Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

SoCal Restaurant Show

Acclaimed Restaurateur and Chef (and James Beard Award recipient) “Nancy Silverton is the co-owner of Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles and Newport Beach as well as Osteria Mozza, Mozza2Go, and chi SPACCA in Los Angeles. Silverton also founded the world-renowned La Brea Bakery as well as Campanile Restaurant, an institution that Angelenos cherished for decades. Silverton has worked with some of the nation’s most notable and influential chefs including Jonathan Waxman at Michael’s Restaurant and Wolfgang Puck at Spago. She has served as a mentor to numerous others who have gone on to become award-winning chefs and restaurant owners themselves.” Nancy Silverton now warmly invites all foodies to the C-CAP Los Angeles Gala on Friday, May 17 at Jonathan Club DTLA! Join her for a glittering evening of food and drink to benefit C-CAP Los Angeles’ (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) students and programming. Longtime C-CAP supporter and pioneering chef Nancy Silverton is creating a delicious multi-course menu along with Jonathan Club’s heralded Executive Chef Andreas Roller. Nancy Silverton is our guest previewing what’s on the salivating May 17th menu.

Chef Dustin Trani represents the 4th generation of the celebrated Trani Family to be an owner/chef cooking in San Pedro. Currently he is best known for J. Trani’s Ristorante which is his Family’s successor restaurant to their original San Pedro establishment, Trani’s Majestic Café opened in 1925 in downtown San Pedro. His latest venture (in the works since 2019) is the ambitious, soon to celebrate it’s first anniversary, Trani’s Dockside Station located in San Pedro’s historic waterfront in a vintage (fully restored and renovated) 1920 building that initially served as an immigration hall. In more recent years it was the local diner, Canetti’s Seafood Grotto, which closed in 2010 after a 70-year run. The exterior has been restored and preserved along with the addition of a striking, art deco neon vertical sign. Sunday Brunch is on the horizon. Chef Dustin Trani joins us with all the update details for Trani’s Dockside Station.

“James Beard cookbook-award-winning authors Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray explore in The Global Pantry Cookbook the exciting range of versatile, short-cut, high-flavor ingredients in the global pantry: gochujang, toasted sesame oil, Banyuls vinegar, za’atar, palm sugar, sorghum, chipotles in adobo and many more. These easily found products burst with flavors that Americans have come to love in restaurants in recent years—and are hugely useful for home cooking.

Ann and Scott tasted and tested more than 100 pantry stars to find the best for both traditional recipes (such as Grilled Pork Satay from Indonesia) and for playful mashups like their Ground Beef Bulgogi Sloppy Joes with Fiery Napa Slaw and their Coconutty Banana Pudding with Candied Black Walnuts. The book provides in-depth shopping and storage advice, has many tips to ensure recipe success, and suggests alternative uses for each product.” Ann Taylor Pittman joins us to discuss The Global Pantry Cookbook.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of the fast-casual Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. Chefs prefer to cook with natural gas based on the cost and efficiency of existing technology. Berkeley passed a first of its kind law in 2019 banning natural gas piping from being installed in new construction. Berkeley has now backed off that ban influenced by a federal appeals court ruling and Chef Andrew now provides the explanation.

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