Comedian Brian Regan Announces 2023 California Tour Dates
Considered one of the best stand-ups in the country by critics, fans and fellow comedians,
Brian Regan announces new theater tour dates through the spring of 2023.
Since 2005, Brian’s non-stop theater tour has visited the most beautiful venues in North America.
Produced by Live Nation, the 30-city tour kicks off on Saturday, December 31st at Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth making stops across the U.S. in Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Washington and more before wrapping up in Jacksonville at the Florida Theater on May 14th.
For full tour dates and links to purchase tickets visit Brian’s website.
Tickets go on sale starting Friday, September 16th at 10am local time on BrianRegan.com
BRIAN REGAN NYE & SPRING 2023 TOUR DATES:
Saturday, December 31, 2022 – Fort Worth, TX – Will Rogers Auditorium
Thursday, January 12, 2023 – Burlington, VT – The Flynn
Friday, January 13, 2023 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater
Saturday, January 14, 2023 – Philadelphia, PA – Miller Theater- PA
Sunday, January 15, 2023 – Charlottesville, VA – Paramount Theatre- Charlottesville
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 – Edmonton, AB – Winspear Centre
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Calgary, AB – Jack Singer Concert Hall
Thursday, February 2, 2023 – Surrey, BC – Bell PAC
Friday, February 3, 2023 – Tacoma, WA – Pantages Theater
Saturday, February 4, 2023 – Salem, OR – Elsinore Theatre
Thursday, February 23, 2023 – Grand Junction, CO – Avalon Theatre
Saturday, February 25, 2023 – Billings, MT – Alberta Bair Theater
Thursday, March 2, 2023 – El Cajon, CA – The Magnolia
Friday, March 3, 2023 – Thousand Oaks, CA – Bank of America PAC
Saturday, March 4, 2023 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live
Sunday, March 5, 2023 – Santa Rosa, CA – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Hall at The Eccles
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 – Sioux Falls, SD – Washington Pavilion
Thursday, March 30, 2023 – Dubuque, IA – Five Flags Arena*
Friday, March 31, 2023 – Omaha, NE – Holland PAC
Saturday, April 1, 2023 – Rapid City, SD – Rushmore Theatre*
Thursday, April 6, 2023 – Norfolk, VA – Harrison Opera House
Friday-Saturday, April 7-8, 2023 – Washington DC – The Kennedy Center^
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – Morgantown, WV – The Metropolitan Theatre
Thursday, April 27, 2023 – Shipshewana, IN – Blue Gate PAC*
Friday, April 28, 2023 – St Charles, IL – The Arcada Theatre*
Saturday, April 29, 2023 – Saint Joseph, MO – Missouri Theatre
Sunday, April 30, 2023 – Manhattan, KS – McCain Auditorium (KSU)*
Thursday, May 11, 2023 – Coral Springs, FL – Coral Springs Center for the Arts
Friday, May 12, 2023 – St Petersburg, FL – Mahaffey Theater
Saturday, May 13, 2023 – Fort Pierce, FL – Sunrise Theatre ^
Sunday, May 14, 2023 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre Jacksonville
^Already on sale
*Not a Live Nation date
Brian premiered his second Netflix stand-up comedy special, Brian Regan: On The Rocks, on February 23, 2021. Brian’s first Netflix special, Brian Regan: Nunchucks And Flamethrowers, premiered to rave reviews on November 21, 2017, and is also available as a vinyl album.
In 2021, Brian returned for his third season in Peter Farrelly’s TV series, Loudermilk, which is streaming on Amazon Prime. Farrelly personally cast Brian in the series alongside Ron Livingston, Anja Savcic, Will Sasso and Mat Fraser.
Brian received praise for his portrayal of “Mugsy,” a recovering addict who is estranged from his family.
Brian stars in his own Netflix series, Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan, which premiered on Christmas Eve 2018. Brian and Jerry Seinfeld Executive Produce the four-episode original half-hour series that combines sketch comedy and stand-up comedy.
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LA Loves “Taste of a Kiss” with World’s #1 limoncello Pallini
“Taste of a Kiss” World’s #1 limoncello Pallini Celebrates 150 Years
Pallini Limoncello, the world’s #1 limoncello, proudly announces the launch of its new global campaign, “Taste of a Kiss.” Timed to coincide with the brand’s 150th anniversary, this sensory-led campaign invites consumers to rediscover the magic of limoncello – crafted with passion, kissed by the Amalfi sun, created for both timeless enjoyment and modern mixology.
The campaign’s creative centerpiece, “What Does a Kiss Taste Like,” will run throughout 2025 and will be brought to life through digital storytelling, influencer collaborations, and curated lifestyle content that celebrates Italian passion and flavor.
Pallini, founded in 1875, remains a proudly family-owned company and is now led by CEO Micaela Pallini, a fifth-generation member of the founding family. With more than 15 years at the company, she previously served as Director and Head of Production. Micaela, who holds a Doctoral Degree in Chemistry, is the first woman to lead the company and is honored to guide Pallini through this historic milestone.
“This campaign is a love letter to our Italian roots,”
Micaela Pallini
“It reflects everything Pallini stands for – joy, beauty, togetherness, and timeless taste. Sharing our 150th anniversary as the world’s leading limoncello is both humbling and exhilarating.” The campaign was developed by Luther DSGN, a rising Rome-based agency known for its creative expertise in lifestyle branding, visual storytelling, and experiential design.
At the heart of the campaign is the Pallini Spritz—now among the top three spritz-style cocktails served in the U.S. Elegant, light, and refreshingly simple (3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Pallini, 1 part water, served over ice in a large wine glass), the cocktail is quickly becoming a seasonal favorite across bars, rooftops, and at-home occasions. Pallini is supporting this momentum with retail cross-merchandising initiatives, encouraging consumers to bring the spritz ritual home.
Pallini Limoncello is distributed across the U.S. by Lucas Bols, the Dutch spirits company known for nurturing heritage cocktail brands. “Pallini is a rare brand that blends craftsmanship, legacy, and modern appeal,” said Brett Dunne, Managing Director, USA and Canada, The Lucas Bols Company. “We’re excited to help expand its reach across the U.S., bringing the spirit of the Amalfi Coast to American consumers and bartenders.”
Pallini Limoncello is available nationwide in fine wine and spirits retailers, as well as leading bars and restaurants across the U.S.
Sports beverage LA needs, but with a kick: Vodkade the Ultimate Canned Vodka Cocktail
Tastes like a sports beverage , but with a kick: Vodkade the Ultimate Canned Vodka Cocktail
There’s a new contender in the adult beverage game, and it’s already claiming victory. Meet Vodkade, the first-of-its-kind, hand-crafted, canned vodka cocktail made for those who don’t just play — they play to win at fun.
Born from the idea of creating a cocktail that tastes like a sports beverage — but with a kick — it’s the ultimate fusion of refreshment and bold flavor. Made with a proprietary recipe using crisp, high-quality vodka and natural fruit flavors, delivering a smooth, invigorating taste experience that keeps your competitive spirit sharp and your social game even sharper.
Popularity of Cocktail in a Can
Canned cocktails have surged in popularity due to their convenience, quality, and evolving consumer preferences.
As more people seek premium, bar-quality drinks without the hassle of mixing, canned cocktails offer a ready-to-drink solution that’s portable, consistent, and often crafted with real spirits and natural ingredients. Their sleek packaging suits outdoor events, beach days, and casual gatherings—no bartending skills needed.
Additionally, the rise of health-conscious drinking has led to options with lower sugar, fewer calories, and clean labels. With innovative flavors and better branding, canned cocktails meet the modern demand for ease, taste, and lifestyle alignment—all in a pop-top can.
Whether you’re rallying on the court, soaking up the sun, or locked in a heated game night, this canned cocktail is here to match your energy.
Vodkade is available in four fan-favorite flavors:Fruit Punch, Lemon-Lime, Orange, and Berry Cherry
Available in four fan-favorite flavors (Fruit Punch, Lemon-Lime, Orange, and Berry Cherry), each sip brings a cool wave of nostalgia with a grown-up twist. Sold in a convenient four-pack and the Victory Pack, an eight-pack variety featuring two cans of each flavor.
Vodka in a can?
Vodka is ideal for canned cocktails because of its clean, neutral flavor, which makes it incredibly versatile and mixable.
It acts as a blank canvas, allowing other ingredients—like fruit juices, herbs, or sparkling mixers—to shine without clashing. This neutrality also ensures a smooth, consistent taste across a wide range of flavor profiles, from citrusy spritzes to bold berry blends.
Vodka’s light body and high mixability appeal to a broad audience, making it a go-to base for refreshing, easy-to-enjoy drinks. Plus, it’s shelf-stable and blends well with carbonated elements, making it perfect for the convenience and portability of a can.
Now available at liquor stores and major retailers across the Midwest in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa, with plans to expand into other United States markets in summer 2025.
Currently distributed across Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa by distribution partners including Grey Eagle Distributors, Krey Distributing Company, H.W. Herrell Distributing Company, Lohr Distributing Company, Donnewald Distributing Company, Doll Distributing, Kabrick Distributing, and Fahr Distributing.
Learn more at www.vodkade.com or on socials at @Vodkade_cocktails on Instagram and @Vodkade on Facebook.
About Vodkade
Vodkade is a canned cocktail beverage made with a proprietary blend of vodka and natural fruit flavors.
Designed for those who live to play and play to win, Vodkade combines the bold refreshment of a sports drink with a kick.
Vodkade is distributed across Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa by distribution partners including Grey Eagle Distributors, Krey Distributing Company, H.W. Herrell Distributing Company, Lohr Distributing Company, Donnewald Distributing Company, Doll Distributing, Kabrick Distributing, and Fahr Distributing.
It’s crafted for champions of good times everywhere. More information can be found at www.vodkade.com.
Vodkade encourages fun seekers to drink responsibly.
City of Angels Food Wine: A World-Class Culinary Celebration at Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles Featuring 36 All-Star Chefs, Coming July 2025
City of Angels Food Wine: A World-Class Culinary Celebration at Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles Featuring 36 All-Star Chefs, Coming July 2025
Southern California is poised for a landmark moment as Event Founder Shelby Russell and Culinary Host & Partner Neal Fraser proudly present L.A.’s newest world-class culinary festival, the inaugural City of Angels Food & Wine featuring an exceptional lineup of 36 Best Chefs taking place at the historic Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles!

Franklin Becker, Photo Credit: Courtesy of City of Angels Food & Wine
Opening Night on Friday, July 25, 2025
Grand Tasting on Saturday, July 26, 2025
Set in Downtown L.A., home to some of the country’s most innovative dining experiences, a spectacular two-night strolling festival with Opening Night on Friday, July 25, 2025, and the Grand Tasting on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Each evening will bring together the industry’s top tastemakers and 1,000 culinary and beverage connoisseurs to celebrate an all-star lineup of 18 Top Chefs and restaurants, spectacular wineries, premier spirits, handcrafted cocktails, craft breweries, curated selection of non-alcoholic beverages, live entertainment, and much more.

Chef Lindsay Autry; Courtesy of City of Angels Food & Wine
City of Angels Food & Wine will take place at Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles, a vibrant, diverse culinary hub renowned for its cutting-edge cuisine and cultural richness.
Housed in a magnificently restored 19th-century cathedral, Vibiana is one of the city’s most iconic event venues, blending historic grandeur with modern sophistication.
As one of the nation’s most dynamic food destinations, Downtown Los Angeles offers the perfect backdrop for Southern California’s premier world-class culinary festival, where innovation, tradition, and flavor converge in an unforgettable celebration.

Chef Jonathon Sawyer; Courtesy of City of Angels Food & Wine

City Of Angels Chefs, Courtesy of City of Angels Food & Wine
The inaugural City of Angels Food & Wine will feature an extraordinary lineup of 36 of the Best Chefs representing Los Angeles, Anaheim, Pasadena, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Chicago, Palm Beach, New York, and Mexico. This exemplary event promises to be a spectacular showcase of culinary excellence.
All-Star Chef Lineup includes:
Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana – Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Chef Vartan Abgaryan: Momed – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Govind Armstrong: Post & Beam, The Lobster, 8 oz. Burger Bar – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Lindsay Autry: Honeybelle – Palm Beach, FL
Chef Franklin Becker: Point Seven – New York, NY
Chef Giberto Cetina: Holbox, Chichen Itza – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Josiah Citrin: Mélisse, Citrin, Charcoal Venice, Dear John’s, Openair, Augie’s on Main – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Tolu Eros: ILE LA – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Ben Ford: Ford’s Filling Station, Galerie – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jeffray Gardner: Marsatta Chocolate – Old Town Torrance, CA
Chef Joel Hammond: Uchi West Hollywood – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Katianna Hong & Chef John Hong: Yangban – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jessica Koslow: Sqirl – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Vivian Ku: Pine & Crane, Joy – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Donnie Masterton: The Restaurant @ Sollano 16 – San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Lord Maynard Llera: Kuya Lord – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Raphael Lunetta: Lunetta – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Sergio Ortego: Bontanica – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Dylan Patel: avec – Chicago, IL
Chef Michael Reed: Poppy & Seed, Poppy + Rose – Anaheim, Los Angeles, CA
Chef Andreas Roller: Jonathan Club – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Steve Samson: Rossoblu, Superfine – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jonathon Sawyer: Kindling – Chicago, IL
Chef Warren Schwartz: Magpies Softserve – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Shannon Swindle: Funke, Felix Trattoria – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jimmy Shaw: Loteria Grill – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Kris Tominaga: Manuela – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Bret Thompson: Pez Coastal Kitchen – Pasadena, CA
Chef Niki Vahle & Anna Sonenshein: Little Fish – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Marcel Vigneron: Lemon Grove – Los Angeles, CA

City of Angeles Food Wine
This year’s City of Angels Food & Wine event beneficiary is St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, whose mission is to prepare and deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion, or ability to pay. St. Vincent Meals on Wheelsdelivers over 100,000 meals each month to seniors at risk of hunger and stands on the front lines for the homebound and vulnerable throughout L.A. County, especially during emergencies like the recent Los Angeles wildfires, providing nutritious meals, shelf-stable food, wellness checks, and even pet food. More than 250,000 seniors in Los Angeles face food insecurity, and many of them are isolated and homebound. For these individuals, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels is a lifeline.
This year’s Partners include Delta Air Lines as the official Airline, Chef Works as the official Hospitality Apparel, IceBulb as the official Ice Supplier, Waterboy as the official Hydration, and Vibiana as the official Event Venue.
Ticket Information: The Inaugural City of Angels Food & Wine will take place on Friday, July 25th, 2025, and Saturday, July 26th, 2025, and this is a 21+ event. A DELTA VIP Early Entry Pass will be held from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Regular Admission will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are on sale starting Wednesday, May 14, 2025. For more information on the City of Angels Food & Wine, please visit www.CityofAngelsFW.com.
Transportation and Parking: Guests are strongly encouraged to utilize professional car services, such as Lyft, as alcoholic beverages will be served at the event. Self-parking is conveniently available in a Joe’s Parking Structure across the street from Vibiana.
Follow City of Angels Food & Wine for the latest updates on:
Facebook: @cityofangelsfoodandwine
Instagram: @cityofangels_foodandwine
City of Angels Food & Wine
Vibiana
214 Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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SoCal’s Coffee and Margarita just got Upgraded! Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Reveals Tasty New Flavors in Exclusive ExpoWest 2023 Interview
Yum! Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Reveals Tasty New Flavors in Exclusive Interview for ExpoWest 2023
Say yes if you love coffee. Say yes again if you love cocktails. Say yes a third time if you love ‘em, but wanna be healthier and save some money.
If you said yes to *any* of the above, you’re going to want to listen, because we just had twenty minutes with the woman who makes all those things happen for you.
This week at ExpoWest 2023 Jordan’s Skinny Mixes has a lot to share!
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Margaritas
Their Naturally Sweetened line of margarita mixes is made with real lime juice and sweetened with agave and contains 75 % less sugar and calories than other leading brands. The four margarita mixes flavors are Classic, Peach, Spicy, and Strawberry Key Lime, and they do not contain any artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes natural line of skinny syrups is available in 4 guilt-free flavors, including Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, and Chocolate Mocha
Their natural line of skinny syrups is available in 4 guilt-free flavors, including Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, and Chocolate Mocha, for your coffee, tea, protein shakes, baking, or just about anything.
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes was founded in 2009 by female entrepreneur Jordan Engelhardt. The beverage brand was created with the simple desire to enjoy a margarita that wasn’t loaded with sugar and empty calories. Now with over 100 products, this female-led team is on a mission to craft beverages that cut the sugar and keep the fun from coffee ‘til cocktails.
Skinny Mixes can now be found in over 13,000 specialty retail locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe, including Target stores, Skinnymixes.com, and Amazon.
Jordan Engelhardt is an impressive person, so when I had the chance to meet up and have a conversation, it was an easy yes.
Just to give us some background, what were you up to before launching back in 2009?
Back in 2009 I was a recent college graduate working in real estate as an appraiser. I launched this product [Jordan’s Skinny Mixes] right when the recession was basically at its peak. It had just started and the market crashed pretty heavily in Florida where I was living at the time.
So I found myself without work, and this idea that I felt pretty strongly about.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve navigated in the industry over those 10 years?
Oh, there’s been a lot. The world has evolved much more to natural products, which is why we’re here at Expo West as we just have launched our new natural line so this is pretty big for us.
Also, the customization of flavors over the years have just gotten more and more prevalent.
Millennials, and the population in general, really like the variety of flavors, and being able to customize everything. And then Covid really drove at-home consumption of coffee. So I think all of those trends over the last 10 years have really helped drive this company’s growth.
When Covid forced everyone to stay home, did that become a “lucky opportunity” for the business and boost at-home coffee drinking?
It was certainly fortunate in some ways, but in many other ways [not as much]. We were selling to many grocery accounts. We’re selling to a lot of specialty stores which had no choice but to close their doors. So we lost quite a bit of distribution during that time, but were able to make up for it online [with website e-commerce]. So [with market] penetration and trying to drive consumer growth, in that capacity, yes, it was fortunate. But it was also a little bit scary [for us], like many other businesses at the same time.
What is the biggest misconception in general about skinny mixes?
People don’t necessarily understand the versatility of our syrup and how you can not only use it for coffee, but you can use it for baking and protein shakes, and just anything.
Flavored syrups are great for iced teas. You can simply just add a dash to water and transform your water.
Once we got the samples this week, the amount of random things we’ve tried [the skinny mixes] with just to see how it’d go.
I love it! It’s part of the fun and part of the great relationship we have with our consumers. They
have so much fun experimenting and making these recipes, and then including us on that.
So [experimenting with the syrups on different foods] just became a benefit over the years. It’s certainly something we think about now.
We have this really amazing closed Facebook group that has really active members. It’s called “Skinny mixes. Share your recipe”. You can see the amount of creativity that our users come up with and then they share their recipes.
One person put it with sweet potatoes, they used it on egg sandwiches. Interesting wild things that you would never think about.
Can you share a little bit about the inspiration behind the line and how you develop the flavors?
Yes, of course. We have a great relationship with our consumers, and they asked for it. When they ask, we listen. We do a lot of innovation. We launch a lot of flavors.
So that’s where it came from and it’s really done. We’ve gotten into Target with this line. We take a lot of pride in listening to what our customers want, and this is what they wanted
What’s the development process like for these flavors?
We have several partnerships with different food labs and beverage labs. We start by verbally explaining to them what we’re looking for. We have a big panel at our company and we just do a lot of tasting. It often takes quite a bit of time because we take a lot of pride in making sure it tastes exactly what we were visualizing.
We can come up with anything from “Mermaid” to “Unicorn”. The different food labs across the country are amazing and they make it happen.
It’s a slow, methodical approach. Then we have a larger tasting panel and we keep going until we find just the right mix.
That’s incredible. What’s the timeline from concept to finished product?
It varies widely. It could take a couple of months or it could take over a year. Probably on average, about 4 to 6 months.
Do you ever try to create flavors and they don’t end up working out?
Oh, it happens all the time, especially in the beginning. We’re innovating constantly. Trends change fairly quickly. We’ve been fortunate with a robust website where we can test things quite easily and pivot.
Are there any teases as to what flavors might be next?
Well at the show we’re launching our naturally sweetened flavors. French vanilla, caramel, peppermint, mocha and pumpkin spice. Maybe some new seasonal offerings after that. We’re constantly innovating, constantly looking at new categories.
Switching over to coffee, what inspired you to launch coffee syrups?
12 years ago the company started with cocktail mixes. With the popularity of Starbucks and people going through the drive through and having what they thought was guilt-free drinks but was not necessarily guilt free.
They didn’t realize how many calories they are consuming with their Frappuccino or their latte.
It immediately seemed like another way to really help people not have such a sugar laden beverage every single day.
That’s why the coffee syrup was developed. Since cocktail mixes are so seasonal, coffee syrup is something that consumers consume daily. So it was a natural extension for the product line with the coffee syrup
You have some new coffee flavors launching as well
Listening to the trends and looking at the popularity of the most popular flavors just through our [tasting] panel. and you know, just having a great team that’s out and about, and looking at menus, and using some common sense, if you will, and reading up on trends, it’s then a 3 prong process.
You’re getting a lot of positive attention at ExpoWest. What in your opinion, makes for a successful trade show?
Taking the step to take the risk to be there and have your branding there; and be open to meeting consumers and buyers in the trade. We try to make it fun. So we serve cocktails, and we’re going to be serving espresso Martinis today. Yesterday we served Margaritas, and we had a speakeasy happy hour. It helps people really understand the brand, and come by and see us. I think that’s most important, really put your brand out there and your brand’s personality and just have fun with it.
Can you talk a little bit about the mission behind Jordan’s Skinny Mixes?
Our mission summarized is crafting beverages that cut the sugar and keep the fun for a healthier, more flavorful lifestyle and to make everyday moments simply sweeter.
What is your biggest call to action for the audience?
I’d love the consumers to experiment at home. I’d love for them to make their latte at home. Make that morning coffee at home. So many people will say it’s going to be a better experience.
Try our products. You’re going to save calories. You’re going to save time. You’re going to save money.
Shop Jordan’s Skinny Mixes products online and view recipes at https://www.skinnymixes.com/
Check out Jordan’s Skinny Mixes latest and greatest recipes by following on Instagram – @skinnymixes, Facebook- @skinnymixes, TikTok – TikTok , and Pinterest – @skinnymixes
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Holiday Weekend BBQ: Secret to Juicier Chicken? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Secret to BBQing a Juicier Chicken? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Want juicier chicken? Yes. More flavor? Yes. Get it all setup in seconds? Yes. Two guys who love good food decided to tackle the problem.
Luckily, a Chef and a Builder were on the team. And luckily the team has business smarts, creativity and can-do spirit. Lastly, the team got global attention by winning their way onto hit TV show Shark Tank where Kevin O’Leary got excited by the flavors, the team and their product.
Today Turbo Trusser partners Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust stopped by for a conversation about delicious food, creating a great team and the secret to cooking.
The below conversation was edited for length and clarity. Find the full conversation on our YouTube channel.
Can you guys share a memory about how being in the backyard with your family and friends inspired you to create the Turbo Trusser?
Brian Halasinski: Kirk and I have been working together on inventions for the last eight years and oftentimes we’ll have an idea that’ll come up and we’ll text each other and we’ll write it down in a notebook and then we’ll come and visit it later.
It just happened that I was getting ready to make chicken for my family and I was going to do a rotisserie chicken and I was trying to figure out how to tie this bird up with traditional strings. So I got my iPad and I’m watching a video.
I have to pause the video. My hands are covered in chicken juice. And after it was all done, it wasn’t done well.
I texted Kirk because he’s a trained chef from the culinary Institute. There’s gotta be a better way. We started working on the Turbo Trusser from there.
After your success on Shark Tank, Turbo Trusser has become a global hit. How have your backgrounds inspired where you are today?
Kirk Hyust: I’ve been a building contractor for 25 years. Before that I was a chef. I got burnt out [being a Chef] and then I started building things and that’s how Brian and I met. I renovated his house for him.
I was in the middle of inventing a wrench and Brian saw it [and said], ‘I want to start inventing too. You want to be inventing partners.’
We still haven’t quit our day jobs. We work seven days a week. Luckily working for us a lot of the time is cooking. Which is good.
You mentioned you are a trained chef. Tell us about your chef side.
Kirk Hyust: I went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Classical French cuisine. We’re from Ohio, so I like meat and potatoes and hearty casseroles.
Do you have a favorite dish?
Kirk Hyust: Fettuccine Alfredo and Turbo Trusser chicken.
Brian, can we touch on your background and how how you ended up with TurboTruster?
Brian Halasinski: I have been in the pharmaceutical sales industry for the last 20 years. I have a fairly flexible schedule to where I’m on the road and can be on the phone and be multitasking quite a bit when I’m working.
I’ve had that entrepreneurial spirit in a way. Then when I met Kirk, he had invented this wrench and he was working on my house and he was there for it was a pretty decent sized project.
So over time we became friends. I became interested in the whole process of inventing.
And then with that, you could actually take your invention and license it to somebody, basically renting out your idea and collecting a royalty. Kirk and I always thought that would be great.
We did a couple of products and we licensed them. Didn’t end up working out […]. We learned a little bit about the failures. And then ultimately that day I texted Kirk and said, listen, we got to come up with a better way to trust a chicken or Turkey. And we looked out there and there was nothing available other than butcher’s twine, which has been the way it’s been done for a hundred years.
A huge majority of people cook chicken and turkeys the wrong way. That’s my assumption.
When we compare your final chicken to a poorly done chicken what’s the difference?
Kirk Hyust: Trusting actually is a technique that brings all the meat together. If you don’t trust a bird, you’re actually cooking five pieces of meat separately. You got two wings, you got two legs and thighs and a breast. What you do, when you truss a bird, you actually bring all the pieces together and it cooks as one piece of meat, so it’s cooked more evenly and it’s juicier.
If you don’t cook it, if you don’t tie it up, if you just throw it in the oven or on the grill, what happens is all the meat cooks separately. The breast is gonna be done before the legs. The wings probably are going to dry out and they’re going to be inedible. Because when you use the Turbo Trusser the wings are great.
It makes one ball of meat essentially and cooks it as one piece of meat instead of five.
Is it the ego of the grill master? Or how do we help people realize they can have a better bird?
Kirk Hyust: That’s a really good question because we get that a lot. People have never even heard the term truss. To truss a bird.
Your bird’s gonna be a lot better, but it’s gonna take you about five minutes to do it when it takes 20 seconds to use our product. Especially a Thanksgiving Turkey because that will dry out a lot faster than a chicken.
Brian Halasinski: With the Turbo Trusser, the way it’s designed it’s going to hold the stuffing in place too. So the stuffing’s not going to dry out the way it closes the cavity.
If you’re going to do a rotisserie, you absolutely have to tie that bird up or your legs and wings are going to be just flopping around the whole time.
Can we talk a little bit about the process going from zero to where we are today?
Brian Halasinski: It was when we came up with the concept.
First, we started making prototypes. We made them out of cardboard. Then we made them out of wood. Kirk’s got all these tools so we could easily cut things. Then through trial and error with prototypes that we could make cheaply, we ended up with a very similar design to what we have today.
Then from there, we found a local fabricating shop that was able to laser cut out some samples for us so we could actually cook with them. We did all these things, refining the process and refining the product down to where we wanted to make it. Then we had to make a decision: make this here in the U.S. or go overseas.
Kirk and I made a decision based on our beliefs and our values that we wanted to make it here in the U.S. Being in Ohio, we were close to Cleveland, Ohio. This was the rust belt. There’s still a lot of manufacturing here.
So within one hour of our headquarters, we were able to source everything we needed to mass produce and launch this product to the world from Canton, Ohio.
Kirk Hyust: We had six prototypes by the time we got to our seventh one. That was the one that we stuck with. We just kept refining the prototypes until we landed on the seventh one, which is that what in the stores or online.
Can you tell us a little bit about from prototype one to seven? How did we get there?
Kirk Hyust: When you’re doing a prototype, obviously you have to solve a problem. When you build a product, it has to work correctly or you’re going to get bad reviews.
But we started out with a couple different designs. We bought a chicken and a turkey; and we put this contour gauge on the leg, so that made the dips that you see now where the legs go into. Then we were in my shop, cutting it out and it looked like [bird] wings so we ended up putting the heads on it because it already had wings that the legs sat into the cradle.
It’s a lot of detail.
Kirk Hyust: Yes, exactly. We just got our patent […] issued for the very first time. Even if it’s a piece of stamp metal and 2 wires. How intricate it really is.
Kirk, between your chef skills and your contractor skills. A perfect combination of bringing those two skill sets together.
Kirk Hyust: It is. We have sales and numbers and Brian’s also creative. […]The technical stuff, the websites, we develop everything together, but we have our strengths, he has a master’s degree in business. So he’s trained really well for that.
So it’s lie our strengths and weaknesses definitely fit together with each other.
Can we just talk through in the most simple, basic steps, how to use the Turbo Trusser?
Kirk Hyust: It’s really very simple. I usually buy a five pound bird. [With] smaller birds, it still works. It goes up to a 10 pound chicken.
Then you take the plastic off, pull the packet of giblets and everything out of the inside. Rinse it off. Pat it dry with a paper towel and if you have time, put it in the refrigerator and let the skin dry out. Put the Turbo Trusser on it, hook the legs in, hook the wings.
Use duck fat or some kind of a binder to put your spices on it. Salt and pepper, your favorite rub, something spicy, something sweet. Coat it with some kind of oil, or ghee or olive oil.
Put it in the oven at 375 for an hour and a half until it hits 165 degrees. That’s pretty much in a nutshell how easy it is.
Brian Halasinski: The Turbo Trusser is just three pieces. You got the main piece. Then you have two hooks. The hooks are going to go through the holes on the body of the chicken. You’re going to put the sharp end through the hole. It’s going to lock into place with the other end.
So it’s simply, put the two hooks into the Turbo Trusser body. You hook them onto the wings. The legs go into the cradle and in 20 seconds, you’re done.
How do we get that strong-willed Backyard Grillmaster to give the Turbo Trusser a try?
Brian Halasinski: Just telling them to keep it simple and go back to what people have been doing for 100 years. And that’s using string to tie it up. Only we came up with a simpler solution. So it’s what everybody’s been people don’t do it because they’re intimidated, but now they don’t have to be. The turbo truss are so easy to use.
Anybody can use it. Even if you have dexterity problems, you’re never going to figure out how to, you’re not going to be able to tie up a bird if you have problems with your fingers, right? older people, maybe they have arthritis and it’s hard for them to tie a knot. Now with the turbo trusser, you can do that without fear and you can, it’s simple and effective.
As we wrap up, tell me about the Shark Tank experience.
Kirk Hyust: It was crazy.
Brian Halasinski: I’ll give you a high level view. We launched our product on November 1st of 2021.
Right away we went online and we applied for Shark Tank. It was 100% online. Before COVID they would do open casting calls like Like American Idol.
About 50, 000 people apply. They narrow that down to about 125 people that tape [a TV segment], and maybe 100 or so will end up airing on television for the season that you’re in.
So we apply, we have no sales, we don’t hear a word from them for a couple months. So we launched the product. We did pretty well. We sold like $50,000 worth of Turbo Trussers in the first two months of being in business with nobody ever heard of us.
We went back and we re-applied again, we got some sales numbers. Eventually they called. I Six months after we initially applied, they called us.
You basically work down through the process every week. They’re giving you something new to turn in, to make a video.
Our first video, we came up with the idea to wear the chicken and turkey costumes. We said we wanted to stand out. We know that Shark Tank is television. If it’s not good TV, people aren’t going to watch it. They loved it.
We made it all the way down through. We went all the way out to California and taped [our episode]. We ended up getting a deal with Kevin O’Leary, which was incredible.
Kirk Hyust: Brian’s a salesman. I’m not used to that. So when I was on Shark Tank, I messed my lines up. I went blank for a couple seconds. I missed my cue to go over to my spot and I was really flustered, but I recovered, but man, that was the worst part.
Tell us the website, social media, where to find you, where to browse your products, where to learn more about you.
Brian Halasinski: The first thing for our product is TurboTrusser.com.
You can make your decision if you want to buy from our website, or you can go to Amazon Prime across the country.
You can find us on all the regular social media at Turbo Trusser on Facebook, Instagram, TikToK
You can find me, Brian Halasinski on LinkedIn, connect with us and be happy to chat or answer any questions with anybody.
Kirk Hyust: I’m on LinkedIn as well.
You can reach out if you have any questions. I write a lot of the PPAs (provisional patent applications) and stuff. So any kind of questions, how to cook a good bird we’re accessible. We want to help we want to help anybody out there that we can, because we’ve had a lot of people help us along the way.
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East LA ‘ Birrieria Chalio ‘ Serves Big Flavor Birria from Raul Luis Family Secret
East LA ‘ Birrieria Chalio ‘ Serves Big Flavor Birria from Raul Luis Family Secret
One of East LA’s most popular restaurant serves Kings, Queens and Food Royalty. You can get a taste if it too.
Raul Luis brings Flavor with East LA’s birria
Today’s conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
We have a really special treat today. We’re talking with Raul Luis from Birria the restaurant here in East LA. We’re going to talk about family. We’re going to talk about flavor. We’re going to talk about how he creates these amazing dishes. And then we’re going to talk more about how you can have a bite and taste his the food from his restaurants.
Raul Luis, thank you for joining us today.
Raul Luis:
Thank you for having me here. I’m very honored to be here speaking to you.
Joe Winger:
What’s the most important message you want the audience to hear today?
Raul Luis:
I think we can start talking about how Birria came to LA. How do we get it here? What caused that trigger to start selling the food here in LA?
My dad was given a certain skill set, handed down to him to make birria.
Birria is chivo goat meat. He used that skill set back in Mexico. He came to the U. S. when he came over during the Bracero program. He was talking to his buddies and he told them he’s a Barriario. He doesn’t know how to cook birria. So they would ask him if he would cook that dish from because that dish was only traditionally eaten during those special once in a lifetime events, baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings.
So the common denominator in all those events was the birria.
You went [to an important life event], you knew you were going to have birria. I tell people the story because I remember being small myself when I was young, that we wouldn’t eat meat too often because we were vegetarians, not by choice, but because of circumstance.
When someone was having a party, we said, “Wow, we’re going to eat birria today.” We knew we look forward to, we’re going to eat meat. It’s time. Let’s get ready to go eat some meat. Get ready, put on your Sunday clothes and go. When my father came to the U S People knew about him. They asked him to cook their dish for him.
When he cooked the meal for someone’s wedding, quinceanera, baptism, for their special occasion, he would cook extra.
So his friends would come over. When his friends would come over, he would serve whatever portion it was, usually like a whole carcass of lamb, 50 pounds. And then there was some leftover, so he would feed his friends.
And he would tell the stories when he would feed his friends. His friends wouldn’t leave. They would stay there for hours and they would be talking and my dad was, “I gotta go do my Sunday [errands], my day off. We gotta go to our family. They were there for hours and all their memories, all memories, special occasions.
Remember this? Remember that? And my dad said, “Man, what? Why are you talking? Why are you staying here so long?
It was the food.
He didn’t realize the time. It was the food that was triggering those special [memories], triggering their mind.
They’re time travelers, they’re going back to other special events.
I tell people, it’s those once in a lifetime events that are much more exponential, much more magnified because it was somebody’s wedding. It was somebody’s baptism.
That’s how it began, by cooking.
Joe Winger:
Your father was an amazing person. Back in the early 1960s, back in Mexico, he’s working in a tiny little five chair restaurant in the Mercado before migrating here to the US.
What have you learned from him taking this huge life journey?
Raul Luis:
I look back, how do the immigrants do this? How do they leave their country, leave everything behind?
He had a small spot, maybe five people to sit there. He would sell on the weekends. Business wasn’t that brisk.
They were opening up a new spot, but they required a down payment to secure it. So he had to come to the U.S. so he could save up some money.
They asked, does anyone know how to cook? Dad raises his hand. I’m a birriero.
So he began cooking birria for the farm workers. He was limited because now he was out of his comfort zone.
He was no longer in Mexico. He didn’t have access to all the spices that he used back home.
In the preparation of the different birrias, before they put the red adobe sauce, it’s white.
All the farm workers ate it up, but the people who were in charge wouldn’t eat it because it wasn’t easy on the eyes. People eat with their eyes.
[So he changed his process]
Why don’t you add the red before?
So, we marinated before we cook it,
[The second change]
There wasn’t all the spices we needed, so the chef that was there helped them get new spices or tweak the recipe a bit.
That’s what happened.
You have aspirations, and dreams, as many immigrants. They come to the U. S., make some money, go back.
He never went back.
Once you plant roots, then it’s hard to go back to your country of origin.
Joe Winger:
Fast forwarding to the present day. Your Birria in East LA is very popular.
What’s the most common dish at the restaurant?
Raul Luis:
We’re known for Birria. 9 out of 10 plates will be the Birria.
Sometimes we have new customers who want to try it but are hesitant. I explain our 10-hour cooking process [to get them excited.] Underground pits, cooking it with the mesquite wood to add that flavor.
The gaminess, the taste, our process, all that fun stuff, secrets.
Raul Luis ‘s East LA Birrieria Chalio most popular dish
Joe Winger:
Can you walk us through the flavor and process?
Raul Luis:
It’s a 2-day process. You get the [goat] carcass, cut it up into pieces.
The ribs, the neck bone, the French rack. There’s all these different cuts. Every single cut has a different taste profile and texture. So when you walk in, it depends on you. How dirty do you wanna get?
Do you wanna get down and dirty? You get the bones.
I tell people the neck is the best because it’s so tender, so soft, not too much fat on it.
If you’d like the nerve, then you get the ribs.
The flavor is amazing. In the bones, it’s amazing.
There’s people who don’t like to deal with the struggling or getting dirty. So they go with the all leg meat. That’s the drier part. It’s good, but it’s not. Not my first choice.
We cook it, we steam it, we marinate it, let it sit for about 24 hours and we put it into a our pressure cooker.
Part of the science is the way you stack it up, like a pyramid, and then they put firewood under it. If you don’t stack it correctly, part of it won’t cook.
You have to put it up a certain way to make sure that all the meat gets cooked properly.
We take it out. We’ve got to separate it so we can have all the different parts. Distinguish the leg from the neck bone from the ribs, put that aside. Then we put it in the oven so we can get like a slow roast, nice little crispy. Tender on the outside, real soft on the inside.
The most important thing is the consommé.
That’s the broth, we call it the “honey”. You can’t have it without the consomme. The birria isn’t birria without the consommé. That’s what gives it the flavor. That’s what takes it to the next level.
Some people say, “Oh, I had birria.” No you didn’t. That was a taco.
No, you’ve got to have it with the consommé.
The new movement with the birria, they dip the sauce. It’s the same concept, but I would like to think that our consommé is a little more intense, more flavorful, because we use the broth from the goat and from the mince that it distills.
So it’s really flavorful. You got to try it.
East LA Birrieria Chalio from Raul Luis – A Family Secret
Joe Winger:
You have a deep family history, you have a cultural history. Obviously food is part of that history. Can you talk a little bit about the cultural value and the meaning behind Birria and why it’s important to you?
Raul Luis:
I tell people it’s made to feed kings and queens. How?
Because in our region, Central Mexico, the birria is eaten by most of the population in Mexico. About 85-90% are Catholic.
So one of the first steps when a child is born, they take them to the church and that’s where he becomes a king.
They baptize them. They have a festivity. There’s a party going on.
Then the second phase is they feed the Quinceaneras.
That’s a rite of passage where you go from childhood to adulthood for the girls. So now you feed the princesses.
The next step is when the lady gets married, she’s the queen.
All three of those things, traditionally, was birria.
That’s the only thing that was in common. That helped people look back to those special occasions. When people eat the birria, they go back to that once in a lifetime event.
It’s time traveling for them.
It’s the memories.
Fast forward to when we came to LA, the parents would bring their kids, [and now their kids say] ”I used to come here 20 years ago. My dad used to bring me when I was a kid.”
So that’s what it does. It brings the family together.
Raul Luis Battles Fast Food Giants …and Wins (kinda)
Joe Winger:
You mentioned some fast food places now working within the same cuisine. Rubbing you the wrong way.
Raul Luis:
Yeah, it’s fascinating how many people called me [about it].
Del Taco and a few other places that were selling birria, but they’re not selling it the way it’s supposed to be. That’s wrong. At first I was a little worked up explaining that they’re missing the point here. What it means to the people from back in Mexico.
But there’s always a silver lining. Now the dish is mainstream.
I would have never been able to do that. These guys with these big budgets are able to cross over and speak to different generations, different ethnic groups.
Before, when we first opened up our restaurant. [Everyone would ask] “What’s it called? What is that? I don’t know what that is.”
Now people know when before they didn’t.
So I give them credit for being able to make people aware and bringing attention to this dish.
I see myself as the missing link. I’m the one that’s going to fill in the gaps to tell what the dish really means, what significance it has, what historical cultural value it has. That’s what I’m doing with our YouTube channel at Birria World.
East LA Birrieria Chalio leads the Birria Movement
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk about the Birria movement. Everyone says you are the leader. What does the future of Birria look like in East LA and in the country itself?
Raul Luis:
In a perfect world, everybody would switch over from beef to goat, which is actually one of the most eaten meats across the world.
If you go to the Middle East or China, they eat that dish. Here in the U. S., it’s not as popular.
Introducing them to the dish so they can try out the different textures, different profiles. They can see that there’s another option.
I source from a vendor in Texas.
The meat we use is paleo certified. It’s halal, all this special stuff. Probably a little more nutritional than beef.
There’s more taste, more flavors in the meat.
My job is to go out there and have people be aware that [this] exists.
There’s potential growth across the US to be provided for different ethnic groups and different generations of people.
Joe Winger:
You’ve had world-famous food stars visit you.
Raul Luis:
Anthony Bourdain came to our LA location. I guess he saw something before everybody else did and realized it was a special dish.
The second person was Jonathan Gold. He was a writer for the LA times. He wrote beautiful articles on us. He also saw what the dish meant to our community.
They gave it a little approval. Come on, try it. Take your turn. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I’m sure you’ll be back
Joe Winger:
Raul Luis with his Birria restaurant in East LA. Tell us all the ways that our audience can find you and learn more about you.
Raul Luis:
They did a documentary, “Mexi Papa: Chronicles of Birria” on YouTube. That’s just the basic history of how Birria got to LA and the US.
Then you can go to Birria World on YouTube. We do a birria tour, going to different restaurants, we showcase how they cook it, why it tastes different, how it’s served differently in certain regions.
On Instagram, you can go to Chalios Birria for my Texas location and East LA Chalios Birria Instagram.
Then on Facebook, it’s a Chalios Seminary.
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