there is no equal to Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas, where nationally acclaimed Chef Paul Bartolotta offers a simple and refined Italian menu that re-defines traditional American notions of Italian dining. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare provides exquisitely prepared regional specialties emphasizing the freshest seafood and homemade pastas in a bright and vibrant setting that evokes life by the sea. Each week, the restaurant imports 1.5 tons of seafood from cities that lie along the coast of the Mediterranean. Paul won the 2009 Best Chef, Southwest award from the prestigious James Beard Foundation. In 1994, Paul received the award for Best Chef, Midwest, making him the only chef to have won this honor in two different regions. In 2007 and 2008, Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare received the AAA Four Diamond Award. Prior to working at Wynn Las Vegas, Paul was chef and managing partner at Chicago’s Spiaggia, which received four-star ratings from both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Magazine. With his brother, Joe, Paul also co-founded the Bartolotta Restaurants in their hometown of Milwaukee: Bacchus—a Bartolotta Restaurant, Ristorante Bartolotta, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro and Mr. B’s — A Bartolotta Steakhouse.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch At Cut With Guest Chef Paul Bartolotta 2.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
RICK BAYLESS
MATT BENCIVENGA
MOST PEOPLE know him from his highly rated on-going Public Television Series, Mexico—One Plate at a Time and from his seven cookbooks. His side by side award-winning restaurants in Chicago were founded in 1987. The casual Frontera Grill and the 4-star Topolobampo. In 2007, Frontera Grill won for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Organization. His award-winning Frontera line of salsas, grilling sauces and organic chips can be found coast to coast. Rick Bayless has won James Beard awards for: Midwest Chef of the Year, National Chef of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year. Mexico One Plate at a Time is currently in its seventh season on PBS and Rick’s book Mexican Everyday was nominated for a James Beard Award. Rick’s latest restaurant: XOCO — just opened and he was also recently crowned Bravo’s Top Chef Master. Rick’s seventh book, Fiesta at Rick’s is currently on the New York Times Best Seller list.
“CATERING IS A lot like a military operation; it has little room for error,” says Wolfgang Puck Catering and Events President Carl Schuster. “A lot of chefs don’t understand that. But Matt Bencivenga is that rarity: he never misses a beat.” Matt Bencivenga is a ten-year veteran of hospitality. Bencivenga is a Partner and Chef of Wolfgang Puck Catering and Events, overseeing culinary operations at the company’s new Hollywood & Highland headquarters. Matt’s thorough attention to detail, dedication and grace under pressure assist him in successfully executing high profile events in the 2000-seat ballroom, while also supervising the new brasserie Vert, the Highlands Nightclub restaurant, concessions and catering at the Kodak Theatre, and catering of off-premise sports, entertainment and social events. Bencivenga studied at Rhode Island’s Johnson & Wales, a culinary arts school, from 1989 to199. Upon graduation, he worked as a cook in the Cambridge Hyatt in Boston. Matt worked at the acclaimed River Café in New York City for two years, then relocated to Los Angeles, spending two years as Sous Chef at Patina. He made his mark in the culinary world after joining the Wolfgang Puck team in 1998. Working first at Spago Hollywood, he opened Spago Beverly Hills as Executive Sous Chef and eventually assumed responsibility for the developing catering division. In 1998, Bencivenga was an integral part of launching Wolfgang Puck Catering. He continues Wolfgang’s vision and dedication to superior culinary standards.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at RED O With Guest Chef Mark Kiffin 2.) Sunday, October 16 10:00 AM - VIP Access Sunday Lexus Grand Tasting With Rick Bayless Cooking Demo 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
WILLIAM BLOXSOM-CARTER
TAYLOR BOUDREUX
MR. WILLIAM S. BLOXSOM-CARTER is the Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, California. He has been creating extraordinary food for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion parties for over 25 years to 100,000 guests annually. Chef Carter’s philosophy is to bring out the best flavors in food products from beginning to end with minimal intervention and uncompromising standards. At the Playboy Mansion, Chef Carter has developed an internship/externship program with culinary schools nationwide. The program has garnered an exceptional reputation as the preeminent host facility for students. Additionally, Chef Carter is a recurring featured guest on numerous radio shows syndicated nationwide describing and promoting California wines and foods. Chef Carter completed intensive studies with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company focusing on their Gold Standards of Hospitality Service to enhance the hospitality experience to all guests attending corporate and charity events at the Playboy Mansion. He enhanced his education in hospitality related studies at UC Los Angeles Extension. Additionally, he has successfully completed UC Davis Extension classes in enology studies. In April 2002, Chef Carter received the esteemed Auguste Escoffier Medal of Merit from the American Culinary Federation. For the past three years, the Bakersfield College Foundation has featured Chef Carter as the Guest Chef for their annual Sterling Silver Dinner, netting over $29,000 for student scholarships in the culinary arts program.
TAYLOR BOUDREAUX, Executive Chef of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, brings intense passion and a playful sense of tradition to the table. In his role as Executive Chef, Taylor has worked to streamline the casual dining restaurants. He has worked diligently to foster the WELL initiative with fresh, natural ingredients and healthful dining options in all facets of the WPW restaurants. With over 17 years of experience, Taylor has worked at many notable restaurants but is most proud to call Wolfgang Puck Worldwide his home. Throughout his career, Taylor has had the privilege of being a featured chef on Entertainment Tonight and Extra! He has challenged his culinary skills preparing menus for the West Wing post-Emmy party and has catered private parties for many of Hollywood’s elite. His love of cooking was deeply influenced by his family’s Cajun background and their careers in the Navy tempered that passion with a dollop of tradition and discipline. As a Navy brat, Taylor moved to different locales every three years or so which exposed his inquisitive palate to an ever-changing world of regional flavors. Taylor is currently using his culinary expertise and creativity to collaborate on the menu for WPW’s new restaurant concept. In June of 2011, Taylor headed the culinary team in opening the new Express in the Cleveland University Hospital Seidman Cancer Center. When he’s not mixing things up in the kitchen, Taylor spends his time at his Redondo Beach home with wife Sunita, son Liam and their dog Roxy.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DANIEL BOULUD
KENNY CALLAGHAN
DANIEL BOULUD is chef-Owner of several award-winning restaurants and the Feast & Fêtes catering company. While he hails from Lyon, France, it is in New York that he has truly mastered the dining scene and is today considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities. Daniel Boulud’s New York City restaurants include DANIEL, a three Michelin star Relais & Châteaux member; the elegant Café Boulud with its adjacent Bar Pleiades; DB Bistro Moderne; Bar Boulud and DBGB Kitchen and Bar. Two new Manhattan destinations, Boulud Sud and Épicerie Boulud are scheduled to open on the Upper West Side in April 2011. Beyond Manhattan he has created Café Boulud in Palm Beach and DB Bistro Moderne in downtown Miami, Florida. The Chef has extended his culinary reach internationally with Maison Boulud in Beijing. Bar Boulud, his first restaurant in the United Kingdom, opened in London’s Mandarin Oriental in May 2010. Boulud’s culinary accolades include James Beard Foundation awards for “Outstanding Restaurant,” “Outstanding Restaurateur,” “Best Chef, New York City” and “Outstanding Chef of the Year.” In addition, he has been named a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government. Restaurant DANIEL has been cited as “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, has earned three Michelin stars, a coveted four star rating from The New York Times, Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award” and is ranked eighth among Restaurant Magazine’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”
KENNY CALLAGHAN is the Executive Chef, Pitmaster and Partner of Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard where he has pioneered the urban barbecue movement in New York City since opening in 2002. Prior to Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard, Kenny spent eight years at Union Square Cafe where he served as Sous Chef and eventually Executive Sous Chef. Kenny’s professional career began at the Helmsley Palace Hotel, followed by the Russian Tea Room. He graduated from Johnson and Wales in 1988 with an Associates Degree in culinary arts and a Bachelor of Arts in foodservice management. Kenny is Co-Founder of the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party and its sibling event the Big Aspen Barbecue Block Party. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party is one of the nation’s premier barbecue events, with over 125,000 guests attending annually every June. In addition to the original on 27th Street in Manhattan, there are currently two Blue Smoke outposts – Citi Field, home of the New York Mets (2009) and Saratoga Race Track, Saratoga Springs (July 2010) – as well as second Manhattan location in Battery Park City set to open in the second half of 2011.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Wednesday, October 12 7:00 PM - Founders' Dinner 2.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 3.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Patina With Guest Chef Jonathan Waxman
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
FLOYD CARDOZ
LINCOLN CARSON
FLOYD CARDOZ is the Executive Chef of North End Grill, the forthcoming restaurant from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Located in Manhattan’s Battery Park City, North End Grill will be a neighborhood gathering place for the residents of BPC and downtown communities. The menu will feature the seasonal dishes of Chef Floyd and have an emphasis on seafood. Before embarking on this new restaurant, Floyd was the executive chef of Tabla, a groundbreaking restaurant serving New Indian cuisine cooked with the sensual flavors and spices of his native land.Tabla received numerous accolades including a three star review from The New York Times. After 12 incredibly rewarding years, Tabla closed its doors in December 2010. Floyd began his career in his native Bombay, where he attended culinary school and interned in the kitchen of the Taj Mahal Intercontinental Hotel. To further his classic culinary technique, Floyd moved to Switzerland, and spent his days at the hotel management and culinary school, Les Roches. Floyd later moved to New York, and worked under Chef Gray Kunz at Lespinasse. In 2006, Floyd wrote his first cookbook, One Spice, Two Spice (Clarkson Potter). In 2009, he launched a line of meals for online grocer Fresh Direct. In 2011, Floyd received the title of Top Chef on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters series, winning the grand prize of $100,000 for his designated charity of choice, the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
LINCOLN CARSON joined Mina Group in September 2006 with an extraordinary background in some of the best restaurants in the country. As Mina Group Corporate Pastry Chef, Carson is responsible for the dessert menu development, staff training and execution of the dessert menus at all of Mina Group’s 19 restaurants across the country. Working closely with Michael Mina and corporate chef David Varley, Carson brings his refined sense of texture, taste and tradition to the Mina Group restaurants, melding his interpretations with Mina’s creative style, for a cohesive and delectable finish to each guests’ meal. An impressive career constructed in the kitchens of great traditional French and contemporary American restaurants, his experience has taken him from renowned classics such as Le Bernardin, La Cote Basque and the Waldorf Astoria’s Peacock Alley to excellent American establishments including Carmel’s Highlands Inn. In Las Vegas, Carson’s experience includes Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn Las Vegas and Bellagio’s Picasso. He also gained valuable experience at both the Olives and B.R. Guest restaurant groups in New York. Carson brings to Mina Group his classic French and American pastry training, enthusiasm, originality and dedication to producing unique, flavorful creations that will leave a lasting impression at each of the Michael Mina restaurants.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - A Fall Harvest Lunch at M.B. Post 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 10:00 PM - HEAT - LA’s Spiciest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
ANDREA CAVALIERE
MICHAEL CHIARELLO
BORN IN TURIN, a city in Northern Italy, Andrea Cavaliere began his culinary career in his family’s trattoria. Cavaliere left the family restaurant as a teenager and studied at Scuolo Alberghiera Ceres, a prestigious culinary school in Turin and later apprenticed under famed Michelin-starred chef Moreno Grossi at Della Rocca and La Smaritta. Cavaliere moved to London in 1998 where he worked as sous chef under Chef Antonio Carluccio at the Neal Street Restaurant in Covent Garden, famous for wild mushrooms and white truffles. In addition to his tasks as a chef, Cavaliere aided Carluccio in all aspects of his life including assisting in televised food programs and writing Carluccio’s cookbooks. Cavaliere opened the first three in his line of restaurants Carluccio’s café, where he became Executive Chef. Soon thereafter, Cavaliere accepted the coveted position of Executive Chef at the Neal Street Restaurant and returned to the world of fine dining. In 2004, Cavaliere accepted the position of Executive Chef of the historical restaurant Cecconi’s, Soho House’s newly acquired Italian project, which originally opened in 1978. It was here that Cavaliere found his signature culinary style with The Slow Food Movement. In 2007, Cavaliere opened the largest property of the Soho House Clubs, Shoreditch House in East London and would ultimately assist in recreating Cecconi’s in West Hollywood in 2009. Cavaliere currently oversees all Cecconi’s and Soho House properties in the United States including West Hollywood, New York and Miami.
MICHAEL CHIARELLO is an award-winning chef and owner of critically acclaimed Bottega restaurant in the Napa Valley. From his earliest childhood experiences – with his Italian family of butchers, cheese makers and ranchers – Michael dreamed of becoming a chef one day. Decades later, he has made his mark, and then some. By combining his Southern Italian roots with the distinctive hallmarks of Napa Valley living, he has become an acclaimed chef, highly-rated vintner, culinary & lifestyle trends pioneer, noted author, and Emmy®-winning television host on Food Network and Cooking Channel. Michael received the CIA’s Chef of the Year Award in 1995, and was just named CIA’s 2011 Alumni of the Year. After turning his enthusiasm for sustainability to his own vineyards in 1999, he created Chiarello Family Vineyards. Since 2000, Michael has been the tastemaker behind the NapaStyle retail line of artisanal foods, kitchenware and home decor. Michael has been a national television host of his own shows for over a decade on PBS, Food Network and Cooking Channel. His Emmy Award®-winning show Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, began in 2003 and airs daily on Cooking Channel. In 2009, he was a finalist on Bravo’s premiere of Top Chef Masters. In Fall 2011, he will appear on Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef. A popular celebrity guest, Michael is a regular contributor to NBC’s The Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show and Martha Stewart Living Radio He lives among his Napa Valley vineyards with his wife and children.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 10:30 AM - Lexus Presents - They Sing. They Act. They Cook?
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Giada De Laurentiis - Lunch at Cecconi 5.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
ROY CHOI
SAM CHOY
THOUGH ROY CHOI is currently known as the godfather of the food truck movement, he is first and foremost a cook. Through a wayward lonchera Kogi and a humble-but-cute rice bowl joint Chego, Chef Roy has created food that tastes like a side of Los Angeles that non-immigrants have never gotten the chance to know. With Chef Roy in the kitchen, great food didn’t mean breaking the bank or having to put up with pretentious table service. Further west, into Culver City, A-Frame continues to mess with the traditions of standard dining culture and encourages patrons to reach across the table to share their food with a couple of strangers. Furikake kettle corn, beer can chicken and spit-roasted lamb resting in a cool pool of salsa verde invite patrons into a world where the utensils are optional and the food tastes best when eaten with an open heart. Spices, swagger and street corners from another side of an imagined world set the heartbeat and tone for Chef Roy’s newest creative project in Venice, which is expected to open in November of 2011. From classic hotel chef to street cook to ringleader to challenging those barriers between good food and accessible food, Roy Choi reminds us that when it comes to eating a great meal, rules are made to be broken. And a few nods from Bon Appetit, Food & Wine Magazine, The James Beard Foundation and Jonathan Gold would have to agree.
SAM CHOY’S years of cooking alongside his parents provided him the skills and inspiration to make him a local Hawaiian celebrity. It is his exceptional creativity, love of good food and aloha that has propelled him into the status of an internationally-recognized chef today. Choy’s colorful personality and welcoming smile have drawn customers to his restaurants , but it is his award-winning cooking that keeps them coming back. Living in his home state of Hawai’I with its bountiful yearround hillsides of fresh meats, vegetables, fruits and fresh fish gave Sam an upper hand at making his mark on the culinary world. Also, the multiple cultures that have gravitated to the islands isolated in the center of the South Pacific sprinkle flavors from around the world into the mix. He characterizes his cuisines as “a melting pot of the freshest ingredients from every culture on the Hawaiian Islands.” Sam has appeared on his weekly cooking show, Sam Choy’s Kitchen, on the Hawaiian Island’s local NBC affiliate. He has authored 16 cookbooks, has a frozen food line with a major international distributor, has his personal recipe sauces and dressings available in national food store chains and has designed first and business class menus for American’s Airlines International Flights. Sam also enjoys catering for private events and donates his time to support multiple charities.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MICHAEL CIMARUSTI
JOSIAH CITRIN
MICHAEL CIMARUSTI began his career in New York City with celebrated Chef Larry Forgione, of An American Place. Eventually, Cimarusti moved on to work at the New York City institution Le Cirque. There he met his mentors Chef Sottha Khunn and Chef Sylvan Portay. Wanting to hone his french cooking technique, Cimarusti packed his bags and moved to Paris. There he apprenticed at Michelin-rated seafood restaurant,La Marée, and with worldrenowned Chef Alain Passard at Arpège. Upon returning to New York, he again chose to work with the Maccioni family of Le Cirque, serving as the opening chef at their venture, Osteria del Circo. Looking for a change of scenery, Chef Cimarusti headed west to Los Angeles. He served as Chef de Cuisine, at the original Spago, for Chef Wolfgang Puck. Michael Cimarusti’s mastery of seafood cookery and his knowledge of fish and seafood have earned him international recognition.Providence garnered a coveted James Beard nomination for “Best New Restaurant” in the United States, “Top 20 New Restaurants” by Esquire Magazine, and “World’s Top New Restaurants” by Travel and Leisure. Providence was awarded two Michelin Stars in the Michelin Dining Guide for 2009. Cimarusti is an “Iron Chef America” Champion as well as appearing as a contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters”. He was nominated for, “Best Chef: Pacific Region”, by the James Beard Foundation in 2010 and 2011. Last year, Angeleno Magazine named Cimarusti “2010 Chef of the Year”.
JOSIAH CITRIN is the Two Star Michelin Chef/Owner of the highly respected Mélisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, and coowner of Lemon Moon Café in nearby West Los Angeles. His inventive cuisine focuses on laser-sharp presentation of California farm-to-table ingredients. It is highlighted by his French heritage and the influence of his years spent in Paris. A respected veteran of the Los Angeles’ gourmet dining industry, Citrin has been written up in numerous publications including Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Esquire, Wine Spectator and The Robb Report. A firm believer in giving back to the community, Citrin contributes his talent and time to various charities on the local and national level. His first cookbook, “In Pursuit of Excellence” will be released in the autumn of 2011. Awards include: Two Stars by Michelin Guide since 2008 #1 for Top Food in Los Angeles by Zagat Guide since 2006 #1 American-French Restaurant for Food in Los Angeles by Zagat Guide since 2003 Four Stars by Mobile Travel Guide since 2001
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Melisse With Guest Chef Douglas Keane
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Providence With Guest Chef Richard Reddington
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
TOM COLICCHIO
SCOTT CONANT
TOM COLICCHIO spent his childhood, cooking with his mother and grandmother. It was his father, however, who suggested that he make a career of it. Tom taught himself to cook with the help of Jacques Pépin‟s legendary illustrated manuals on French cooking, La Technique and La Méthode. Tom later cooked at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe and Mondrian. During his tenure as executive chef of Mondrian, Food & Wine magazine selected him as one of the top 10 “Best New Chefs” in the U.S. In July 1994, Tom and his business partner Danny Meyer opened Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan where his cooking earned consistent recognition – after three nominations for The James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef-New York” Award, he won it in 2000. In 2001, Tom opened Craft one block south of Gramercy Tavern. Craft was awarded The James Beard Foundation Award for “Best New Restaurant” in 2002. That same year, Tom received The Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Award for “Chef of the Year.” With Craft and its sibling, Craftbar, Tom set out to expand his simple, elegant brand of cooking. He has since opened 21 various incarnations of his Craft concept throughout the country. Since 2006, Tom has been the head judge on Bravos hit reality cooking series “Top Chef.” The Emmy-nominated show is now in its sixth season. Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by supporting charities, City Meals-on-Wheels, City Harvest, Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
SCOTT CONANT brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating food that is unexpected and soulful. Scarpetta in New York City garnered a glowing three-star review from The New York Times and was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire magazine. In 2008, Conant opened Scarpetta at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau resort, which received a four-star review from The Miami Herald. In 2009, Scarpetta received a nomination for Best New Restaurant from the James Beard Foundation. In June 2010, Conant opened Scarpetta Toronto at the Thompson hotel and October 2010 brought Scarpetta Beverly Hills to Montage Beverly Hills. He opened a fifth location as well as D.O.C.G Enoteca, a new wine bar, at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in early 2011. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Conant was named one of America’s Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine in 2004. He has appeared on The Today Show, MARTHA and Bravo’s Top Chef. On the Food Network, Conant is a guest judge on “Chopped” and serves as host of the “24 Hour Restaurant Battle.” Conant has published two cookbooks: New Italian Cooking and Bold Italian.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
BILL CORBETT
CHRIS COSENTINO
BILL CORBETT joined The Absinthe Group (TAG) in January 2011 as Executive Pastry Chef. With more than a decade of pastry experience at some of the most highly regarded restaurants, he has risen rapidly among the nation’s top pastry chefs, and was just named “Best Pastry Chef 2011” by San Francisco Magazine. A Waterloo, Canada native, Corbett worked his way up from dishwasher to kitchen manager to pastry cook during his youth. In 2004 he was hired by B. R. Guest Restaurants to work under Executive Pastry Chef Lincoln Carson, whom he credits for setting his foundation for classic pastry technique. In 2005, Corbett honed his skills at WD~50 as pastry sous, learning how to integrate sweet and savory effectively from Pastry Chef Sam Mason. In the fall of 2007, he moved to San Francisco, California, to become pastry chef at Michael Mina restaurant. In late 2009, Corbett joined the highly acclaimed Coi as executive pastry chef for chef-owner Daniel Patterson. For each of TAG’s concepts, Corbett offers an approachable menu, while incorporating some unexpected ingredients and flavor combinations for an element of surprise. Highlights include Earl Grey Pavlova with meyer lemon curd, and mint ice cream; Strawberries & Cream poundcake with candied fennel; Bananas Foster Cake with cream cheese frosting and bourbon ice cream.
CHRIS COSENTINO, aka @OffalChris, grew up in Newport, Rhode Island’s Italian-American community, where he spent his time clamming, commercial fishing, and cranking the pasta machine in his grandmother’s kitchen, developing an early affinity for great ingredients and hard work. After graduating from Johnson & Wales, Cosentino went on to build his culinary resume at Red Sage in Washington, D.C. and Rubicon, Chez Panisse, Belon, and Redwood Park in the San Francisco Bay Area. His first executive chef position was at Incanto, which he joined in 2002, where his innovative interpretations of rustic Italian fare promptly earned the restaurant its first 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle. Since then Cosentino has gained national acclaim as a leading proponent of offal cookery. Chris’s approach is marked by a combination of sheer gusto, careful research and precise technique, and stems from a belief that no parts of an animal slaughtered for food should go to waste. He has a strong commitment to sustainable principles and humanely raised meats and is an avid researcher of ancient cooking techniques and culinary lore. In addition to serving as Incanto’s executive chef, Chris is cocreator of Boccalone (www.boccalone.com), an artisanal salumeria. Chris was a contestant on the first season of the Food Network’s Next Iron Chef America, and can now be seen on the Food Network’s Chefs vs. City show. 2011 saw the debut of a line of clothing from Cosentino and a sold-out line of shoes available through Zappos.com.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Meat in the Middle - With Guest Chef Chris Cosentino 5.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
JOHN CUEVAS
GIADA DE LAURENTIIS
JOHN CUEVAS is a recognized Chef throughout the Southern California area and has been gaining notoriety on a National level. Flavorful and imaginative cuisine paired with attentive service that is comfortable and inviting is his favorite recipe. John began his career at a young age, working in a San Diego bistro managed by his mother. Upon graduation from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, he quickly worked his way to Sous Chef at the highly celebrated Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale. Later, as Executive Chef at The Montage’s other fine dining restaurant, The Loft, Mr. Cuevas experienced independence as the sole creative vision, creating a buzz and a following within the community. In 2007 John was nominated for Best Chef Pacific, James Beard Foundation. As Executive Chef, Montage Beverly Hills, Cuevas contributed to the hotels receipt of the coveted Forbes Five Star Award. John has also visited the James Beard House on multiple occasions and has participated in all Montage sponsored James Beard Events. A foodie at heart, John Cuevas is a Chef’s Chef and looks forward to creating an environment where the locals and industry professionals alike find a home in his restaurant. John is an avid surfer and enjoys hiking and photography when he is not in the kitchen. He has three children and lives in Orange County.
EMMY AWARD WINNING personality, Giada De Laurentiis has become a household name. Born in Rome, Giada grew up in a large Italian family where the culture of food was a staple . As the granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada consistently found herself in the family’s kitchen and spent a great deal of time at her grandfather’s restaurant, DDL Foodshow. After graduating from the University of California in Los Angeles with a degree in anthropology, Giada’s passion for cooking remained. She eventually made the decision to commence a culinary career and began her professional training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, specializing in both cuisine and pastry. Following, she returned to Los Angeles, where her training included positions at the prestigious Ritz Carlton Fine Dining Room and Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills. Giada’s career started on Food Network began in 2002 when she was discovered by a network executive. Her Emmy award winning, daytime cooking show, “Everyday Italian,” features healthy and satisfying Italian dishes. “Giada’s Weekend Getaways,” debuted in 2007 and followed Giada to popular destinations. Giada is also a judge on the highly popular series, “Next Food Network Star.” The foray into cookbooks was an obvious decision. De Laurentiis’ first book, “Everyday Italian,” showcases many of the delicious recipes from her cooking show of the same name. Her second book entitled, “Giada’s Family Dinners,” quickly became a #1 New York Times best-seller as did her third cookbook, “Everyday Pasta,” which was released in April 2007.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 10:00 PM - HEAT - LA’s Spiciest After Party 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Giada De Laurentiis - Lunch at Cecconi
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
ROBERT DEL GRANDE
GINA DEPALMA
ROBERT DEL GRANDE is Chef & Owner of Restaurant RDG +Bar Annie. For 29 years, Robert was the Chef & Owner of the legendary Cafe Annie. Café Annie closed in June of 2009 and reopened as Restaurant RDG + Bar Annie in the new center Boulevard Place, less than 2 blocks from the old location. Texas Monthly picked Restaurant RDG + Bar Annie as the best new restaurant of the year. Robert is a partner in the Schiller-Del Grande Restaurant Group. He received his undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of San Francisco and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California at Riverside. He joined Cafe Annie in 1981 and was instrumental in the development of Southwest Cooking in America. He won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest, has received the prestigious Silver Spoon Award from Food Arts, and has been inducted into the Who’s Who in American Cooking. Cafe Annie was featured in many national publications including Food & Wine, Food Arts, Saveur, Gourmet and Bon Appétit. That legacy is thriving at Restaurant RDG. The Schiller Del Grande Group also operates The Grove & the Lake House – two restaurants in the new signature park in downtown Houston. Later this year, the Schiller Del Grande Group will open AVA Brasserie & Pizzeria Alto. In addition to restaurants, Robert has also done ideation & food concept work for several national restaurant chains. He is married to Mimi Del Grande, the managing director of Restaurant RDG + Bar Annie and partner in the Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group.
JAMES BEARD Award-winning Pastry Chef Gina DePalma credits her close-knit Italian family for instilling a love and understanding of good food, simply prepared from the best of ingredients. A career in pastry was not her original intention, but after completing an apprenticeship in the pastry kitchen of Chanterelle, she soon found her calling. She went on to work for over two years in the pastry department of Gramercy Tavern, and then became the Pastry Chef of The Cub Room in Soho before being hired by Chef Mario Batali to open Babbo Ristorante and Enoteca in 1998. Ms. DePalma has appeared on the Food Network and Martha Stewart Living, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Daily News, New York Magazine, Gourmet, Chocolatier, Pastry Art and Design and Food & Wine. She contributed to the The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali, and in 2007, her first cookbook, Dolce Italiano; Desserts from The Babbo Kitchen, was published by W.W. Norton & Co. In 2008, Bon Appetit magazine named her Pastry Chef of The year. Chef DePalma was honored as one of the Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Art & Design, and after multiple nominations, she received the coveted The James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef of 2009. A frequent contributor to the food blog Serious Eats, she is currently researching and writing her second book.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - The Italian Table - Lunch at Scuola de Pizza 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
CELESTINO DRAGO
NATHAN ECKHAUS
CHEF CELESTINO DRAGO has played an integral role in the everevolving dining scene in Los Angeles for over two decades. Hailing from Sicily, Celestino has become one of the city’s and the country’s most lauded Italian chefs, with honors ranging from Food & Wine Magazine selecting him as a “Best New Chef” to being an invited guest chef at the James Beard House in New York on multiple occasions. Before launching his restaurant empire in Southern California, Celestino attended mechanical school in Italy while simultaneously working at a restaurant in the city of Pisa called Pierino. It was there that realized he “loved everything about the restaurant business.” In 1979, Celestino was hired as chef at Los Angeles Italian restaurant, Orlando Orsini. After opening his first restaurant, Celestino, in Beverly Hills and receiving high praise, he was encouraged to open another restaurant, Drago in Santa Monica.It was Celestino’s success at Drago that led to his subsequent ventures which include: Dolce Forno, Enoteca Drago, Il Pastaio and most recently, Drago Centro. Celestino has been touted as one of the Best Italian Chefs in the United States by Bon Appétit and Los Angeles Times Restaurant Critic S. Irene Virbila has called Celestino, “one of the best-known Italian restaurateurs in Southern California.”
EXECUTIVE CHEF NATHANIEL ECKHAUS showcases his passion for farm-fresh ingredients at South Gate restaurant in New York’s Jumeirah Essex House Hotel. With his “park to park” philosophy in bringing ingredients from the Union Square Park Greenmarket directly to his kitchen on Central Park, Chef Nathaniel’s menu pays homage to these ingredients with its local & seasonal offerings. Before coming to South Gate in 2007 as Chef de Cuisine, Chef Nathaniel honed his cooking and hospitality skills at Eleven Madison Park and Union Square Events, Danny Meyer’s premiere catering operation. He also spent time in Europe and cooked at several two and three Michelin starred establishments in France, Monaco and Portugal. When Chef Nathaniel is not in the kitchen, he can be found fly fishing on the Delaware River as well as advocating its preservation and conservation. Chef Nathaniel got his degree at the New England Culinary Institute and before entering the culinary world, he spent six years as a Naval Air Rescue Swimmer in the United States Navy.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
JOSEPH ELEVADO
GRAHAM ELLIOT
WITH A STYLE that weaves together classic technique, Japanese aesthetics and Asian flavors, Joseph Elevado’s culinary career is a culmination of his cultural upbringing, artistic expression and discipline, honed in esteemed kitchens throughout the country. While in college, Elevado was drawn to the culinary field when a friend brought him to an evening course at New York Restaurant School and for the first time, he enjoyed attending class. It was then that Elevado realized his true calling as a chef. Elevado then enrolled in Culinary School where he graduated with honors with a degree in Culinary Arts. Upon graduation, Elevado took a position as a Master Cook at Nobu in New York City, where he refined his skills with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Chef Masaharu Morimoto. When a dream job in California presented itself, Elevado joined the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills team in May 2011. As a mark of his culinary passage, Elevado has cultivated a series of tattoos that tell the story of his life in and out of the kitchen. As executive chef of L’Ermitage, Elevado oversees the storied luxury hotel’s food and beverage program. Ushering in a new era that speaks to the hotel’s evolution under The Viceroy Hotel Group brand. When not in the kitchen, Elevado can be found spending time with his wife and two young children, Spencer, and Penelope, or riding his motorcycles to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market for inspiration.
AFTER READING Charlie Trotter’s cookbook, Graham set his sights on Trotter’s kitchen in Chicago, where he learned what it meant to work at the pinnacle of culinary professionalism. Graham carried those standards with him to Tru, and later to Avenues at The Peninsula Chicago where he would receive a perfect four-star rating from the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun –Time sand Chicago Magazine making him the youngest chef from any major U.S. city to have achieved the title of “Four Star Chef.” In 2008, Graham opened the aptly named Graham Elliot a restaurant that displays his passionate personality, embodies his core principles of humility, courage, vision, respect, and focus. Graham Elliot’s clever menu of signature whimsical takes on American classics has garnering two stars from The Chicago Tribune, two and a half stars from the Chicago Sun-Times and one star from the 2011 MICHELIN Guide. In December 2010, Graham opened a fast-casual sandwich concept, Grahamwich, in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. In addition to appearing on both seasons of the popular show “Top Chef Masters,” Graham co-starred alongside Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich in the new FOX series MASTERCHEF.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Simply Seasonal - Lunch at FIG With Guest Chef Graham Elliot 3.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
TODD ENGLISH
TONY ESNAULT
ONE OF THE MOST decorated, respected, and charismatic chefs in the world, Todd English has enjoyed a staggering number of accolades during his remarkable career. Chef English began his cooking career at the age of 15 when he first entered the doors of a professional kitchen. At 20, he attended the Culinary Institute of America and graduated in 1982 with honors. In 1989, Todd opened, Olives, a 50-seat storefront in Charlestown, Massachusetts. English went on to establish Olives as one of the most prestigious culinary brands in the nation, opening additional locations at the iconic W Hotel in Union Square and The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Following the success of Olives, English created Figs, a more casual sister restaurant concept. There are currently four Figs locations. English has created an astonishing list of successful restaurant concepts. Todd English Enterprises includes Tuscany at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut; Bonfire, a steakhouse; Ça Va, a French-inspired Brasserie located in New York City; Restaurant Todd English, on the Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria; and two seafood concepts, KingFish Hall, in Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, and BlueZoo at the Walt Disney World Resort’s Dolphin Hotel. A dedicated philanthropist, Todd is very involved with several local and national charities including Susan G. Komen, Share Our Strength, the Boys and Girls Clubs,
PATINA EXECUTIVE CHEF Tony Esnault began his career at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants throughout France. In 2005, Esnault became executive chef at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in New York City. While there, he garnered three Michelin stars in the book’s inaugural 2006 New York guide and was named a “Rising Star” by StarChefs. In 2007, Esnault went on to open Adour with Master Chef Ducasse at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, earning an impressive three stars from reviewer Frank Bruni at The New York Times and two from The Michelin Guide. He joined the Patina team in 2009 and garnered a rare four-star review from the Los Angeles Times in June 2010.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Patina With Guest Chef Jonathan Waxman
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday 3.) Saturday, October 15 11:00 PM – Cooking Demo at Lexus Grand Tasting
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MARK ESTEE
ELIZABETH FALKNER
EQUALLY COMFORTABLE picking his favorite produce at the family farm of his friend Gary Romano or cooking up meals for celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney, Mark Estee’s culinary career has been driven by a deep love for the authentic ingredients that create true connections between land, farmer, food and diner. Estee’s relentless enthusiasm and renowned passion has landed him prestigious guest chef appearances at the James Beard House in New York City, the 4-Diamond Awahnee Hotel in Yosemite and the world-renowned Pebble Beach Food & Wine. But it is back home where Estee continues to forge new territory in his own cooking technique. Adapting his own unique take on the “Whole Hog Philosophy” Estee has been digging deeper into the fuller flavors produced from using every portion of every ingredient- whether it is vegetable or animal, fish or fowl. Owner of Moody’s Bistro and Lounge and Burger Me! Truckee and Reno, Estee has opened a new downtown Reno restaurant Campo on the city’s riverfront. At Campo, Estee has built a menu inspired by rural Italian climates. Estee’s resume runs deep with stages in some of the world’s best kitchens. Taking lessons learned from some of the nation’s most iconic chefs. Estee’s restaurants have been featured on the Food Network, and written up in publications across the nation, where critics have called his food “close-our-eyes-and-moan good.”
WITH HER SPIKY platinum hair and unstoppable creativity, Elizabeth Falkner has become one of the most recognizable faces of the Bay Area culinary world on Bravo, Food Network and beyond. She has been a frequent contestant, judge, and guest on Top Chef Masters, Top Chef, Iron Chef America, Sugar Rush, Tyler’s Ultimate with Tyler Florence, Rachael Ray’s $40 a Day, Martha Stewart Living, and more. Falkner is the owner and Chef of two Michelin recommended restaurants in San Francisco. Citizen Cake patisserie, restaurant and bar in Pacific Heights, along with the popular SOMA restaurant bar and lounge Orson. Once known as the go-to for all things pastry, Elizabeth’s expertise is now widely acknowledged to have bridged the gap between sweet and savory. Before starting her own businesses, Falkner was an acclaimed pastry chef at Rubicon, working with chef Traci Des Jardins. Prior to Rubicon, she honed her craft in the kitchens of Masa’s and Elka. Working frequently with Bay Area’s Center for Culinary Development, she has taught and consulted all around the world for clients including Barilla, Molino Bianco, California Walnuts, Hershey’s, Williams-Sonoma, Ghirardelli, Haagen-Dazs, Pepperidge Farms, and many more.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA's Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
SUSAN FENIGER
GUY FIERI
MARY SUE MILLIKEN and Susan Feniger are co-chef/owners of the popular, critically acclaimed Border Grill restaurants, serving modern Mexican food in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, as well as in Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. The Border Grill Truck, their latest endeavor, is a gourmet taco truck sensation on the cutting edge of the street food scene in Los Angeles. Pioneers of world cuisine since the creation of City Café and CITY Restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1980’s, Mary Sue and Susan are also well known as Food Network’s dynamic “Too Hot Tamales”, and most recently from Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters”. Mary Sue and Susan are preeminent ambassadors of authentic Mexican cuisine, setting the standard for gourmet Mexican fare for over two decades and authoring five cookbooks, including Cooking with Too Hot Tamales, Mea Mexicana, and City Cuisine. Active members of the community, Mary Sue and Susan play leading roles in many charities, notably Share Our Strength and the Scleroderma Research Foundation. In addition, they are passionate about the environment and lead the culinary industry with eco-friendly policies at the Border Grill restaurants and Truck, including serving only sustainable seafood as part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.
THIS LIKEABLE laid back California “guy” with his trademark bleached blond spiky hair began his love affair with food at the age of ten, selling soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father named “The Awesome Pretzel.” By selling pretzels and washing dishes, Guy earned enough money in six years to study abroad as an exchange student in Chantilly, France. There he gained a profound appreciation for international cuisine and the lifestyle associated with it. Guy Fieri (‘Fee-eddy’) premiered his first show, Guy’s Big Bite on Food Network. Today, this “Culinary Rock Star” also hosts toprated show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, as well as the special series Tailgate Warriors and guest judges on Next Food Network Star. On March 14th, 2010, Guy made his debut as a game show host on the new NBC primetime series, Minute To Win It. The show became an instant success and is currently airing its third season. In 1996, Guy and his business partner, Steve Gruber launched their Italian restaurant concept, Johnny Garlic’s in Santa Rosa which currently boasts three locations in California. With the success of their first restaurant concept, in 2003 they developed Tex Wasabi’s, a Southern BBQ and California Sushi restaurant in Santa Rosa, CA. Their second location opened in Sacramento in 2007 Guy lives in Northern California with his wife, Lori and two boys – Hunter and Ryder.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DANNY FISCHER
CLAUDIA FLEMING
DANNY WAS BORN in Philadelphia and spent many years in the Big Apple. Danny sharpened his culinary chops working there for his father, Lou, who along with football legend Gino Marchetti founded the Gino’s Burgers franchise. In 2004, Danny partnered up with Rick McCarthy, merging soul food and BBQ to create Baby Blues.
NOW THE PROPRIETOR of Long Island’s North Fork Table and Inn, Claudia Fleming is one of the best-known and most respected pastry chefs in America. She studied the art of the pâtissier in France, and has worked at many of New York’s legendary restaurants, including Jams, Union Square Café, Montrachet, TriBeCa Grill, and Gramercy Tavern, which she helped open in 1994. In 2000, Fleming won the James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Pastry Chef, and Pastry Art & Design magazine named her one of their 10 best pastry chefs in 2000 and 2001. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Town & Country, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, In Style, Vogue, and Self. Her first book, The Last Course: Desserts from Gramercy Tavern, was released in 2001. In 2006, Fleming and her husband Gerry Hayden opened The North Fork Table & Inn in the heart of Long Island’s wine country. The restaurant’s seasonal menu features locally grown produce, as well as locally produced wine and cheeses.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 4:30 PM - Dan Dunn’s Booze, Blues & BBQ 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
TYLER FLORENCE
JOHN FOLSE
FOR THE PAST fifteen years, Chef Tyler Florence has delighted the masses by sharing the sights, sounds and flavors of his unique culinary vision to fans around the world. After graduating from the prestigious culinary program at Johnson and Wales University, Florence tackled the Big Apple where he helmed multiple acclaimed restaurants and established himself as a one of New York City’s finest young stars. In New York, he honed his culinary skills with some of the city’s premier chefs. As the buzz about the charismatic young chef’s food picked up steam, a fresh new television network took notice and the rest, as they say, is history. After 12 plus years as a franchise star of the Food Network where he starred in such series as How to Boil Water, Food 911, his hugely popular “recipe rescue” show, as well as his signature series, Tyler’s Ultimate. Tyler recently released two new top-selling cookbooks – Stirring The Pot, and Dinner at my Place in addition to his three previous books- Tyler’s Ultimate, Eat This Book, and Real Kitchen. In July of 2008, Tyler opened his first kitchen retail shop, The Tyler Florence Shop, in Mill Valley, California. In early 2010, Tyler opened his first signature restaurants, Wayfare Tavern, in San Francisco and El Paseo in Mill Valley. In the Spring of 2010, adjacent to The Tyler Florence Shop in Napa, Tyler also be opened a new restaurant concept, Tyler Florence Rotisserie & Wine.
LOUISIANAN BY BIRTH and Cajun by the grace of God, Chef John Folse was born and reared in the swamplands and bayous of St. James Parish. His mother died in childbirth when he was only 8 years old, leaving his father to rear a family of 6 boys and 2 girls. The Folse family was blessed with the motherly love of an AfricanAmerican neighbor who stepped in to care for the children while teaching them life’s most valuable lessons: cooking, ironing, showing kindness to others, treasuring family and praising God. His entrepreneurial spirit was born on the swamp floor leading him to create enterprises including food manufacturing, catering, pastry making, cheese making, publishing and broadcasting. His nine cookbooks document Louisiana’s culinary history from colonization to the present. His PBS series, A Taste of Louisiana, has aired since 1989 and his NPR radio show, Stirrin’ It Up, since 1996. Folse served as president of the nation’s leading culinary organizations including the American Culinary Federation and Distinguished Restaurants of North America. His numerous accolades include Nation’s Restaurant News’ Profiles of Power, NRN’s Fine Dining Hall of Fame, ACF’s National Chef of the Year and RCA’s Pioneers in Culinology. Additionally, the culinary institute at Nicholls State University is named in his honor. In 2010, Folse partnered with Chef Rick Tramonto in a new restaurant development company, Home on the Range. They will launch their first restaurant project, Restaurant R’evolution, in New Orleans’ Royal Sonesta Hotel in early 2012.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 AM - Tyler Florence - Stirring The Pot 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
BEN FORD
RAY GARCIA
GETTING HIS START in Alice Water’s forward-thinking Chez Panisse kitchen, Chef Benjamin Ford has remained an aggressive advocate for the snout-to-tail and root-to-flower approach to cooking. He has appeared on Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Martha Stewart, After Hours with Daniel Boulud, Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution, and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, using each as an opportunity to teach his sustainable, craft-driven philosophy to cooking. He is currently the Executive Chef/Owner of Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City, CA and keeps busy with numerous side projects, including a soon-to-open outpost at LAX.
A LOS ANGELES NATIVE, Chef’ Ray’s adoration for cuisine was cultivated at his grandmother’s house where he and his family would gather for Sunday dinners, rehashing the week’s events over homemade dishes. Although food remained an interest he equated with conviviality, he originally planned to pursue a legal career. While studying political science and business economics at the University of California, he spent time working at a variety of restaurants in the Los Angeles area. These experiences fostered his life’s passion. “Food chose me, I didn’t choose it,” he said. “The tastes, sounds and smells — all kept drawing me back in.” Following graduation, he deferred enrollment to law school and began studying at the California School of Culinary Art. Ray has spent years perfecting his craft, delighting the palates of discerning guests and locals at the fine dining establishments located in The Peninsula Beverly Hills. He also spent time learning from a variety of well-renowned chefs at landmark establishments, including Douglas Keene at Cyrus and Thomas Keller at The French Laundry. I learned the importance of ingredients, technique and flavor,” said Chef Ray. Now at the helm of FIG, Garcia expresses his own, fully matured style. Having been described as “bright, bold, and fundamentally ingredient-driven” his menu highlights his commitment to locally grown produce. In 2010 Garcia was recognized by StarChefs as one of the country’s Rising Stars for his culinary talent and dedication to sustainable practices.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Simply Seasonal - Lunch at FIG With Guest Chef Graham Elliot 3.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier 4.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
SHAWN GAWLE
MICHAEL GINOR
SHAWN GAWLE was exposed to the restaurant world growing up just outside of Boston where he would often help out at his father’s restaurant/deli, and quickly developed a passion for the profession. He attended the New England Culinary Institute and graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts (1999). He began his career in Chicago at Tru under celebrated Chef Rick Tramonto. In 2004, Shawn moved to Philadelphia and was sous chef at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, Esquire Magazine’s Best Restaurant of the Year in 2003 where he worked with the worldrenowned Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix, who would become one of his greatest mentors. After leaving Philadelphia, Shawn worked closely with Chef Laurent Gras to open Bistro du Vent in New York. Next, he served on the opening team at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in New York, which earned three stars from The New York Times. In 2007, Chef Laurent Gras invited him to join the opening team at L2o, and to serve as his sous chef. Knowing of Shawn’s strong desire to learn pastry, Chef Gras allowed him to spearhead the dessert program. In 2009 Chef Grégory Pugin tapped Shawn as executive pastry chef at the critically acclaimed Veritas in New York City. Here, Shawn’s mastery of classic French technique freed him to channel his creativity and push culinary boundaries. Shawn joined the reputable kitchen team at Corton in September 2010 to collaborate with Chef Liebrandt on a singular vision for Corton’s cuisine.
MICHAEL AEYAL GINOR is co-founder and Chef of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the most comprehensive Foie Gras producer in the world. Michael was born in Seattle, Washington and he is a graduate of Brandeis University. HVFG has received the 1993 Gold Merit Award from Chefs in America and the 1996 Award for Excellence from The James Beard Foundation. While HVFG is the bedrock of Michael’s pursuits, since 1990, Michael has dedicated his time to the many facets of the culinary world, including product development, creating and organizing gourmet and charitable events, workshops and demonstrations. Thus, Hudson Valley Foie Gras is committed to and is associated with: The James Beard Foundation, where Michael serves as a member of the National advisory Board at The Culinary Institute of America. Michael organizes culinary events and festivals worldwide. By bringing together celebrated American chefs and local chefs, Michael helps to create an intercultural culinary exchange program, which introduces American ingredients and techniques to world markets. He is a board member of the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival and the World Gourmet Summit. Michael is a food and travel contributor to such stellar publications as Food Arts Magazine; The James Beard Magazine and Art Culinaire. His cookbook, the internationally acclaimed Foie Gras…A Passion, is a comprehensive reference book accompanied by 84 recipes, received the prestigious 1999 Prix la Mazille for best international cookbook of the year from the International Cookbook Revue in Versailles.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Krug House Dinner 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DUFF GOLDMAN
JONATHAN GRAHM
CHEF DUFF HAS been cooking since the age of four, when his Mom caught him in the kitchen swinging a meat cleaver while watching Chef Tell. A few years later, his culinary curiosity almost cost him a finger when he decided the best way to carve a pumpkin was with the largest knife he could find. Despite the incident, Duff found his calling and has never turned back. After graduating from college with degrees in history and philosophy, he went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America. He worked at several acclaimed culinary destinations, including the French Laundry, the Vail Cascade Hotel and Todd English’s Olives before returning to Baltimore in 2000, where quit his day job and opened Charm City Cakes. In 2006, Food Network tapped Duff and to star in Ace of Cakes. After six years, the show is still wildly populaR in over 40 countries worldwide. Duff currently stars in Food Network’s Sugar High and has been featured in episodes of, Iron Chef America, The Next Food Network Star, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Chefs vs. City, Cupcake Wars, and Chopped. Duff is also a graffiti artist, metal sculptor and musician. In the Spring of 2011, he packed up the combined talent and knowledge he gained in over 10 years in business by the entire crew of Charm City Cakes, loaded up his trucks, and headed to Los Angeles to open up his left coast bakery expansion: Charm City Cakes West.
JONATHAN GRAHM is the world’s youngest and most creative “chocolatier”. Only 25 years old, Jonathan has already created over 100 varieties of chocolates and has built a cult following in Los Angeles, ranging from famous actors and actresses to housewives to corporate business clients nationwide. Working out of his store, Compartes Chocolates in Brentwood, CA, Jonathan is able to fuse unique flavors with stylish presentation in his artisanal creations. Jonathan took over his family’s chocolate shop at the young age of 15. At the time, Compartes was already a superlative chocolate shop though rooted heavily in tradition. Its’ chocolate-dipped glace apricots have been a favorite amongst Brentwood society since the 50s, even supplying Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe, but the long-stagnated store was in dire need of some youthful flair. Inspired by his trips to childhood vacation spots in Venezuela, Asia, and Europe, Jonathan began developing his own recipes in Compartes’ miniscule kitchen. Mixing ingredients, textures and exotic flavors together, Jonathan used ganache as his canvas, creating unique flavor profiles with the purpose of revealing chocolate’s many different notes. By re-inventing Compartes while still keeping the traditional favorites that made customers come back time and time again, Jonathan had found his niche.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1. Thursday, October 13 7:00 AM - Red Carpet Premier 2. Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
ERIC GREENSPAN
KERRY HEFFERNAN
ERIC GREENSPAN graduated from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He trained in New York with Alain Ducasse, David Bouley, Rocco De Spirito and with Ferran Adria. Chef Greenspan then went on to become the executive chef at Patina (from 2001-2003). In 2007 he opened the Foundry on Melrose. Currently, as partner of Foundation Hospitality Group he is set to open 3 new concepts in fall of 2011. The Roof on Wilshire and The Lounge on Wilshire (both located in the Hotel Wilshire in Miracle Mile) and Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese (located next door to his flagship restaurant The Foundry on Melrose). During his career, Greenspan has appeared on multiple food related television and radio programs, including defeating Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America and co-hosting A&E’s upcoming show “Fix This Kitchen”.
BORN IN PENNSYLVANIA, Kerry developed an interest in the culinary arts at a very young age. At 14, he took a job in a local restaurant, laying the foundation for the stellar career that lay ahead. Following high school, Kerry bicycled through Europe for four months, spending a good portion of that time exploring the South of France. There, he set up camp – literally, living in a tent – and found a job baking croissants. He returned home to attend the Culinary Institute of America, graduating second in his class. In 1998, Kerry became the opening Executive Chef and eventually partner at Union Square Hospitality Group’s Eleven Madison Park. While at Eleven Madison, Kerry introduced New Yorkers to his elegant signature seasonal cuisine. Under his leadership, the restaurant received accolades from a wide variety of sources, including a tie with Per Se on Zagat Survey’s “Top 20 Most Popular Restaurants in New York,” The James Beard Foundation’s Award for Outstanding Service in America and Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant.” Executive Chef Kerry Heffernan brings 20 years of culinary excellence, experience and leadership to the kitchen of South Gate in New York City. An avid saltwater fly fisherman and snowboarder, Kerry is thrilled to have found a new home on Central Park South. He will look to the park to serve as both seasonal inspiration and the ideal backdrop for his graceful cuisine.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
RORY HERRMANN
DANIEL HOLZMAN
RORY HERRMANN, Chef de Cuisine at Bouchon in Beverly Hills, has always had a passion for great food. A winner of the Rising Star Chef Award in 2010, Rory spent a great deal of his childhood in Los Angeles and always felt a strong connection to the culture, climate and cuisine. Growing up, his family often entertained guests, and Rory always felt that the heart of the party was in the kitchen. Wanting to share that passion with others, he began his training at The French Culinary Institute in New York and then worked at the Sundance Resort in Utah as well as under several top New Yorkarea chefs. Shortly thereafter, Rory began his career with The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Rory and his mentor, Chef Keller, share a strong focus on clean, artful, refreshing and market-driven foods and culinary endeavors. Rory promoted quickly from Chef de Partie to Sous Chef at Per Se in New York. When Thomas Keller opened Bouchon in Beverly Hills, Rory was a natural choice as Chef de Cuisine. Rory is happy to be home in Los Angeles where he can explore his true culinary range both at Bouchon. The Chef spends his free time taking advantage of shopping the local farmers markets and finding the best products to include in his menu selections, ensuring that each and every plate that goes out bears a mark of irrefutable quality and flavor.
DANIEL STARTED his cooking career at age 15 at Le Bernardin in New York City. Working after school and on weekends and holidays, Daniel remained there for 4 years until, at the suggestion of Chef Eric Ripert, he attended the Culinary Institute of America with a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation. Prior to graduation, Daniel accepted a position at Palladin in New York City for Chef Jean Louis Palladin, working alongside such culinary notables as Wylie Dufresne and Sam Mason. Later, Jean Louis asked Daniel if he would be willing to move to Las Vegas to fill a vacancy at his flagship restaurant Napa. Accepting the offer, Daniel began what would become a 10-year culinary journey through Los Angeles, and San Francisco’s finest restaurants including The Campton Place, Fifth Floor, Aqua and Jardinière. In 2004 Daniel began his first management job as chef of Axe, in Venice Beach. After 1 year at Axe, Daniel accepted the position of executive chef at the Inn of the Seventh Ray, a 250-seat restaurant in the Topanga hills known for its romantic outdoor setting and lavish weddings. Daniel remained at the Inn until 2007 when he moved to San Francisco to open SPQR, a rustic Roman Osteria, as co-owner and executive chef. Within 3 months of opening SPQR received 3½ out of 4 stars from Michael Bauer in The San Francisco Chronicle, a rating usually reserved for far fancier restaurants.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 10:00 PM - HEAT - LA’s Spiciest After Party 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MARTIN HOWARD
MOHAN ISMAIL
PASTRY HAS BEEN a life-long passion for Martin. Growing up with a mother who always baked homemade cookies and cakes, he couldn’t help but join in the fun. After getting some valuable experience he proceeded to get a degree at the Culinary Institute of America. Once a CIA graduate, he found pastry to be his true calling and went to work with Albert Kumin in Bedford Hills, NY. Next stop was working with Waldy Malouf at La Cremaillere in Banksville, NY. In 2001 Martin joined Restaurant Associates (now Patina Restaurant Group) to be pastry chef at Brasserie and Brasserie 8 ½. In the spring of 2009 he left the company to work on performance and singing as his drag persona Chocolatina, Queen of the Dessert.a In October 2010 Martin and his co-author Pablo Cartaya debuted their first storybook/cookbook Tina Cocolina, Queen of the Cupcakes with Random House. It’s the story of a little cupcake girl in search of her topping, complete with recipes and a cast of delicious characters. They have just recently signed on for Tina’s next adventure, Tina Cocolina, A Cupcake in Paris. Among his many awards he was named one of the country’s top ten pastry chefs two years in row by Chocolatier and Pastry Art and Design magazines. Martin has made many TV appearances and being on the advisory board for the annual Chocolate Show New York has also led to numerous national and international media coverage.
ROCKSUGAR PAN ASIAN KITCHEN, in Century City, California. The upscale-casual restaurant serves the cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and India. As a boy, Ismail was immersed in Singapore’s multicultural outdoor food markets. He graduated college and moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion design. At the urging of his friends, Ismail began taking classes at New York’s French Culinary Institute, where he discovered his passion. During his five years at Danny Meyer’s Tabla, he worked with Chef Floyd Cardoz. This led to Ismail joining the team at Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market. At Spice Market, Ismail helped popularize the restaurant’s take on Southeast Asian street food. Ismail then moved to Kalustyan’s, the renowned spice store on Lexington Avenue. At Kalustyan’s, Ismail earned kudos for his Indian-influenced fusion cuisine. In early 2005 he took a sabbatical, traveling throughout Asia, before returning to Los Angeles to launch RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen. As Executive Chef of RockSugar, Ismail has cooked at the James Beard House in New York City and has been featured at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, Food & Wine Magazine’s Taste of Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles Times Food & Wine Festival. On May 9, 2011, he was also a featured chef at the James Beard Awards Gala Reception in New York City.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1. Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
JOHNNY IUZZINI
SARA JOHANNES
JOHNNY IUZZINI, Executive Pastry Chef at award winning Restaurant Jean-Georges and Café Nougatine in New York City, hails from the Catskills in upstate New York. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with twenty years of kitchen experience since the age of 15, he boasts a heavy list of experience at highly lauded dining locations such as The River Café in Brooklyn, NY, Daniel, Payard and Café Boulud in New York City. Chef Iuzzini was deemed “Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, followed by accolades such as “10 Most Influential Pastry Chefs in America” by Forbes Magazine, “Best New Pastry Chef” by New York Magazine, and named one of the “Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America” two years in a row by Pastry Arts and Design Magazine. Entwined in these rankings are several appearances on major network television shows including Martha Stewart, Paula Dean,The Today Show and Good Morning America. During the seven years that Chef Iuzzini has been the Executive Pastry Chef at Restaurant Jean-Georges, the restaurant has received four stars from the New York Times, as well as three Michelin stars, and is considered to one of the world’s 50 greatest restaurants. Iuzzini is the head judge of Bravo’s new culinary competition series “Top Chef Just Desserts” and the author of Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets From A Four-Star Pastry Chef.
BORN AND RAISED in Milwaukee, Johannes’ passion for the culinary arts was nurtured at an early age by her greatgrandmother Rosa, who taught Johannes to forage for ingredients and cook seasonally from a bountiful kitchen garden. As a child, Johannes’ interest in cooking was sparked while preparing daily meals for the family. As she grew up and became aware of her calling as a chef, Johannes found great inspiration traveling the world and exploring local cuisines and food traditions. Embarking on a culinary journey to refine her craft, Johannes enrolled in Saint Paul College where she received her Associates Degree in Culinary Arts. Upon graduation she took a position as line cook at The Nicollet Island Inn, where she honed skills in sauces, butchery and pastry production. The following year, Johannes became the line cook at Lucia’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, where she trained under James Beard-Nominated Chef, Lucia Watson, whose cooking emphasized organic ingredients and natural flavors. Johannes joined the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in 2005 as Sous Chef of 20.21 in Minneapolis. Upon joining the 20.21 team, Johannes was quickly taken under the wing of Managing Partner and Executive Corporate Chef of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Lee Hefter. Ever eager to explore, Johannes also staged at Puck’s legendary restaurants Spago Beverly Hills and Chinois on Main in 2006, while helping Puck cater the Governor’s Ball at the Oscars in 2007. Quickly rising in her culinary career, Johannes then made the move to open Puck’s first Dallas restaurant, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, as Executive Chef.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at WP 24 With Guest Iron Chef Morimoto
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DOUGLAS KEANE
HUBERT KELLER
DOUGLAS KEANE’S interest in cooking developed when he was a young boy helping his mother in their Michigan kitchen. A close family friend, renowned hotelier further influenced Douglas’ desire to cook and encouraged him to enroll at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. In New York City, Keane dined out as much as a cook’s wage permitted and would stage in other great kitchens. An avid reader of the New York Times reviews, Keane was moved in particular by a review of Lespinasse where Chef Gray Kunz was using ingredients and flavor combinations unheard of in this country. Keane ate at Lespinasse and was instantly touched concluding that the food was so good he better work for this chef or quit cooking altogether. After his time at Lespinasse, a better climate beckoned him to San Francisco where Keane was introduced to Traci Des Jardins of Jardiniere. As Executive Chef at Jardieniere he was honored by the San Francisco Chronicle as a “Rising Star Chef” and earned threeand-a-half stars for his cuisine in a glowing review by Michael Bauer. At Cyrus, admittedly his “dream restaurant”, Keane specializes in an ambitious culinary style he refers to as “contemporary luxury” cuisine. Cyrus and Chef Keane have each amassed numerous accolades including two stars from The Michelin Guide, four stars from Michael Bauer at the San Francisco Chronicle, Gourmet Magazines’ Top Fifty Restaurants, Esquire Magazine’s Chef of the Year, Food and Wine Magazines Best New Chef and most recently, James Beard Award Best Chef Pacific.
HUBERT KELLER, a Frenchman classically trained by France’s top chefs, is one of America’s most widely recognized and acclaimed chefs. His world-renowned restaurants, Fleur de Lys San Francisco and Fleur by HK in Las Vegas, feature Chef Keller’s contemporary French cooking accented with Mediterranean flavors. With his palate attuned to America’s evolving tastes, Chef Keller launched his wildly popular Burger Bar restaurants in Las Vegas, St Louis, and San Francisco. He has won numerous awards including the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: California” and has been elected to the Foundation’s prestigious Who’s Who in Food and Beverage. Food and Wine magazine tapped him as one of the Ten Best Chefs in America, and Restaurants & Institutions gave him its Ivy Award. Chef Keller is also known as a judge on Top Chef as well as for his grace-under-pressure performance as a contestant in the first season of Top Chef Masters on Bravo. Chef Keller is a resident judge on Top Chef Just Desserts. He appears frequently in the media: “Regis & Kelly”, “Rachel Ray”, “The Desperate House Wife’s from Orange County” , “The Early Show on CBS”, “Extra Extra”, GMA, and Fox TV. Chef Keller‘s own cooking show for PBS, Secrets of a Chef, is now entering its third season. Keller’s own cookbooks include The Cuisine of Hubert Keller and Burger Bar, Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Melisse With Guest Chef Douglas Keane 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MARK KIFFIN
Did you know that Los Angeles Food & Wine features 130 celebrity chefs from across the country (40%), numerous LA legends and up-and-coming chefs (60%), plus an award-winning cast of chefs: Five Michelin 2 & 3 star chefs (of only 25 total in the US); and 20 Food & Wine Best New Chefs plus countless James Beard Award winners
MARK KIFFIN, celebrated Chef, author and owner of the Compound Restaurant won the prestigious James Beard Foundation Best Chef of the Southwest 2005 award. The Compound is Santa Fe’s premiere restaurant, featuring acclaimed seasonal contemporary American cuisine derived from regional and Mediterranean influences and an extensive wine cellar. Chef Kiffin reopened The Compound in 2000.Since taking the helm at the Compound, Chef Kiffin participated in the Master Guest Chefs series at The James Beard House, has hosted a James Beard Foundation Dinner, was one of 25 world-renowned chefs invited to cook at the James Beard Foundation Awards reception, and participated in a “Tres Amigos Celebration Dinner” at the House. Chef Kiffin graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1982. He has served as Corporate Executive Chef for Star Concepts, charged with all culinary operations, the New Tastes from Texas PBS cooking show, and design, building, and opening of new restaurants, including Star Canyon and Cañonita in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1990 Kiffin acted as Corporate Executive Chef at the famed Coyote Café in Santa Fe, and MGM Grand in Las Vegas. During his 8-year tenure, Kiffin co-authored three books: Coyote’s Pantry, The Great Salsa Book, and The Indian Market Cookbook. Chef Kiffin cowrote a fourth cookbook, The Steak Lover’s Companion and has been a featured chef in Art Culinaire Magazine and in the book Cooking With the Masters of Food and Wine.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at RED O With Guest Chef Mark Kiffin 3.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
CHRISTOPHER KOSTOW
JOHN LECHLEIDNER
A MICHELIN-STARRED chef before the age of 30, Christopher Kostow takes a thoughtful approach to food that belies his age. This Chicago native passed much of his youth cooking for friends and brushing off suggestions he pursue a serious career as a chef. It was only after earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Hamilton College in New York that Christopher knew his calling. Relocating to San Diego in 1999, he set out to enter the rarified world of fine dining and caught the eye of the area’s foremost chef, Trey Foshee. His next culinary adventure followed when Christopher left his position at George’s and took off on a whirlwind trip through the best kitchens in France. Upon arriving at Meadowood in February of 2008, Christopher maintained two Michelin Stars, was nominated for Best Chef, Pacific, by the James Beard Society and named as one of Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs 2009. In February of 2010, Christopher garnered a rare four stars in the San Francisco Chronicle and in October was awarded the highest ranking of three Michelin Stars from the esteemed Guide. Christopher is only the second American-born chef and third youngest chef ever to receive three Michelin stars. When not in the restaurant, he can be found in Meadowood’s garden, conceptualizing his ever-evolving menu based on what’s fresh and ripe.
BORN AND RAISED in Pennsauken, New Jersey, John Lechleidner attended the Academy of Culinary Arts in his home state where his passion for food paved the way to a successful career in the culinary industry. In 2001, Lechleidner joined the preeminent Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, beginning his nearly nine year tenure with the group as a sous chef at Postrio in Las Vegas. He then moved to Wolfgang’s flagship Spago at The Forum Shops at Caesars but it wasn’t long before he was tapped to join the opening team at the Wolfgang Puck American Grille at Borgata Resort Casino & Spa in Atlantic City as executive sous chef in 2006. Lechleidner’s hard work, creativity and passion for cooking serve as the perfect recipe for success in his new role as executive chef of Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at LA Live. The menu integrates Puck’s passion for eating and dining “WELL” incorporating Puck’s philosophy – Wolfgang’s Eat, Love, Live! ™ - utilizing only the freshest, all-natural and organic ingredients possible to create a seasonal menu filled with innovative tastes. As Executive Chef, Lechleidner bring a feeling of comfort and relaxation to the restaurant. He feels that the entire dining experience is the recipe for a successful restaurant from the moment the guest walks in to the moment they leave, creating a lasting impression until they return.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Wednesday, October 12 Founder’s Dinner 2.) Friday, October 14 10:30 AM - Lexus Presents - They Sing. They Act. They Cook? 3.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DAVID LEFEVRE
STEPHEN LEWANDOWSKI
CHEF DAVID LEFEVRE, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, developed his passion for cooking as a child by helping his Mother in the kitchen. After working in various restaurants, LeFevre enrolled at the renowned Culinary Institute of America, and it was during this time that he interned at Chef Charlie Trotter’s celebrated restaurant in Chicago and made such an impression that he landed a job as tournant at Trotter’s Las Vegas, where he worked until it closed in 1995. LeFevre seized the opportunity to travel to France and hone his classical skills in some of the world’s most distinguished kitchens.In 2002, LeFevre decided to explore new and exotic cuisines, which launched him on a two year globetrotting experience. He consulted, made guest appearances and conducted promotional events in destinations as diverse as Singapore, Bangkok, Stockholm and Tokyo by teaming up with leading hoteliers and restaurateurs. In 2004, LeFevre was recruited as Executive Chef of the Water Grill, downtown Los Angeles’ seminal seafood restaurant. Under LeFevre’s six year culinary leadership Water Grill earned a coveted Michelin star. Now at Manhattan Beach Post (M.B. Post), LeFevre returns to his roots with a highly personal and soulful restaurant offering a more rustic menu of playful, artisanal dishes designed to be shared. A Manhattan Beach resident, LeFevre is thrilled to bring the neighborhood a Social House where guests come for dinner but stay for the spirited and engaging atmosphere.
STEPHEN LEWANDOWSKI is Executive Chef for Myriad Restaurant Group and Executive Chef of Tribeca Grill. His earthy, contemporary American cuisine is the hallmark of the Grill, Drew Nieporent’s flagship restaurant in downtown Manhattan. Stephen’s passion and energy are indispensable and offer Myriad a competitive edge in the world of hospitality. His innovative menu finds a perfect complement in Tribeca Grill’s superb wine list, winner of Wine Spectator’s coveted Grand Award every year since 2002. Stephen’s wine dinners, co-hosted with wine director David Gordon, draw critical acclaim. His interest in artisanal cheeses prompted him to develop a cheese course that has become a stellar feature of the Grill’s menu. As the Executive Chef for Myriad Restaurant Group, Stephen has played an instrumental role. He has been trained in all aspects of the culinary world – corporate, conventional, fine dining, and off-premise, to name a few. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he continued to polish his craft at Gotham Bar & Grill and then at Fantino in the Ritz Carlton. Stephen stayed with Ritz Carlton for several years, cooking in various cities across the US. In 1999, he was named executive sous chef for the Peabody Orlando, where he over saw five restaurants for the 1000room hotel. He joined Tribeca Grill in 2000 and became its executive chef in 2003.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - A Fall Harvest Lunch at M.B. Post 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MEGAN LOGAN
TIM LOVE
A NATIVE OF Thousand Oaks, CA, Megan Logan’s fondest childhood memories were of family dinners and cooking with her mother. At 15, she officially joined the culinary world as a server in a local restaurant however the fast paced environment of the kitchen beckoned. After high school, she enrolled at the prestigious Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, CA. While working on her degree, Logan completed an externship at Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse which proved to be the start of a long and fruitful relationship with Patina Restaurant Group. After graduating in 2003, Logan continued her hands-on training with Patina Restaurant Group, working with the culinary programs at the Hollywood Bowl before moving on to Joachim Splichal’s flagship restaurant, Patina. Logan rose through the kitchen ranks to the role of sous chef during her 4 ½ years at Patina before being promoted to executive chef at Nick & Stef’s in 2010. Combining classic French technique with her love of food cultures from around the world, Logan enjoys creating simply prepared dishes with the freshest ingredients from local farmers’ markets. According to Logan, when working with good ingredients "less is always more."
THE UNOFFICIAL MAYOR of Fort Worth, TX, Tim Love has become a nationally recognized culinary personality, known as much for his freewheeling personality as his signature urban western cuisine. As chef and owner of The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and The Love Shack in Fort Worth, he’s as comfortable cooking for the Dallas Cowboys as he is for his own kids, and his inspired and innovative dishes have earned critical and popular acclaim. In 2007, Love opened a classic burger joint called The Love Shack in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards district. The Love Shack was another instant hit, earning three stars from The Dallas Morning News, being singled out as having the “most perfect burger on the planet” by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and was named by Condé Nast Traveler as a 2008 Hot List restaurant. Love’s second Love Shack opened in July 2009 and is another big success, and he plans to open a third location in early 2011. Through his restaurants and work in the community for such causes as Fort Worth’s NICU Helping Hands Foundation and Spoons Across America, Love has become the de facto culinary ambassador for the state of Texas, always doing his fans and family proud. His charm and southern hospitality are always on display, and guests love watching Love cook, whether it’s at The Lonesome Dove, with Paula Deen, on Top Chef Masters, or on Iron Chef America.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
WALTER MANZKE
RENE MATA
WALTER MANZKE grew up fluent in “seasonality,” with family gardens and orchards full of organic, seasonal vegetables and fruits populating his dinner table from day to day. With a degree in Business and Restaurant Management from San Diego Mesa College, Manzke moved on to develop his signature style and work in some of the most renowned kitchens of Europe and America. Among them were Le Louis XV in the Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo under Alain Ducasse, Spain’s famed hightech training ground, el Bulli, under Ferran Adria, and Patina in Los Angeles, where Manzke spent more than six years under the guidance of Joachim Splichal and earned the restaurant three stars from the Los Angeles Times. A brief stint outside of Los Angeles saw Manzke opening three successful restaurants in Carmel: Bouchee, Cantinetta Luca, and L’Auberge Carmel. Bon Appetit Magazine featured L’Auberge in their ‘Best of the Year ‘ January 2005 issue and in October 2006 L’Auberge was number twenty in Gourmet’s Top Fifty Restaurants in America. Manzke again returned to Los Angeles in 2007 to much fanfare to take the helm at the highly anticipated re-opening of Bastide Restaurant. His unique recipes and attention to detail again set the standard earning another three stars from the Los Angeles Times. In 2009 Manzke took over the kitchen at Church and State, where he earned his third three star review from the Los Angeles Times and was named a “Rising Star” by Star Chef’s.
BORN AND RAISED in El Salvador Rene moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21. His cooking talents were first recognized by his sister and the family who owned a market and deli. In Los Angeles Rene began working in a Japanese restaurant called Kushimbo and then Pear Garden. It is there were Rene would meet Kazuto Matsusaka, Makoto Tanaka, Luis Diaz and his future wife Reiko. In 1987 Rene was recruited by Kazuto as line cook at Chinois on Main. Rene had no formal culinary training. He absorbed basic skills and ideas in the traditional Asian kitchens in which he worked during the years and from his wife who is a great cook. Five years later Rene Mata became Chinois’ Executive Sous Chef and last year became Chinois Executive Chef. Rene Mata’s talent and ambition makes Chinois on Main one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles and all over the world. The cuisine he practices is an exciting blend of fresh California ingredients and Asian techniques. Rene shared his experience as guest Chef at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, several Country Clubs in LA: Brentwood, Bel Air, Hillcrest and many other institutions. Rene resides in Granada Hills with his wife and mother.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Krug House Dinner
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
NOBU MATSUHISA
RICK MCCARTHY
NOBUYUKI MATSUHISA – known to the world simply as “Nobu” – is the acclaimed and highly influential chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants located across five continents. Nobu was born in Saitama, Japan, the son of a lumber merchant who died in a traffic accident when the future chef was just seven years old. He traces the beginnings of his professional ambition to the day his older brother took him to a sushi restaurant for the first time. Nobu draws upon his classical training at Sushi bars in Tokyo and his life abroad in Peru, Argentina, and it was here that he developed his unique cuisine style by improvising with ingredients form South America. After three years he moved again, first to Buenos Aires, and later to Alaska where a fire destroyed his first restaurant. In 1977 he moved to Los Angeles and in 1987, he opened the restaurant “Matsuhisa” in Beverly Hills . Matsuhisa was an instant success and became a magnet for food lovers and celebrities alike. It was here that his longtime friendship and business relationship with Robert De Niro began. It was at De Niro’s urging that they opened Nobu in New York City in 1994 with restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Nobu currently has 28 restaurants in 24 different cities around the world, also consults for Crystal Cruises, and is the author of five cookbooks. Nobu has three restaurants in the Los Angeles area, NOBU Los Angeles, NOBU Malibu and Matsuhisa Beverly Hills.
RICK WAS BORN in Plainfield, NJ and grew up in Fairfax County, Virginia. In 2001, Rick and his brother opened a soul food restaurant in Hogansville, Georgia. Rick then moved to Los Angeles where, in 2004, he partnered up with Danny Fischer and opened the first Baby Blues BBQ in Venice Beach, CA. He now owns 4 Baby Blues locations.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 4:30 PM - Dan Dunn’s Booze, Blues & BBQ 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Nobu With Guest Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
LEVI MEZICK
JOE MILLER
AS A PEDIGREED CHEF, Levi Mezick is driven by the highest quality, locally sourced and sustainable products executed with precise technique and modern twists. Originally from the Washington DC area, Mezick brings a wealth of culinary expertise cultivated under some of the world’s most famous chefs to Restaurant 1833. His impressive career path includes positions as Sous chef at Daniel and Executive Sous Chef at Café Boulud with celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, Oceana restaurant and Thomas Keller’s Per Se, as well as stages in Michelin-starred European restaurants including Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, Italy. Chef Mezick teamed up with venerable chef Michel Richard in 2010 at Michel at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, VA where he earned critical and popular acclaim for his creative riffs on classic cuisine utilizing modern ingredients and fine-tuned technique. In 2011, Mezick was tapped by the founders of Pebble Beach Food & Wine to become executive chef at their new dining concept, Restaurant 1833, located in the historic Stokes adobe in Monterey. At Restaurant 1833, Mezick’s approachable and informed style will be reflected in the sustainably-sourced menu showcasing the authentic flavors of Central Californian cuisine.
FROM A YOUNG AGE, Chef Joseph Miller liked to eat well and share his passion for good food and unique tastes with others. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Joe headed to Los Angeles. Upon his arrival, he worked in several restaurants including La Toque, Patina and L’Orangerie, but he received his first recognition as a chef at Café Katsu in Los Angeles. In keeping with Café Katsu’s intimate, casual style, he opted to open a neighborhood restaurant serving French-California cuisine at affordable prices. Miller, along with members of his original staff at Café Katsu, worked diligently and the doors opened to Joe’s Restaurant in September 2001. Consistently rated by the Zagat Survey as one of the top ten restaurants in Los Angeles, Joe’s Restaurant has earned numerous positive reviews by major publications in Los Angeles and throughout the United States. Chef Miller, a visionary in the kitchen, says the secret of Joe’s cuisine is the result of mixing formal French techniques with Asian and California-influenced esthetics and by using only the best ingredients. Miller says that his philosophy has remained the same since he opened his doors. That is, to create innovative dishes in a warm elegant atmosphere which are reasonably priced. Miller believes that dining at Joe’s is an experience where everything from the food to the wine to the impeccable service are key to the entire experience.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch At Cleo 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MICHAEL MINA
MASAHARU MORIMOTO
NAMED BON APPETIT Chef of the Year 2005, San Francisco Magazine Chef of the Year 2005, as well as Restaurateur of the Year 2005 by the International Food and Beverage Forum, acclaimed chef Michael Mina continues to dazzle the culinary world with bold dining concepts that have contributed to San Francisco’s reputation as a world-class epicurean destination. Mina’s culinary and business vision led to the founding of his own company, Mina Group, with partner Andre Agassi, in 2002. He has opened eleven concept restaurants: MICHAEL MINA in San Francisco, ARCADIA in San Jose, STONEHILL TAVERN in Dana Point, SEABLUE at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and SEABLUE in Atlantic City; BOURBON STEAK and SALTWATER in Detroit, BOURBON STEAK Miami and BOURBON STEAK Scottsdale, NEMI in Mexico City as well as STRIPSTEAK at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Mina also remains Managing Chef of MICHAEL MINA Bellagio and NOBHILL at MGM Grand, both in Las Vegas. Mina has been honored with numerous accolades, including the Michelin two-star award and San Francisco Chronicle four star award for MICHAEL MINA in San Francisco, Michelin’s one-star award for MICHAEL MINA Bellagio in Las Vegas. Mina has been featured in such national media as Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Food Arts, Cigar Aficionado, Newsweek, TIME, Robb Report, Travel & Leisure, Wine Spectator, and others and the Food Network’s “After Midnight.” He has been a featured guest chef at the James Beard House numerous times and has cooked for First Lady Laura Bush
CHEF MASAHARU MORIMOTO — known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America — has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients. Before earning chef stardom, Morimoto was to be drafted as a baseball catcher in Japan’s major leagues when a shoulder injury ended his career. Soon thereafter, he began studying sushi and kaseiki. At age 24, he opened his own restaurant, and after a successful run, the young chef sold it and traveled to the U.S. to further expand his repertoire. In 1993, Morimoto was recruited by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa to open Nobu restaurant as executive chef in 1994. Morimoto opened his eponymous Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia in 2001, and in 2004, Wasabi by Morimoto opened at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. In 2005, Morimoto-XEX opened in Tokyo. In January 2006, Morimoto brought his eponymous restaurant to New York City, earning him a James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Restaurant Design. In 2010, Morimoto Napa was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best U.S. Restaurant Openings, and later that year, Morimoto Waikiki also opened to critical acclaim. Since 1998, Morimoto has competed on the Japanese television show, Iron Chef and also appears on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. In 2007 his first cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking, was published and won the IACP award in the “Chef’s and Restaurants” category and “First Book: The Julia Child Award.”
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at WP 24 With Guest Iron Chef Morimoto 2.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 3.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 4.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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KRIS MORNINGSTAR
DAVID MYERS
A NATIVE OF Southern California, Kris Morningstar’s love affair with food began as a child watching his father cook meals for the family every day. By the time he was in high school in New Jersey, where his family relocated, Morningstar was already wowing his family and friends with meals he created for holidays and large dinner parties. While he entertained the idea of attending culinary school, he instead studied marketing at the University of Maryland. Ultimately, Morningstar’s first love lured him back into the kitchen and back to his hometown to attend the Cordon Bleu-affiliated California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, from which he graduated with honors in 2002. Morningstar is busy striking the right balance of flavors and techniques as executive chef at Ray’s & Stark Bar, the newest venture from the Patina Restaurant Group. The experience reunited him with Splichal, who collaborated with Morningstar in creating the Mediterranean-inspired, farm-to-table menu for Ray’s. The acclaimed chef will rely on the restaurant’s on-site garden for many of his ingredients, which is in keeping with his philosophy of using what’s fresh and in season. “I can literally walk outside and, 10 seconds later, I can have a handful of herbs and baby lettuces,” he notes.
DAVID MYERS is a renowned Los Angeles-based chef whose impassioned quest for spontaneity, perfection has been well served by his innate ability in the culinary arts. Myers captivated the attention of the culinary world in 2002 with his first restaurant, Sona, which held a Michelin star since the start of the Los Angeles guide and was named one of Gayot’s “Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.” Myers also created one of Los Angeles’ first modern French brasseries in Comme Ça, featuring a beverage program that pioneered market-driven cocktails, and an Italian neighborhoodinspired Pizzeria Ortica in Orange County. Since then, Myers founded David Myers Group, which owns and operates the aforementioned restaurants in addition to two concepts in the Ginza district of Tokyo: a high-end patisserie called SOLA by David Myers and an intimate restaurant, David Myers Café, which showcases his California-inspired cuisine with Japanese ingredients. In late 2010, Myers made his first foray into Las Vegas with Comme Ça at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Myers’ culinary capabilities have been widely recognized by both the media and culinary industry, including notable accolades such as Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs”, Angeleno’s “Man of Style”, and the James Beard Foundation nominations for “Rising Star Chef of the Year” in 2004 and “Best Chef, Pacific Region” in 2008. Myers has appeared on The Today Show, The Early Show, MSNBC’s Your Business, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Iron Chef America and starred in Shopping with Chefs on the Fine Living Network.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
DAHLIA NARVAEZ
BRYANT NG
DAHLIA NARVAEZ, a native Angelena and Mozza’s Executive pastry chef, love for food dates back to Highland Park, where she grew up the oldest of three. Narvaez began cooking after she got home from school, left college when she got “tired of carrying a backpack”, fudged a resume and talked her way into a professional kitchen—the Conga Room—when she was 22. One day she walked into La Brea Bakery and applied for a job behind the counter. Never getting the chance to work at the counter she went straight into the pastry kitchen, at the James Beard Award winning, Campanile. In 2002 Narvaez was named Executive pastry chef, running the country’s most distinguished pastry departments. Narvaez created desserts for the Mozza empire, and in 2008 Osteria Mozza received its first Michelin Star and in 2010 completed the Mozza cookbook along with Nancy Silverton. Dahlia’s work has been celebrated in publications as the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food &Wine Magazine, GQ and Metropolitan Home. In 2010, Dahlia was nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry chef.
BRYANT HAS WORKED alongside some of the nation’s most influential chefs including Roland Passot in San Francisco (La Folie Restaurant), Daniel Boulud in New York (Restaurant Daniel), Mark Peel in Los Angeles (Campanile Restaurant), and most recently Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali in Los Angeles, where he helped open and served as the Chef-de-Cuisine of Pizzeria Mozza. He is now currently the Chef/Owner of The Spice Table in downtown Los Angeles. Prior to entering the culinary industry, Bryant graduated from UCLA with a degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with a specialization in Business Administration. After graduation, he stayed in the science field, working as a consultant to the pharmaceutical, medical, and biotechnology industries in San Francisco. His passion for cooking and attraction to the culinary industry hearkens back to childhood experiences growing up in a ChineseAmerican restaurant owned by his parents in Los Angeles. His love for feeding family, friends, and guests, is rooted in his ChineseSingaporean heritage where food is viewed not only as sustenance, but as what brings people together.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 10:00 PM - HEAT - LA’s Spiciest After Party 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
BRADLEY OGDEN
FRANK OSTINI
WITH THE 2004 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant under his belt, Bradley Ogden has not only cemented his reputation as one of America’s top chefs, but also brought unprecedented recognition to Las Vegas as a dining destination to be taken seriously. His eponymous restaurant located at Caesars Palace, has been recognized as the “Best of the Best” from Robb Report and honored among “America’s Best Restaurants” by Gourmet. Born in Traverse City, Michigan, Bradley Ogden has always been inspired by the true quality and flavors of farm fresh foods. Today, his enduring success can be attributed to bringing these exciting American ingredients from the farm to the table with dedication and innovative culinary flair. As Chef and Co-Owner of the eight restaurants of the Lark Creek Restaurant Group, Ogden enjoys the reputation for being one of the country’s most prolific and successful restaurateurs, while being at the vanguard of authentic American cuisine. Having established and nurtured close relationships with many American farmers, ranchers, and fishermen, he always brings farm fresh ingredients with him wherever he goes. Currently, Chef Ogden is publishing a second cookbook with The Running Press due to be released in 2011.
FRANK OSTINI grew up in and around the Casmalia Hitching Post, his family’s steakhouse in central California since 1952. Specializing in traditional wood fire barbecue, Frank has expanded his menu to cook most anything over the embers at his Hitching Post II restaurant in Buellton, California. With high acclaim from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Gourmet and Sunset magazines and enthusiastic support from Chefs Wolfgang Puck and Bobby Flay, Frank has become the regional spokesman for what is popularly known as “Santa Maria Style BBQ”, a feast that features meats grilled over a red oak fire. Since 1984 Frank, with partner Gray Hartley, has also made Hitching Post Wines, specializing in Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. Frank has recently received widespread international attention since his Hitching Post II and Hitching Post Pinot Noirs were featured in the Academy Award® winning film Sideways. The winery has 800 barrels and produces about 15,000 cases a year. Ostini’s Hitching Post II along with the original Hitching Post I Restaurant was honored with the Beef Backer Award from the California Beef Council in 2008 and the National Foodservice Beef Backer Award in 2010. The Hitching Post II was recently featured as a favorite by Food Network star, Cat Cora, in the network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate, showcasing the restaurant’s famous burger. Ostini lives near the restaurant in Buellton with wife, Jami and his two children. When not in the restaurant or working in the winery, Frank is out promoting “Santa Maria Style BBQ” and Santa Barbara County Wines at charity events across the country.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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CHRIS PANDEL
FRANCOIS PAYARD
TAKE EVERYTHING that connotes Midwestern charm: effusive goodwill and a love of community coupled with a killer work ethic, and you’ve got its embodiment in 2011 Chicago Rising Star Chef Chris Pandel. His food is just as appealing—rooted in classic French technique and local Midwestern ingredients. Pandel began his career by helping out at a restaurant in his hometown of Riverside, Illinois. Before long, the head chef picked Pandel up by the scruff of his neck and plopped him down in the kitchen, where Pandel says, “I’ve been working my tail off ever since.” His next job was at Courtright’s in Willow Springs, a favorite fine-dining excursion for Chicagoans. Next, Pandel attended Johnson & Wales University and grabbed the chance to intern at Chicago chef-factory Tru under Chef Rick Tramonto. Pandel spent what he calls “graduate school” in New York City, at Café Boulud under Chef Andrew Carmellini. Love of home brought him back to Chicago, and Tru, which led to a position as corporate chef at three Tramonto restaurants. Of his mentors, Pandel says Carmellini molded him into a cook, and that under Tramonto, he earned a “sense of self” in the kitchen and the knowhow to run a business. In 2008, Pandel opened neighborhood eatery The Bristol with partners John Ross and Phillip Waters. Time spent at Chris Pandel’s The Bristol is time invested in cozy good humor: communal tables encourage conviviality and Pandel’s cooking follows through with just the right blend of comfort and creativity.
FRANÇOIS PAYARD is a third generation French Pastry Chef who cultivated his passion for the art of Pastry as a child in his grandfather’s acclaimed shop, Au Nid des Friandises on the Riviera. After honing his skills in classic pastry by his family’s side, François moved to Paris where he learned the artistry and refinement of transforming traditional desserts into exquisite plated presentations whose taste, texture and originality opened new horizons in his career. His dedication and passion earned him positions France’s finest kitchens including La Tour d’Argent (***Michelin) and Lucas Carton (***Michelin). François’ desire to travel and discover a new culture brought him to New York in 1990. He was eager to experiment with new ideas, flavors and techniques. He worked as Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin (****NY Times) and later joined Chef Daniel Boulud for the opening of Restaurant Daniel (****NY Times). In 1995, The James Beard Foundation named François Pastry Chef of the Year. In 1997, François’s childhood dream of opening his own restaurant became a reality. Branches of Payard opened in New York, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Japan and Korea. Most recently, he opened in New York FC Chocolate Bar at the Plaza Hotel and Francois Payard Bakery.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Wednesday, October 12 7:00 PM - Founders' Dinner 2.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck's Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Bubbles & Beats at Club Nokia 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MARK PEEL
LUCIANO PELLEGRINI
MARK PEEL has been the Executive Chef and owner of the award winning Campanile restaurant for over 20 years in Los Angeles and is the author of “New Classic Family Dinners”. The book was selected as one of the top ten cookbooks of 2009 by Amazon and one of the top twenty five cookbooks of 2009 by Food and Wine Magazine. In late 2009 Mark opened “The Tar Pit”. The Tar Pit brings Chef Peel‘s passion for market fresh food to cocktails. Chef Peel is also co-founder of La Brea Bakery. Peel began his career working under Wolfgang Puck at Ma Maison. He did stints in France at La Tour d’Argent and Le Moulin de Mougins. He moved back to Los Angeles when Wolfgang Puck asked him to be his chef de cuisine at his new restaurant, Spago. He has been seen numerous times on TV, “Kitchen Nightmares” with Gordon Ramsay, “Hell’s Kitchen”, “Top Chef”, “Top Chef: Masters,” , and most recently he and The Tar Pit were featured in “Top Chef : Just Deserts”. Mark also co authored two other cook books with his former wife Nancy Silverton, “Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton At Home: Two Chefs Cook for Family and Friends” and The food of Campanile. Mark Peel has five children and is married to TV host, comedienne and blogger Daphne Brogdon.
JAMES BEARD Award-winning chef Luciano Pellegrini was born in Bergamo, Italy, as most Italian chefs, began his culinary experience in his mother’s kitchen. At age 13, he enrolled at San Pellegrino, one of Italy’s most prestigious hotel schools. By 1987, Pellegrini was quickly developing both his cooking and kitchen leadership skills as a pasta chef at Selvaggio’s restaurant, Primi. In 1991, Pellegrini was promoted to executive chef at Posto restaurant in the San Fernando Valley. Pellegrini was immediately recognized for his talents and was critically acclaimed by both the Los Angeles Daily News and the Los Angeles Times whose renowned restaurant critic; S. Irene Virbila, commented that Pellegrini executed “the kind of rustic main courses you might find in the Italian countryside.” In May of 1999, Pellegrini seized yet another opportunity and moved to Las Vegas to become executive chef and partner of Valentino Las Vegas, the sister restaurant to Selvaggio’s iconic Santa Monica location. Over the past decade, Pellegrini’s dedication and passion in the kitchen has solidified Valentino as one of the leading Italian restaurants in the southwest. In 2004, Pellegrini achieved one of the culinary world’s highest honors by receiving the prestigious award for Best Chef in the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation. Pellegrini is also a partner at PS Valentino Vinbar inside Houston’s Hotel Derek, which opened its doors to critical acclaim in the fall of 2009.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
CHARLES PHAN
PAUL PRUDHOMME
CHARLES PHAN is the inventor of modern Vietnamese cuisine in America and executive chef and owner of the Slanted Door family of restaurants. Born in Da Lat, Vietnam, in 1962, the Phan family relocated just before the fall of Saigon, and spent two years in Guam before finally settling in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1977. A former architecture student at UC Berkeley (and a one-time software salesman), Phan opened his first restaurant, The Slanted Door, on Valencia Street in San Francisco’s Mission District in 1995. The restaurant relocated from its original space to its current location in the historic Ferry Building in 2004. The architect of that project (and every project since), Olle Lundberg, describes Charles as “the most optimistic guy you’ll ever meet.” In 2004, Phan won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef: California. The Slanted Door was also nominated in the Outstanding Restaurant category in 2008; in 2010, Charles was nominated for an Outstanding Chef award by the foundation. Charles has been featured on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America and Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything and has been the subject of profiles in the San Francisco Chronicle, Food & Wine magazine, The New York Times and others. In addition to his awards and accolades, Phan is a leader in the San Francisco food community, annually participating in charitable galas including Share Our Strength and the Meals on Wheels gala, both in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Phan is also the executive chef and owner of Out the Door (of which there are four locations) and Heaven’s Dog. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their three children.
CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME has propelled the distinctive cuisine of his native Louisiana into the international spotlight and continues to push the limits by creating exciting and new American and international dishes.In July 1979, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen® opened in New Orleans. In only a few years, his French Quarter restaurant attracted world travelers and continues to excite diners. As one of America’s best-known chefs, Prudhomme has been featured often on the three major television networks’ prime time programs. He has made guest appearances on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, and 20/20. Chef Paul’s life story was featured on A & E Biography. He is devoted to feeding the American troops in bases around the world. He served as a consultant to Team USA of the American Culinary Federation, and participates actively at conventions, seminars and trade shows. Chef Paul has cooked for heads of state including both President Reagan (1987) and President George W. Bush (2007). Charity work is dear to Chef Paul’s heart and he lends his support to many major fundraisers which benefit charities such as Meals on Wheels, Easter Seals, the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the National Alzheimer’s Association and he is a national spokesperson for Cystinosis. A best-selling author, Chef Paul has written nine cookbooks and produced six cooking videos, two of which topped the Billboard’s chart for fifty-three consecutive weeks. Chef Paul’s latest book, Always Cooking, was released in the spring of 2007.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri's Brew B'Que On Santa Monica Pier 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
WOLFGANG PUCK
YIGIT PURA
WOLFGANG CAME to Los Angeles in 1975 and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef and eventually part owner of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous, with Wolfgang as the star attraction. From Ma Maison, Wolfgang went on to create his first flagship restaurant, Spago. From its opening day in 1982 Spago was an instant success and culinary phenomenon. Wolfgang and Spago earned many accolades during its popular eighteen years in West Hollywood, including winning the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef of the Year, twice, in 1991 and 1998, and the James Beard Foundation Award for Restaurant of the Year in 1994. Wolfgang is the only chef to have won the Outstanding Chef of the Year Award two times. Wolfgang is actively involved in many philanthropic endeavors and charitable organizations. Each year since 1983 his foundation hosted the annual American Wine & Food Festival, which benefited the Meals-on-Wheels programs of Los Angeles and has raised more than $13 million over the past two decades. Wolfgang is also a major supporter of the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Animal Foundation, Special Olympics, the Cystic Fibrosis Society, the Race to Erase MS and the Fire and Ice Ball for Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program. Wolfgang Puck lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, Gelila, and has four sons, Cameron, Byron, Oliver, and Alexander.
YIGIT (pronounced Yeet) was crowned the winner and fan favorite on the premiere season of BRAVO’s “Top Chef Just Desserts” – a spin-off of the popular Emmy-nominated and James Beard Award-winning “Top Chef.” 2011 is already heating up with a feature in the April issue of Food & Wine Magazine, a showcase at the annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival and as a Gala Chef at the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards in New York. He began his culinary training in the pastry arts at the age of four in Ankara, Turkey. One of his fondest memories is of his mother making him a big spoon-full of dark caramel. His first job in the United States was in the pastry kitchen at The Meetinghouse, a 3-star San Francisco restaurant, where he worked for two years under chef and mentor Joanna Karlinsky. From The Meetinghouse he went on to work in several other pastry kitchens in San Francisco including Postrio and Gary Danko. Yigit moved to New York City in the Fall of 2003 where he held increasingly responsible positions at the famed Le Cirque 2000 and The 5-star, 5-diamond Four Season Hotel both under Executive Pastry Chef Luis Robledo-Richards. He went on to work at the world famous Restaurant Daniel, as Pastry Sous Chef and Daniel Boulud in Las Vegas as Executive Pastry Chef both under chef/owner Daniel Boulud. Yigit joined Taste Catering and Event Planning as Executive Pastry Chef in the Spring of 2007.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 2.) Saturday, October 15 5:30 PM - Wolfgang Puck - Live Learn Love 3.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza 4.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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STEPHAN PYLES
RICHARD REDDINGTON
STEPHAN PYLES, a fifth generation West Texan and a pioneer of New American Cuisine, has created 16 restaurants over the past 27 years, and authored four highly successful cookbooks. A founding father of Southwestern Cuisine, he was the first person in the Southwest to win a James Beard Award for Best Chef and was the first Texan inducted into Who’s Who of Food and Wine in America. Pyles hosted two seasons of the Emmy-award winning PBS series New Tastes from Texas. Bon Appétit credited him with “almost single-handedly changing the cooking scene in Texas” while The New York Times called Pyles “an absolute genius in the kitchen”. In 2006, Esquire named him “Chef of the Year” and included Stephan Pyles restaurant in their list of “Best New Restaurants”. Stephan has been a cuisine consultant to American Airlines for the past 22 years and has consulted for the Dallas Museum of Art and a host of hotels including Zaza, The Gaylord and Omni. A tireless philanthropist, Pyles is a founding board member of Share Our Strength, an international hunger relief organization and is a recipient of the organization’s Humanitarian of the Year Award. He is a life board member of the North Texas Food Bank and co-founded Hunger Link, Dallas’s perishable food program. He also serves on the board of Goodwill Industries and offers a $15,000 annual scholarship in his name to a rising star culinary student in Texas.
RICHARD REDDINGTON’S passion for food and wine was sparked by his travels throughout Europe as a young adult and was fueled by his experiences working in some of the world’s best kitchens. As Executive Chef at Redd, Yountville’s highly regarded restaurant, he offers a contemporary interpretation of Wine Country cuisine. He began his career working for Roland Passot at San Francisco’s renowned La Folie in 1990, later moving to Postrio before heading east to David Burke’s Park Avenue Café in New York City. A stint at Rubicon in San Francisco was followed by a French sojourn at the Michelin three-star Arpege and Le Moulin de Mougins with Roger Vergé, a prelude to working with Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel in New York. Returning to California, he helped open Spago Beverly Hills as Sous Chef, before joining Chapeau in San Francisco, where he was named “Rising Star” by The San Francisco Chronicle’s Michael Bauer. In 2000, he was drawn North to Napa Valley and began a four-year tenure as Executive Chef at the landmark Auberge du Soleil. There, he captured attention when he was voted “Best Rising Chef” by San Francisco magazine in 2003. After leaving the Auberge in 2004, he took the reins at Masa’s in San Francisco, before taking the leap to launch his eponymous restaurant. Reddington’s vision calls for refined yet approachable food that, in flavor and texture, perfectly complements the Valley’s bountiful array of wines.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Providence With Guest Chef Richard Reddington 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier
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MICHEL RICHARD
AKASHA RICHMOND
HIS STYLE IS light, fresh and intelligent, with witty presentations and texture. Michel was a pioneer in French/California cuisine before moving to Washington, DC, where Michel Richard Citronelle became his flagship restaurant. Richard knew he wanted to be a chef when he first glimpsed a restaurant kitchen at the age of eight. “The white hats, aprons, and all of the food – I fell in love.” His fate was decided. Michel’s creativity can be seen in prestigious culinary publications such as Food & Wine, Food Arts, Bon Appetit, and on the cover of the late great Gourmet. He has been featured in the Washington Post, Washingtonian, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times, among many others. In January 2007 Central Michel Richard opened in downtown Washington, DC, and won the 2008 James Beard Best New Restaurant Central Michel Richard, and continues as a favorite among the critics. In the fall of 2010, Michel, a modern French restaurant, opened at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. Michel has published three books, Home Cooking with a French Accent, Happy in the Kitchen and Sweet Magic. Constantly engaged in something new, in the fall of 2011, the world will be dining at Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, the first-ever round-the-clock restaurant to be helmed by a James Beard award-winning chef. Central Michel Richard will be open 24 hours per day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
AKASHA, THE FIRST restaurant opened by self-styled "organic celebrity chef" Akasha Richmond, is an eco-friendly restaurant/ bakery/bar producing comfort foods prepared with sustainable ingredients and free-range meats. By day, the artisan bakery turns out traditional, vegan, and low-fat breads and sweets, along with fair-trade coffee and tea. Come lunch or dinnertime, the menu is New American with a bar featuring fresh juice cocktails made with organic premium spirits, as well as beer and wine. In addition to the food, the furniture is made of organic leather and hemp fabrics, feeding into the sustainable nature of the restaurants design. Even the menus and to-go products are biodegradable. The restaurants transition from San Gennaro, the previous occupant, to Akasha has been captured on TLC’s Flip that Restaurant. The show follows the transformation from a “straight out of Miami Vice” Italian restaurant into a modern, organic eatery featuring tasty and sustainable foods. This one-hour special for TLC condenses an intense six months of architecture, menu testing, and construction into a lively hour documenting the joys and challenges of opening a new restaurant. Akasha Richmond has devoted most of her cooking career to her passion for using healthy and organic ingredients in mainstream cooking. Akasha is the chef/owner of Akasha’s Visionary Cuisine, a catering and event company in Los Angeles. She is also a spokesperson for Silk Soymilk. She has written two books, The Hollywood Dish and The Art of Tofu, and she is a contributing editor to The Vegetarian Times.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 AM - Michel Richard - Happy In The Kitchen 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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STEFAN RICHTER
GABRIELE RIVA
SLICING, SAUTÉING and saucing his way to become runner-up on Season 5 of Bravo’s hit competition series “Top Chef,” Stefan Richter brings the same culinary flair to his European catering service in Los Angeles as well as his first restaurant opened in August 2009, Stefan’s at L.A. Farm. A native of Finland, Richter called Germany home for most of his childhood. His formal guidance began in 1987, when he completed a three-year apprenticeship at the prestigious Hotel and Culinary School in Immenstadt and Bad Woerischofen, Germany. Richter then relocated to Zurich to study at its rigorous Hotel and Culinary School. Always hungry for professional accreditation, he endured the grueling Fachhochschule WürzburgSchweinfurt in Germany to earn a Certified Master Chef diploma in 1993. Richter traveled to the United States to serve as sous chef and garde manger (pantry supervisor) for the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan. He was soon invited to join master chefs Grant McPherson, Sotta Kuhn, Jacques Torres, Jean Philip Maury and Marc Poidevin as part of the creative team opening the Bellagio Hotel, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas in September 1998. As executive sous chef he developed menus for a $25 million banquet kitchen that catered high-profile events such as Wolfgang Puck’s 50th birthday party. Stefan currently resides in Santa Monica, California, spending the summer months hunting and fishing in his native Finland.
GABRIELE RIVA entered the world of pastry as an adolescent assisting in his father's pastry shop. He was exposed to the fundamentals of traditional Italian pastries. After learning the classic techniques implemented in his father’s shop, Gabriele sought professional training at C.A.S.T. Alimenti Pastry School in Brescia, Italy. Here, he was exposed to the contemporary techniques of pastry preparations and production. Though trained in the art of traditional pastry, Gabriele was a decided modernist. When an opening became available to him at Nobu Park Lane. Gabriele was enthusiastic about the incorporation of Japanese ingredients into his repertoire. Soon after, Gabriele was offered the opportunity to build the pastry department for the opening of Nobu Fifty Seven, in New York City. In addition, Gabriele trains pastry cooks and consults for various Nobu restaurants worldwide. Currently, Gabriele heads the pastry program for the three Nobu restaurants in New York City (Nobu Fifty Seven, Nobu New York, and Nobu Next Door) and the Nobu Los Angeles.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Nobu With Guest Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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ARI ROSENSON
MITCHELL ROSENTHAL
ARI’S PASSION FOR COOKING led him to begin working for Spago West Hollywood in 1993 at the age of 16. He moved through the ranks of the kitchen and was part of the opening staff of Spago Beverly Hills, where he eventually became Executive Sous Chef. During his time at Spago, Ari thrived under the tutelage of Lee Hefter and Wolfgang Puck. As Executive Sous Chef at Spago, Ari’s mission has been to constantly broaden his knowledge of diverse cuisines. Now at CUT Ari strives to bring the best meats and farmers market vegetables to the restaurant. Ari, who has traveled extensively through Italy is inspired by the simplicity of Italian cuisine. Ari’s artistic endeavor expands beyond the kitchen to throwing pottery and playing guitar.
WHEN YOU MEET Mitchell Rosenthal, it is impossible to believe that he wasn’t planning to become a chef. Rosenthal had an interest in photojournalism while attending Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts, when a cookbook unexpectedly changed his life. Mitchell bought Paul Prudhomme’s ‘Louisiana Kitchen’ and cooked some of the recipes at the Jack Cooper Celebrity Deli in New Jersey where he had worked since age sixteen. At that moment Mitchell says, ‘I just fell in love with cooking.’ He persistently called Paul Prudhomme every Friday for six months until he was accepted as an intern at K. Paul’s. Mitchell returned to New York and embarked upon the two year apprenticeship at the Four Seasons. He then did brief stints at Le Cirque in NYC and Gitane, in NJ with brother Steven. In 1989, he contacted Wolfgang Puck who was opening Postrio in San Francisco and became one of the opening cooks. He left Postrio after a year to explore the culinary treasures of Asia-Hong Kong, Thailand and India, and then traveled through Europe. Upon returning to the US he worked for Wolfgang Puck at his Mediterranean restaurant, Granita in Malibu and then at Coco Pazza in NY. In 1994, Mitchell and Steven returned to to become the executive chefs at Postrio. Town Hall, Salt House and Anchor & Hope provide Mitchell the opportunity to own restaurants and cook as he chooses. That, in his case, is ‘Mitchell’ food; straightforward, yet refined, classics done with a twist.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Bubbles & Beats at Club Nokia 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch At Cut With Guest Chef Paul Bartolotta 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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STEVEN ROSENTHAL
RICHARD RUSKELL
MUCH LIKE his brother, Steven Rosenthal loves to cook, but his talents are often more technical: his enthusiasm peaks when he talks about perfecting technique and experimenting with the continuous adjustments that make a good dish great. Rosenthal attributes his perfectionism to a work ethic learned from his parents and from an early mentor: the chef at the Celebrity Deli where he began working at age fifteen. After several years as a line cook, Steven decided to attend the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York. After graduating in 1988, he went to work at the Pierre Hotel. After a year, he went to San Francisco to join Mitchell as an opening cook at Postrio. He stayed for three years and left in 1992 to be sous chef at Geordy’s, also in San Francisco, under Charles Solomon, a refined French cook who had worked for David Bouley. After Geordy’s closed, he returned to the East Coast contemplating opening a restaurant with Mitchell in New Jersey when they were invited back to Postrio to take the helm. One of the things that Steven loves about being a chef is training the kitchen: developing the cooks and teaching them how to work as a team. He also thrives on the business aspect of maintaining a highly successful restaurant in the ultra-competitive San Francisco market. Town Hall, Salt House and Anchor & Hope certainly provide that challenge, allowing two boys from the East Coast to grow deep roots on the West.
ORIGINALLY TRAINED as a stage performer, Chef Ruskell turned to the culinary arts as a way to fulfill both his artistic bent and epicurean passions. Now a six-time Food Network Challenge winner and named one of the “Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America” by Chocolatier magazine, Ruskell’s culinary repertoire has allowed him to distinguish himself as one of the few pastry chefs who can truly do it all. Chef Ruskell most recently won Food Network’s “Last Cake Standing” and was named “Best Cake Artist in America.” At Montage Beverly Hills, Chef Ruskell commands every element of his kitchen and takes great pride in offering guests a sumptuous menu of fresh desserts and the finest homemade treats daily. From decadent croissants, colorful macarons and velvety chocolates at Afternoon Tea, to extraordinary cakes for private events, Chef Ruskell presents a menu of creatively simple delicacies featuring honest, wholesome flavors in one-of-a-kind presentations. Chef Ruskell strives to achieve a visceral affect with all of his creations. A firm believer that food should never be too beautiful to eat, he specializes in desserts that are as incredible to look at as they are delicious to consume. He has appeared in Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Pastry Art & Design, Travel & Leisure, among others. Ruskell is a graduate of The French Culinary Institute in New York City.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Bubbles & Beats at Club Nokia 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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PEDRO MIGUEL SCHIAFFINO
JIMMY SCHMIDT
CHEF PEDRO MIGUEL SCHIAFFINO has earned a name for himself as a researcher and innovator for his use of products from the Peruvian Amazon never before used in haute cuisine. In his quest for innovating with ingredients and flavors, Pedro Miguel is one of the representatives of “the new culinary revolution” coming out of the Amazon Jungle’s pantry. From exotic fruit to fish from the planet’s richest river and lake ecosystem. Educated in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), New York, the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (ICIF) and Castiglioni d’Asti, Piemonte, Schiaffino worked at various Italian restaurants before returning to Peru: Dal Pescatore (Canneto sul’Oglio, Mantova), La Locanda dell’Angelo (Ameglio, La Spezia) and El Pinnocchio (Borgomanero, Novara), this last managed by Piero Bertinotti, considered a major influence because of his cooking style. In 2006, the Government of Peru honored him with the “Manka” for his contributions to the development of Peruvian cuisine. The creativity of his restaurant MALABAR was highlighted in 2009 by Food & Wine magazine as one of the twenty most interesting culinary experiences on the planet, and in 2010 his Bar was elected one of the 10 best in the world by the same publication. That same year, La Academia Internacional de Gastronomía recognized his work with the Chef L’Avenir Award.
CELEBRATED CHEF, restaurateur, food scientist and innovator Jimmy Schmidt is now drawing inspiration from the bounty of the Coachella Valley and its environs to create the contemporary American cuisine at Morgan’s in the desert. Chef Schmidt garnered national acclaim when he opened Rattlesnake Club restaurants in Denver and in Detroit, which celebrates more than 20 years as an award-winning Midwest dining destination. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his successful 30-year career, including the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef Midwest,” Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence,” and Gourmet Magazine’s “ America’s Top Tables” and “ America’s Best Restaurants A native Midwesterner, Schmidt studied electrical engineering at the University of Illinois. While studying abroad in southern France, he decided to stay on to pursue a career in the culinary arts and wine, earning a culinary degree from Luberon College and the French Institut Technique du Vin diploma from Maison du Vin in Avignon. He then returned stateside to Boston, where he continued his culinary education under Madeleine Kamman and graduated magna cum laude and first in class with a Professional Chef’s diploma from Modern Gourmet, Inc. When he is not minding the stoves at Morgan’s, Schmidt devotes his time to the science of nutritional product development. The holder of numerous patents, he pioneered protein and fiber bonding to create great-tasting nutritious foods.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Nobu With Guest Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino
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JOHN SEDLAR
MINDY SEGAL
JOHN RIVERA SEDLAR literally wrote the book on Modern Southwest Cuisine. Sedlar grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and also spent three years in the Spanish cities of Sevilla and Zaragoza. In his early 20s, Sedlar gained acclaim as a chef in the South Bay region of Southern California. He then apprenticed himself to legendary French chef Jean Bertranou of L’Ermitage in Los Angeles, where he mastered classic techniques while evolving his own approach to cooking. Sedlar’s awards and recognitions include selection among the Top Ten Chefs in America and the First Annual Culinary Arts Hall of Fame Awards, and a place on Food and Wine Magazine’s Honor Roll of American Chefs. Having traveled extensively throughout Mexico, Latin America, and Spain to study Latin food traditions first-hand, he is also the creator and founder of the first Latino food museum in the United States, Museum Tamal.
PASTRY CREATOR, Mindy Segal, specializes in contemporary American cuisine, believing that quality and technique is fundamental to the development of a great dessert. Segal places a modern twist on traditional classics. Segal exhibits tremendous respect for her ingredients, organizing her plates according to the combination of texture, temperature and taste, rather than appearance alone. Chef Segal’s early professional positions placed her in some of the most reputable kitchens in the country. After graduation from Kendall College, Segal took her first position at Chicago’s Ambria as pastry assistant to Judy Contino whom Segal considers her most important influence. She continued to refine her craft as pastry chef at such prestigious venues as Spago, Gordon, Charlie Trotter’s and MK. Segal has also developed dessert menus for numerous restaurants in Chicago. Among her many accomplishments, Segal won the Jean Banchet award for Best Celebrity Pastry chef in Chicago, Chicago Magazine’s Pastry Chef of the Year and for two consecutive years the Time Out Chicago’s Eat Out Awards for Best Pastry Chef. In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 The James Beard Foundation nominated Mindy for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the country. She has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers as well as made appearances on several television shows. Chef Segal’s solo venture, HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar, is the culmination of her 20 years of creativity and passion. HotChocolate has an innovative menu, friendly and educated service and a mission to constantly exceed the diner’s expectations.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 10:00 PM - HEAT - LA’s Spiciest After
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LYDIA SHIRE
PAUL SHOEMAKER
BORN IN BROOKLINE, MA, Lydia Shire’s earliest culinary memory was peeling garlic alongside her father as he cut out recipes from The New York Times. In 1971, Shire attended London’s Cordon Bleu Cooking School. Three years later, Shire was promoted from line cook to head chef of Maison Robert’s prestigious dining room. Throughout the mid-to late-70s, Shire made her mark in Boston’s most respected restaurants. In 1982, she opened Seasons at the Bostonian Hotel. The James Beard Foundation awarded Shire the “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage” award in 1984. In 1986, Shire became the first female Executive Chef in the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Company to open a luxury property in Beverly Hills. In 1989, she returned to Boston and launched BIBA (“Back in Boston Again”). In 1992, the James Beard Foundation honored Shire as “America’s Best Chef – Northeast” while Food & Wine reported that Shire was “One of America’s Top Ten Chefs.” In 2001, Shire sent a shock through Boston’s culinary scene as she dared to take over the city’s venerable Locke-Ober, an institution that had prohibited women from its dining room for 97 years. In 2007, Shire opened Blue Sky in the beloved York Beach, Maine. In 2008, Shire launched her sixth culinary destination, Scampo, in Boston’s Liberty Hotel which was recognized that year by Esquire magazine as one of the “Best New Restaurants” in America. In 2010, Shire launched Towne Stove and Spirits as CoCulinary Director alongside her friend, Jasper White.
PAUL SHOEMAKER can be described as an American Chef whose journey began in Los Angeles. Paul was attending Culinary School when he was first hired as chef de partie at the Water Grill in 1997. It didn’t take long for Paul to prove he was not only committed and eager to learn, but also talented and creative. Paul established himself as a leader and climbed the ranks within the kitchen. Less than 6 years later, Paul earned the title of Chef de Cuisine. In December 2004, Paul explored other restaurants outside of southern California. He spent time at Alain Ducasse in New York City as well as The French Laundry in Yountville, California. Continuing to live up to his reputation for hard work and dedication, Paul accepted an offer to join Providence as a managing partner and Chef de Cuisine. During his tenure at Providence, Paul expressed his artistic side and honed in on his ability to create an exceptional dining experience for each guest. Almost 4 years later, Paul joined Bastide and brought an unwavering passion for cuisine. In less than 6 months, Paul earned his first Michelin Star and impressed many food critics with his playful cuisine. The LA Times gave Bastide 3 ½ stars in October 2008. Paul believes cooking should be about proper execution and consistency. “I am proud to be a part of a profession that holds nature in its hands,” says Paul. “I continue to treasure flavors, textures and colors, and believe beauty is found in its purest form. For me, cooking is an everlasting quest of discovery and being the best.” Paul opened Savory Malibu in July 2010. This is Paul’s first solo venture as he focuses on community and teaching future generations the beauty of food.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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NANCY SILVERTON | MATT MOLINA
KERRY SIMON
NANCY SILVERTON is the co-owner of Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, and Mozza2Go in Los Angeles and Singapore. She is the founder of the La Brea Bakery and formerly owned and operated Campanile restaurant. Matt Molina is executive chef of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza. She is the author of several books including Nancy Silverton’s Sandwich Book, Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery, and Desserts. Nancy and Matt co authored the upcoming Mozza cookbook which will be released in August of 2011. Awards include: The James Beard Foundation, Best New Restaurant Nominee (Osteria Mozza), 2007 James Beard Award, Best Restaurant (Campanile), 2001 James Beard Foundation, Matt Molina, Best Chef: Pacific Nominee, 2010 James Beard Foundation, Matt Molina, Rising Star Chef Nominee, 2007
ONE OF THE first chefs on the Las Vegas scene, Kerry Simon continues to reinvent himself in the city he calls home. Dubbed the rock-n-roll chef by Rolling Stone magazine, the aspiring musician’s love for cooking did not start right away. In his late teens, the Chicago native worked at Little Caesars Pizza to save money for an electric guitar. At the age of 20 he enrolled in the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.After graduation Simon moved to Manhattan and worked with the city’s culinary legends, including Jean-Jacques Rachou of La Cote Basque and Andre Soltner of Lutece. A year later, he returned to New York and it was there that he met his mentor and friend Jean-Georges Vongerichten. In 1998, Vongerichten needed a corporate chef and Simon joined his friend to launch and oversee restaurants in Las Vegas, New York, Hong Kong, London and Chicago. In Las Vegas, Simon first met his future business partner Elizabeth Blau, and together, they opened Simon kitchen + bar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in 2002. Los Angeles was a logical next step for the Iron Chef America winner, who has many friends in the entertainment industry. In 2006 he and Blau opened SIMON LA at the revamped Sofitel Hotel in Hollywood. In 2008 he returned to the city he calls home with two exciting openings: CatHouse at the Luxor Hotel & Casino and Simon at Palms Place.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - The Italian Table - Lunch at Scuola de Pizza 2.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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NONA SIVLEY
HIRO SONE | LISSA DOUMANI
BORN IN LAFAYETTE, Louisiana and raised in Texas and Northern Virginia, Nona Sivley grew up with a childhood passion for the legal system—until she discovered the culinary arts. While in college, Sivley discovered her true calling in the culinary world while catering celebrations for family and friends. Her love of watching guests savor and enjoy their food led her to leave the classroom to pursue a career as a chef. With her newfound love for cooking, Sivley embarked on a journey into the culinary world that now leads her to her position as Chef de Cuisine of LA Market Restaurant by Kerry Simon. Dedicated to honing her craft, Sivley enrolled in The Culinary School of Fort Worth where she graduated as a Chef Professional in 2008. Sivley, a true Texan at heart, entered the salsa challenge at ZestFest in 2008 and won first place. Upon graduation, Sivley took a position as a cook at Ultimate Cuisine in Fort Worth before moving to Granbury, Texas to become the sous chef of Café Nutt. No stranger to cooking competitions, Sivley entered herself in the grueling eighth season of “Hell’s Kitchen” where she once again took the top spot. A true southerner, Sivley brings a passion for the region’s cuisine to LA Market and is looking forward to broadening her experiences as a chef in Kerry Simon’s globally-inspired kitchen. When not in the kitchen at LA Market, Sivley spends time with her husband and young son.
HIRO SONE and Lissa Doumani have been capturing the hearts and appetites of Northern California diners for nearly 20 years. In 1988 the husband and wife team opened Terra, a world-class dining destination in Napa Valley. Today the intimate restaurant still showcases Chef Sone and Doumani’s seasonal menus that blend local ingredients and the flavors of southern France and northern Italy with his refined Japanese sensibility, and the couple’s travels, tastes, and passion for exceptional dining. Shortly after winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef in California in 2003, Sone, with Doumani, embarked on a mission to bring their worldly cuisine to San Francisco in the St. Regis Hotel. In November 2006 they opened Ame, which reflects the level of passion revered at Terra, with distinctively San Franciscan influences. The hot spot has a striking sashimi bar and an extensive raw menu. Since opening Ame, which means rain in Japanese, it has been flooded with accolades from local and national press, receiving “Top New Restaurants for 2006” by San Francisco Magazine and from John Mariani of Esquire Magazine ,“Best New Restaurants of 2006”. Terra was recognized by Michelin and received One Michelin Star in the inaugural 2007 edition, and has received a Michelin Star each year since then. Ame received it’s Michelin Star in 2008 and also has received one star each year since then. In 2008 Terra was honored to received the James Beard Award for Best Service in the US.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere
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SUSAN SPICER
JOACHIM SPLICHAL
SUSAN SPICER began her cooking career in New Orleans as an apprentice to Chef Daniel Bonnot at the Louis XVI Restaurant in 1979. In 1986 she left to open “Bistro at Maison de Ville”. After nearly four years as chef, she formed a partnership with Regina Keever and in the spring of 1990 opened Bayona in the French Quarter. Susan has been on local and national television, including an appearance on the finale of the popular Bravo series Top Chef in 2009. In May 1993 she was the recipient of the James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southeast Region and, in 1995 was chosen for the Mondavi Culinary Excellence Award. One of the 1989 recipients of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs award, Chef Spicer was inducted in the summer of 2008 into the magazine’s Best New Chef Hall of Fame. Susan’s first book, entitled Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer’s New Orleans, was releasedin October 2007. Chef Spicer’s book was included in Food & Wine’s 2008 Best of the Best, a collection of recipes selected from their top 25 cookbooks of the year. In May of 2010 Susan was inducted into the James Beard Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. Her latest project is the opening of MONDO, a casual, family style restaurant which opened in June of 2010 in Chef Spicer’s neighborhood of Lakeview, where she has lived for 20 years.
HAILED AS ONE of the nation’s ‘Legendary Chefs’ by Bon Appétit and named Bon Appétit/Food Network ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ in 2002, Joachim Splichal is widely acknowledged as a major contributing force behind the growth of Los Angeles into one of the world’s premier dining capitals. Splichal’s culinary approach emphasizes a playful, yet perfectionist style and his enthusiasm for California’s abundant resources translates into wildly innovative and elegant dishes. Splichal opened his flagship restaurant Patina in 1989 and was recently awarded 4 stars from Los Angeles Times in 2010. Today, Patina Restaurant Group has grown to include a world-class catering division and an array of award-winning restaurants across the United States. Over the course of his career, Splichal has earned numerous awards and distinctions. In 1995 he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America. The prestigious organization also named him “Best California Chef” and twice nominated him “Chef of the Year.” He has been named a “Treasure of Los Angeles” by former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and the Central City Association, and he was voted “Restaurateur of the Year” by both the California Restaurant Writers Association in 1997 and the Southern California Restaurant Writers in 1999. Splichal authored the well-received Patina Cookbook: Spuds, Truffles and Wild Gnocchi. In addition, Splichal has appeared on numerous local and national talk shows, where he enjoys sharing his culinary skills and passion for food and wine.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Patina With Guest Chef Jonathan Waxman 3.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master 4.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
BEN SPUNGIN
CAL STAMENOV
BEN SPUNGIN is the Pastry Chef at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley, California. For the past five years, Ben has been working alongside Chef Cal Stamenov to develop pastry creations that compliment Stamenov’s signature California natural cuisine. In 1996, Ben attended the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont earning his Associates degree. Ben’s school internship was at the Magnolia Grill in Durham under James Beard award winning Chefs Ben and Karen Barker. After finishing school in 1998, a spontaneous opportunity opened at the French Laundry to work under Pastry Chef Stephen Durfee. This adventure opened Ben’s eyes to endless possibilities of the pastry world. In 2005, Ben became the Pastry Chef at the Bernardus Lodge under Chef Cal Stamenov. Chef Cal, a former Pastry Chef himself, and Ben have a collaborative relationship anchored by their passion for quality ingredients. Ben currently lives on the Big Sur coastline with his wife and two adorable little girls.
UPON GRADUATING from the California Culinary Academy, Stamenov began his career in 1982 at New York’s famed Four Seasons restaurant. He is steeped in the European tradition of culinary artistry and has spent years in the most demanding kitchens of the world’s most renowned chefs. His stellar credits include working with Alain Ducasse of the three-star Michelin restaurant, Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris, Monaco; Pierre Gagnaire in St. Etienne, France; Masa Koboiashi at Masa’s Restaurant in San Francisco; Jean-Louis Palladin at Restaurant Jean-Louis in Washington D.C.; and Michel Richard at Citrus Restaurant. Stamenov worked as Executive Chef for the Highlands Inn in Carmel, and served as Chef de Cuisine of the highly regarded Domaine Chandon Restaurant in Napa Valley. Marinus at Bernardus Lodge has been enjoying high praise since the resort opened in 1999. Since 2001, the Zagat Survey has noted Marinus as one of the Top Restaurants and Most Romantic places south of San Francisco. Cal’s philosophy and style of cooking, is built on three central pillars: the relationship between food and terroir, the superiority of handcrafted, artisanal products over mass-produced, and the common sense of glorifying food when its flavor is at its peak. The Central Coast provides him with access to an inspiring range of ingredients whose essence and flavor is appreciable in every bite. With a treasure trove of impeccable products, Stamenov is able to cook with the seasons and rarely has to look further than his own backyard for inspiration.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
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BILL STARBUCK
ROGER STETTLER
BILL STARBUCK’S PASSION for cooking began at young age in Northern Vermont. Following his first career was as a paramedic, he eventually realized his true love for cooking. He decided to take his culinary talents to Los Angeles. The big move proved to be a huge success. As a chef at Hugo’s, he was instrumental in converting this veal market into a gourmet restaurant. Bill was considered an innovator. He quickly found himself cooking for Hollywood celebrities and events. Bill eventually received a unique and unforgettable request. He was asked by a catering company, Along Came Mary, to create and prepare a gourmet menu for the ABC Network’s host coverage of the 1984 Olympics. Every night, for two weeks, Bill provided 1,000 guests with a sumptuous and customized meal. Bill strongly believed that every guest should receive an amazing meal, not just at a high end restaurant. Bill has planned menus for hundreds of Hollywood “A” list events such as movie premiers, Grammy and Emmy awards, and the weddings of Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston and Barbara Streisand/ James Brolin. In 2003, he collaborated with Steven Foster to create a new concept, Lucky Strike Lanes. He developed a menu with American classics with a twist. He currently consults and concentrates his efforts with Lucky Strike, always creating unique menus for their guests.
EXECUTIVE CHEF Roger Stettler creates excitement in the dining scene at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Though classically French trained, Stettler introduces an array of new flavors to the Resort kitchens with his culinary fluency of Germany, Italy, Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, the Caribbean and the U.S. Born in Bern, Switzerland in 1967, Stettler discovered his love for the culinary art as a young boy. Inspired by his mother, Stettler was often found in the kitchen learning the craft that would lead to his successful career. He received a chef degree after completing the renowned apprenticeship program at Switzerland’s Hotel Kulm Arosa. He landed on Maui in 2004. “I’m excited about the abundance of fresh ingredients found on island,” says Stettler. My focus is to create delicious, innovative and expertly prepared cuisine from locally sourced, fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients found here on Maui. Luckily, Chef Stettler is fortunate to have such a wide variety of ingredients available at his fingertips to work with. As Four Seasons Resort Maui Executive Chef, Stettler oversees 55 cooks, menu planning, recipe creations, and cost control for the Resort’s in-room dining, banquets, two restaurants and lounges. Stettler stays active in the community and is a member of the Chef Association, the Hawaii Chef Association, and the Maui Culinary Academy. In 2004 he received his Certified Master Chefs Degree from the Swiss Government. Stettler enjoys water sports, cruising Maui on his Harley Davidson motorcycle and spending time with his lovely wife, daughter and son.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Pigs, Pins & Pinot at Lucky Strike Lanes Hosted By Todd English 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
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CASEY THOMPSON
HASTY TORRES
SPENDING TIME in her grandmother’s kitchen as a young girl, Casey Thompson never imagined she would one day become a chef with national acclaim.Learning from celebrity chef Dean Fearing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Thompson worked her way up from prep cook to sous chef before leaving to accept the executive chef position at one of Dallas’ most popular Asian restaurants, Shinsei. As a finalist on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” Season 3, Chef Casey not only wonAmerica’s heart by being voted America’s favorite, but she also showed the culinary world that she can take the heat and keep cooking amongst some of the most-revered chefs. In 2010, Thompson returned to “Top Chef” to compete against an all-star cast in New York City in Season 8 of “Top Chef All-Stars.” After leaving Dallas, Thompson settled in San Francisco and spent time traveling the world, learning techniques and presentations. Her master’s touch makes each dinner a one-of-akind culinary experience. Not only does Casey master the meal, she is also known for her talent of pairing the perfect wine with every dish. Thompson returned to Texas in 2010 to serve as executive chef of Brownstone Restaurant & Lounge in Fort Worth. She is a seafood ambassador with Monterey Bay Aquarium and serves as a culinary ambassador for the Bay Area Red Cross. Casey appears regularly on morning television shows in both San Francisco and Dallas. In her free time, Casey enjoys expanding her wine knowledge and studying the art of butchering.
MADAME CHOCOLAT Beverly Hills chocolate factory boutique café is the dream-come-true of Owner/Chocolatier Hasty Torres. Handmade fresh daily using only the highest quality ingredients and Belgium chocolate, Hasty offers a selection of twenty-three flavors of artisan bonbon. A native of Los Angeles, Hasty followed her studies at USC graduating with a Business degree from the Marshall School of Business in 1998 with a successful career in the financial industry. Following her heart and her passion, she left her career to complete the full chefs training at the Pasadena outpost of Le Cordon Bleu in 2004. An intensive internship with Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Jacques Torres in New York led him to assign her the duties of opening chef for his flagship 8,000 square foot chocolate factory and retail headquarters. In 2006, Hasty returned home to Los Angeles to open her own chocolate factory Madame Chocolat on chic Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. Jacques and Hasty fell in love over chocolate and were married in 2007. Today, both Hasty Torres and Madame Chocolat Beverly Hills are widely recognized for a whimsical, fashionable and custom approach to chocolate making of the highest caliber.
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - A Fall Harvest Lunch at M.B. Post 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
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KENT TORREY
SUZANNE TRACHT
SIMPLY PUT, Kent and his staff of The Cheese Shop Inc, in downtown Carmel~by~the~Sea, California, ROCKS when it comes to their selections of wonderful world class wines, their incredible array of cheeses, and gastronomic gourmet foods. A visit to Carmel is just not complete without a stop at this world-renowned store! On any given day you will find Kent and his extremely amiable staff sampling from over 200 different cheeses from around the world, passing along to the customers wonderful insights from the history of that particular cheese’s origins, or how that cheese can be used in intricate dishes, to tips on throwing great wine & cheese tasting parties, or how to pack a romantic picnic full of their goodies to be enjoy while watching a stunning sunset at the Carmel beach. Over the years, Kent has been fortunate enough to assist the public and professional trade through various media sources, publications and staged events with highlights including: Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Masters of Food & Wine, Blackberry Farm, Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, Taste of Washington and the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival. In addition The Cheese Shop has been featured on the Travel Channel worldwide as a “Must See Destination” & showcased on the Food Network for their world famous pesto. Being from the state of Hawaii, Kent has infused the “O’hana” spirit into this family oriented business, which has celebrated 38 years of eating and drinking! Kent’s mantra: “Eat Cheese, Drink Wine, Live Life Happy!!”
SUZANNE TRACHT is among the rare group of American women chefs who have achieved the ultimate dream of owning their own restaurant. With Jar, her modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles, Tracht dazzles Angelenos with the allure of her familiar retro dishes from the American culinary repertoire. From the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, to the Century Plaza, Hotel BelAir, Campanile, and Jozu in Los Angeles, Tracht has earned her place among the “who’s who” of influential female chefs in America. Tracht is a frequent contributor to Bon Appetit and other gastronomic publications. She has received stellar reviews in Food and Wine magazine, the New York Times Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, GQ, Variety, and more. Celebrating 10 years as L.A.’s Modern American Chophouse, Jar and Suzanne have become Los Angeles icons!
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Wednesday, October 12 7:00 PM - Founders’ Dinner 2.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 3.) Friday, October 14 10:00 AM - Cult Wines and Perfect Pairings – A Rare Wine Tasting With Formagier Kent Torrey 4.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Saturday
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RICK TRAMONTO
JARED VAN CAMP
FOR ELEVEN YEARS, Rick Tramonto was executive chef and founding partner at Chicago’s world-renowned four-star finedining restaurant Tru, in partnership with Rich Melman, chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Tramonto is also culinary director of Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood, and RT Sushi Bar & Lounge. In 2010, Tramonto announced his partnership with Louisiana native Chef John Folse and the formation of a new restaurant company, Home on the Range. Tramonto and Folse plan to launch their first joint restaurant project, Restaurant R’evolution, in New Orleans’ Royal Sonesta Hotel in the renowned French Quarter in 2011. Tramonto has received a bevy of awards and honors including the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Midwest Award, the Robert Mondavi Award for Culinary Excellence, Food & Wine Magazine’s Top 10 Best New Chefs 1994, Four-star Mobil, and the Wine Spectator Grand Award. He has a history of television work as well, appearing on Oprah, Today, CBS This Morning, Simply Ming and Iron Chef America on Food Network. He was a judge on Bravo TV’s hit reality program Top Chef. Recently he was a contestant on Season 2 of Top Chef Masters. Tramonto is an accomplished cookbook author with eight titles to his credi. His most recent book, his memoir, Scars of a Chef, was released in March 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers. Tramonto is active in his church and supports a number of charities, including Feed the Children, and Angel Tree. Tramonto resides with his wife and three sons in the Chicago area.
AFTER GRADUATING in 2000 from Johnson & Wales University with an AAS in Culinary Arts receiving Cum Laude Honors, Jared Van Camp went on to work with chefs such as Donald Barickman of Magnolia’s in Charleston, South Carolina, Paul Kahan of Blackbird and Rick Tramonto of Tru, in Chicago, Illinois. His interests have spanned the studies of painting and sculpting at the University of Illinois. Chef Van Camp, as could be expected, is intensely passionate about every solitary detail involved with the presentation of every menu item to every guest. Although the creation of any menu item is fairly elaborate, as everything is hand made on site from the freshest products, to summarize what his intent is with the menu is not. Food that is handmade and good, unpretentious, blue collar in spirit, seasonal and uses the freshest of high quality ingredients. Chef Van Camp is so fervent about his work and his love for pork …. If you ever meet him in person, ask him to show you his left forearm, an English butcher’s diagram of a pig three inches in diameter is what you’ll find tattooed. Only local pigs are used to create Jared’s homemade in-house cured charcuterie. Every entrée, appetizer, and side is prepared in a way that is accessible and approachable rather than staunch and pretentious. His cuisine can be described as local, savory and delectable bar food – and it’s offered at a price that is easy on the pocketbook.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 10:00 PM - Bubbles & Beats at Club Nokia 2.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
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DIEGO VELASCO
CRAIG VON FOERSTER
AS EXECUTIVE CHEF of The Memphis Group, Diego Velasco has played an instrumental role in the success of the acclaimed restaurant group since the company’s inception in 1995. He oversees culinary direction for the group’s three restaurants and catering division. Respected for both his artful presentations and flavorful ingredients, Velasco brings an innovative and soulful approach to his position; creating dishes that add a novel twist to the homegrown flavors of traditional Southern cuisine. In 1994, he earned a culinary arts degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, with emphasis on African heritage cuisine, Italian and Irish immigrant cooking and Native American Foods. In addition to his early training as a chef for Taste Catering in San Francisco, Velasco honed his skills as an apprentice for highly regard master chefs John Sedlar ( St. Estpehe, Abiquiu, Bikini ) Thom Fox ( Corona Bar & Grill ) and Hans Rockenwagner. In 1995, Velasco returned to southern California to oversee the menu development and launch of Memphis Café. Several of Velasco’s original recipes remain on the menu today and he continues to challenge his clientele’s collective palate with seasonal new creations. A resident of Santa Ana’s historic Park Santiago neighborhood, Velasco enjoys spending his free time bike riding, camping, traveling, playing drums and crossword puzzles with his wife and two daughters.
FOR EXECUTIVE CHEF Craig von Foerster, cooking is a personal philosophy, passion and way of life. Since he began his culinary career the journey has taken him from his Midwestern roots to the California coast and beyond. At twenty he worked as the chef of the Perry House in Monterey before moving to Hawaii to serve as Sous Chef in the Bay Club at Kapalua Bay Hotel, where he studied Pacific Rim cuisine. An opportunity to be chef/owner of Colorado’s Café Bohemia in Boulder led him back to the western states. Craig joined the Sierra Mar staff in 1994 as Sous Chef for two years before returning to Hawaii for a stint at the Plantation Veranda at Kapalua. He was named Sierra Mar’s Executive Chef in 1998. Craig believes the difference between good and average food is sometimes a minute detail. He feels the energy and care for really great food must come from within. And the proof is in the pudding-the 2003 Zagat Guide rated Sierra Mar first in California for cuisine, with an overall rating of third. At Sierra Mar Restaurant Chef Craig focuses on seasonal and regional offerings, fusing California fare with French and Mediterranean influences.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus Presents LIVE on the Plaza
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
JONATHAN WAXMAN
LAURA WERLIN
JONATHAN WAXMAN has influenced the American culinary world for the past 30 years, working alongside and training many of the country’s most notable chefs. Waxman first stepped into the culinary scene in 1970 when he decided to retire from a career as a professional trombonist to enroll in the La Varenne cooking school in Paris where he was trained and inspired by several renowned 3-star chefs. After working in kitchens of such well-known restaurants as Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Michael’s in Los Angeles, Waxman took his West Coast culinary style east, opening Jams in New York City in 1984. With the likes of Julia Child, James Beard, and Wolfgang Puck frequenting his new restaurant, Waxman established himself among the most prominent names on the American culinary scene. In 2002, Waxman opened the acclaimed Washington Park, which was followed two years later by Barbuto a restaurant serving easy Italian-inspired food in New York’s West Village. In November 2007, he opened an outpost of Barbuto — Barbuto Guadeloupe — on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where he sources all of his ingredients from local purveyors. This past February, Waxman unveiled Madaleine Mae on New York’s Upper West Side, which offers Southern fare in an urban environment. Waxman is the author of A Great American Cook (Houghton Mifflin, 2007), which is a culmination of his culinary vision and love for creating bold flavors with simple ingredients. For his contributions to the culinary world, Waxman was named one the most influential Americans by Esquire magazine.
LAURA WERLIN is one of the country’s foremost authorities on cheese. The author of five award-winning books on the subject, Werlin is a sought-after speaker and spokesperson for consumer and trade organizations, and a frequent television and radio guest. As an expert in American artisan cheese, specializing in cheese and wine pairing, Werlin received the James Beard award for her book The All American Cheese and Wine Book, which was the first of its kind in America to focus entirely on this subject. Her newest book centers on a timeless American favorite - grilled cheese. In Grilled Cheese, Please! Werlin shares tips and recipes for creating the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Her first book on grilled cheese, Great Grilled Cheese, released in 2004, was the winner of the World Gourmand Award for best cheese book in the world. Werlin’s The New American Cheese, has been dubbed as “groundbreaking” and in 2007, her book Laura Werlin’s Cheese Essentials, won a prestigious James Beard award nomination. Well known for her charismatic persona and unique ability to share her knowledge in an approachable way, Laura has been featured on numerous television and radio segments including CNN, QVC, the Martha Stewart Show, and the CBS Early Show. Werlin enjoys visiting the American farms where cheese are made, and is heavily involved with many of the nation’s cheese and dairy boards. When she isn’t eating or sharing cheese with others, she can be found jogging on the streets of San Francisco, where she lives.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 4:30 PM - Grilled Cheese & Great Wines With Laura Werlin 5.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 AM - The Magic & Seduction Of Cheese & Wine With Laura Werlin
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch at Patina With Guest Chef Jonathan Waxman 2.) Friday, October 14 6:00 PM - I Heart Champagne & Caviar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
MICAH WEXLER
DONALD WRESSELL
MICAH WEXLER always knew he wanted to be a chef and has been cooking since he can remember. A Los Angeles native, Micah Wexler truly discovered his passion for cooking at the age of 15 when we went to work under famed Italian Chef Gino Angelini at Vicenti Restaurant in Brentwood. He was accepted to the prestigious Hotel School, at Cornell University. Upon his acceptance, Wexler honed his talents back east, but returned home every summer to establish his name in local and legendary restaurants, Melisse and Patina. He has worked in restaurants such as 3-star Michelin restaurant, Martin Beresategui in San Sebastian, Spain and 1-star Michelin restaurant, La Taverna Righi in San Marino, Italy to gain knowledge of regional styles and techniques. After returning from Europe, Wexler accepted an opportunity to become part of the opening team for legendary Chef Joel Robuchon’s Le Atelier Joel Robuchon at the Four Season’s Hotel in New York, where he worked for two years before opting to return to his native Los Angeles. In March 2011, Wexler and his partners of Real Restaurant Group, opened Mezze. A Californian restaurant with Eastern Mediterranean influences, Mezze was developed as a contemporary play on the traditional mezze style of dining consisting of small plates. Since opening, Mezze has received 2 ½ stars from Irene Virbila in the Los Angeles Times and 3 stars from Angeleno Magazine.
CHEF WRESSELL credits his cooking career to his grandmother and the first TV cooking shows. “When I was seven I would come home from school and stay with my grandmother, we would watch the Galloping Gourmet. I just thought what he did - flipping food in sauté pans - was the neatest thing. So at that point, I decided that I wanted to become a chef”.Wressell is a graduate of the Washington State Chef Association Culinary program. Donald is a true and tough competitor. In 1998 and 1999 he was named Top Ten Pastry Chefs by Chocolatier Pastry Art & Design and in 2003 he was named Southern California’s Restaurant Writers Pastry Chef of the Year. Chef Wressell has represented the USA four times at the World Cup of Pastry - Le Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie. Named “Pastry Chef of the Year” by the Organizing Committee of the 2005 National Pastry Team Championships, as well as receiving honors at the White House for his work with the US Pastry Team, Chef Wressell loves the day-to-day hands-on-work of the pastry industry. In 2006 Wressell joined San Francisco based Guittard Chocolate Company as their Pastry Chef. Today his busy schedule includes travel, speaking, competitions and his signature “Guest Chef Series” classes at the Guittard Studio in Los Angeles. And when he finds a quite moment, you can find him in one of his two favorite places-his kitchen or his workshop.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting - Sunday
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TETSU YAHAGI
ROY YAMAGUCHI
TETSU YAHAGI was born in Fukuoka, Japan. Tetsu fondly recalls the day his Dad told him of his work transfer and that the entire family would move to California. On a visit to a local bookstore he came across the cookbook, Wolfgang Puck Adventures in the Kitchen. To his excitement there were recipes for sashimi tuna and uni sauce. He coerced his Mom into making purchase. Page by page he taught himself to cook California Cuisine. Years later before his family had to return to Japan, Tetsu’s only wish was to dine at Spago in Hollywood. As he and his family feasted on Pizzas, and Black Pepper crusted Tuna, he met Wolfgang, and asked him to sign the tattered book. This was a turning point in his life. Upon his return to Japan his only desire was to attend formal cooking school He graduated with honors, and was chosen by the Dean of Studies to travel to Burgundy, France. There he would train under Jacques Lameloise, of the 3 Star Michelin, Restaurant Lameloise. Tetsu was selected as the opening Sous Chef for Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill in Tokyo. In preparation for the opening he trained with Lee Hefter. Chef Hefter would later recruit Tetsu to join the team in the US, as a line cook at Spago Beverly Hills, where over the past 5 years he has risen up the ranks. Now as Chef de Cuisine at Spago Beverly Hills, Tetsu comes full circle. It is a dream realized.
FIRST INTRODUCED in Honolulu by James Beard award winner Chef Roy Yamaguchi, Roy’s has become well known throughout the world for its Hawaiian Fusion® Cuisine – featuring the freshest local ingredients, European sauces and bold Asian spices with a focus on seafood. Although Chef Yamaguchi was born in Tokyo, his Hawaii connection goes back to his grandfather, who owned a tavern in the ‘40s in Maui, and who was also a pioneer in the local supermarket industry. He attributes his earliest appreciation of food to his father, a career military man and to his Okinawan-born mother. Before graduating from high school in 1974, Chef Yamaguchi knew that he wanted to enroll in the Culinary Institute of America in New York’s Hyde Park, where he was to receive his first exposure to classical traditions. This was followed by a few memorable months at the posh Michael’s in Santa Monica, working for “California Cuisine” originator Michael McCarty. In 1984, Chef Yamaguchi finally opened his first restaurant as an owner in Hollywood followed closely by the opening of his Waikiki location. After accepting a James Beard Award for “Best Pacific Northwest Chef” in1993 — Hawaii’s first recipient of this prestigious, peer-selected national honor – Chef Yamaguchi commented to the local press that he hoped this recognition would be a first step towards proving that “Hawaii has the talent and chefs to compete nationally.”
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 7:00 PM - California Clambake with Tom Colicchio 2.) Saturday, October 15 4:00 PM - Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que On Santa Monica Pier 3.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Saturday, October 15 7:00 PM - Lexus LIVE On The Plaza
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SHERRY YARD
SANG YOON
WIDELY REGARDED as one of America’s finest pastry chefs, Sherry Yard is the innovator of sweet endings for the Wolfgang Puck empire. Sherry’s indomitable spirit has delivered her from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills via some of the country’s greatest restaurants. Since her arrival at Spago in 1994, Sherry’s incomparable creative and fresh-from-the-farm desserts have played leading roles at the Academy Awards Governor’s Ball, Grammy Awards and Emmy Awards. Her creative influences as author, food stylist and chef have brought to the sweet side of Spago a distinctive style. Yard has collected many accolades including the Southern California Restaurants Writers’ Association’s Pastry Chef of the Year. In 2000 Bon Appetit magazine’s Food and Entertaining Awards “Pastry Chef of the Year”, 2002 the James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Pastry Chef. Fall 2004 Women Chef’s and Restaurateur presented Sherry with the “Golden Bowl Award”. Spring 2005 and 2006 brought back-to-back sweet victory, Pastry Art and Design Magazine named Sherry “Top Ten” Pastry Chef. July 2007, she received the Food Arts Silver Spoon Award for lifetime achievement. Sherry’s first book, “The Secrets of Baking”, published by Houghton Mifflin in 2003, received the James Beard Foundation’s KitchenAid Award for Best Baking Book. Considered a masterpiece, it adheres to serious, important and knowledgeable approach while remaining consistently clear, comprehensive and fun to read. Sherry’s new title, “Desserts by the Yard”, traces her sweet life from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills with stories and recipes.
SANG YOON was born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Los Angeles, California where he developed a lifelong passion for creative culinary techniques. As a teenager Yoon worked in the kitchens of two of San Francisco’s most venerable chefs; Jeremiah Tower and Julian Serrano before attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. At the age of 19, he discovered the robust flavors and dishes of the Emilia-Romagna region before earning a coveted apprenticeship at the Michelin three-star Jamin restaurant under French Master Chef Joel Robuchon. Upon returning from Europe, Yoon attended UCLA where he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology before returning to the kitchen at Chinois on Main to work with Wolfgang Puck. That position was followed by his first executive chef position at Michael’s in Santa Monica. In 2000, Yoon struck out on his own by renovating his favorite local dive bar in Santa Monica, Father’s Office. The proprietary “Office Burger” has been hailed as the country’s best burger by the TODAY show and Esquire magazine. Yoon opened a second location in 2008, Father’s Office 2.0 in Culver City. February 2011 Sang Yoon returned to fine dining with the debut of Lukshon located adjacent to Father’s Office 2.0. Also located at the Helms Bakery compound is a state-of-the-art test kitchen where Yoon experiments with new menu items. In his spare time, Yoon is an avid hockey player who also collects vintage watches and champagne for his 5,000+ bottle cellar.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Meat in the Middle - With Guest Chef Chris Cosentino 2.) Friday, October 14 6:30 PM - Daniel Boulud - Tribute To A Culinary Master
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Wolfgang Puck’s Sunday Brunch & Charity Auction at Hotel Bel Air
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ZAC YOUNG
RICARDO ZARATE
WHILE EMPLOYED in the wig department of the Radio City Rockettes, Zac had an epiphany: He would rather be baking cookies than fluffing Santa beards. After graduating with honors from the baking and pastry arts program at the Institute of Culinary Education, Zac went straight to the top, working under Sebastian Rouxel and Richard Capizzi at Bouchon Bakery. In 2006 his talents were recognized by Alexandra Guarnaschelli and she offered him the position of Pastry Chef at her downtown New York hot-spot Butter Restaurant. At Butter, Chef Young developed his signature style, using classic French technique, bold flavors, and fun to put a creative twist on American desserts. In 2009 Chef Young moved uptown to the bustling bivalve mecca Flex Mussels. His whimsical creations caught the fancy of The New York Times’ Restaurant Critic Frank Bruni, causing him to exclaim, “…how lucky of us to find room for dessert,” in his review of Flex Mussels. In September of 2010 a second location opened in the West Village giving Zac an even larger stage to showcase his sweet talents. After quickly gaining recognition in the industry, Zac was selected as a contestant on Bravo’s first season of Top Chef Just Desserts, where he dazzled the judges with his creativity, grabbing a top spot in the final four. Zac’s signature wit and pastry knowledge can now be seen on The Cooking Channel’s new series, Unique Sweets.
AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS in London, Chef Ricardo Zarate decided to move to Los Angeles in 2008. With a very creative vision and a modest budget, Zarate opened Mo-Chica in summer of 2009 in Downtown Los Angeles. A little hole in the wall, a gem, as many have said. Mo-Chica was voted 4th Best Restaurant in Los Angeles in 2010 by Los Angeles Magazine. As a chef, Zagat gave him a 27 rating in 2001 which made him one of the top chefs and restaurants in the city. In August 2010, he opened what he called his pop up on steroids: Test Kitchen. It became one of the biggest overnight successes of the past 10 years in Los Angeles. After 3 1/2 months, the pop up closed his door in order for Zarate to open his new restaurant in June 2011 called Picca. In March 2011, Chez Zarate became Food & Wine Best New Chef in America. In May 2011, he made the list of the top 50 “Best People in LA” by LA Weekly.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Thursday, October 13 7:00 PM - Red Carpet Premiere 2.) Saturday, October 15 12:00 PM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Saturday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.)Saturday, October 15 10:00 PM - Decadence Hosted By Sherry Yard LA’s Sweetest After Party
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
BARBARA BATISTE
DANNY ELMALEH
BARB BATISTE is the owner and founder of B Sweet Catering. In 1993 she worked alongside the Executive Pastry Chef at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel creating fine pastries; and though it was a great experience, her heart was still set on making homemade goodies the old-fashioned way From her kitchen at home, to now her third commercial kitchen, she continues to grow and remains true to her “handmade like grandma used to make” ways. Barb still works off many of her handwritten recipes, and together with her committed team they strive to create new recipes daily with an old-fashioned flair. These values have brought her many loyal clients such as Disney, Nike, ING Direct and some of Hollywood’s best known stars and studios. Most recently, B Sweet released its extensive sweet and savory World Menu featuring popular items from twelve different countries. The company also partnered with a local radio station to launch its first gourmet food truck. What’s next for this dedicated wife and mother who thinks of herself as a modern day “Betty Crocker?” The B Sweet Dessert Truck will be roaming the streets of L.A. soon, with a retail location to follow. B Sweet was voted “Best Desserts in Los Angeles” by Citysearch.com.
DANNY ELMALEH, Executive Chef of sbe’s restaurant portfolio, oversees a diverse collection of restaurant and nightlife menus. Drawing on both his childhood and professional life spent globe, Elmaleh is known for effortlessly blending cuisines to create exotic and sumptuous dishes, often in the most unexpected places. Some of his signature innovations include the enticing shared plates he has created for The Abbey, Hyde Lounge and the updated Gladstones fresh seafood menu. Elmaleh has again harnessed his worldly culinary approach with his first signature restaurant, Cleo. Boasting a distinctly light and fresh menu that evokes a contemporary Mezze bar, Cleo has quickly become Hollywood’s most sought after dining experience. Next, Chef Danny re-imagines market-fresh Italian with the highly anticipated Mercato di Vetro, opening fall 2011. Elmaleh began his career as a chef in Japan at a prominent French restaurant. He then cooked at Ristorante Giannino in Milan and Melisse and its sister restaurant, Lemon Moon, in Los Angeles. In 2006, Elmaleh opened Celadon restaurant and was named a “Rising Star Chef” of 2007 by Star Chefs. It was there that he met Katsuya Uechi and forged the relationship that led to his role as sbe corporate chef at Katsuya and then as overall sbe corporate chef. Elmaleh’s unique culinary style is informed by his upbringing. Born in Haifa, Israel, to a Moroccan father and a Japanese mother, Elmaleh began his training at the famed Culinary Institute of America in New York.
WEEKEND APPEARANCES: 1.) Friday, October 14 11:30 AM - Lunch At Cleo 2.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
WEEKEND APPEARANCE: 1.) Sunday, October 16 11:30 AM - Lexus Grand Tasting – Sunday
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The Tasting Kitchen Bartender Justin Pike
Bye Bye Bottle Service Exploring the State of the Bar in L.A. By JOSHUA LURIE Even though TMZ still shows celebrities stumbling out of Hollywood nightclubs on a regular basis, a band of hopheads, oenophiles and spirited tastemakers have finally helped to render bottle service and vodka tonics passé in L.A. The focus has shifted to flavor, value and community, which is more consistent with the economy and culture. The Sunset Strip was the longtime destination of choice for Angelenos and weekend warriors before the scene shifted to Hollywood’s Cahuenga Corridor. Now, community-focused neighborhood bars are spanning the city. According to Ryan Sweeney, who co-owns beer-focused Verdugo Bar and The Surly Goat, “People are more concerned with authenticity and quality, because they’ve been in a city for so long that’s been doing the opposite.” Ryan Sweeney at The Surly Goat
FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Tony Yanow is contributing to both sides of the supply chain. He just opened Golden Road Brewing with Meg Gill in freeway-friendly Atwater Village and previously debuted Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank last year, sourcing beers within state borders and adhering to eco-friendly business practices, another California hallmark. He recently opened Mohawk Bend in Echo Park, doubling the taps, adding California spirits and an even larger stage.
One sector that’s seen explosive growth is craft beer, with a new wave that started washing over the city in 2007, when Sweeney, Kyle Bilowitz, Brandon Bradford and Cherith Spicer partnered on Verdugo Bar in out-of-the-way Glassell Park. Blue Palms Brewhouse proprietor Brian Lenzo launched another influential establishment the following summer beside Hollywood’s Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre.
Finding success in two sleepy neighborhoods inspired another Yanow mindset: “If you pour it, they will come. If you get good beer, and you take good care of your beer, and you take good care of your customers, they’ll find you.” Outlets like Draft Magazine, RateBeer and Beer Advocate seem to agree. They’ve started ranking establishments like Tony’s Darts Away, Verdugo Bar, Blue Palms and 38 Degrees with America’s best. As Yanow said, “Just because the size of our market, and the cool things that are happening, we’re starting to make a little noise.”
Pliny the Elder at Blue Palms Brewhouse
Lenzo sees the recession as a big reason for craft beer’s rise in L.A., saying, “People were all about bottle service and excess. The recession hit, and people cut back. With craft beer, people found out they could still get a world class product at a reduced price.”
Lately, the noise has often been harmonious. Earlier this year, Lenzo, Sweeney, Yanow and 38 Degrees co-owner Clay Harding teamed on a series of craft beer pop-ups around town, dubbed ColLAboration, and the city’s on the verge of the 3rd Annual LA Beer Week.
Unlike most other cities, it’s bars that are driving L.A.’s craft beer boom, not breweries. That’s primarily because L.A. County was dormant for decades when it came to opening breweries, aside from stalwarts like Mark Jilg’s Craftsman Brewing Co. However, Sweeney predicts that dynamic will shift as more breweries open.
Last year, Dustin Lancaster hand-built Covell in Los Feliz with every intention of becoming a wine bar, but early on, beer accounted for almost half the sales. He quickly came to appreciate that Angelenos crave diversity and new experiences, saying, “Most things that open in L.A., they’ll go
Mohawk Bend Patio
Covell owner Dustin Lancaster
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
THE SOMMELIERS A
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR PARTICIPATING SOMMELIERS WHO PROTECT US, OUR FRIENDS, AND OUR LOVED ONES FROM BAD WINE.
DARIUS ALLYN, MS GILLIAN BALLANCE KIM BETO RICHARD BETTS, MS PETER BIRMINGHAM ALESSIA BOTTURI JENNA BOYER WILLIAM G. BRAJNIKOFF BECCY BREEZE CAITLIN BROWN BRITTNEY CARLISI MICHAEL CHANDLER MARY CHRISTIE PATRICK COMISKEY JILLIAN DOWLER BEN EDWARDS MAGAN ENG JENELLE ENGLESON MARIA ESTEVA DANA FARNER RYAN FLETTER DANIEL FRANKS CYRIL FRECHIER ANDRÉA FULTON-HIGGINS MICHELE GARBER ALAN GARY AMY GOLDBERGER FRANCOISE GOUGES BONNIE GRAVES CARL GRUBBS JARED HEBER MARK HEFTER JARED HOOPER ROBIN KELLEY O'CONNOR SETH KUNIN GEOFF LABITZKE, MW DREW LANGLEY CATHERINE LARSEN CHRIS LAVIN SHELBY LEDGERWOOD DON MALLERY DANA MANISON
MONTAGE BALLANCE CONSULTING SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS SOMBRA HATFIELDS YOURSOMMELIER.NET MICHAEL MINA ATELIER CRENN CASANOVA FARM+CELLAR HENRY WINE GROUP RAIL BRIDGE WINE & SPIRITS SPRING RESTAURANT WINE & SPIRITS JD LA VIE SPECIALTY WINES MARINUS KUNIN WINES VENOKADO SAZERAC CUT BAROLO GRILL CHEZ MELANGE CAMPAGNE THE JOEL PALMER HOUSE GIRL MEETS GRAPE MOZZA FIFTH FLOOR TONNELLERIE SIRIGUE GIRL MEETS GRAPE COTTAGE WINE COMPANY THE SPIRE GROUP MONTAGE THE ROYCE CHRISTIE'S KUNIN WINES YOUNG'S MARKET COMPANY PROVIDENCE LARSEN WINE GROUP MICHAEL MINA XIV SAVANT WINES PACIFIC'S EDGE SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS
VILMA MAZAITE BRYCE MCNAMEE MARK MENDOZA CHRIS MILLER CHRISTOPHER MILLER STACI MILLER NAOKO MOORE JEFF MORGENTHAL SIAN NAGAN GREG O'BYRNE ADAM OLTHOF DAVID ORGANISAK DAMON ORNOWSKI, MS RAJ PARR GIANPAOLO PATERLINI ERIC RAILSBACK ROB RENTERIA CASPER RICE ALLISON ROBBINS JESSE RODRIGUEZ DAVID ROSOFF TOBY ROWLAND-JONES SABATO SAGARIA THAMIN SALEH CAROLINE SALZ PAUL SHERMAN LISA SIMON JOHN SLAMON CLINT SLOAN NAOMI SMITH TIM SMITH ROBERT SMITH, MS JOSEPH SPELLMAN, MS LARRY STONE, MS CRAIG STRINGER ANDREW TURNER JOE VACCARO ROBERT VOLZ KATHRYN WEIL JOHN WIGHT RYAN WILLIAMS HRISTO ZISOVSKI
MS DENOTES MASTER SOMMELIER 150
THE LITTLE NELL BOUTIQUE WINES COMME CA K & L WINES SPAGO RESTAURANT THE LITTLE DOOR & LITTLE NEXT DOOR TOIRO BOUTIQUE WINE COLLECTION ROOT DOWN SANTA FE WINE & CHILI FESTIVAL HENRY WINE GROUP WINE GUY SELECTIONS VIN DIVINO SANDHI WINES ACQUERELLO RN74 REDD ALEXANDER'S STEAKHOUSE ALLISON ROBBINS WINES ADDISON, THE GRAND DEL MAR MOZZA BIG SUR FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL THE LITTLE NELL CENTRAL COAST WINE CLASSIC DARK STAR IMPORTS VALENTINO CUPCAKE.COM ALEXANDER'S STEAKHOUSE MCCRADY'S RESTAURANT MAISONS MARQUES & DOMAINES WINESURFER PICASSO AT BELLAGIO LAS VEGAS JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY EVENING LAND VINEYARDS JACK RABBIT MOON MICHAEL'S RESTAURANT ELLA DINING ROOM & BAR POUR WINE BAR RUSTIC CANYON WINE BAR & SEASONAL KITCHEN LUCE ANA MANDARA RESTAURANT AI FIORE
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
DARIUS ALLYN, MS
KIM BETO,
RICHARD BETTS, MS
Montage
Southern Wine & Spirits
Sombra
Darius began working in hospitality at the age of 15, at The Salish Lodge Inn at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington. He spent five years working on the Red Prussian Luxury German train, serving American clientele who were traveling in Europe, gaining some knowledge of wine there as well as on backpacking trips and by harvesting grapes in Italy and Greece. He went home to Seattle and worked as the buyer and staff educator for Theoz restaurant there and for several Tom Douglas restaurants, including the Dahlia Lounge, Palace Kitchen and Etta's Seafood. Darius went on to work in Las Vegas opening Charlie Palmer's Aureole restaurant at the Mandalay Bay Resort. In 2005, Allyn became the 60th American to pass the Master Sommelier Exam and he began his wine consulting business the following year as a partner in Wineworks Consulting Services. After many successful years and projects around the globe, Darius and his wife (a chef) relocated to Los Angeles in 2011 and accepted a position as Sommelier / Beverage Director at Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. When not busy, Darius also enjoys his first passion of playing music – mostly acoustic guitar, piano, and drums (the only one he was trained on).
Kim Beto is known by numerous industry folk for his dynamic and inspired work with Southern Wine & Spirits, but prior to working with Southern, he was the Director of Beverage for the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Many also know him from his days as the Wine Director and GM at Postrio, and prior to that, he was at his restaurant, 231 Ellsworth.
Richard Betts was born in New York and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. While traveling in Italy, he fell in love with the country’s dining tradition of which wine is an inseparable part. He served as the wine director at The Little Nell in Aspen from 2000 to 2008. In the spring of 2003, Richard passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Masters Exam on the first attempt, the ninth person ever to do so. He co-founded his own wine label Betts & Scholl in 2003 and sold it to Castle Brands in the fall of 2009. Richard also co-founded Scarpetta Wines, “Cc;” Wines and Sombra Mezcal, the most fun agave party to ever take over the world.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
JIM CLENDENEN,
ANN COLGIN,
PATRICK COMISKEY,
Au Bon Climat
Colgin Cellars
Wine & Spirits
Jim Clendenen worked as an assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery for three vintages, beginning with the 1978 harvest. In 1982 he and a partner started Au Bon Climat, which produces 30,000 cases annually and has cultivated an international reputation for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc. In 1989 and 1990 Au Bon Climat was on Robert Parker's short list of Best Wineries in the World. In 1991 Oz Clark named Clendenen as one of 50 worldwide creators of "modern classic wines." Clendenen was selected Winemaker of the Year by the Los Angeles Times in 1992 and by Food & Wine magazine in 2001. The German magazine Wein Gourmet named him Winemaker of the World in 2004.
Colgin Cellars produces the highest quality wines from exceptional hillside vineyards in the St. Helena area of Napa Valley. Only the finest neo-classical winemaking methods are used in concert with small yields, gentle handling, attentive sorting and meticulous blending to capture the distinctive terroir characteristics of each Colgin wine.
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Patrick Comiskey is a Senior Contributor for Wine & Spirits Magazine, where he serves as chief critic for all domestic wines not from California, and regularly contributes articles devoted to California, Oregon and Washington wine, winegrowing, and wine culture. He has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. wine regions, as well as France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Australia, and tastes more than 4000 wines a year. He has taught classes and moderated panels on viticulture and wine tasting, and the world’s wine regions, and has written educational materials for restaurants as well as internet web sites. Comiskey is a regular contributor to the Food Section of the Los Angeles Times and is a founding contributor to zesterdaily.com. He has been a columnist with Wine Review Online, and has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine section, and appears regularly in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Decanter, and the Robb Report. He lives in Los Angeles, where he’s writing a history and guide to the American Rhône wine movement.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
DANA COWIN,
DAN DUNN,
DANA FARNER,
Editor in Chief, Food & Wine
Imbiber
CUT
Dana Cowin, FOOD & WINE’s editor in chief since 1995, has been covering the world of food, wine, style and design for more than 25 years. Cowin oversees the FOOD & WINE brand, including a monthly magazine with a circulation of 925,000; digital products including the website foodandwine.com, mobile applications and iPad editions; and a books division, which publishes Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes, the FOOD & WINE Wine Guide, FOOD & WINE Cocktails and several other titles. She also serves as editorial advisor to FOOD & WINE China, the publication's first international edition. Under her leadership, the award-winning magazine has attracted an audience of more than eight million readers. Cowin is also an ardent supporter of several nonprofit groups working to bring nutritious food to all Americans in need, sitting on the board of directors at City Harvest, and Wholesome Wave Foundation. Cowin appears frequently on national television and shares her eating and drinking adventures on Twitter @fwscout and on Facebook. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Barclay Palmer and their two children.
Dan Dunn has been described, quite aptly, as the country's preeminent “rockstar booze writer.” For years he penned the enormously popular Imbiber column for Playboy, and currently writes regular dispatches for Mutineer magazine, the Tasting Panel and FoodRepublic.com. Dan is the author of two books, “Nobody Likes a Quitter… and other reasons to avoid rehab” (Running Press, 2007) and “Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation and the Pursuit of the Never-Ending Happy Hour” (Random House, 2011). The latter is being developed into a scripted comedy series at FOX.
Dana Farner, Beverage Director of Wolfgang Puck's CUT Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, has had a passion for "food and drink" for as long as she can remember. Even as a child, Dana recalls a fascination with pairing the perfect beverage with every meal. An experienced actor and singer, Dana dove into her love affair with wine the first time she blind tasted while working as the sommelier at Blue Water Grill in NYC.
A long-time journalist and raconteur, Dan’s work has appeared in GQ, USA Today, Maxim, and the LA Times. He is a regular guest on the Playboy Radio Morning Show on Sirius/XM satellite radio, and a former staff writer for the Emmy-nominated Talk Soup. He hosts an adult beverage-themed podcast for famed deejay Tom Leykis’s New Normal Network, and his website, www.theimbiber.net, is a popular destination for adult beverage enthusiasts the world over.
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In 2006, Dana brought her talents to CUT, where she was instrumental in the restaurant's achievement of Esquire Magazine's Restaurant of the Year and a coveted star from the Michelin Guide to Los Angeles. Dubbed "the indie-rock goddess sommelier" by LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold, Dana is driven by introducing new wines and opening new doors to her devoted followers.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
ANTHONY GIGLIO,
CHRISTINA GRDOVIC
DEBORAH KEANE,
Wine Wise LLC
Vice President/Publisher Food & Wine
California Caviar Company, Inc.
Anthony Giglio is one of the most entertaining wine authorities on the planet. He is a journalist, sommelier, educator and author who has written several books, including Food & Wine’s annual Wine Guides for 2009, 2010 and 2011, as well as Cocktails in New York, and several editions of the enormously popular Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Throughout his career Anthony has attracted countless fans and admirers nationally, all of whom appreciate his sense of humor as much as they do his insight and his perspective, which is that wine is best regarded as a pleasure, not a problem. Giglio is currently a wine correspondent for CBS News Radio as well as the wine columnist for La Cucina Italiana, the American edition of Italy’s most prestigious magazine dedicated to gastronomy. He has written for numerous publications, including Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, New York, Esquire, Details, Robb Report, Worth, Every Day with Rachael Ray and Parade.
Christina Grdovic Baltz is vice president and publisher of Food & Wine. A 15-year Food & Wine veteran, Grdovic oversees integrated sales and marketing for the American Express Publishing brand with an audience of over eight million readers with a passionate interest in, and an adventurous approach to cooking, wine, entertaining, restaurants, and travel. Grdovic became publisher in October 2007; previously, she served as associate publisher since 2006. Grdovic joined Food & Wine in 1996 as event marketing manager, directing the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. She was later promoted to marketing director in 2000 and associate publisher of marketing in 2005. During her tenure, Grdovic has conceived and directed countless marketing programs including Food & Wine's partnership with Bravo's Emmy-award winning series Top Chef, the magazine's presenting sponsorship at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, as well as the Food & Wine Grow for Good charitable initiative which raises awareness and support for access to sustainably grown food. She is on the board of F&W Grow for Good beneficiary Wholesome Wave Foundation.
A long time expert in luxury products, Deborah Keane “Caviar Queen” is the founder and CEO of California Caviar Company, the only woman-owned and woman-run caviar company in the world. Using her inexhaustible knowledge to blend old world caviar traditions with modern culinary trends, Deborah’s impeccable palate is often sought out by top culinarians; she has produced private labels with world-renowned chefs such as Jacques Pepin and Todd English. Additionally, she has supplied caviar lines to such culinary powerhouses as WilliamsSonoma, Dean and Deluca, Whole Foods and Trader Joes. She has also taught at the Degustibus Cooking School and lectured at the Woman Chefs and Restaurateur Conference, Pebble Beach Food & Wine and Johnson & Wales. Deborah is recognized throughout the industry as a leader and expert in sustainably farmed caviar and has honed her skills with the pioneers of the industry. Deborah has applied her medical background and passion for caviar to partner with charities towards the prevention of cancer. Deborah is a true innovator in the caviar industry promoting sustainability, accessibility and affordability for all.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
JON KONGSGAARD,
MEGAN KRIGBAUM,
SETH KUNIN,
Kongsgaard Winery
Associate Wine Editor, Food & Wine
Kunin Wines/Westerly Vineyards
After briefly working at Stony Hill Vineyard in the 1970s, home to one of the state's defining Chardonnays, John Kongsgaard arrived at Newton Vineyard in 1983. There he would help pioneer Newton's longaged, unfiltered Chardonnay, a benchmark for the California style. Grapes from his Judge vineyard were a key component in Newton's Chardonnay until 1996, when he founded Kongsgaard Wine with his wife, Maggy, and took his grapes with him.
Megan Krigbaum is Associate Wine Editor at FOOD & WINE, writing and editing stories pertaining to news and trends in the world of wine, spirits and beer. Krigbaum tastes hundreds of wines on a monthly basis, as she is responsible for all of the pairings in the magazine, as well as those in FOOD & WINE’s annual cookbooks. She also scouts the best sommeliers around the country for FOOD & WINE’s Sommeliers of the Year and helps choose the magazine’s annual American Wine Awards winners. Before joining FOOD & WINE in 2005, Megan was assistant editor in publications for the James Beard Foundation. She has also written for Edible Brooklyn magazine and taken classes at the International Wine Center. After graduating from Bennington College in Vermont with a BA in Literature and Writing, Megan spent time working at Monticello Vineyards in Napa. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her boyfriend and their large cat.
Seth Kunin (along with his wife, Magan and their daughter, Phoebe) is the owner of Kunin Wines, a boutique producer of Rhone and other varietals from California’s Central Coast. He started the venture in 1998, after a long stint in the restaurant business – most notably as the GM of Santa Barbara’s Wine Cask (the Central Coast’s only Wine Spectator Grand Award winner at the time, and one of fewer than 100 restaurants in the world with the award). In addition to producing award-winning wines under the Kunin label, Seth was the consulting winemaker for Westerly Vineyards in Santa Ynez’s Happy Canyon for ten vintages, and crafted what FOOD & WINE magazine called “America’s Best” Sauvignon Blanc in 2006. He has served as an associate faculty member in Alan Hancock College’s Viticulture and Enology program and currently sits on the board of the Santa Barbara County Vintner’s Association. He is on the steering committee for the Central Coast Wine Classic and has been working and consulting with the Masters of Food & Wine, Pebble Beach Food & Wine and now Los Angeles Food & Wine for over 15 years.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
JP KYRILLOS,
BERNARD DE LAAGE DE MEUX,
JOHN LANCASTER,
Vice President/Publisher Travel + Leisure
Chateau Palmer
Boulevard
Travel + Leisure, which marks its 40th anniversary this fall, is the world's leading travel magazine brand producing five global print editions, a branded book series, a content-rich website, travelandleisure.com, robust social media channels, and regular iPad editions. As publisher, JP oversees business operations including sales and marketing of the Travel + Leisure franchise. In 2009, JP championed the highly successful relaunch of travelandleisure.com and launched the “Please Go Away” marketing campaign, a joint partnership with advertisers to encourage consumer travel. He was instrumental in quickly bringing Travel + Leisure's e-reader product to market in 2010. Before joining Travel + Leisure in 2007, JP was publisher of its sister publication Food & Wine. JP joined Food & Wine in 2005 as its associate publisher and was promoted shortly afterward. JP is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the Lawrenceville School. He resides in New York City with his wife, Dannielle.
After earning a post-graduate degree in business administration and a degree from the Institut des Hautes Finances in Paris, Bernard de Laage gained first-hand experience in the field of wines and spirits working in sales in Bordeaux and Cognac. Since 1999 he has been traveling all over the world for Palmer, meeting with distributors, experts and enthusiasts in Asia, Oceania, Europe and the Americas. He organizes PR events on the occasion of which château wines are tasted. And makes himself available to visitors and guests so that all Palmer enthusiasts can prolong the pleasure of their wine tasting experience by having the opportunity to meet with Château Palmer's wine ambassador.
John Lancaster, Boulevard sommelier, manages a 500-item wine list and maintains cellars in two locations. The essential aspect of his wine program, though, is service. Lancaster, who joined the Boulevard team in 1997 after working at the Cypress Club, tries to visit each table in the dining room during the course of the evening. "My role in the dining experience is to provide that extra level of service," says Lancaster. " At Boulevard, we want to offer a dining experience our customers cannot create on their own. We want them to return again and again, so we have a wine list that works."
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
JANET LIBERT
CHRISTOPHER MILLER
NILOU MOTAMED
Editor in Chief, Executive Travel
Spago Restaurant
Features Director & Special Correspondent, Travel + Leasure
Janet Libert lives her passion: she travels more than 100,000 miles annually as editor in chief of Executive Travel from American Express Publishing. Launching the magazine - a lifestyle publication for the Clevel business traveler - in 2004, Janet has guided the magazine to its best year ever in 2010. She was also a pioneer in social media by launching a PDA/handheld flight schedule application in 2004, the magazine’s wiki/community Web site shortly thereafter and the brand’s official Twitter handle, www.twitter.com/ExecutiveTravel. Earlier in her career, she worked for the Chicago Tribune. Janet frequently appears on national news networks including NBC, ABC, CNN and FOX News Channel as an expert on business travel.
Chris began his restaurant at the age of 14 while growing up in New Orleans, and worked his way up through many of the top fine dining restaurants in the city. After graduating with a degree in finance from Tulane University, he realized he had no interest in working behind a desk for a living. While doing some soul (and job) searching on a ski trip to Washington State, an unplanned stop at a winery tasting room changed his life forever. The next four years were well-spent, intensively studying and working as the Cellar Master and a sommelier at the legendary Canlis Restaurant in Seattle. In early 2008, Chris was recruited to take over as Beverage Director for Wolfgang Puck’s flagship Spago Beverly Hills. The subsequent three years have brought numerous professional awards and accolades, including the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the Spago winelist. In his spare time, he consults various hospitality groups throughout southern California and is the owner of Meliora, a boutique Sta. Rita Hills wine project.
Nilou Motamed is features director for Travel + Leisure, covering subjects ranging from restaurants, hotels, and shopping to trends in the world of international travel. She joined T+L in 2000 as associate editor and was soon promoted to food editor, overseeing (as she still does) the magazine’s award-winning restaurants coverage. Motamed is the driving force behind Travel + Leisure’s annual Food & Travel Issue. A frequent guest on a variety of television programs, Motamed makes regular appearances on NBC Today,among many others. She was the host of Ultra HD’s Reservations Required and of the Travel Channel series Travel Spies. Fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Farsi, Motamed is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, and also attended the Sorbonne University in Paris. Motamed currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband, T+L Editor-at-Large, Peter Jon Lindberg.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
ROBIN KELLEY O'CONNOR
DAMON ORNOWSKI, MS
RAJ PARR,
Christie's
Vin Divino
Sandhi Wines
Damon Ornowski has more than 20 years of experience as a Sommelier. He began his career in wine at Pinons Restaurant is Aspen, Colorado where he worked as the Sommelier. In 1996, Ornowski became the 28th Master Sommelier in the United States. Since becoming a Master Sommelier, he has studied Vineyard Management at Napa Valley and has lent his expertise to a number of well-known wineries. His impressive list of past positions include Specialist in Viticulture, Wine Production and Sales for Rudd Winery and Vineyard, Western United States Account Specialist for Terlato Wines International. and National Sales and Marketing for Yabby Lake Vinyards in Victoria Australia. Since 2009, Ornowski has worked for Vin Divino overseeing national key accounts and working in wholesaler educations and with portfolio producers.
Though food was Rajat Parr’s first love, wine became his great passion. Luckily, Parr works in the best of both worlds as wine director for Mina Group and its signature restaurant, MICHAEL MINA, where he presides over a list that comprises wines from all over the world, including an indepth list from Burgundy. Parr also presides over the RN74 wine list, a Wine Spectator 2010 Grand Award of Excellence winner. “At Mina Group, I have the opportunity and challenge to find wines that can match the wide range of flavors presented within each restaurant, and even within a single dish at one restaurant,” says Parr. “In building multiple cellars, I have put an emphasis on mature wines which have the depth to fully complement the cuisine. Nothing is more pleasing than finding the perfect pairing.”
Robin Kelley O’Connor as Head of Wine, Christie’s Americas, enjoys 30 years of experience in the wine trade and a stellar reputation as a leading wine educator, international wine judge, wine writer, and sommelier. Most recently, he was director of sales and education for Manhattan wine and spirits retailer Sherry-Lehmann, winner of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2010 Wine Retailer of the Year Award. Prior to that, he was director of trade and consumer education in the Americas for the Bordeaux Wine Bureau (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) for 20 years. In his role at Christie’s, Robin is responsible for wine auctions and private sales of fine and rare wines for the Americas, and act as the department's lead business-getter in securing consignments for sale.
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Featured Panelist and Personalities
ERIC RAILSBACK,
ANDREA ROBINSON, MS
ROBERT SMITH, MS
RN74
TV Host & Author, Wine & Food For Everyone
Picasso at Bellagio Las Vegas
Eric Railsback was recruited by the Mina Group in 2009, while his talents as a sommelier caught the eye of Rajat Parr. Though only 26 years old, he brings over a decade of restaurant experience with him as a wine professional, spanning such programs as the Wine Cask in Santa Barbara, as well as Gordon Ramsay and Mozza in L.A. Eric’s particular affection for the wine and culture of the old World has led to multiple trips abroad, where he has honed his command of the French language, while working harvests for such illustrious producers as Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, and Weingut Emmerich Knoll in Austria. He currently heads a team of talented sommeliers at the renowned, Burdundian hot spot, RN 74, in San Francisco.
Andrea Robinson is one of only 17 women in the world to hold the title of Master Sommelier and the first woman to be awarded Best Sommelier in America. Her food and wine TV series, Daily Tastings, which she hosts and co-produces with her husband John Robinson, airs daily on www.AndreaWine.com. She is the author of 5 topselling books on wine and food including Everyday Dining with Wine, which won the prestigious IACP cookbook award. She is also a 3-time James Beard Award winner, honors graduate of The French Culinary Institute’s Classic Culinary Arts program, and host of her own video wine course on www.andreawine.com. Her most recent book, Andrea Robinson’s 2011 Wine Buying Guide for Everyone, released in the fall of 2010. In addition, Andrea has created her own ground-breaking wine stemware series called The Oneä. After 3 years of designing, testing and tasting, Andrea has developed one perfect white wine glass and one perfect red wine glass to optimize all white and red wines.
Master Sommelier Robert Smith grew up working and learning about the service industry in his family’s restaurants scattered across Dallas, Texas. He worked in all areas of hospitality, and enjoyed the personal interaction the service industry created. Incrementally learning about wine and food, he moved from his family’s restaurant to Las Vegas to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and study Hotel Administration and Economics. He worked at small, boutique restaurants and began to take notice of the intricacies of the wine industry. Robert set out to learn more about wine at one of Las Vegas’ premier restaurants and was successful in landing a position at Spago in Caesars Palace. Working alongside now Master Sommeliers Ken Fredrickson and Keith Goldston, Chef Julian Serrano took notice of Spago’s service staff and eventually led him to the Bellagio’s Picasso restaurant where he remains today.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Featured Panelist and Personalities
M.JOSEPH SPELLMAN, MS
JOSHUA DAVID STEIN
LARRY STONE, MS
JUSTIN Winery & Vineyards
Senior Editor, Departures
Evening Land Vineyards
Joseph Spellman, MS is Winery Sommelier for JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery. He has worked with wine since 1979, principally as a sommelier, in Chicago’s top restaurant cellars, including Tango, Maxim’s, The Pump Room, The Park Hyatt Hotel, and Charlie Trotter’s. He has also had stints in wine retail, wholesale, and importing companies, as well as the Napa Valley producer Joseph Phelps. He has been a leading wine educator, writer, and consultant, and has led wine seminars in the US, UK, Japan, and Australia. Joseph earned the prestigious Master Sommelier Diploma in 1996, held now by 112 Americans, and 185 individuals worldwide. He is a frequent instructor and examiner in the Court of Master Sommeliers, and in 2005 was elected Chairman of the American Chapter of the Court. He has also passed the difficult Certified Wine Educator Examination, in 2003, and has studied for the Master of Wine Diploma with its top instructors.
Joshua David Stein joined DEPARTURES, published exclusively for American Express Platinum Card® and Centurion® members, as Senior Editor in February 2010. Previously, Stein was Senior Editor at Gilt Manual, a men's style website and at Eater.com, a national restaurant website. He has written about food, travel and fashion for New York Magazine, The New York Times, the Guardian, Esquire and other publications. Stein is also editor of Black Ink, the magazine for Centurion® members. He lives with his wife, Ana, and their unborn son, Achilles, off the third stop of the L in Brooklyn, NY.
Larry Stone is the President of Evening Land Vineyards. Prior to this appointment, Stone was general manager of Rubicon Estate and a two-time recipient of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service. An English-certified Master Sommelier, Stone passed the examination on his first attempt. He was elected to the board of directors of the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004 and became a trustee of the James Beard Foundation in 2005. He is the only American to earn the title of Master Sommelier from the Union de la Sommelerie Francaise. His wine-buying and management expertise brought acclaim to the wine programs at the Four Seasons Olympic, Ritz-Carlton and 900 North Michigan Hotels, Charlie Trotter's restaurant, and finally Rubicon restaurant, which was an iconic destination in San Francisco for 15 years. After earning a post-graduate degree in business administration and a degree from the Institut des Hautes Finances in Paris, Bernard de Laage gained first-hand experience in the field of wines and spirits working in sales in Bordeaux and Cognac.
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LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Since forming in 1994, multi-platinum band TRAIN has made its
Drops Of Jupiter Petite Sirah. Band member Jimmy Stafford says
mark on music history with their GRAMMY-Award-winning songs
“We are die-hard food and wine fans, making this the perfect event
“Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” and chart-topping singles “Meet
to bridge our two passions. We look forward to being a part of the
Virginia” and “Calling All Angels.” Train earned their third GRAMMY
first Los Angeles Food & Wine.” For more information on Save Me,
earlier this year for worldwide smash “Hey Soul Sister” from its
San Francisco Wine Company, go to savemesfwineco.com.
current release Save Me, San Francisco. “Hey Soul Sister” was the biggest selling single of 2010 and hit #1 at radio in the US and in 15 countries abroad. Train hit #1 again with “If It’s Love,” and “Marry Me” from Save Me, San Francisco has reached platinum status as
Train will headline the Lexus LIVE on the Plaza on Saturday, October 15 on Nokia Plaza at L.A. LIVE. In addition to the eagerly anticipated performance,
well. The title track is the latest Train single, and has already
guests will savor food from 30 chefs including
reached the Top 10. Save Me, San Francisco has sold over one
Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton, Rory Hermann, and
million albums worldwide and over eight million tracks. Train are established wine aficionados who have just launched the 'Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company' with their first varietal,
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Scott Conant, and sample more than 200 wines.
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
Acclaimed drummer, DJ, producer and member of the The Roots - Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, is making his way into the culinary world with a series of new food ventures and food events. ?uestlove made his culinary debut in April 2011 with the ”?uestlove Cook Off” in Philadelphia in which Nine chefs, chosen by ?uestlove through Twitter, competed in the day long contest which ended in a five course meal presented by each candidate. The event was judged by Restaurateur Audrey Taichman, food critics Marcos Espinoza and Drew Lazor, along with actress Sasha Gray and ?uestlove. In October 2011, ?uestlove will host Philadelphia top chefs: Jose Garces, Jennifer Carroll, Marc Vetri, and Michael Solomonov at a private charity event benefiting the Urban Zen Center in Manhattan. ?uestlove’s Signature Drumsticks will make their debut at the Annual FEASTIVAL event September 14th in Philadelphia. FEASTIVAL brings together world renowned chefs, restaurateurs, and tastemakers including Stephen Starr, Jose Garces, Georges Perrier, Michael Schulson, Daniel Stern and Marc Vetri. ?uestlove spins a full DJ set at Decadence: LA’s Sweetest After Party on Saturday, October 15 on the Event Deck at L.A. LIVE
?uestLove
UncleKracker
In January 2008, when Uncle Kracker began to write the songs that appear on his new album Happy Hour, it was his eight year-old daughter who suggested that he try writing something a little less downbeat than usual. On Happy Hour, Uncle Kracker's soulful drawl unspools over massively hooky choruses on feelgood songs like the buoyant first single "Smile." Produced by multiple GRAMMY Award winner Rob Cavallo, Happy Hour is a breezy blend of countryflavored pop and rock and roll that showcases not only the Detroit native's natural appeal as a likeable Everyman, but also his considerable gifts as a songwriter. Though many know him from his early years as the DJ in Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band, Uncle Kracker (whose real name is Matt Shafer) has had impressive success as a songwriter, racking up cowriting credits on Kid Rock's blockbuster hits "Bawitdaba," "Cowboy," "Forever," "Only God Knows Why," and 2008's No. 1 "All Summer Long," as well as his own Adult Top 40 No. 1 "Follow Me" (from his 2001 double-platinum debut Double Wide). Uncle Kracker takes the stage at Guy Fieri’s Brew B’Que on Saturday, October 15 on the Santa Monica Pier.
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DJ. Producer. Remixer. Drummer. Vocalist. Musician. Human. There are DJs who turn up and play tracks, and there are DJs that redefine what a DJ does. That person is D:Fuse; a producer, drummer, and vocalist who has taken DJing and moved it into a new arena where flawless music selection, infectious energy and live drumming seats him in a classification all his own. This dynamic combination has earned D:Fuse a slot in the top 35 DJs in America 3 years in a row (DJ Times) and performances at countless clubs world-wide and music festivals like Coachella, Ultra, Kazantip, Winterfresh, Love Parade, & Electric Daisy Carnival. His tireless tour schedule has brought him from England to Turkey, Ukraine, Ecuador, Bolivia and all points in between. As a producer, D:Fuse's tracks have appeared on Armada, Moist, Ultra, Global Underground, Perfecto, Baroque, System, and Virgin and his unique musical style is reflected in the variety of DJs who have hammered his tracks over the years; from Paul Oakenfold, Sasha & Armin Van Buuren to Danny Howells and Carl Cox. D:Fuse's new release Human Frequency 2.0 continues to break new grounds fusing his signature blend of house and funky progressive beats all custom edited and remixed into a potent sound cocktail.
DFUSE
D:FUSE brings his signature beats to various events throughout the weekend
DJMIA
Performer, Dancer and Musical Inspiration With the beauty of a model, moves of a dancer, an ear for music and a personality that captures hearts, Mia Guzman was built to be a performer. Her career began in modeling for such publications as Stuff Magazine and TransWorld Snowboarding Magazine, and performing in a number of HOT music videos. Mia’s interest was piqued by DJing, and she learned the basic skills of mixing and blending, song selection and creating a DJ persona. Her debut was a simple hour-long set at a local club, and as a dancer, she knew which selections of top40, 80’s, rock, reggae, pop, R&B, hip-hop, dance, house and trance would make the crowds move. Her career moved quickly and her ambition, talent and personality landed her a part on MTV’s Wild’n Out w/ Nick Cannon. Mia now performs in clubs all over the US, and throughout the world, including her Asian debut in India late 2008. She went on to major shows in the Philippines, where she performed with Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas. Mia and Apl, sharing parallel experiences and both hailing from the poor population in the Philippines, have been teaming up for the past year. Recent projects include MTV America’s Best Dance Crew DJ & Vitamin Water ad campaign. DJ MIA provides the energetic soundtrack at Bubbles & Beats on Thursday, October 13 at Club Nokia in L.A. LIVE
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10:14 a.m. Chefs Symon, Morimoto, Chiarello, Boulud, Kostow, and Fearing, and Lexus executive Dave Nordstrom toasting at “Lexus Presents Taste Perfection with Champagne Louis Roederer”, April 29, 2011 Pebble Beach, CA
Celeb C Ce elle leb eb rati eb rati t ng n g five fiv ve yyears ear e r s of of
Food ne P eb eb bble blle Beach Bea ea c h F oo d & Wi Wn e By B y MIKE HALE E plays hostt tto greatest wine,, the When the greatest greatest meeting of land and d sea pla ys hos o the g reatest meeting of ffood ood and wine merger mer ger has to to create create magic. Pebble Food Wine would castt o over But no one could could have have predicted predicted the enchanting en nchanting spell that that P ebble Beach F ood & W ine w o ould cas ver the thousandss who make make this annual gastronomic g tronomic journey gas journey each h April. They They arrive arrive at at an idyllic region, region, where Monte gives way craggy white green wher e the Del Del Mont e Forest Forest giv es w ay to to the cr aggy rrocks, ocks, whit w e sands and gr een ffairways airways of the pampered. privileged and d pamper ed. They T hey leave leave tired, tired, e happy happy and satiated. satiated. Now No w approaching approach hing its fifth anniversary, anniversary, PBFW has reinvented reinvented the e concept concept of the food food festival, festival, al creating creating over days veritable playground gastronomes and world over. o ver ffour our da ys a v eritable culinary pla ygr g ound ffor or gas tronomes an nd oenophiles the w orld o ver. In a short time,, it has bec time become come what what supers superstar tar che cheff Daniel Boulud calls ““the the mos mostt high-end (f (festival) estival) in i the c country ountry my …m y personall ffavorite.” avorite.” “It’s “It ’s been a thrill thrrill to to watch watch what what w was as onc once ce an abs abstract tract idea de develop velo op into into reality,” reality,” said David David d Bernahl, cocoCoastal Management, high-performance year’s ffounder ounder of C o tal Luxury Managemen oas nt, the high-perf ormance engine behind PBFW and and this y ear ’s inaugural inaugur al sis sister ter e e event vent in L Los os Angeles.
9:18 p.m. Founder’s Dinner Spot-checking the 6th course: Thomas Keller’s Sirloin of Kuroge Beef from Shiga “Et Sa Joue” Wine pairing: 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild, 1961 Latour à Pomerol, and 1947 Cheval Blanc, all en Magnum. April 15th, 2009 Pebble Beach, CA
The firs The firstt PBF PBFW W in 2008 sent a huge ripple thr through ough the luxury lifestyle lifes e tyle world. world. Bernahl viv vividly vidly recalls recalls the opening nightt reception reception that that y ear whe en 1,500 people year when showed sho wed up — seemingly all at at onc once. e. “It really really put into into perspective perspective what what it took took to to create create this behemoth he vent,” he said. “It w as an a unbelie vable event,” was unbelievable moment ffor or all a of us who w orked so hard h d to har to make make it worked happen.”” happen. Skeptics ate Skeptics ate the ffood, ood, then proceeded proceede ed to to eat eat their words w ords as Bern Bernahl nahl and c co-founder o-founder R Rob ob W Weakley eakley pulled off what what seem seemed med impos impossible sible a ffew ew mon months nths earlier earlier.. “We’re thr “We’re throwing owing a party and in inviting viting g 4, 4,000 000 of our closes friendss,” said Weakley Weakley at at the tim me. closestt friends,” time. Highlighted b Highlighted by y a 60,000-square-foot 60,000-square-foott L Lexus exus Gr Grand and T as a ting Tent Tent e that t t housed tw tha o-dozen c elebrity chefs, Tasting two-dozen celebrity volunteers the initial and v olunteerrs pouring 400 unique wines, w event drew e vent dr ew rave rave reviews reviews and worldwide worldwide e attention attention (the promises fifth anniversary anniversa ary event event on April 12–15, 12–15, 2012, 2012, pr omises 7 ,000 attendees, attende ees, 250 wineries and 100 chefs ). 7,000 chefs). De veloping ssuch uch an epic aff air w asn n’t eas y. But it Developing affair wasn’t easy. helped that that P PBFW BFW had on its advisory boar board dT Thomas homas K eller, undeniably undenia ably the country’s country’s most most celebrated celebrated chef. chef. Keller, ebirrth of the no Keller nowK eller saw saw the e event event as a natural natural rrebirth wdefunct Mas ters e of F ood and W ine, a Carmel e vent Masters Food Wine, event ee ed liked much smaller in scale but similar in ffeel. el. He also lik tha nned tto o dona te a lar ge portion of the thatt CLM pla planned donate large proceeds pr oceeds tto o youth youth charities and help fu fund nd culinary and enological sch holarships. scholarships. earss, the event In ffour our y event has funnel led more more than years, funneled $500 ,000 tto o gr oups such as Monterey M Mont erey W ine $500,000 groups Wine E ducational F oundation, Bo ys and Girls Clubs of Educational Foundation, Boys Mont erey County, County, CASA CASA (Court (Court Appointed App pointed Special Monterey A dvocates) an nd Pebble Pebble Beach C ompan ny Foundation. Foundation. Advocates) and Company Y ear e No w again feature feature an on line auction in Year No.. 5 will online addition to to the th he silent auction held during during Saturday Saturday and Sunda y’s L exus Gr and T astings. T a h auctions ar he e Sunday’s Lexus Grand Tastings. The are eagerly anticipated anticipated due tto o the quality of luxury it ems, items, with charity ultimately ultimately the bigges ner. biggestt winn winner. Building a ch haritable c omponent tto o the e vent w as charitable component event was important tto o Bernahl B and Weakley Weakley from from m the beginning. “Ob viously the ey are are tw o very very dynamic gentlemen who “Obviously they two ha ve a strong strong g vision,” vision,” said Keller. Keller. “The “The first first thing that that have appealed tto o me m w as the charitable aspe ect of it — tto o be was aspect able tto o ha ve an a impact on y outh tto outh, o sstrengthen trengthen their have youth, liv es, help defi fine their futur es.” lives, define futures.” K eller had been be een a guest guest chef at at the Mas ters twic e Keller Masters twice bef ore. “That “That kind of rrebirth ebirth rresonates esonates e with me ,” he before. me,” said. Bernahl and W eakley e ven c oaxed Keller Keller int o the Weakley even coaxed into
4:19 p.m. kitchen, a coup for a voracious public smitten with star chefs and the idea of high-end cuisine. Keller loved the idea of putting on his chef coat alongside such names as Jacques Pepin, Michel Richard, Eric Ripert, Rick Tramonto, Cat Cora and Michael Mina, just to name a few. Year No. 2 brought even bigger names and a wider spectrum of events. Bernahl’s favorite memory that year was sitting at an exclusive Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne dinner prepared by Chef Ripert. “It was the largest Cristal pouring in history,” said Bernahl, who remembers the 125 magnums (starting with the 1979 vintage), containing more volume than the entire West Coast allocation for that year. “(Louis Roederer’s director general) Frederic Rouzaud said it would never happen again because he wouldn’t have that much wine again.” Ripert, with his Michelin stars, his New York sensibilities and his French pedigree, led a talented crew in preparing the epic six-course meal at the Beach and Tennis Club at Pebble Beach overlooking Stillwater Cove. “Unbelievable,” Bernahl said. “It’s fantastic!” Ripert said. “(Pebble Beach Food & Wine) has become something major. It is not only one of the biggest but also one of the best in the country.” Other memorable moments include: a retrospective of 1959 Bordeaux; a Delicacy Dinner prepared only by multi-Michelin-starred chefs; a Keller-prepared tribute dinner that honored French cooking legend Pepin; and the annual, ultra-exclusive Founders Dinner, where a privileged few dine at an undisclosed location, each arriving with two extraordinary magnums of heavily scrutinized wine. For the average attendee, access to the celebrity chefs becomes the biggest draw. “I was just blown away by the enthusiasm and the ability to just wander by the world’s most famous chefs and say a casual, ‘hello,’” said Laura Werlin, a James Beard award-winning author, “and the sprit, the feeling, the joie de vivre that people bring to the event.” Perhaps the biggest highlight for Bernahl is the idea that CLM has provided so many opportunities for people to enjoy their passion. “I think we’ve upgraded everyone’s sensibilities of how enjoyable food and wine can be.” And now, it’s time for Los Angeles to join the party. “We’re keeping the quality and integrity of Pebble Beach Food & Wine and overlapping these great events into a different landscape,” said Bernahl. “It will be memorable — I can promise you that.” Mike Hale is a food writer and blogger from Monterey. Read him at www.grubhunter.com.
Pre-service meeting with Michael Ginor, Tom Colicchio & Thomas Keller Lexus Grand Finale Dinner, April 18, 2009 Pebble Beach, CA
9:43 p.m. Behind the scenes with Daniel Humm, Eric Ripert & Jacques Pépin Cristal Champagne Dinner, April 17, 2009 Pebble Beach, CA
5:49 p.m. Chefs Tsai, Pépin, Keller, Passot, Richard, and Pépin at the Jacques Pépin Tribute Dinner, April 10, 2010 Pebble Beach, CA
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WINE SEMINARS Drink it in. The wine and spirits craft is a spiritual path. The masters called into service to decant decadence, help decode an opus, unearth a jewel — but ultimately — magnify your pleasure in a glass. At the table, these stewards seek the nonpareil pairing. In their hands, a bottle can create a cathartic communion, rocketing a dish to an other-worldly place. Learn from them. Taste with them, enjoy with them — the fundamental fruits of expression.
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Cult Wines and Perfect Pairings – A Rare Wine Tasting With Fromagier Kent Torrey A hand-picked selection of exotic wines from the 1999 vintage including Abreu Madrona Ranch, Dunn Howell, Harlan Estate from the US and Château Latour, La Mondotte, Château Valandraud from France. This is an exceptional opportunity to taste a superb collection of wines and get to understand them in relation to a stellar line up of cheese which elevates the experience to spectacular heights. Kent Torrey from the acclaimed Cheese Shop in Carmel curates this splendid combination and hand picked every delicious detail.
ON THE PANEL: KENT TORREY, KIM BETO, RICHARD BETTS, MS
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Caviar, Bacon & Bubbles With Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson Start your epicurean weekend off right with this “Breakfast of Champs” hosted by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson whose expertise in matching food and wine is unparalleled. For this Friday morning feast, Andrea will showcase how caviar and pork are best paired with sparkling wines from around the world. Blinis and bubbles? Get your coffee early…and your tickets too; this wildly successful seminar sells out whenever Andrea presents it.
ON THE PANEL: ANDREA ROBINSON, MS
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Sip Like a Pro - Wines That Drink at Twice Their Price Hosted By Anthony Giglio Ever wonder what wine pros actually drink on their own time and dime? Ever feel like you’ve discovered a great wine value or conversely, feel like you overpaid for an overhyped wine that didn’t deliver? Wine expert, journalist, author and educator Anthony Giglio will lead you through a tasting of the former: amazing wines that taste like you paid double for them. Learn the insiders’ tricks of the trade, the secrets of how varietal, vintage and vigneron converge to create value that has smarty-pants sommeliers whipping out their credit cards.
ON THE PANEL: ANTHONY GIGLIO
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Burgundy's Brilliance: A Decade of Wines from Domaine de Hospices de Beaune For the past 150 years, the winemakers of Burgundy have converged for the world’s most famous charitable wine auction, the legendary Hospices de Beaune held each fall on third weekend in November. This year at Los Angeles Food & Wine, we are excited to showcase the winemaking of Roland Masse who has designed the Domaine de Hospices de Beaune’s proprietary bottlings for the past decade. Come taste these exuberant chardonnays and pinot noirs as a panel of experts will guide us through the complexities of Burgundy’s terroirs and appellations. Presented by Christie’s, the world’s oldest auction house (1766). This is your passport to France – an opportunity to taste, buy and bottle legendary Burgundian wine without leaving LA. Did someone say Christmas gifts?
ON THE PANEL: ROBIN KELLEY O'CONNOR, MEGAN KRIGBAUM, RAJ PARR, DARIUS ALLYN, MS
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The Wines of Château Palmer: The World of Margaux Lovers of great Bordeaux need no introduction to the legendary wines of Château Palmer, one of Margaux's most esteemed properties with wines that are highly prized by collectors. Palmer epitomizes the finesse and refinement native to great Margaux wines; its somewhat unusual cépage balances nearly equal amounts of cabernet sauvignon and merlot with the aromatics of a small percentage of petit verdot. Less stoic and stodgy than its northern Médoc neighbors, Palmer as it ages acquires incredible complexity of perfume and texture. Come taste an amazing retrospective from one of the Left Bank's sexiest chateaus – Palmer and its fascinating sister wine, Alter Ego, will remind you how Margaux became Margaux.
ON THE PANEL: BERNARD DE LAAGE DE MEUX, ROBIN KELLEY O'CONNOR, LARRY STONE, MS
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California's Côte d'Or: The Wines of Au Bon Climat presented by Jim Clendenen As the California wine industry has struggled to make good on all its climactic promise, one winery has defiantly stood apart from fads, trends and silly scores. Founded by would-be attorney Jim Clendenen in 1982, Au Bon Climat ("a well situated place") and its wines represent an unwavering commitment to world-class Burgundian varietals like chardonnay and pinot noir. Situated in the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the coolish northern Santa Maria Valley, Au Bon Climat is arguably California’s first great domaine – a place where terroir and time have triumphed in a fickle wine market. Come meet Jim, the winemaker and the legend, and learn why he makes California wines that respect France while remaining wholly ours.
ON THE PANEL: JIM CLENDENEN, RAJ PARR, PATRICK COMISKEY, RICHARD BETTS, MS
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The Magic & Seduction Of Cheese & Wine With Laura Werlin Few food and drink combinations are as festive, exciting, and romantic as the age old pairing of cheese and wine. When put together, cheese and wine add up to more than just food and drink; they are an experience. This is not a lecture on Cheese or Wine. This is a rare opportunity for an interactive, hands-on tasting of a selection of cheese and wine while talking through the reasons why some combinations work better than others. Enjoy as Laura Werlin, one of the country's foremost authorities on cheese and an award-winning author of four books on the subject, teaches us how to get the most from your pairings, what to do, and what not to do, all while drinking some fabulous wines.
ON THE PANEL: LAURA WERLIN
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Secrets of a Sommelier - Blind Tasting Pinot Noirs No grape is as temperamental nor as transcendent as pinot noir. It’s fussy and fickle, expensive to grow and expensive to make yet when pinot noir is handled right, it is considered by many to be the apex of the art of winemaking. Come out to learn from the dream team of sommeliers we’ve assembled from Los Angeles and beyond for this blind tasting. Sniff, sip and deconstruct eight different pinot noirs from around the globe as our experts guide you along the pinot path. (Trust us, they don’t know what the wines are ahead of time!) You could spend thousands of dollars on bottles and books and learn less than what this single seminar can reveal.
ON THE PANEL: M. JOSEPH SPELLMAN, MS, RAJ PARR, ROBERT SMITH, MS, DARIUS ALLYN, MS
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Kongsgaard: A Napa Love Story Fifth-generation Napa Valley natives, Maggy and John Kongsgaard and their legendary wines epitomize a family’s love of a place and its people. They began their own Napa love story in the late 1970s, when they planted a ten-acre vineyard on a rocky hilltop that had been in their family for fifty years. Long before it was fashionable to do so, John and Maggy favored minimalist winemaking with severely limited crop sizes and micro quantities – as John puts it, they limit production to what they can make with their own hands. Come taste these astonishing wines which critic Robert Parker calls the “Holy Grail…some of the most interesting natural wines one will find on Planet Earth.”
ON THE PANEL: JOHN KONGSGAARD, CHRISTOPHER MILLER, MEGAN KRIGBAUM, LARRY STONE, MS
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The Spectacular Wines of Colgin Cellars If ever there were a modern Renaissance woman, it’s Ann Colgin whose cultural fluency encompasses art, architecture and, importantly, wine where her eponymous label has quickly become synonymous with cult wines. Colgin’s wines are made in tiny quantities and are available only via a coveted mailing list or in highly-select restaurants with exorbitant prices to match. This year for our inaugural Los Angeles event, we are honored and humbled to have Ann showcase a once-in-a-lifetime retrospective tasting of her wines.
ON THE PANEL: ANN COLGIN, RICHARD BETTS, MS, PATRICK COMISKEY, DANA FARNER
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Secrets of a Sommelier - Blind Tasting Cabernet Sauvignons Sign up for the second session with our sommelier panel as they host a Master Class on all things cab. For non-professionals, the ability to stick one’s nose in a glass of wine and pronounce its origin seems like magic. Our sommelier team will break down and decipher each of eight cabernet sauvignon wines along with you. Learn how aroma, tannin, texture, alcohol and acidity all contribute tell-tale clues – it’s an imperfect science, but a fun one with happy homework assignments for aspiring home enthusiasts.
ON THE PANEL: KIM BETO, RICHARD BETTS, MS, ROBERT SMITH, MS, ANDREA ROBINSON, MS
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Winemaker for a Day: A Wine Blending Seminar Ever fantasize about leaving your day-job to become a winemaker? It's a long and difficult apprenticeship but here at Los Angeles Food & Wine, we've provided you with a shortcut to the very top tier - JUSTIN Isosceles. The acclaimed Isosceles is a "left bank" Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and at this amazing seminar, you get to create your very own version of it. You will start with all the same components that Fred Holloway uses to make the final wine. Get your pipettes and your palates ready and compare your blend to the actual wine released. Unleash the mad scientist within you and see what it takes to make the wine in your glass taste the way it does.
ON THE PANEL: JOSEPH SPELLMAN, MS, PATRICK COMISKEY
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Icons of Austria presented by Vin Divino Come taste a rare retrospective of two of Austria's greatest wine legends - Hirtzberger and Kracher. Few countries produce wines of such extraordinary quality and breadth from the bone-dry gruner veltliners of the Wachau to the luscious coveted sweet wines from Burgenland, these two powerhouses showcase why many sommeliers consider Austria to be the epicenter of exciting wine production in Europe. We know Wolfgang Puck particularly loves both Hirtzberger and Kracher so hope he'll stop by to raise a glass with us in honor of Alois Kracher, whose untimely death was a blow to many in the wine industry. These wines are of exceptional quality and rarity so buy your tickets early.
ON THE PANEL: DAMON ORNOWSKI, MS, LARRY STONE, MS, ERIC RAILSBACK
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Pretty In Pink - Sparkling Rosés Around The World Raise your hand if you like bubbles! Raise both hands if you like pink bubbles! Wrap up your epicurean weekend with an incredible tasting of rosé sparkling wines from around the world. Wines will include domestic bubblies from California and Oregon and international standouts from France, Italy and beyond. We’ve put together an assemblage of style and palette that range from delicate peach to racy rouge. Learn how this spectrum of pink color is created as you taste along with our panel of bubbly experts. Santé!
ON THE PANEL: MEGAN KRIGBAUM, KIM BETO, DARIUS ALLYN, MS, RICHARD BETTS, MS
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Tête de Cuvée: The Best Champagnes of the 1990 Vintage Champagne is traditionally an appellation whose artistry in wine is based on blending, not on vintage alone. Yet in certain years, a given vintage is so compelling that the grand marcs or houses and humble growers alike bottle it as a standalone year. Such was the case with the astonishing 1990 harvest for the champenoise, a vintage whose wines demonstrate incredible finesse and an ageability that declare it as one for the ages. Come taste the stars, the best of the best at this incredible tasting that will feature the “Tête de Cuvées” of the major houses – from Roederer’s Cristal to Moët’s Dom Pérignon to Clicquot’s Grande Dame, this is a seminar not to be missed for any serious Champagne enthusiast or collector.
ON THE PANEL: LARRY STONE, MS, ANDREA ROBINSON, MS, RAJ PARR, ROBERT SMITH,MS
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check out, which is a nice credit to the city. You just need to make sure you deliver on the goods so that people continue to come back.” Another influential Eastside wine bar is shaped like a square and can be found inside barbrix, a globally inspired restaurant with a classic California patio that seasoned wine pro Claudio Blotta and wife Adria Tennor delivered to Silver Lake in May 2009.
barbrix Exterior
Blotta has seen Angelenos become more open minded about experimenting with different varietals. He said, “It makes my job easier and fun because I can buy different grape varietals. I don’t have to have a wine list like in the old days where there were 20 Chardonnays, 10 Cabernets and 10 Merlots, and most of them were boring.” At barbrix, you’re barbrix owner Claudio Blotta just as likely to find a dry, aromatic Croatian wine as you are a bold Bordeaux. When it comes to cocktails, 213 and Cedd Moses made the first power play, delivering eight bars to downtown, foremost among them, Seven Grand, which arrived in 2007 and launched the careers of industry leaders like Aidan Demarest (The Spare Room), Marcos Tello (The Varnish, 1886) and Damian Windsor (The Roger Room). 190
L.A.’s laidback, often unconventional cocktail scene has become so magnetic that New Yorkers migrated from America’s longtime cocktail Mecca to run bars out West, including Alex Straus at Hemingway’s, Allan Katz at Caña and Alex Day, who left iconic Death & Co. to launch L.A. establishments with business partner Dave Kaplan. In Hollywood, Matt Biancaniello waves a farmers market flag from behind the Roosevelt Hotel’s Library Bar. He shops at local farmers markets five days a week to craft cocktails like the Shiso Gimlet, Mulberry Daiquiri and White Peach Basil Mojito. Biancaniello is grateful for ready access to fresh produce, and understands it’s site specific. He said, “Everybody always used to say to me, ‘Oh, you’d be great in Napa, and in all these great food towns,’ and what I’d try to explain to them every single time is that I couldn’t do what I do year round. So I would never leave Los Angeles.” Justin Pike, who previously bartended in Boston and Portland, has become known for his uniquely medicinal approach to cocktails at The Tasting Kitchen on Abbot Kinney in Venice. He believes local bars are especially adept at “finding that
The Tasting Kitchen Bloody Mary Trio
line between the old and the new,” highlighting only-in-L.A. establishments like The Edison, a subterranean pleasure palace that occupies a former downtown power plant, and Pasadena’s 1886, which fills the back of the caretaker’s cottage for The Raymond Hotel, built in 1886. Pike’s own place of employment has a sense of place, a high-design district blocks from the beach. He said, “I don’t know that it would work in
“Chefs are starting projects with bartenders in mind. That’s important, bringing bartenders on not just as consultants but as partners.” Now that Angelenos are no longer the “new kids on the block,” Alperin’s convinced the L.A. bar scene is getting enough respect nationally. However, he cautions, “If bars forget good old fashioned hospitality then there is no point for our guests to come spend time with us.”
Covell Indian Motorcycle
other parts of L.A. I think that’s kind of the point.” Eric Alperin, who co-owns The Varnish with Moses and NYC bar icon Sasha Petraske, has been excited by L.A.’s burgeoning movement, saying, “There’s more of a meditation on not just bar culture, but bar process and hospitality at the bar.” He appreciates that restaurateurs are finally factoring in bartenders from the beginning, adding,
What is it that ultimately unifies the cocktail, beer and wine bar worlds? According to Lancaster, “You need to know what you are, whether you’re a tiki bar, whether you’re a wine bar, whether you’re a biergarten, whether you’re a whiskey bar, if you stay true to what you are.” He went on to describe a recent trip to New York, saying, “It was funny that everyone hypes New York so much. I was like, we’re doing this. We have this. You just maybe have to look a little harder in some areas.”
Cocktail Recipes From the Staff at The Varnish:
From Justin Pike at The Tasting Kitchen:
Brazilian Fix
Crazy Horse
3/4 oz fresh lime juice 3/4 oz house made honey syrup 2 oz Cachaca
Take liter bottle of silver tequila, add 2 small halved Serrano peppers, or 1 large... let sit no more than 24 hours and strain.
Whip it and dump into a double rocks glass. Fill with Crushed ice and then float or dash a full barspoon of Yellow Chartreuse atop the cone of crushed ice. Then slap a sprig of mint in there and add a straw. Voila! Perfect for end of summer...
2.5 oz. infused tequila 3/4 oz. lime 3/4 oz grapefruit 1/2 oz. grenadine 1/2 oz. yellow chartreuse Shake strain into Collins glass with large ice.
TAKE IT FROM THE PROS Santa Monica
Beverly Hills
Joe Miller, Joe’s Restaurant & Bar Pintxo Corporate Executive Chef & Proprietor
Sandro Coppola General Manager, Culina
Where do you recommend for food in Santa Monica? I really like Melisse for fine dining and I always have a terrific dinner there, and I like Hungry Cat for something a little more casual.
What restaurant (off property) do you most recommend in Beverly Hills? I recommend Nobu on La Cienega as they use the highest grade fish for sushi as we use at Culina’s crudo bar and the ambiance is spectacular.
How about for a drink? I like Copa d Oro on Broadway. Hector runs the bar there and the place feels like a real bar, not a restaurant bar. The drinks are really good and very creative also. What’s a great, off-the-beat and path activity in Santa Monica that you would suggest doing if you have a day to explore? For me, to hike or bike in the Santa Monica Mountains. Many trails with beautiful views, and it’s great exercise.
What if you’re going for a drink? Nic’s Martini Lounge on Canon because they have an excellent selection of liquor and live music, and I especially love their unique vodka room. What do you suggest people do that’s a bit off the beaten path if they have a day in Beverly Hills? I personally love Robertson Boulevard for shopping as it has more unique stores from around the world, compared to the traditional stores of Rodeo Drive.
Downtown LA
Hollywood
Javier Cano GM, The Ritz Carlton
Bo Burroughs, Marketing Manager/ Promoter, Drai’s Hollywood Where do you recommend to eat in Hollywood? Kitchen 24 on Cahuenga’s great for late night dining. Great menu, delicious comfort food, and always fantastic people watching.
Where do you recommend to eat in Downtown LA? Bottega Louie. It captures the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles perfectly. Their pizzas are excellent, particularly the Clam Pizza with three kinds of cheese and fresh herbs.
A drink? Hemingway’s. My dear friend Alex Straus is the lead mixologist there and loves to show-off his considerable talents. Beware the “Moveable Feast”.
A drink? Cana Rum Bar wins for walking distance, excellent selection of rums and a low key atmosphere.
And what if you’re looking for something to do?
And other places to check out?
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater on Franklin St. nurtures some of the best improv talent in the world and the tickets are super cheap. Plus, even if you can’t laugh with them, you can always laugh at them.
Buzz Wine Beer Shop is a great new beer and wine store Downtown with an extensive, well-chosen selection of beverages and the boutique at the FIDM Museum is a perfect spot for affordable, locally-made finds.
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The Wineries Seek, explore and enjoy a profusion of special, rare and magical wines in a perfect amidst the vibrant urban landscape of Los Angeles. Enhance your knowledge and joy of wine and spirits by tasting with the master, renowned winemakers and beverage industry veterans. Your mind and palate will open to a spectrum of wisdom and opinions and a world of tasting pleasure.
Abreu Vineyards
David Abreu is a third generation native of the Napa Valley. David grew up in Rutherford, California in a family with farming interests. Starting at an early age, David worked during the summers at Inglenook and Caymus vineyard. As time passed, his interests focused on viticulture and ultimately he began to farm and manages several properties on his own.
Acacia Vineyard
Acacia Vineyard, established in 1979 is a leader in the Carneros region with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Acacia was among the first wineries in California to produce vineyard designated Pinot Noirs. Exploration and innovation is the spirit of winemaking at Acacia where techniques have been developed specifically for handling their Carneros fruit.
Adelaida Cellars
Adelaida Cellars’ family owned vineyards include five distinct properties totaling 145 acres in the craggy mountainous terrain of west Paso Robles. Only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, these are steep and elevated sites (1,400 – 1,935 feet), characterized by chalk rock limestone soils. Afternoon blasts of cool coastal air create a daily microclimate that swings 40-50 degrees. .
Adelsheim Vineyard
Established in 1971, our family-owned and operated winery and estate vineyards are located in Oregon's northern Willamette Valley. Company cofounder, David Adelsheim leads a current generation of passionate staff devoted to producing and selling wines of ever-higher quality with each growing season. We use sustainable farming practices and take great care to bring out the best in each of our unique vineyard sites.
Ahnfeldt Wines
Our goal is to make handcrafted, elegant, complex and yet smooth world-class wines using grapes only from our own vineyards. We developed, planted, and nurtured our vineyards, paying attention to even the smallest detail. Wine begins in the vineyards. When phenomenal grapes are combined with a world class winemaker, the results are some of the finest wines produced in the Napa Valley.
Alter Ego Wines
Alter Ego was born with the 1998 vintage. It resulted from a new approach to selecting and blending devised to interpret the Château Palmer terroir differently without departing from the values that make the reputation of our wines – namely, finesse and elegance, aromatic richness, harmony and length. 193
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Antica Terra
Antica Terra is an 11-acre vineyard nestled in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills. There is very little topsoil and the vines are planted directly in sandstone and alluvium. Maggie Harrison is the winemaker. In 2005, she left her position at Sine Qua Non to work with the fruit from this extraordinary site.
Arcadian Winery
At Arcadian Winery, we strive to create wine that fully expresses the distinct characteristics of each vineyard and Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Coast region. While we maintain many traditional methods for producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, winegrower Joe Davis believes in gently pushing the envelope of expected winemaking theories in a constant search for elegance.
Archery Summit
Since its inception in 1993, Archery Summit has been devoted to crafting exceptional Pinot Noir. Inspired by the remarkable growing conditions provided by the Willamette Valley, Archery Summit approaches each step of the wine making process with particular thoughtfulness and care, so as to yield one of the finest and most luxurious Pinot Noirs available.
Au Bon Climat
Founded in 1982, Au Bon Climat (which means "a well-exposed vineyard") produces internationally recognized Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc wine from grapes grown in California's Santa Barbara County.
Badia a Coltibuono
The Vallombrosan may have been the first to cultivate Sangiovese in Tuscany. The name implies a duality of purpose. An ancient badia, or abbey, holds a special place in the history of Western Europe. During the Middle Ages, these abbeys served not only as places of worship and spiritual refuge, but also as centers of learning, engines for economic growth.
Baker Lane Vineyards
Our commitment to sustainability at Baker Lane Vineyards has now, after living and 'growing' there for nine years, become a process of evolution and and maturation, one that parallels the development of the vines themselves. What started with a great deal of engineering and careful redrawing of much of our entire site has completely shifted to a new phase.
Beaulieu Vineyard
The deep roots of Beaulieu Vineyard were first planted back in 1900, when founder Georges de Latour noticed similarities with his native Bordeaux and declared the Napa Valley ideal for winemaking. Planting vineyards in Rutherford with grafted, phylloxera-resistant French vines, the Cabernet Sauvignon that de Latour crafted from these grapes gave the world a taste of California's promise.
Bergstrom Wines
Since 1999 it has been the mission of the Bergstrom family to handcraft America's greatest Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Oregon's finest vineyards. With over 75 acres of estate holdings, perfectly positioned in four distinct appellations within the Willamette Valley. Bergstrom Winery crafts small lots of artisan farmed world class wines.
Bernardus Winery
Bernardus Winery is located along scenic Carmel Valley Road, in the heart of the village. Our Marinus Estate Bordeaux-style red is the foundation of our production. It is complemented by Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
Black Pearl
Black Pearl wines are made in the vineyard and the focus is on producing limited quantities of high quality grapes. From berry to bottle is a complete hands-on family experience.
Blackbird Vineyards Recuerdo Wines
Founded in 2003 by Michael Polenske, Blackbird Vineyards is an artisanal producer of Pomerol inspired wines from the Napa Valley. Planted in 1997, the estate vineyard is located in the heart of the Oak Knoll Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a region appreciated for its moderate climate and deep, gravelly soils.
Blue Rock Vineyard
At Blue Rock Vineyard we produce small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon and our proprietary wine Baby Blue - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Frank, Syrah, Merlot and Malbec. Our wines are an affordable luxury produced exclusively from grapes grown on our sustainable 100 acre hillside vineyard in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County.
Boekenoogen Vineyards and Winery
Nestled atop the foothills in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County, California, lies family owned and operated Boekenoogen Vineyards and Winery. We are dedicated to creating exceptional limited production wines. We currently produce superior Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Syrahs. 194
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Bonny Doon Vineyard
Founded in the bucolic hamlet of Bonny Doon in 1983, Bonny Doon Vineyard is known for strikingly original wines made from lesserknown (though no less "noble") grape varieties. Since the adoption of Biodynamics in 2004, Bonny Doon wines evince a deeper sense of place, varietal expression and vitality.
Brazin
Brazin is where old and new worlds collide. Lodi, one of the oldest California wine growing regions, is now home to some of the newest wine making technology. The result is a Zinfandel that is so bold, so intense, that it is dangerously good.
Brewer Clifton
Brewer - Clifton focus solely on site-expressive wines from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as voices of place. The area's cool climate, morning fogs, long growing season and diversity of soils combine to produce extreme wines that reflect the special characteristics of the area.
BROOKS
Brooks Winery seeks the natural balance in the vineyard and cellar, to show the true expression of terrior in their Riesling and Pinot Noir, both of which are perfectly suited to grow in the cool Willamette Valley climate. Their philosophy: The greatest depth, flavors and balance in a wine are achieved by blending.
Bugay Vineyards
Man of the earth and passionate visionary, John K. Bugay, relocated to Sonoma County in 1996 in order to pursue the life-long dream of creating his own hillside vineyard estate. John began his mid-life career with an extensive knowledge of soil chemistry, plant biology & landscape design on a grand scale. His experienced and acute palate for fine wines supports & enhances the duality of viticulturist & vintner.
Buglioni
Situated in the heart of Valpolicella Classic area, at the foot of the hills in Corrubbio di San Pietro In Cariano. Buglioni’ s family has been starting producing wine since 1993, consequently to the purchase of the land and a vintages house, rediscovering the family passion for the nature.
Buttonwood Farm Winery
Our 39-acre vineyard sits on an ancient riverbank high above the Alamo Pintado creek bed in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley American Viticultural Appellation (AVA), which is distinct due to its transverse orientation. Warm air flows over the nearby San Rafael range to the east to meet cool Pacific breezes from the west, providing an ideal climate for our Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.
CADE Winery
Napa Valley's first organically farmed LEED Gold Certified Estate Winery, the 54-acre estate is home to an innovative, state-of-the-art facility focused on experienced winemaking and exceptional hospitality. Instrumental to CADE capturing and reflecting the terroir of the Howell Mountain AVA is winemaker Anthony Biagi who consistently crafts Cabernet Sauvignons which embody elegance, power and ageability.
Canihan Family
Several generations, present and past, have a hand in Canihan Wines. Founder Bill Canihan's grandfather, August Siegrist, immigrated to New York from Switzerland in 1920, seeking to create his own winery, but Prohibition dashed his plans. Bill Sr. resumed the quest when he purchased 20 acres adjacent to Sonoma's carneros-region from—a Basque farmer who had farmed it sustainably for 60 years.
Capture Wines
Captûre Wines is an ultra-premium Bordeaux winegrowing estate situated 2,450 feet above Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley on Pine Mountain. Captûre‘s small-production wines are hand-crafted by May-Britt and Denis Malbec, formerly of ChâteauLatour in Bordeaux.
Caraccioli Cellars
A family run establishment, Caraccioli Cellars is proud to go extra lengths to ensure the best tasting and distinctive wines. Founded in 2006 Caraccioli Cellars aims to deliver the highest quality wines through top-tier grapes from the Santa Lucia Highlands. We strive to highlight the quality of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes by developing not only still wines but also two sparkling varietals.
Carmel Road
Carmel Road Winery is located in the heart of Monterey County where the air is crisp and the tempo is relaxed and measured. Since 1999 Carmel Road has been producing stunning Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from some of Monterey's finest benchland vineyards using a mix of proprietary and traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques.
Cas’Almare Wines
Cas’Almare is our global brand of wines from South America and Europe. Cas’Almare wines are made by Stepan W. Baghdassarian and his winemaking partners from the finest winemaking appellations in the world. Cas’Almare brings together luxurious and affordable wines under one brand that people will recognize and enjoy. Cheers! 195
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Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata is Argentina’s High Altitude Malbec Pioneer. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, third generation family vintner, was the first to see the potential of Mendoza’s mountain vineyards for producing high quality Malbec.
Caves Bonifacio
Main grape varieties include the Portuegese grapes Castelão (also known as Periquita) and Tinta Miúda, as well as excellent Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon and other International varieties. Beside the natural growing methods of the vines, the grape fermentation is traditional, without the use of enzymes or agents. Its fine wines are enjoyed in more than 10 countries in four continents.
Chalone Vineyard
Chalone Vineyard began 1919 in an area so distinctive, it was granted its own American Viticultural Area. Their label depicts the extinct volcanoes of the Pinnacles National Monument that border their vineyard in the Gavilan Mountain Range of Monterey County. Rich in limestone & with spare, well-drained land, limited rainfall & low crop levels, produces wines with full bouquets & flavors unique to this vineyard.
Chamisal Vineyards
Chamisal Vineyards, the first vineyard planted in Edna Valley, has long been producing wines of distinctive character – bold, complex and intriguing. With the idea climate of the region and exceptional 25 clones planted on our vineyard, our goal is to simple reflect the natural characteristics of this remarkable estate.
Champagne Billecart Salmon
The Billecart family has been living in Mareuil-sur-Ay since the 16th century. When Nicolas Francois Billecart married Elisabeth Salmon in the early 1800s the two families' long held vineyards were married as well. This led to Nicolas' decision to leave his law practice and take over the family wine estate.
Champagne Delamotte
Delamotte is a Champagne house more than 250 years old (it is the fifth oldest Champagne house) founded in Reims in 1760 by François Delamotte, a vineyard owner.
Champagne Gosset
The GOSSET charter of excellence, recognized for more than four centuries, is the origin of the prestige and the distinction of Gosset champagne across the world. With this charter, Gosset undertakes to respect the fundamental values and tradition of perfection.
Champagne Henriot
Founded in Reims in 1808, Champagne Henriot celebrated its 200th birthday in 2008; joining the very exclusive circle of independent 200year old family owned & managed champagne houses. Today, the Henriot family’s expertise is backed not only by their storied history in Champagne but also in their celebrated triumphs in both Burgundy & Chablis with Bouchard Père & Fils, William Fèvre & Villa Ponciago.
Champagne Krug
When Johann-Joseph Krug founded the Krug champagne house in 1843, his dream was to give his name to nothing less than an exceptional champagne. To achieve this, he set himself a few rules, among which, first & foremost: never compromise on quality. Six generations later, he would approve of his descendents' consistent commitment to excellence.
Champagne Louis Roederer
Since its founding in 1776, the House of Champagne Louis Roederer has been synonymous with the world's great Champagnes. The Louis Roederer experience is defined first and foremost by the art of Champagne making. Such artistry can only be attained when it begins with this kind of uncompromising commitment to the individual vine.
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
35 years young, Nicolas Feuillatte has quickly grown to become the #1 selling Champagne brand in France and the #3 worldwide. The wines of this modern spirited house are fresh, fruit-driven and wonderfully balanced.
Champagne Perrier Jouet
For over two centuries, Maison Perrier-Jouët has continually pursued its quest for excellence producing champagne in small quantities with a “limited edition” approach.
Chappellet Winery
The foundation of Chappellet winemaking program is focused on creating extraordinary age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon that expresses the unique characteristics of the fruit from Pritchard Hill. The rugged terroir of Chappellet's vineyards produces wines with great intensity and depth, qualities that define the world's finest wines. 196
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Chateau d’Esclans
Enchanted also by the Provence which his father speaks of with emotion. Sacha Alexis Lichine becomes the owner of Château d’Esclans in 2006. Since that day, he hasn’t ceased to combine his talent and know how to these magical terriors, and has given a new dimension to Provence Rosé
Chateau Julien Wine Estate
Family owned and operated since the winery opened in 1982, proprietors Bob and Patty Brower are blessed with a dedicated family of staff that are equally committed to the gracious hospitality and high quality wines produced at the Estate.
Chateau la Mondotte
La Mondotte was purchased by the Count von Neipperg family at the same time as two other vineyards, Château Canon-La-Gaffelière & Clos de l'Oratoire. For quite some time, La Mondotte lived in the shadow of these estates. The tiny vineyard at La Mondotte has recently reached its full potential & the tremendous success of the 1996 vintage has shown that Stephan von Neipperg has more than met the challenge.
Chateau Latour
Château Latour vineyards are a magnificent mosaic in which all of the vines, some of which are more than a hundred years old, contribute to the magic of the wines year after year. They are also in constant evolution, requiring patience, meticulous attention to detail and a great deal of care to ensure the healthy development of the young vines that will gradually replace the older ones.
Chateau Palmer
Undisputed star of the prestigious Margaux appellation, its vineyard lies upon the famous gravel hillocks, home of great of Medoc wines. A time-proven blend of grape varieties, especially through vineyard management & winemaking strictly designed to respect a superb terroir constantly produce wines of immense expression, unrivalled elegance & charm, exceptional aromatic complexity & legendary subtlety.
Chateau Valandraud
Château Valandraud is the fruit of an incredible amount of work done by a couple: Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud, passionated by the world of wines. Following the great success with their wine merchant business in Saint Emilion, they ambitioned to have their own vineyard and produce their own wine.
Chehalem
Chehalem (Chuh-hay-lum) is a local Calapooia Indian word best translated as "gentle land" or "valley of flowers," phrases that capture a long-standing, almost religious reverence for the land. We understand this reverence, for we consider ourselves a vineyard winery, dedicated to reflecting as purely as possible what the vineyard has produced, with minimal processing, without compromising great fruit.
Cherry Pie Wine
Another innovative offering from winemaker Jayson Woodbridge, Cherry Pie is a limited production, 100% Pinot Noir made from Stanly Ranch in Carneros. The label, reproduced from an original painting, captures the rich, mouthwatering goodness of a cherry pie and captures the taste profile of the wine perfectly.
Chesebro Wines
Chesebro is a small family owned and operated winery located in the Carmel Valley. All wines are vineyard designated and sourced from Chesebro's sustainably-farmed vineyards in Monterey County. Working the vineyards and the winery, Mark Chesebo is dedicated to expressing the grape variety, the growing region and the vineyard site.
Chiarli
Chiarli is the most recognized-for-quality Lambrusco producer in the world. Located just outside the outskirts of Modena, Chiarli is a pioneer in the exploration of single-specific varitals, Grapsorassa, Salmino, Sorbarra grapes to make lambruscos.
Cielo Malibu Estate Wineyards
Cielo Malibu Wineyards is Malibu's Premiere Wineyard providing the highest-quality wines the rustic Malibu Mountains can produce.
Cold Heaven
Cold Heaven Cellars has been producing dreamy, balanced Viognier wines from cool climate vineyards in the Santa Barbara County since 1996. We added Pinot Noir & Syrah to our cellar in 2002 to further showcase these cool climate treasures.The need to produce something extraordinary propels us to make our wines. We give people the opportunity to taste varietals the way they should be.
Colgin Cellars
Colgin Cellars produces the highest quality wines from exceptional hillside vineyards in the St. Helena area of Napa Valley. Only the finest neo-classical winemaking methods are used in concert with small yields, gentle handling, attentive sorting and meticulous blending to capture the distinctive terroir characteristics of each wine. 197
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Cordon
A star among Central Coast winemakers, Etienne Terlinden's passion for wine was rooted in his grandfather's wine cellar near Brussels while his winemaking talents were developed in Santa Barbara, resulting in exceptional handcrafted wines created with modern techniques and old world sensibilities.
Cullen Cellars
In the early 1960′s detailed climatic studies of various regions in Southwestern Australia revealed that during the winegrowing season, Margaret River’s climate was similar to that of Bordeaux, particularly Pomerol. The conclusion that Margaret River was ideal for viticulture was first tested in Wilyabrup in 1966, when Diana and Kevin Cullen planted a trial acre of vines.
Cultivar
cul•ti•var [noun]: a variety of plant that has been deliberately selected for specific desirable characteristics. The brainchild of Dan O'Brien, Cavallo Point's wine director, and grower-producer Jody Harris of Napa Valley's Caspar Estate, Cultivar is the result of a sommeliers frustration with finding an affordable, balanced Napa Valley wine for the people.
Cypher Winery
Cypher is EVOLUTION. Cypher CONTINUES the madness of the "FREAKSHOW" wines: Heretic, Anarchy, Monarchy, Loco and Peasant. CYPHER is the new project between winemaker Christian Tietje and partner Susan Mahler. Cypher is the new edge extreme vineyards, extreme wines. Rhone & Spanish Varietals, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Cypher is the new sophistication.
DALLA TERRA
Dalla TerraTM (of the earth in Italian) Winery Direct® is a direct importer of Italian wines. Winery Direct means wine lovers can enjoy quality wines from Italy’s finest producers at affordable prices.
Daou Vineyards & Winery
In the golden, oak-studded hills of Paso Robles’ fabled west side, not far from William Randolph Hearst’s magnificent castle, there is a man with a Homeric vision. His name is Daniel Daou and he is devoting his life, plus every imaginable resource, to creating, first and foremost, a cabernet that rivals the very best in the world.
de Ladoucette
The largest and most famous Pouilly-Fumé vineyards have been in the hands of the Comte Lafond and Ladoucette families since 1787. This Grande Cuvée of Pouilly Fumé is produced exclusively in the best years and from the first pressing of the estate’s grapes.
Decoy
Duckhorn Wine Company has set the standard for American fine wine for over three decades. The Duckhorn Wine Company family includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration and Decoy. Focused on optimal grape selection, innovative winemaking techniques and a premium barrel-aging program, Duckhorn Wine Company is founded on an unwavering commitment to quality.
Demetria Estate
Established in 2005, Demetria Estate is a family owned winery. Our goal is to produce wines of distinction and character rivaling those of the world's greatest wineries. Demetria Estate produces two separate portfolios of wines including, Burgundian varietals and Rhonestyle blends that capture the singularity of the vineyards and the region from which they originated.
Dierberg Estate Vineyard Star Lane Vineyard
The Central Coast's cool-weather terroir is exemplified at the two estate vineyards that provide Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for Dierberg Estate: the original Dierberg Vineyard in Santa Maria - planted in 1997 - and the newer Drum Canyon vineyard located farther to the south in the Santa Rita Hills.
Dolce Wine
Napa Valley's Dolce Winery is the only winery in North America that is devoted solely to producing a single, late harvest Botrytisized wine.
Domaine Serene Vineyards
Ken and Grace Evenstad founded Domaine Serene in 1989 when they purchased 42 acres in Oregon’s Dundee Hills to produce ultra-premium Pinot Noir. Their wines have won many accolades and awards, including being The Best Oregon Pinot Noir by the Wall St Journal, and outstanding Oregon producer by Robert Parker.
Domaines Ott
Domaines Ott was founded in 1912 by Marcel Ott, an agricultural engineer from Alsace who dreamed of establishing a great wine estate near the Mediterranean. Today, the wineries are owned and managed by Champagne Louis Roederer and produce some of the world’s most prestigious wines. 198
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DONKEY GOAT
Tracey and Jared Brandt craft Rhône varietal wines and a unique Chardonnay from vineyards in Anderson Valley, Mendocino Ridge, El Dorado and Chalone appellations. They trained in France using wild yeast, wood vats, and no filtration. Their wines can be found in fine restaurants and wine shops around the globe.
Dragonette Cellars
Brothers John and Steve Dragonette and close friend Brandon Sparks-Gillis formed Dragonette Cellars in 2005 in order to pursue a longheld dream to produce wines of the utmost quality and purity from the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County. They focus on Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Rhone-style blends, primarily from Syrah.
Drops Of Jupiter
Hey all. My name is Jimmy Stafford. I'm in the band Train and I happen to like wine. I don't have a particular favorite wine, but I'll never turn down a great Petite Sirah. That is why we created this fruit-forward, instantly lovable red. The minute you uncork the bottle, the boysenberry fruit leaps from your glass.
Duckhorn Wine Company
Duckhorn Wine Company is a collection of small winery estates focused on site-specific wines of distinction. The Duckhorn Wine Company family includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Goldeneye and Migration. Careful grape selection, innovative winemaking techniques and a premium barrel-aging program are integral to Duckhorn Wine Company's unwavering commitment to quality.
Dunn Vineyards
Dunn Vineyards produces around 2500 cases of Howell Mountain & about 1500 cases of Napa Valley. The Howell Mountain wines consist of 100% Howell Mountain fruit. The Napa Valley wines include up to 15% Napa Valley floor fruit with the remainder of the fruit coming from Howell Mountain. This floor fruit contributes to the wine's softer approach, even though the wines usually can be laid down for 15+ years.
EnRoute Winery
EnRoute was est. in the Russian River Valley in 2007 by the partners of Napa Valley’s Far Niente. Devoted to producing Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, EnRoute introduced its first wine, “Les Pommiers,” in May 2009. Les Pommiers is named for the apple orchards that once flourished in the region, & reflects a blend of vineyards primarily from Green Valley & upper Middle Reach area of the Russian River Valley AVA.
Evening Land Vineyards
Dedicated to capturing the dramatic and surprising narrative of classic Burgundian varietals. Organically farmed vineyard sites in Burgundy, the Willamette Valley, the Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills are selected to produce Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of energy, elegance and artisanal craft."
Familia Cassone
The Familia Cassone winery is indeed a family business, an enterprise carried out by Eduardo Cassone, and his sons, Eduardo Jose, Martin, and Federico. These dedicated sons personally work with the wines during fermentation and bottling. The family strives to maintain the values and purity of artisan production while using both American and French oak barrels and the best of modern technology.
Far Niente
Far Niente produces estate bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay and Oakville, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines that are renowned for their consistent house style and ability to evolve with extended age.
Ferrari
A visit to Cantine Ferrari is a voyage into the very heart of the Italian sparkling wine tradition, a fascinating journey that allows one to follow the magical transformation of Chardonnay from the Trentino hills into an effervescent golden wine.
Ferrari Carano
Ferrari-Carano has been a leading producer of world class, nationally acclaimed wines. Vintage after vintage, the wines exhibit a remarkable consistency of style and elegance. Don & Rhonda Carano's uncompromising commitment to quality and excellence is a reflection of their desire to produce memorable wines that enhance the pleasures of gracious entertaining & not focus on short-term financial goals.
Flowers Vineyard & Winery
As nursery owners in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Walt and Joan Flowers had long dreamed of combining their love of wine with their passion for agriculture. They knew they wanted to produce their favorite varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; what they didn’t know was that their path would eventually lead them across country to Northern California’s rugged Sonoma Coast.
Freestone
Freestone Vineyards was founded in 1999 by the Phelps family and management team of Joseph Phelps Vineyards when they purchased 100 acres of vineyard property in Freestone, CA. 199
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Garcia Figuero
Jose Maria Garcia and Milagros Figuero are a vine-growing couple who have devoted their entire lives to looking after their “majuelos,” (vineyards) in La Horra, situated in Spain’s famed Ribera del Duero (RDD) region. They are proud heirs to a culture that has been handed down through several generations.
Gemstone
1,300 case production family owned estate winery located in the Yountville appellation. Winemaker: Philippe Melka. Wines: Gemstone Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (500 cases), Facets of Gemstone Estate Red Blend (700 cases) and Facets of Gemstone Chardonnay (60).
Giant Steps
Giant Steps focuses exclusively on the distinctive expression of single vineyard sites in the Yarra Valley. Grapes are drawn from estate and leased vineyards as well as grapes from long-term contracted growers, supported by strong relationships and meticulous supervision throughout the year.
Gioia
Gioia "Joy Ahhh" mean joy in Italian. In honor & memory of my son Tyler, we make wine we are passionate about inspired by the way Tyler lived his life: Living each day filled with joy, commitment to excellence, & his desire to share those feelings with family & friends. We are a small boutique winery, specializing in the production of small lots of hand crafted wines. Enjoy & share the Gioia
Gnarly Head
At Gnarly Head it all starts in the vineyard. Our quest for outstanding Zinfandel led us down a country road into the heart of Lodi, California revealing a sea of gnarled, 35-80 year-old vines pruned in a special, mop-topped way called “head trained.” True gnarly heads, these old vines yield fewer grape clusters with smaller berries than trellised vines.
Goldeneye Winery
Goldeneye Winery is dedicated to the production of world-class Pinot Noirs. It is located in the heart of Anderson Valley along the migratory pathway of the Goldeneye duck. Dan & Margaret Duckhorn's vision for Goldeneye was simple: to craft a distinctively California Pinot Noir of equal stature to their acclaimed Duckhorn Vineyard Merlot.
Grgich Hills Estate
Set in the heart of Napa Valley, Grgich Hills Estate is a family-owned winery that grows organic and Biodynamically farmed grapes, crafting estate-grown wines renowned for their consistency, quality and longevity.
Grieve Family Winery
We at Grieve Family Winery are dedicated to making the finest sauvignon blanc in America. To that end we double farm our estate vineyard, harvest twice and make 10 different cuvees from which we craft a final blend of our succulent wine.
Gruet Winery
Founded in 1984, Gruet Winery has climbed to the echelons of domestically produced sparkling wine. Today, Gruet is recognized on an international level, producing seven method champenoise sparkling wines of amazing quality. Please join us in celebrating 25 years of adding a little sparkle into everyday.
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
The oldest family-owned winery in CA, we specialize in making distinctive estate-grown wines and sharing them and our property in a warm, fun, unpretentious manner.
HALL Wines
HALL St.Helena is proud to be California’s first Gold LEED® Certified winery! Owners Craig and Kathryn HALL operate two wineries, and six Estate vineyards. HALL employs organic small-vine viticulture, precision winemaking, native yeast fermentation and micro-block blending to fully extract the purity and quintessence of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Hanzell Vineyards
Founded in 1953, Hanzell Vineyards, located on the steep southern slopes of the Mayacamas Range, is an iconic producer of age-worthy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Grand Cru tradition. The de Brye family continues to honor this tradition in absolute commitment to quality with deep respect for this distinctive terroir.
Harlan Estate Wines
H. William Harlan, the founder of Harlan Estate, had a vision. Simply put, he was determined to produce a California "First Growth". Harlan is an entrepreneur with a strong background in real estate and hotel development - someone who has come to understand the importance of "location". 200
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Heitz Wine Cellars
For a half century, the Heitz family has produced a dazzling portfolio of wines, highlighted by their internationally acclaimed vineyarddesignated Cabernets. The second generation continues to burnish that reputation, producing wines that are unsurpassed in quality and consistency. Heitz’ vineyards are farmed sustainably and organically to preserve their wonderful heritage in the Napa Valley.
Hidden Ridge Vineyard
Founded by Lynn Hofacket & Casidy Ward, Hidden Ridge is an extreme Mountain Terrain Vineyard located on the west side of Spring Mountain; in the heart of the Mayacamas Mountains, just inside Sonoma County. 100% Cabernet planted on 55 acres in 21 blocks with elevations ranging from 900 to 1700 feet and as steep as 55%.
Hirtzberger
Considered one of the top producers in the Wachau, Hirtzberger's small productions of wines are known equally for their aging potential as their intense style. Situated in a 600 year old house at the base of the famed Singerriedl vineyard, in the western part of the region, Franz Hirtzberger is a master of balancing the full properties of the fruit with the nuances of the terroir.
Hundred Acre
Hundred Acre has been a perennial super-star since the inaugural 2000 vintage. This is the project of proprietor, Jayson Woodbridge with winemaking guru, Philippe Melk. Ask anyone who has ever asked about their favorite Cabernet ever- the Hundred Acre Cabernets are right there at the top!
Iberian Remix
Master Sommelier, Willi Sherer produces the unique varieties of Remix Wines. The wines of Iberian Remix were developed out of the desire to showcase the untapped potential of indigenous Spanish grapes in American viticulture. United States has a long history with French and Italian grapes, but has overlooked Spain, the world’s third largest wine producer.
Illumination
Intrigued with white wines from the Loire Valley, and desirous of a white wine from Quintessa that he could enjoy at home with friends and family, Agustin planted a half-acre of Sauvignon Blanc at the Quintessa estate in 2002. This little plot of vines lives in the alluvial soils on the northwestern corner of the estate near the river.
Inama
With vineyard holdings almost exclusively on the Monte Foscarino, in the heart of the Soave Classico district, there was little choice but to specialize in the production of quality wines. Giuseppe Inama, who gradually acquired a total of thirty hectares in the most enviable sites, founded the estate in the 1960s. Stefano, Giuseppe’s son, assumed control of winemaking in 1992.
Inception Wines
Greetings from Jon and George at Inception! Inception Wines is honored to return back to PBF&W. We are just over a year in business-but our roster of fine dining establishments in LA & Beverly Hills are clearly a testimonial to the quality and value that we offer in our Pinots' and Chardonnay. We are looking forward to pouring for you!
Iron Horse Vineyards
A pioneer in the Green Valley appellation within the Russian River area of Sonoma County, the Iron Horse family is building a legacy of prestige sparkling wines and estate-bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir within a "holistic" environment of natural balance, cultivation and love of the land.
Jaffurs Wine Cellars
Owner/winemaker Craig Jaffurs, produced his first professional wines during the 1994 harvest. All our wines are carefully made in small lots. Only about 3500 cases are produced each year - production is limited. We work closely with our growers in the Santa Ynez, Santa Rita, Los Alamos, and the Santa Maria growing regions.
Jim Palmers Malibu Vineyards
In the hills of western Malibu, single vineyards varietals are grown in a microclimate of mineral rich soils on a south facing hillside at an elevation of 1200 feet. Long days of sunlight and cool ocean breezes create a perfect wine grape growing climate with its own unique "terroir". Enjoy the rich flavors of this hand crafted wine. Jim Palmer is the wine grape grower, winemaker and award winner.
John Anthony Vineyards
In 1997 John Anthony Truchard began leasing and managing vineyard property with the goal of one day producing a small quantity of high end wines to share with friends and family. Fortunately his wife Michele shared his passion and in 2003 they crushed their first vintage of Cabernet and Syrah, adding Sauvignon Blanc to the portfolio the following year.
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley winery committed to crafting world class, estate grown wines. Founded in 1973 by Joe Phelps, the winery is best known for its flagship blend of red Bordeaux varietals, Insignia. Awarded Wine Spectator's “Wine of the Year” in 2005, Insignia is widely regarded as a qualitative benchmark for California winemaking. 201
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JUSTIN Vineyards Winery
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery is a family owned and operated winery making estate grown and produced wines in the Paso Robles appellation of California’s Central Coast. Their desire is to make world class wines with emphasis on making Bordeaux-style blends and single varietals, combining Old World tradition with New World techniques.
Kingston Family Vineyards
Kingston Family Vineyards specializes in small-production Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc from our hillside vineyards located in the far western reaches of Chile’s Casablanca Valley.
Kongsgaard Wine
Fifth-generation Napa natives, Maggy and I began our endeavor in the 1970s planting The Judge vineyard on the Kongsgaard family land near Napa. We now produce The Judge, Chardonnay, VioRous, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in our underground winery — a cave dug into the volcanic rock, high on the eastern rim of the Napa Valley where we have planted a spectacular mountain vineyard.
Kracher
The third generation of a legendary winery is in place as Gerhard Kracher continues the magic of his father & grandfather. Capitalizing on the unique microclimates bordering the large & very windy Lake Neusiedlersee, Kracher practically lives in the vineyards. Here he tends to, & monitors, the vines to determine the right moment that botrytis has done its work & the concentrated grapes are ready to harvest.
Kristine Ashe Vineyards
We craft modern wines the old way – completely by hand. An intensely focused, highly personal collaboration between owner, Kristine Ashe, winemaker, Philippe Melka and Vineyard Manager, Jim Barbour; Entre Nous derives its strength and soul from the bonds "Between Us," uniting those of us who create the wine, with those who share it with us.
Krutz Family Cellars
The philosophy of Krutz Family Cellars is simple; Producing small lots from choice vineyards with the truest expression of varietal character through as less manipulation as possible. Small basket pressed, unfiltered and unrefined wine made with 100% soul!
Kunin Wines
Established in 1998, owner and winemaker Seth Kunin's philosophy is simple: when you open a bottle of Kunin Wine, you can be assured from vineyard to glass, very little has been done to alter the purity of the fruit or its natural terroir.
Kutch Wines
Jamie Kutch, a former NASDAQ trader for Merrill Lynch, traded Wall Street and stocks for Pinot Noir and the Sonoma Coast in 2005, and so far it seems to be paying off. Kutch's philosophy is to utilize classic, old world techniques and let the grapes and sense of place where they are grown both speak for themselves.
La Fenetre Wines
Founded in 2005, La Fenêtre produces food friendly wines by incorporating Old World techniques & a terroir-driven approach to grapes grown in California's Central Coast. Founder & winemaker Joshua Klapper sources fruit from some of the region’s acclaimed vineyards which are then allowed to shine through minimal intervention in the winery.
La Marca
La Marca winery joins tradition and innovation, ensuring the highest quality product. In 2007, the winery was awarded a "Top 100 wines of the Year" by Wine Spectator.2 With its inherent quality, iconic name, and contemporary package, La Marca offers super-premium sparkling consumers a fresh tasting, vibrant alternative that is well-made and at a reasonable price.
Layer Cake Wines
Every Sunday, my Grandmother would bake a huge layer cake for dessert. My Grandfather would pour me a little glass of wine and place it at the table for me. He explained wine in terms of that cake. ‘The vines,’ he would say, ‘live in layers of soil just like the layers in Grandma’s cake; each layer bringing a different flavor.’ My grandfather taught me that everything in life is about layers and complexity.
Le Mistral
In 2008, the Le Mistral Vineyard was incorporated as a sister vineyard to Ventana Vineyards of Monterey, California.
Lincourt Vineyards
Lincourt Winery began when owner Bill Foley fell in love with the rugged coastline, picturesque towns and camouflaged hills of Santa Barbara County and founded his own winery. Named for his two daughters, Lindsay and Courtney, the wines express the elegant complexity of estate vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. 202
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LIOCO
LIOCO is the result of a years-long conversation between Matt Licklider (a seasoned wine import specialist) and Kevin O'Connor (wine director at Michelin Two-Star Spago-Beverly Hills) about whether California could produce a true "wine of origin."
Longoria Wines
Established in 1982, Longoria Wines is a small family owned winery producing acclaimed artisanal wines from some of the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County. Pioneer winemaker Rick Longoria has been involved in the local wine industry since 1976. His wines are distinctive for their purity of varietal and site expression, balance and compatibility with food
Loredona
Loredona Vineyards crafts deliciously different, delightfully aromatic white wines from Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Viognier grapes grown in our beautiful family-owned, sustainably-farmed vineyard estate in Monterey and Lodi, California. We've got the "Goldilocks" climate for these intriguing varieties — "not too hot and not too cold" equals the "just right" environment for bright, balanced wines.
Louis M Martini
Louis M. Martini is dedicated to producing rich and distinctive Cabernets from the most prestigious vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Third-generation winemaker Michael Martini strives to craft rich, distinctive Cabernet Sauvignons that reflect the terroir and capture the essence of the prestigious vineyards in which the grapes are grown.
MacPhail Family Wines
“Wine is art with a splash of science,” says Winemaker James MacPhail. Guided by his zeal for quality in all things, James uses traditional old world techniques & minimal intervention to create Pinot Noirs that express vineyard terroir. He partners with only the most committed & attentive grape growers in Sonoma & Mendocino counties. James’ goal is to craft something from the earth to share with others.
Maggy Hawk Vineyard
Maggy Hawk vineyard produces block-designated Pinot Noir from one of the last vineyards before the final stand of redwoods just before you reach the Pacific. The beautiful wines are modeled on the concept of Burgundy, with the perceived subtle differences of flavor derived from different exposures, facings, slopes and clonal selections.
Marqués de Murrieta
Marqués de Murrieta is named after Luciano de Murrieta, one of the founding fathers of modern Rioja winemaking, who established the estate in 1852. Today V. Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, leads the family-owned company. With a vision of innovation and respect for tradition, this iconic Spanish brand is rooted in strong, historical fundamentals.
Martian Ranch Vineyard
Martian Ranch is an eclectic Santa Ynez Valley grower of grape varieties both esoteric and otherwise. We take our farming and winemaking much more seriously than we take ourselves.
McIntyre Vineyards
McIntyre wine has deep roots in the Santa Lucia Highlands, where founder and farmer, Steve McIntyre, has practiced the art of sustainable farming for decades. Winemaker Byron Kosuge crafts small lots of exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that embody the mountainous, maritime-influenced terrior. Bright, elegant, ethereal, yet bold
Melka Wines
As the proprietors of Melka Wines, we've been sharing our passion for creating exceptional wine since 1996. You can glimpse this passion in Philippe's eyes, which look out at you from every bottle. Together, we enjoy the freedom to nurture and blend each varietal, whether it's from a single vineyard, like our Metisse label, or from different vineyard sources, like CJ.
Melville
Melville Winery and Vineyards is located within the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Lompoc, California, in Western Santa Ynez Valley.
Merryvale Vineyards
Merryvale Vineyards is a family-owned Napa valley Winery dedicated to passionate winemaking and the fine art of living well. Merryvale is world renowned for rich, powerful Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays and the iconic Bordeaux-style red blend, Profile.
Meteor Vineyard
Meteor Vineyard is an exciting new winery in Napa Valley which captures the incredible potential and complexity of the best wines of Napa Valley while retaining a restrained and elegant old world approach. 203
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Migration Wines
Duckhorn Wine Company has set the standard for American fine wine for over three decades. The Duckhorn Wine Company family includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration and Decoy. Focused on optimal grape selection, innovative winemaking techniques and a premium barrel-aging program, Duckhorn Wine Company is founded on an unwavering commitment to quality.
Miner Family Winery
Miner was founded in 1998 by husband & wife team Dave & Emily Miner. Winemaker Gary Brookman has been at the helm for over a decade crafting stylistically pure & balanced wines. From Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to Monterey Pinot Noir, the winery's impressive collection of twenty-five boutique bottling is anchored by flagship Bordeaux-style blend, The Oracle, from the famed Stagecoach Vineyard.
Mionetto
Mionetto USA ranks among the fastest growing premier wine importing companies in the United States. Mionetto USA began in 1997 with a mission of establishing a new category with the American consumer by introducing the Mionetto family of fine sparkling wines.
Montes Alpha
Now a legend, MONTES ALPHA Cabernet Sauvignon 1987 was Chile's and our first really PREMIUM wine, the PIONEER that showed the way to all others in Chile and remains the #1 in the Chilean PREMIUM niche which established very early our credibility as a world class premium wine producer.
New Zealand Winegrowers
New Zealand Winegrowers was established in March 2002 as the joint initiative of the New Zealand Grape Growers Council, representing the interests of New Zealand’s independent grapegrowers, and the Wine Institute of New Zealand, representing New Zealand wineries.
Nickel Nickel Vineyard
Nickel & Nickel exclusively produces 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard wines that best express the distinctive personality of each vineyard. Nickel & Nickel’s portfolio includes single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel.
Noble Vines
NOT ALL VINES ARE CREATED EQUAL. {Noble Vines} marries the most admired French vine types with American winemaking innovation to craft wines with concentrated flavors, silky fruit and soft, supple tannins.
Oh Wines
I only produce reserve quality Pinot Noirs under the Oh Wines label. There are two distinct AVAs, one is from the Anderson Valley and the other is Santa Lucia Highlands. Two great regions for Pinot Noirs come by for a taste. You’re mouth will thank you for it. Cheers!
Page Wine Cellars
Inspired by the idea of creating distinctive wine, Page Cellars gathers together premium Napa Valley grapes to produce our wine in the grand Bordeaux tradition.
Pali Wine Company
Founded by Tim Perr and Scott Knight from the Pacific Palisades, CA in 2005, Lompoc-based Pali Wine Co. produces premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at reasonable prices without compromising vineyard sources and winemaking. Fruit for Pali’s critically acclaimed single-vineyard wines come from coveted vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills, the Russian River Valley and the Willamette Valley.
Palmina
Palmina is a California celebration of the rich, wonderful lifestyle and attitude toward food, wine, friends and family that exists in Italy. Although crafting wine is Palmina’s primary focus, the wines are one part of the equation that is Palmina. Palmina is a passion project of husband and wife team, Chrystal and Steve Clifton.
Paraduxx Wines
An unabashed extrovert, this innovative blend has the personality to mix naturally with great food and dynamic company. Free from convention, Paraduxx has developed its own exuberant personality filled with enticing layers of lush fruit and engaging aromatics.
Paraiso Vineyards
The vineyards, with their varying soils, elevation, and microclimates, produce grapes uniquely expressive of their site. Taken together, they offer the winemaker a painter's paletter of complex, flavorful hues from which to choose. 204
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PATEL
We produce hand crafted Bordeaux-varietal red wines from Napa Valley. Our wine is rooted in the use of Old World techniques and is distinctively Napa Valley in expression.
Paul Lato Wines
I believe the creation of great wines comes from the unique interaction between the place, the vintage and the human factor. Since I cannot control the vintage, I put special emphasis on working with magical places tended by inspired viticulturists. I see them as an integral part of my success in winemaking.
Pegasus Bay
Pegasus Bay winery is the second largest winery in Canterbury and considered within the New Zealand wine industry as a standard setter for the industry in the region and rated 'Canterburys top winery' by Michael Cooper in the Wine Atlas of New Zealand 2003. The winery was set up by Ivan Donaldson in 1986 and run by his family.
Pessagno Winery
Pessagno Winery fulfills a twenty-year dream of winemaker Stephen Pessagno to produce limited quantities of exclusive luxury wines from prestigious single vineyards throughout Monterey and San Benito Counties.
Pine Ridge Vineyards
With meticulous attention to detail and a knowledge developed over 30 years of continuity, Pine Ridge Vineyards produces wines that showcase 200 acres of premier estate vineyards across five renowned appellations in the Napa Valley.
PlumpJack Winery
Founded in 1995 and focusing on crafting exceptional Oakville cabernet sauvignon from its estate vineyards. Winemaker Anthony Biagi believes in producing wines that pay tribute to their terroir. Under Anthony Biagi’s watchful eyes PlumpJack has earned the reputation for producing wines that exhibit full-bodied richness, elegant aromatics and ripeness from even the toughest critics.
Poe Wines
Poe Wines mission is to create single vineyard California Pinot Noir & Chardonnay that express the brilliance of the terroir from impeccable sites in Northern California. Winemaker Jonathan Keyes spent time working in the cellars of Sine Qua Non and Two Hands Winery before partnering with Samantha Sheehan and her brother, Trevor, to create Poe Wines.
Provenance Vineyards
Provenance Vineyards showcases the distinctiveness of some of Napa Valley's best growing areas: Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford and Oakville; Merlot from Carneros and Mount Veeder. All of its grapes come from the Napa Valley are hand-harvested at optimal maturity for the finest quality. Provenance's approachable, yet cellar-worthy wines display symmetry of elegance and power.
Pruett Vineyard
On an eastern slope, just above the American River Gorge, the rich, mineral laced volcanic soil meets the slow and easy stride of Champion Race Car Driver Scott Pruett. It is here that Scott, his wife Judy, and their family, grow and harvest the finest fruit, creating small lot, handcrafted wines. Welcome to Pruett Vineyard.
Quintessa
Starting with a clean slate allowed us to take advantage of a wealth of knowledge accumulated in the Napa Valley over 25 years of viticulture. Terrace design, soil preparation, density of planting, trellis systems and selection of appropriate rootstock and clones were just some of the aspects of vineyard innovation we applied in each specific soil type and microclimate.
Qupe Winery
Qupé is dedicated to producing handcrafted Rhône varietals and Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast. We employ traditional winemaking techniques to make wines that are true to type and speak of their vineyard sources. Our goal is to make wines with impeccable balance that can be enjoyed in their youth, yet because of the good acidity from cool vineyard sites can also benefit from ageing.
Ramos Pinto Wine
Founded in 1880 by brothers Adriano and Antonio, Ramos Pinto is run today by the heirs of these two energetic vintners. The House, acquired by Champagne Louis Roederer in 1990, enjoys the distinction of holding the largest proportion of vineyards in relation to its production, giving it a high degree of winemaking control.
Realm Cellars
Realm Cellars was founded in 2001 by Juan Mercado and Wendell Laidley with a simple mission of producing superior quality, small production, hand-crafted wine from Bordeaux culled from some of the most distinctive Napa Valley vineyards. 205
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Refugio Ranch
Refugio Ranch carries a centuries-old history of cowboys and cattle ranching. The Gleason family has opened a new chapter for this ancient land, with the promise of continuing the legacy and spirit of this unique corner of the earth. Cheers!
Roederer Estate
Roederer Estate Brut is the first California sparkling wine to be produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, further building upon a 200year tradition of fine winemaking from this family owned company. Roederer's unique winemaking style is based on two elements: complete ownership of its vineyards and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvĂŠe.
Roessler Cellars
Since its inception, Roessler Cellars has become one of the premiere producers of hand-crafted Pinot Noirs in the U.S., sourcing fruit from many of the finest coastal vineyards available from Santa Barbara, California to Portland, Oregon.
Rosenblum Cellars
An artful combination of old world techniques and new world innovation helps Rosenblum Cellars create wines with distinct character, complexity, and most important, outright enjoyment. With a firm belief that great wines require great fruit, much attention is paid to the care given to the grapevines. Superior vineyards are selected in the top regions.
Rosenthal The Malibu Estate Surfrider
The grapes for our wines are grown in a scenic valley four miles inland and 1400 feet above the coastal fog. In 1987 Los Angeles businessman George Rosenthal began planting vineyards at his 250 acre Malibu retreat, but only after he spent two years carefully checking soil composition, drainage, and weather conditions to make sure he planted the correct varietals in the most ideal locations on his property.
Saintsbury
Since 1981 Saintsbury has been committed to demonstrating that world-class Pinot Noir is a California mainstay. The winery was founded by winemakers Dick Ward and David Graves who believe innovation and a critical look at vineyard, terroir and winemaking is the best route to quality.
Saldo Wine
Sandhi is a new wine being introduced by Rajat Parr and Charles Banks. Sandhi produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a focus on select vineyards of Santa Barbara County Sandhi signifies an union essential to the production of wine: the collaboration between man, earth, and vine. Sandhi is dedicated to making wines of finesse, minerality, acidity, structure and balance.
Sandhi Wines
Sandhi is a new wine being introduced by Rajat Parr and Charles Banks. Sandhi produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a focus on select vineyards of Santa Barbara County Sandhi signifies an union essential to the production of wine: the collaboration between man, earth, and vine. Sandhi is dedicated to making wines of finesse, minerality, acidity, structure and balance.
Scharffenberger Cellars
Scharffenberger Cellars was founded in 1981 in the heart of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anderson Valley with the commitment to making ultra premium sparkling wines. Situated within the coastal influences of the Pacific Ocean, Scharffenberger Cellars also enjoys the deep soils and sunshine of the protected valley.
Scheid Vineyards
Scheid Vineyards produces small lot, sustainable wines in the heart of the Monterey County wine country. With ten estate vineyards located along a 70-mile spread of the Salinas Valley, we are able to grow many different varieties in a spectrum of styles. Most of the grapes we grow are sold to other wineries, from small, ultra-premium producers to larger, widely distributed brands.
Sequana Vineyards
Sequana produces single vineyard Pinot Noirs from California's premier Coastal appellations - Green Valley of Russian River Valley in Sonoma County and Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey. Produced from grapes grown in small, sustainably farmed, family owned vineyards by winemaker James MacPhail.
Sextant Wines
At Sextant Wines we are devoted to expanding the horizons of the central coast wine region by utilizing the unmatchable terroir with old world varietal selections. This allows us to grow grapes to their optimal maturity, creating unique wines of supreme quality.
Simonnet Febvre
Simmonet-Febvre was founded in 1840, and bought by Maison Louis Latour in 2003 that has been modernizing the winery and wine making equipment and making tremendous efforts and investments to bring this this once celebrated estate back to its former excellence. The first release under the direction of Louis Latour is the 2004 Chablis AC with a full range of premiers and grand crus. 206
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Skipstone
Renowned Winemaker Philippe Melka has made Skipstone his only project in the Alexander Valley and first collaboration with top Sonoma Winegrower Ulises Valdez. The certified organic and solar powered estate features olive groves, culinary gardens and a stunning thirty acre amphitheater shaped vineyard with annual production of 500 cases.
Skylark Wine Company
Skylark Wine Company is a collaboration between Boulevard Restaurant Wine Directors John Lancaster and Robert Perkins. John and Robert have run the wine program at the acclaimed Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco for the past twelve years. During their tenure at Boulevard, they have built a close friendship, an inventory of wines from around the globe and a palate of tasting wines of the world.
Sonoma Coast Vineyards
Producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc under the direction of renowned winemaker Anthony Austin, SCV has helped pioneer this highly acclaimed region. Founded in 2001 by John & Barbara Drady, SCV has earned a distinguished reputation for their exceptional wines.
Soter Vineyards
Soter Vineyards is the culmination of Tony Soter’s life-long study in viticulture and winegrowing. Tony and his family invite you to experience their Mineral Springs Ranch in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Oregon's Willamette Valley; a place they regard as a haven for raising exceptional Oregon Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.
Sterling Vineyards
Sterling Vineyards produced the first vintage-dated Napa Valley Merlot in 1969; the same year construction began on their white, Mediterranean-styled winery building. From this hilltop winery, Sterling has continued to lead California in innovation and quality in viticulture and winemaking.
TastingRoom.com
The Tasting Room is an online try-and-buy wine marketplace that brings the tasting room to your living room. We deliver 1.7 oz. "tastes" of premium wines in elegant wine samplers. Taste six wines from six wineries side-by-side and then buy full bottles of your favorites. TastingRoom.com…The Wine Country. Delivered.
Tayson Pierce Estate Wines
Eric Rothchild was inspired by his Grandfather Nathan Rothchild’s winemaking style in the 1960’s and started collecting wines in his teens. Traveling through Europe and South America to further his knowledge this exposure has fostered his passion to create fine wine that would rival those made of the great European houses.
Tenimenti Luigi dAlessandro
Some twenty years on from our first experiments, with vineyards that have reached the ripe old age of 15 years in some parts, TENIMENTI D'ALESSANDRO is increasing its investments in the quality of the wines produced, thanks to the painstaking efforts and cooperation of illustrious vine-growers.
Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano
This is the estate's historic wine and is highly representative of the qualities of Carmignano. D.O.C. status was re-obtained in 1975 and D.O.C.G. in the 1990's.
The Black Bottle
Following his dream, Mark Russo, the creator of the California Cult Wine Classic, has launched The Black Bottle winery with the guiding philosophy "exceptional farming with attention to the details." Grapes are sourced from select vineyards in acclaimed Napa appellations. One of Napa's newest "cult" wineries, The Black Bottle is already a medal-winning cabernet at the SF Int’l Wine and Spirits competition.
Three Sticks
Three Sticks is committed to producing small lot, artisanal wines from exceptional vineyard sites, such as our famed Durell Estate Vineyard, the source of our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We feel strongly that the finest wines are produced from special sites. Durell Vineyard and the other sites we utilize to make Three Sticks are managed in a minimalist fashion, for low vigor and in turn low yields.
Torbreck Vintners
Torbreck produces wines exclusively from the most revered vineyards in the Barossa Valley, home to some of the oldest vines and clonal material in the worl. Red wines are produced from the classic Barossa varieties: Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, using manual, traditional methods and are complemented by white wines produced from Semillon, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.
Treana
Treana is a family-owned and operated winery. Located in Paso Robles, CA, exactly mid-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the region is the heart of California’s distinctive Central Coast region. The Hope family has been farming in Paso Robles since 1978. 207
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Trefethen Family Vineyards
After 40 years and three generations, the Trefethen family has stayed true to their vision of creating a classic wine estate by never purchasing outside grapes. They take extraordinary care of two sustainably farmed vineyards in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, and craft wines that speak eloquently of their place.
Trinchero Family Estates
Wines bearing the Trinchero Napa Valley label are luxury class, single-vineyard wines from our Napa Valley estates. The Trinchero family has been making wine in the Napa Valley since 1948, and Trinchero Napa Valley serves to honor the legacy of founder Mario Trinchero.
Va Piano Vineyards
The inspiration for a Tuscan-themed winery and tasting room came about after owner/winemaker Justin Wylie spent his senior year at Gonzaga University studying in Florence, Italy. He fell in love with the art, rustic architecture, culture, history, and warm hospitality he encountered there.
Ventana Vineyards
Acres of pampered Estate Vines create delicious flavors in every bottle of award-winning wine. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and many more varietals heighten the tasting experience. Top off with Le Mistral, an exquisite Rhone Style Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet. Taste the wines of Ventana and Le Mistral, two of Monterey's wine masterpieces!
Vergari
Vintner David Vergari shepherds his wines from vine to bottle, ages them solely in French oak barrels and trusts that, if he’s doing his job well, each wine will display its own "voice" – its own unique character. About his wines finding their "voice," if the 90-plus ratings that David is attracting from top wine reviewers say anything, Vergari Wines are speaking loudly and clearly!
Vesevo
Vesevo, named after the famed volcano, has carefully chosen vineyard areas and is equally careful about when they harvest. Experience and modern techniques make the most of what this ancient land has to offer.
Vietti
The Vietti winery, now owned by the family’s fourth generation, is based in the small medieval village of Castiglione Falletto, the heart of Piedmont’s famous “Langhe” wine region. Here the Currado family carefully and patiently handcrafts lauded wines that are the result of a unique combination of sun and soil.
Vin Divino
Vin Divino is an importer and national sales and marketing agent for a carefully and strategically selected portfolio of distinctive wines from around the world. All of our brands are real brands, tied to the land, cultivated and nurtured by people for whom making wine is a life choice.
Vineyard 7 & 8
Winemaker Luc Morlet oversees a handcrafted process that includes careful hand sorting of the fruit and whole-berry fermentations to produce wines that show a true sense of place. Vineyard 7 & 8 produces around 1,800 cases a year of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from vines planted on their estate.
Vintage Point
Vintage Point offers services to wineries in sales, marketing, importation and general management. Vintage Point is independently owned and exclusively focuses on winery brand and market development within the US, Canada and Caribbean marketplace in the ultra-premium and luxury price points. Our mission is to help these producers overcome the barriers they face in getting their wines to market.
W & J Graham's Port
GRAHAM'S was founded in 1820 and now has earned an unmatched reputation as the leading producer of premium Port wines. The company has been owned by just two families in its entire history; originally founded by the Graham’s, it was acquired by the Symington family in 1970.
Weingut Becker
Weingut Becker produces many of Schlossadler’s best-selling wines, including the popular Dornfelder and Merlot. His pioneering spirit, skill and experience (45 years) make him one of Germany’s most innovative wine maker’s. His effort to produce late harvest reds has been so successful that others try to imitate him. His Merlot is so desirable; there is a constant waiting list anticipating its arrival.
Weingut Elfenhof
Some of the most exciting developments in European wines are taking place in Austria. The wine makers at Elfenhof have pioneered the process of enhancing the style and elegance of the Pinot Noir. Schlossadler customers love this wonderfully complex, peppery red. In this unique process, the newly crushed grapes are heated to 75 degrees Celsius 167º F and transferred to French oak barrels. 208
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Weingut Leo Hillinger
Since 1990 when Leo Hillinger took over the small wine retail business from his father, he has continuously implemented intelligent structural reforms as well as acquired excellent single vineyards around Jois, Oggau and Rust resulting in one of Austriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top wineries. Meanwhile the area under cultivation extends over 46 hectares.
Westwood Winery
Vintner John Kelly, a UC Davis-trained biochemist with over two decades of winemaking experience, is making Westwood wines from Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise and Tannat grapes grown on his sustainably-farmed Annadel Estate, a vineyard planted in 2001 at the northwest end of the Sonoma Valley appellation.
William Hill Estate
For three decades, William Hill Estate has crafted distinctive, elegant Napa Valley wines, earning the Estate legendary status in the Napa Valley community. The 200-acre Estate, of which 140-acres are planted, curves between Silverado Trail and Atlas Peak Road, in the picturesque hills known as the Silverado Bench.
Wind Gap Wines
Wind Gap Wines is the latest project by Pam & Pax Mahle. We have combed the state to gather a collection of the most exciting vineyards that are producing the grapes we love. The wines are honest, authentic and compelling while each being influenced by one wind gap or another
WindRacer Vineyards
WindRacer is a celebration of contrast. A journey through the Russian River and the Anderson Valley revealing how two premier coastal California growing regions can influence the same varietal grape in very different ways, and how two different winemaking styles can shape and enhance these qualities in the character of the finished wine.
Wine Sisterhood
Sisterhood is powerful! We are shifting the paradigm and putting our customers in charge of developing the kinds of wines they really want to drink. Through the collective imagination and creativity of a select group of Sisters (and Misters) we are determined to get to the bottom of what women wantâ&#x20AC;Śat least as far as wine is concerned.
Woodenhead
The winemaking at Woodenhead is pure and simple or, if you will, Burgundian done California-style. Our wine is handcrafted from a hard labor of love in tune to the natural rhythm of the land, the water, the air, and the seasons. No mechanical pumping is employed. Inoculated yeast and malolactic cultures, hand punching, basket pressing, French oak, and California fruit is what you get.
Woodward Canyon Winery
Making delicious wine in the Walla Walla Valley since 1981. Known for cabs, merlots & chardonnays. Also produces cab & merlot under a second label, Nelms Road.
WRATH
Wrath wines represent a nexus of nature and an unbridled passion for winemaking. Wrath produces site-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc from our estate vineyard and respected properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Yabby Lake Vineyard Inc
Tom and his team have substantial experience working in the wine industry across winemaking, viticulture, export market development, sales and marketing. This team is supported by a highly successful family-run business, recognized internationally for its vision and established global network.
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Official Flatwar Flatware e of the LA F Food ood & W Wine ine F Festival estival knork.net
Celebrities, Pros and Stunning Beauty Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is one of the most watched golf events.
February 6-12, 2012 Tickets: 800-541-9091 or www.attpbgolf.com
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FIRST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES FOOD & WINE
SPECIAL THANKS WITHOUT YOU, THIS EVENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
OUR INCREDIBLE FOUNDING PARTNERS AEG and L.A. LIVE American Express Publishing dick clark productions Lexus St. Vincent Meals on Wheels Wolfgang Puck
WHERE CELEBRITY MEETS CELEBRITY CHEF Mary J. Blige and Masaharu Morimoto Andre Agassi and Michael Mina Robert Downey Jr. and Josiah Citrin Emilio Estevez and Ray Garcia Jack Black and Craig Von Foerster
OUR INSPIRATION EVERY DAY: INCREDIBLY PATIENT, SUPPORTIVE, AND LOVING FAMILIES AND FRIENDS THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE US LOOK GOOD Classic Party Rentals Club Nokia Downtown Santa Monica Fairmont Miramar Bungalows and Suites JW Marriott L.A. LIVE LA Inc. / dineLA L'Ermitage Beverly Hills loftSeven Lucky Strike Lanes Mansour Travel Company Montage Beverly Hills Patina Restaurant Group Renaissance Hotel
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Santa Monica CVB Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation The Bel-Air Hotel The Dinex Group The Jonathan Beach Club The Ritz-Carlton L.A. LIVE Thomas Keller Restaurant Group Westin Bonaventure Wolfgang Puck Catering
OUR DEAR FRIENDS AND ADVISORS – YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND
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