Chefs/Restaurants Archives - Page 32 of 55

Liquor License Ordeal has Happy Ending for Chianina Steakhouse

It will eventually be known as one of the premier steakhouses in Southern California.

But what started out as a routine 30-day waiting period for a liquor license turned into a business nightmare. It is one that sadly affected not only successful businessmen but the little guy as well. Theirs is a story about an uncooperative state bureaucracy, bad luck, and perplexing alcoholic beverage policy, but through the team’s perseverance and commitment, resulted in a happy ending.

Just down the street from their other restaurants – Michael’s on Naples Ristorante and Michael’s Pizzeria in Long Beach – the partners of Michael’s Restaurant Group negotiated a lease to open a high-end steakhouse called Chianina (KEE-a-NEE-na). The opportunity arose when the owners of Kelly’s, the previous restaurant in that location, chose not to renew their lease but still maintain the rights to their liquor license.

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Modern Cuisine – Cooking on the Cutting Edge

Modern Cuisine – Cooking on the Cutting Edge

“I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés.” —Nicholas Kurti

It’s the ultra-modern style of cooking. Although, all the way back in the 1800’s cooks and scientists were interested in understanding food chemistry. But it was not until 1988 that the term “Molecular Gastronomy” was coined by French chemist Hervé This and Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti. They began holding workshops to investigate the transformation that occurs when food is cooked.

The molecular or modernist cuisine movement really began when chefs took those scientific discoveries and applied creativity to that body of knowledge. They take the basics of classic cooking and craftsmanship then apply chemical compounds and elements such as liquid nitrogen for instantaneous freezing and techniques such as spherification (forming a liquid into a solid orb which remains liquid on the inside) and gelification (turning a liquid into a gelatinous form by using a gelling agent) to push the culinary envelope.

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Inspired by Ottolenghi

rigatoni, roasted oyster mushrooms, arugula
smoky chile walnuts, garlicky yogurt, feta

While Chef Yotam Ottolenghi makes his with conchiglie, peas, pine nuts, and basil – my dish with rigatoni, oyster mushrooms, walnuts, and arugula was totally inspired from the recipe in his fabulous cookbook Jerusalem.

There are endless combinations of pasta, vegetables, and greens that can work with this garlicky yogurt sauce, feta, and smoky chile walnuts. With its pretty earth-tones, varying textures, and smoky flavors – this is one super-satisfying vegetarian meal.

inspired by ottolenghi recipe

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Meet Terranea Resort’s Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra

“The mountains were my backyard and the sea was my front yard,” reminisces Chef Bernard Ibarra about growing up in France’s Basque Country.

The Chef has cooked in France, North America, and Asia. Before landing in the Southern California last summer, he worked in Las Vegas for 15 years as Executive Chef at the prestigious Mirage and Aria resorts. Although he loves Vegas, he had longed to be near the sea again. Now he’s come full-circle, with the hills of Palos Verdes at his back and the expansive blue Pacific at his feet.

“It looks very much like where I was raised, except with better weather,” he chuckles.

Imagine his delight to now be the Executive Chef at the coastal Terranea Resort and our good fortune to have this world-class chef cooking in our “backyard.”

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Chef’s Cooking Series at Terranea Resort

Last week, Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra led an exceptionally talented team to kick off the “Chef’s Cooking Series” at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The farm-to-table dinner series features an interactive evening with Terranea’s chefs. It was my honor and pleasure to be invited as food photographer for the night. The chefs were awesome, the staff couldn’t have been more gracious, and the food was remarkable in flavor, variety, and creativity.

It began with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception followed by the chef cooking demonstrations where we learned how to prepare items on the evening’s menu. After the demonstrations, diners were seated at a beautiful long table on a patio for an alfresco three-course meal with wine pairing. Guests received recipe cards and special gift items to recreate the experience at home.

For each event in the series, Terranea is partnering with a different non-profit organization, this first dinner – a Coastal Harvest menu theme – benefitted Los Angeles No Kid Hungry. The next event will showcase a Spring Bounty menu theme on March 20, 2014 – featuring wines by Grgich Hills and benefitting the American Red Cross.

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