Hitching Post 2 Hosts Jim Clendenen Tribute Dinner, Benefiting Santa Barbara Charities.
Winemakers, Chefs, Vineyard Owners and Friends Gather to Honor the Legacy of Santa Barbara County Wines First Ambassador Raising $100,000 for Direct Relief and the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast
On February 4, 2023, Jami and Frank Ostini of the Hitching Post 2 in Buellton, California, hosted the Jim Clendenen Tribute Dinner benefiting Direct Relief and the Community Health Centers of the Central Coast.
One hundred ten guests came from distances as far away as Boston, Atlanta and Hawaii to honor Jim Clendenen, the founder and “Mind Behind” the highly acclaimed Au Bon Climat Winery located near Santa Maria, California.
The event raised $100,000 at the Santa Barbara Wine Auction sponsored by the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation, with proceeds from the dinner benefiting the two charities.
Jim Clendenen started his winery in 1982, rising in prominence locally and internationally as he aspired to emulate Burgundy’s culture and wine styles by creating unique Santa Barbara wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
He became an international ambassador for Santa Barbara Wines while traveling the world and returning to California to mentor the first and second-generation winemakers in Santa Barbara County.
Jim befriended the best chefs and winemakers worldwide and built a wine business that sells across America and the globe – England, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Japan and Korea.
Jim’s children have taken up the torch.
Daughter Isabelle is traveling to represent Au Bon Climat at the Triangle Wine and Food Experience in North Carolina, and Knox is selling wine in Japan.
Like father, like daughter, like son.
The rest of Jim’s Au Bon Climat team was in the room – long-time winemaker Jim Adelman, first ABC employee cellar master Enrique Rodriguez, assistant winemaker Mark Piro, Michael Meluskey, James Sanders and Randi Chavoya. Surrounded with pictures of Jim’s life, the dinner featured a slideshow of 300 photos.
Endless storytelling filled every table as Jim’s spirit lit up the room.
Stories of Jim’s 40-plus year career and how he touched thousands of lives were shared by local grape growers, winemakers and friends, including Bob and Louisa Lindquist, Doug Margarum, Paul Lato, Brian and Lisa Babcock, Chad Melville, Andrew Murray, Katy Grassini, Matt Murphy, Justin Willett, James Ontiveros, Matt Turrentine, Gary and Jeanne Newman, Chuck and Kathleen Carlson, Chris Brown, Pierre LaBarge, Coby Parker-Garcia, Gary and Teresa Burk, Jessica Gasca, Debra Eagle, Drake Whitcraft, Jessica Stolpman and Gray, Charlotte and Weston Hartley.
Other attendees of note came to pay tribute to Jim: David & Judy Breitstein, David Fink, Bill Shea, Jay Mcinerney, Keith Pitts, Tom Black, Jimmy Davis, Blake Brown, Michael and Kathy Gordon, Bhupi Singh, Gurinder Kaur, Drs. Mark Goodman and Greg Hallert, and Jim and Jody Rea. The traveling contingent was led by Roy Yamaguchi, Chuck Furuya and Warren Shon from Hawaii, Chip Coen from Boston, Scott and Margret Dozier from Atlanta, and many others.
A spectacular five-course feast was prepared and served by the Hitching Post staff of 20 led by George Alvarado, Brad Lettau and Angel Carmona with the help of chef friends.
Clark Staub of Full of Life Flatbread Los Alamos had a strikingly colorful Chicory and Citrus Salad;
Roy Yamaguchi of Roy’s Restaurants of Hawaii served the pinnacle plate of Sea Bass enhanced with fresh-caught uni from Santa Barbara’s renowned fish-monger Stephanie Mutz.
Budi Kazali, formerly of the Ballard Inn, followed with a wonderfully earthy Smoked Duck Breast with Turnips and Tempura Chanterelles.
The Hitching Post served their signature Oak-Grilled New York with Black Truffled Mashed Potatoes and finished the evening with an assortment of cheeses and small bites of sweets.
The menu was paired with ten outstanding wines poured from five-liter bottles of Au Bon Climat vintages that spanned four decades – 2020 to 1986. A team of eleven sommeliers meticulously served the wines under the leadership of fellow winemakers Bob Lindquist, Doug Margarum and Paul Lato.
The evening was a wonderful and memorable tribute to a great friend, Jim Clendenen. And as Jim would have done himself, a generous sum was raised for charity while enjoying fine food and wine
ABOUT HITCHING POST 2 and HITCHING POST WINES:
The Hitching Post 2 Restaurant and Hitching Post Wines offer a quintessential Santa Barbara Wine Country food and wine experience in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley. One can enjoy traditionally made Pinot Noirs in a nearly 100-year-old wine-tasting room along with a casual high-quality BBQ lunch out back, set in a glorious outdoor setting with a mountain backdrop.
In the evening, you can visit the iconic Hitching Post 2 steak house that has been a Santa Ynez Valley institution since 1986 – a restaurant where you can enjoy Central Coast oak wood BBQ’d steaks and seafood matched with Hitching Post and fine local wines from Santa Barbara County.
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Daytime TV Star Thaao Penghlis Seducing Celebrities wants to Give You a Taste at his next dinner party.
Daytime TV Star Thaao Penghlis Seducing Celebrities wants to Give You a Taste at his next dinner party. Read all about it in his new book.
Thaao Penghlis has starred in some of the biggest TV shows of all time – including playing on daytime TV’s “Days of Our Lives”.
Thaao Penghlis new book Seducing Celebrities: One Meal at a Time
Now in Thaao’s new book, Seducing Celebrities: One Meal at a Time he reveals seduction in the dining room by creating incredibly delicious for his famous friends.
Today’s conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger
Congratulations on your new book. It’s a tasty read and a fast read.
Thank you for joining us for a conversation today.
Thaao Penghlis:
Thank you for inviting me.
Joe Winger:
You’ve done a lot of work in your life. We’re going to go to food and books as quickly as possible.
When you’re at an airport or in public, what is the most common thing people remember you from?
Thaao Penghlis:
Certainly Days [of our Lives]. There’s a big Armenian contingency out there who always comes at me at the airports, [Days…] was in 152 markets. Especially when you’re in New York and it’s an international port. When Mission [Impossible] was on. I certainly enjoyed that. I think it had a large male audience because of the action and that I liked it was interesting. That kind of prepared me for the masks that I did on Days [of Our Lives]. So it was a real challenge. Working in daytime; I think the biggest challenge is remembering all those lines and giving it some kind of conviction and taking those lines off the page.
And a lot of the time, because there’s too many lines, we’re just on the edge, and so because I have a certain intensity I’m able to cover. I think through all those years people, airports probably are the biggest. I’m going to do a PA [public appearance] at the Grand Canyon in August.
It’s a very special train ride through the Grand Canyon with just 22 fans. It’s going to be a very intimate affair. So over the years, you get the older people who are the real followers, because the youth today have different appetites.
Just like they do with food, they’re not always conscious about what they’re eating. Unless they’re educated about it or they’re raised on good food. And I think today food has become a convenience rather than a celebration.
Joe Winger:
You use wonderful words in your book. It feels almost like poetry. “Food is the magic of our universe.” Can you elaborate on that a little bit?
Thaao Penghlis:
We’ve been given such diversity as far as food is concerned, that we have that many choices, especially in countries that can afford food. But to me, once you’ve grown up tasting octopus – we used to hang it on the [clothes] line for three weeks until it dried out. There’s no blood in the octopus, therefore, it doesn’t rot – that was mouthwatering.
Some of the fruits you have in life, like mangos. When you can appreciate the way they’re being served. It’s not like eating an apple. If you eat a mango and you slice it, then cut it up in quarters, there’s a different texture to it. The flavor. To the eye it becomes attractive. I think food, when you think about what you can control in your life and you are blessed to have it. I think food is magical because of that.
Joe Winger:
One more line of food poetry from your book. “You discover your body’s secrets by the way you feed it and how it feeds you back. “
Thaao Penghlis:
When we who are in the Greek Orthodox church, we go through a fast to the last day [of holidays like Easter] before we go to the church and get the bread and the wine.
You start to appreciate the food that you can’t have because of its limitations in the religion. The last day you’ll have olive oil on bread with some sugar, things like that. So when you get to food and understand it, when you stop eating and cleanse your body, sometimes it just juices, you become hungry.
You get to understand what food does to the body by emptying it out. If you don’t eat well, or if you eat late, then the next day, you’re not going to feel great.
So you get to understand what the body can take and what, and when, are the limitations to eating and at what hour, if you drink too much wine.
As an actor, I don’t drink very much. But if I have wine, the next day, my eyes are going to show it. So it tells me something about the kidneys, because the eyes are connected to the kidneys. So it’s understanding how the machine you’ve brought into life carries your soul. How does that express itself in the best way possible?
As actors, we have a responsibility because of that body being presented on camera as a certain responsibility to the producers to the show and to your audience. So you get to understand. I would go through a four day fast with Bela’s broth, Celsius broth. I would find that would cleanse me through the days I did like a liver cleanse, which got rid of stones.
You get to understand what the organs are, that you can do things naturally without having to take all those dreadful medicines and those pills.
The body is all we’ve got. Why have I overcome certain things in my life? It’s always been through nutrition.
Joe Winger:
Your journey, the things you’ve learned, and you touch upon that in the book a little bit, lessons you learn from different actors and producers and people you’ve worked with, but that’s another great lesson is as far as using it as a medicine.
The book is called Seducing Celebrities: One Meal at a Time. It is an enormous undertaking: beautiful pictures, recipes, Hollywood stories, your family. There’s a lot going on.
What inspired you to write the book?
Thaao Penghlis:
The hardcover has all the colored pictures inside. So it has a different dimension to it when you actually see it, because let’s face it, presentation is very important.
So when you see color, when you see something displayed you want to get into it. If something looks like someone just piled something, it’s not attractive to the appetite.
My manager called me one day and he said, “You always talk about food. Why don’t you do a cookbook?”
I went, “Oh, I don’t know how to do a cookbook. Everything that I’ve caught has come out of my head.”
I remembered, I learned when I worked at the UN [United Nations] for a year when I was in the diplomatic corps. In my youth I went into kitchens where they had chefs. I saw presentation. I understood the etiquette of arriving there on time.
45 minutes later you’re having the hors d’oeuvres, maybe it’s champagne, maybe it’s some caviar or whatever they presented.
Then it was time to go into the dining room and sit there. It became a ritual. And so you got to appreciate the time, the presentation that someone put in.
So all these memories came into my head. I said how would you think? How do you think about food? I said it’s really seducing people, isn’t it?
By the way you create an atmosphere, by the way you look at a dish, and by the aroma. So I said, Let’s call it “Seducing.”
I said who have I seduced?
How about celebrities that I’ve met and worked with? That’s how it came about seducing celebrities. One meal at a time.
I always like to serve the first, second and the third course. But usually, I don’t join the guests on the first course, because I’m busy preparing the main course.
So I present the first course to them. Then I’m in the kitchen. The actor, Danny Kaye in the old days. He used to be an expert of Chinese food and around the counter in his kitchen is where his friends sat and he just fed them. That was something that was so gratifying for him.
So I understand if it’s done well, and your friends leave. They take it for granted.
People don’t cook these days, or they’re intimidated because of the way you’ve presented it. So therefore let’s take you out instead. So you don’t get that personal touch that I think is so important.
When you sit around your watering hole, as I call it, that “table”, which is something if when I leave this country eventually and go home to Australia, that is one thing I’m going to take with me is that table because it has a huge history to it.
To me the table and how you decorate it and how you present it is very important to the appetite of the person joining you.
Joe Winger:
I’m thinking of your table, sometime in the future when you do move, that could be a heck of an auction item. The amount of people who sat around it and heard stories and shared stories.
Speaking of those stories, you’ve named huge Hollywood stars like Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson George Clooney, amazing actors, Joanna Cassidy, William Hurt.
Your Hollywood life has been so many decades of work and amazing people. What was the process like deciding who makes it into the book and deciding who you had to leave out?
Thaao Penghlis:
You don’t like everybody you’ve worked with and everybody you’ve met, food is very personal
In the old days they serve you poison. In the French 18th century, you’d be sitting there and if you were an enemy, they’d serve you a dish with poison. That’s how they got rid of enemies. But I don’t know.
Dame Edna, who I was best man at his wedding, which is Barry Humphries. He was very particular. He was also a person who loved art. So he would walk around my house looking at what kind of a collection and made his judgment on it.
The same thing with the food, he would taste it. He would give you that quite qualifying look that he approves.
Omar Sharif was different. When I worked with him, we had champagne and caviar every day, because that’s the way he lived.
[He would be] telling me stories of Lawrence of Arabia and many of his other films and I think, because I look like his son, he was very taken not in the beginning. In the beginning, he was quite rude and quite distant. It wasn’t until I was about to start the first scene with him where he comes into the room and when I met him, he was distant, shook my hand and said, “Hello”.
So when he comes into the room, he’s supposed to slug me after something I say.
He says to me, by the way, “Please, when I hit you do not go over this 18th century table and break it. It’s very important that we are respectful about this table.”
And I said, Oh, I’m not going anywhere. And he says, what do you mean?
I said, “Oh, Omar. I said, if you hit me and I go flying off that table, where do you and I go for the next four hours?”
He says “What will you do?
I said, “I’ll probably adjust my tie.”
He started to laugh and that’s how it started.
How do you infiltrate a person’s personality who comes in defensive working with Bill Hurt in “Altered States”.
I had some very difficult dialogue because it was very technical. How do you make it real? I started to do this sequence and he says to me, “Is that how you’re going to do it?
And I said, “Why is that how you’re going to do it?”
And from that moment, he goes, “You’re an arrogant son of a…,”
And I said, “So are you.”
From that moment, we clicked. When we joined hands in Mexico, away from Warner Brothers, we had a good bond.
I never stood for his star attitude. You have to call it. So I don’t like it. When someone brings that, I leave that, I go outside.
Joe Winger:
Doris Roberts, after dinner once wrote you a note. I took that idea as an incredibly loving gesture.
if you could talk a little bit about that note, and then any other amazing gifts from you dinner parties?
Thaao Penghlis:
When I approached Doris and she would write the introduction, her comment was, “Oh, darling, why don’t you do that?”
I said, Doris, you’ve been coming here for dinner for years. So why can’t you just get in touch with your heart and write something pleasant?
And that’s what she wrote.
Because every time she came, it’s like my friends who come over always know they’re going to get a good meal. I never go cheap on the thing. I’ve seen people come in the house with daisies in their hand. I said, “Does this house look like it collects daisies?”
Or they’ll bring me Two Buck Chuck.
I said, are you bringing that so I can put it as a wine for the food, because it’s certainly not going on the table and things like that.
Where people are not experiencing you or contributing and also shows you how cheap it is. And even when Doris, who used to get crates of champagne from Dom Perignon for free, because she was connected to somebody who worked there, she would come in.
She would say “Darling, here’s some Dom Perignon, put it in the fridge.”
I said, “Oh, okay. Thank you.” I think, Oh, this is a person who understands quality.
Then five minutes later, she’s sitting at a chair. She says open the champagne for me, will ya?. So I realized it wasn’t for the house. It was for her. So she didn’t bring anything.
Here’s this woman who makes an enormous amount of money. I’ve studied with her for over 20 years with Katsalis, the director, and then she would come in and sit at the table and she would look at the flowers and then she would look at the presentation of everything and then she would smell the food and so through that experience – you don’t always get respect, you have to earn it.
With her, because of my work as an actor, and because of my success as an actor, and also now writing some people will say to you, “Are you writing another book?
But they say it in such a derogatory way.
Whereas Doris said, “I’m so proud of you.“
I went out with Doris, just the two of us went to movies because she always had to have company. She was like Joan Rivers. She had to have every night filled. She couldn’t stand just being on her own. So when she was invited to my home, she always remembered the presentation and the flavors of that evening.
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk a little bit about what was the process of writing the book like this time?
Thaao Penghlis:
Recipes are in my head.
So I had to cook in my head. For six months I started to think, Oh,I never wrote anything down.
I would call friends and say, “What was your favorite meal I cooked?”
Then I would say, Oh, okay, that’s good; and then I would just test my friends and they would tell me what they like the best.
So I got all these recipes that were still in my head. And I somehow remember what I put in it. My sister in law in Australia says to me, the difference between you and I as chefs is that I have to have a cookbook in front of me. You open the fridge and say, what are we going to eat?
I spent six months going through recipes.
Then finally I said, what did my mother cook? The Greek traditional foods or the Greek desserts. And my sisters are very good at cooking desserts.
Then slowly I collected the foods and started to make them.
Joe Winger:
That’s an incredible journey.
We’ve pushed toward the idea of an impolite or a bad dinner guest. How do we find an appropriate dinner gift? And then what would be a definite no?
Thaao Penghlis:
People will ask me, what can we bring?
It’s a silly question because you can’t bring food. So you, what do you bring wine? Or flowers? Or whatever enhances the atmosphere?
But something that’s not here, but sometimes when they keep asking me that, I say, bring cash. And that always throws them because they take it seriously.
So sometimes I won’t answer that question. I said, “Surprise me. But make it expensive.”
So I like to play with them.
I said to a friend of mine once, your hands are always empty. They never spoke to me for three years after that. They turned around and left.
There’d been guests who arrived when you had a seven o’clock dinner and arrived at 9:30. I’ll open the door and say to them, “I’m sorry, we’ve already had dinner. We’ll talk another time.” And then I closed the door because I find it disrespectful.
It tells you who people are and their consciousness. I don’t like unconscious people, but we’re going through a very difficult time in the world.
And it’s all because people are not conscious of others. It’s always about them. And so to me, the wonderful thing about serving food and expecting something in return, something.
Even if it’s – we used to write notes in the old days, a phone call – but texts now have become such a convenience.
Why don’t you just call me and tell me where I spent two days preparing this, that you can’t afford a five minute phone call, but you’ll text me in one sentence and that’s it.
Things like that I don’t approve of.
I think that kind of communication short changes [the memory of the experience]. I want to be at times where you want to cook again. If you’re not gonna share something about yourselves, call me the next day and say, I had such a wonderful evening. Some people think it’s enough when they leave, or they got here,
But they don’t understand how you complete things. Completion is very important. Just as an actor, you have an arc in your character, it’s complete.
The same thing with food.
When I serve food, it’s complete. I have an order: I have hors d’oeuvres. I have a first course. I have the main course. And then I have dessert and maybe some Greek coffee or tea or whatever people need and the wines.
But I just find people are unbelievable. They don’t understand what it takes to put an evening together.
If you don’t know how to treat me, I’m going to show you. So that’s what I said there.
Joe Winger:
Have you ever played with the idea of a cooking show? Is that something you see at all for yourself?
Thaao Penghlis:
It’s a lot of work. All that preparation. I’ve done it as a guest here and there.
Joan Rivers used to join guests and everything, she always made some wonderful jokes.
Dame Edna would make wonderful jokes.
I’m doing a book signing May 22nd at the Grove in Los Angeles at a Barnes and Noble. I’ve got to do a cooking show. I thought what are we going to cook? Something that’s not difficult.
So I’m going to do a vegetarian dish, which is not in the book, but it’s with shiitake mushroom, truffle oils, mint, basil heirloom tomato, raw peas and pine nuts. Then I will mix that in with the pasta and some olive oil and then some truffle oil and with some herbs and that’s about it.
That’s so convenient and it’s such a delicious dish with Parmesan cheese over it.
Joe Winger:
The book is called Seducing Celebrities: One meal at a time
You breezed over Joan Rivers for a moment and I wanted to touch upon it because In that chapter, you help us see her in a different way than what we always think of her as, especially being in the car with her daughter, Melissa as a young girl.
When I think of Joan Rivers, the stereotype, I think of outrageous, and you have one or two moments beyond her, Barbra Streisand, there’s a little bit of outrageousness there, are there any outrageous moments that you didn’t include that you thought about including?
Thaao Penghlis:
I don’t I don’t mind telling stories, or privately telling stories.
There’s got to be a borderline, just like etiquette. If I’m expecting for people to behave a certain way.
One time, there was a famous guest, which I won’t mention, who was having problems with their daughter, and they were sitting around the table. The phone rang in the middle of dinner, and he answered it, he starts screaming on the phone, and telling his daughter off.
I just lost it, I got up and I said, “If you don’t mind, take your bloody phone call outside, we’re not interested in your private business and how rude of you.”
Because I don’t like people bringing phones into the house.
The inner chatter that goes on with people’s minds, where they’re so distracted with life instead of just being there. Being present.
With Telly Savalas as well. There have been times also with people with Days [of Our Lives] and I couldn’t tell those stories because firstly, I have to work with him again. Secondly, I don’t think it’s everybody’s business.
There was a book that Hustler put out all the stories about those magnificent stars of the [1940s] and talked about their sexual proclivities.
Someone said, “Why would you do that?” Why would you betray your friends that way?
You smash the myth. They spent years creating a myth. But when you start getting into the nitty gritty, you make those people ordinary. And show business is not about being ordinary.
So I try to refrain from telling things that go beyond the norm. I want to be able to see these people later in some time, even though they’re gone,
I still believe we’ll see them on the other side that they did more good for me. Otherwise it’s a matter of respect and keeping someone’s dignity there.
Joe Winger:
Your book starts almost like a love note or a Valentine to growing up with your family. Your mother, your father, their first trip to L. A., to your grandfather George’s herrings and olive oil tin.
Thaao Penghlis:
Yeah, that was something to watch growing up.
To see my grandfather bringing his knowledge of food from the islands of Greece.
What I remember the most, even my grandmother, you’ve come down in the mornings and you can smell the cinnamon toast. She would be dipping wicks into wax and creating candles for the church.
Joe Winger:
Seducing celebrities one meal at a time.
Can you give us a tease about what you’re looking forward to in the future?
Thaao Penghlis:
I just finished exploring the Holy Families.
I did a two week trek up and down the Nile to these sacred places. So I’ve written a story because most of the things we see about religion are postcards or lovely paintings. What do we do when we explore it within ourselves and follow those routes? Something else happened.
I’ve written a teleplay. It’s very interesting the way it begins and where it begins and how it follows through into The Great Escape.
Find Thaao Penghlis’ new book on Amazon at Seducing Celebrities: One Meal at a Time
Santa Monica FIG Restaurant in Iconic Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows Launches Limited-Time Menu with Tieghan Gerard on April 10, 2024
Santa Monica FIG Restaurant in Iconic Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows Launches Limited-Time Menu with Tieghan Gerard on April 10, 2024
Featuring elevated twists on comforting classics and the best of the bounty of the spring season, the limited-time menu features Executive Chef Damon Gordon’s own FIG twist on Half Baked Harvest’s signature staples
Embrace the essence of farm-to-fork cuisine and welcome the Spring season in style as FIG Restaurant at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica announces an exciting culinary collaboration with celebrity chef Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest fame.
Renowned for her visually stunning and delectable recipes, Tieghan’s culinary creations have captivated audiences worldwide.
With over five million social media followers, bestselling cookbooks, and appearances on major networks like The Cooking Channel, Food Network, and The Today Show, Tieghan brings her unique flair to the table.
Set against the backdrop of one of America’s most cherished hotel destinations, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows boasts lush gardens, luxurious poolside accommodations, breathtaking ocean views, and the beloved Fig restaurant.
From April 10 to May 10, 2024, guests can indulge in a month-long culinary journey featuring a selection of Half Baked Harvest’s elevated comfort classics infused with FIG’s signature touch by Executive Chef Damon Gordon.
Using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients sourced from the Santa Monica Farmers Market, just a stone’s throw from the hotel, this collaboration promises to elevate dining experiences to new heights.
The limited-time insta worthy menu is available for brunch on Saturday & Sunday from 11:30am – 3:00pm, and dinner from Tuesday – Saturday from 5:00pm – 10:00pm.
Brunch
- Ricotta Chocolate Chip & Banana Pancakes: A healthy yet comforting Half Baked Harvest brunch staple, these pancakes are loaded with bananas, chia seeds, and semi-sweet chocolate chips for balance.
Dinner
- Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Burrata: Offering no better twist on a classic, simple spring/summer staple, this colorful dish features an abundance of sweet cherry tomatoes from Wong Farm out of Mecca, CA which offer premium tomatoes for the spring and summer that are sweet and full of flavor.), served over creamy burrata cheese with an organic fresh herb vinaigrette from Kenter Canyon, Sun Valley, CA,, served with housemade crusty grilled bread.
- Spicy Pesto Alla Vodka Rigatoni: This silky, smooth and extra creamy Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka features fresh pasta housemade by Chef Damon tossed in a creamy, yet balanced spicy tomato pesto vodka sauce utilizing tomatoes from Wong Farm.
- Calabrian Chili Roasted Red Pepper Pizza: Featuring housemade sesame-topped dough, this crispy, well-balanced pizza offers the right amounts of spice, saltiness, and cheese with spicy Calabrian peppers and sweet roasted red peppers from Weiser Family Farms, based in Tehachapi, CA.
Nestled within Fairmont Miramar, FIG Restaurant exudes a charming blend of rusticity and sophistication, offering a haven for fresh, seasonal cuisine. With a commitment to utilizing Southern California’s abundant produce, an impressive 85% of the menu highlights the region’s bounty. Sourcing ingredients from multiple weekly visits to local farmer’s markets and specialty foragers scouring the coastline for rare finds, FIG ensures a culinary adventure like no other.
Helmed by Executive Chef Damon Gordon, whose culinary pedigree includes training under renowned chefs such as the Roux Brothers, Marco Pierre White, Claude Troisgros, and Alain Ducasse, FIG embodies a philosophy rooted in providing guests with unforgettable dining experiences. By spotlighting local and seasonal produce sourced from the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, Chef Gordon crafts dishes that tantalize the palate and celebrate the essence of California cuisine.
FIG welcomes guests for breakfast and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday, with brunch service available on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations can be made through Resy or by calling (310) 319-3111.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Situated on five expansive acres on the bluff north of the Santa Monica pier overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows sits on what was originally the private estate of the founder of Santa Monica, dating back to 1875. The historic hotel property is one of America’s most celebrated and iconic hotel destinations due to its sprawling gardens, luxurious poolside accommodations, spectacular ocean views, and the fresh sea air. As the only beachside hotel with bungalows, the Fairmont Miramar continues to provide guests, celebrities, politicians, and notable figures a relaxing and luxurious environment in its suite of outlets including the Lobby Lounge & Library, as well as FIG Restaurant, and Soko.
Masters of Taste 2024 on April 7 — Introduces Event Hosts Executive Chef Bret Thompson & Lucy Thompson-Ramirez from Pez Cantina
Masters of Taste 2024 Introduces Event Hosts Executive Chef Bret Thompson & Lucy Thompson-Ramirez from Pez Cantina
Come celebrate and be part of the seventh annual Masters of Taste, L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival returns and will be taking place on Sunday, April 7th, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the Iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl.
100% of the proceeds will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization providing over 50 years of homeless services and housing for thousands of neighbors.
Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez as the Hosts of Masters of Taste 2024 which also marks the 7th Anniversary of this celebrated event.
Masters of Taste 2024 Culinary Master and Host Executive Chef Bret Thompson and Pez Boss Lady Lucy Thompson-Ramirez are a dynamic husband and wife team that have made a significant impact in the hospitality industry.
With their passion for culinary excellence and warm hospitality, they have created a signature name for themselves in the Los Angeles dining scene and beyond.
Chef Bret Thompson’s culinary journey began at the renowned California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He honed his skills at esteemed establishments such as Aqua in San Francisco, Roy’s in Hawaii, and Pinot Blanc in St. Helena, California.
Seeking international inspiration, Chef Bret traveled to Spain to study under Chef Martin Berasategui at Restaurante Martin Berasategui, a Michelin 2-star establishment in Lasarte, Spain.
He further expanded his culinary repertoire in Lebanon at Atlas Café, then studied under Chef Bernard Loiseau at La Cote d’Or his Michelin 3-star restaurant in Saulieu, France, and then L’Arpege, Chef Alain Passard’s Michelin 2-star restaurant in Paris.
Throughout his career, Bret also had an extensive tenure with The Patina Group, working at multiple restaurants, running catering operations and ultimately becoming the Corporate Executive Chef overseeing all restaurant operations for the entire group. While there Bret garnered accolades, including being named “Chef of the Year 2002” by the Orange County Business Journal during his time as Executive Chef at Catal Restaurant in Anaheim.
Eventually, Bret moved on and co-founded and became a partner at the iconic MILK Ice Cream Parlor & Bakeshop in Los Angeles and he also opened his own Market Restaurant and Catering, which he successfully sold in 2014.
In 2015, Chef Bret Thompson joined forces with his wife, Lucy Thompson-Ramirez, to embark on a new culinary adventure as the proud owners of Pez Cantina.
This seasonal, modern, coastal-inspired Mexican restaurant and bar, located in downtown Los Angeles, quickly became a beloved dining destination and in October 2021, they expanded with a new location LA Burrito in Montebello, California.
Lucy Thompson-Ramirez brings her unique perspective and expertise to the front of the house at Pez Cantina. Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, Lucy migrated to the United States with her family at a young age. She pursued her education at the University of Santa Barbara, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Spanish.
Lucy’s first career path led her into the fashion industry, where she excelled in sales and later established her own showroom with her brother called Siblings Showroom. After a successful 18-year tenure in fashion, Lucy made a seamless transition into the hospitality industry alongside her husband.
At Pez Cantina, Lucy’s warm and welcoming demeanor shines as she personally greets regulars by name and fosters new connections. Her dedication to providing a home-like atmosphere has made Pez Cantina feel like an extension of their own family.
In recognition of her leadership and contribution to the industry, Lucy was appointed as President of the Latino Restaurant Association in 2023 and serves on the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.
Outside of their professional endeavors, Bret and Lucy are dedicated parents to their two boys and they prioritize family time, often found supporting their children’s activities or enjoying a cozy evening at home.
In February 2024, Executive Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez opened Pez Coastal Kitchen, their new upscale seafood focused eatery in Pasadena. Offering a diverse menu featuring sea-to-table and farm-to-table cuisine, while showcasing the best of seasonal California flavors, Pez Coastal Kitchen highlights expertise in curing, smoking and dry-aging meats and seafood, as well as their partnerships with local farmers and specialty producers.
With a focus on creating a modern coastal dining experience, Chef Bret Thompson and Lucy Thompson-Ramirez continue to innovate and reinvent themselves and they aim to contribute to Pasadena’s thriving culinary scene and bring a fresh and exciting new concept to Pasadena.
Pez Coastal Kitchen promises a unique blend of California coastal cuisine, thoughtfully crafted cocktails, specially curated wines, special selection of craft beer and Chef Bret and Lucy’s dedication to excellence ensures an unforgettable dining experience that celebrates vibrant flavors and genuine hospitality.
Masters of Taste 2023 was a sold-out event that attracted over 3,000 guests and garnered media attention all throughout Southern California and beyond.
The seventh annual Masters of Taste 2024 is also expected to bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and top cocktail bars, select wineries, local craft breweries, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more.
Some of this year’s Masters of Taste 2024 participating Culinary Masters and Restaurants include:
Pez Cantina Village and Pez Coastal Kitchen Seafood Village by Santa Monica Seafood 2024 Event Hosts Chef Bret Thompson & Lucy Thompson-Ramirez – Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena
1212 Santa Monica Chef Oliver Malmsten – Santa Monica
Arth Bar + Kitchen Chef Mihir Lad – Culver City
Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Vanessa Tilaka Kalb & Chef Thomas Tilaka Kalb – Pasadena
Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Frederico Villanueva – Pasadena
Ayara Thai Chef Vanda Asapahu & Chef Cathy Asapahu – Westchester
BAAR BAAR Los Angeles Chef Sujan Sarkar – Downtown Los Angeles
Beachy’s Food Truck Chef Pablo Camacho – South Gate
BOX Chicken Chef Noah Clark – Los Angeles
Casa Cordoba Chef Eric Zada – Montrose
Celestino Ristorante Chef Calogero Drago – Pasadena
Cerda Vega Tacos Chef Daniel Vega – Santa Clarita
Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown Los Angeles
Chaaste Family Market Chef Gabriel Esteban – Pasadena
City Club Los Angeles Chef Armando Quiroz – Downtown Los Angeles
Emporium Thai Chef John Sungkamee – Los Angeles
Fat Boys Chef Michael Gray – Pasadena, Los Angeles
Gabi James Sarah Gabriele & Adam Aro – Redondo Beach
Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach
Granville Pasadena Chef Marc Dix – Pasadena
Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken Chef Mynor Espinoza – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles
Harold & Belle’s Chef Ryan Legaux – Los Angeles
Italia Pasta e Pizza Chef Ivan Capasso – Covina
La Bohéme Chef David Gualberto – West Hollywood
LAVO Ristorante Chef Luca Maita – West Hollywood
Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos
MAMA M SUSHI Chef Jack Supachai – Pasadena
Marina Chef Harout Borsikian – Pasadena
Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica
Panda Inn Chef Yang – Pasadena
Poppy + Rose Chef Michael Reed – Downtown Los Angeles
Rice Balls of Fire Chef Jorman Herrera – Arieta
Room Service Neighborhood Chef Gloria Chicas – Los Angeles
Santa Monica Seafood Chef Sherrod Nichols – Santa Monica
Soulmate Chef David Joyce – West Hollywood
StopBye Café – Lynwood
Taishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long Beach
The Peppered Goat Chef JohnPaul Arabome – Van Nuys, Las Vegas
UCHI West Hollywood Chef Joel Hammond – West Hollywood
YAKIYA Chef Ling – Pasadena
Yardbird Chef Alvaro Rayon de Jaime – Los Angeles
Yuca’s Restaurant Socorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera – Pasadena
Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bachan’s Shave Ice, warm chocolate chip cookies from BAKE SOME NOISE, Beard Papa’s, Bertha Mae’s Brownies, By Faith Café, Gooey Center Bakery, Happy Ice LA, Läderach,deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes from Cakes By Chanté and cupcakes from Lark Cake Shop, Magpies Softserve, Marsatta Chocolate,Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pops Artisanal Creamery, Pazzo Gelato, Porto’s Bakery & Café, and more.
Some of this year’s participating Beverage Masters include:
Bars & Spirits: Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails and top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include Dead of Night Distillery, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress 1908 Gin, Knox & Dobson, La Bay Gin, Laurel Canyon Spirits, Lunetta, Mario’s Hard Espresso, Mezcal 33, Neft Vodka, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, Old Hillside Bourbon Company, Smoke Lab Vodka, The Raymond 1886, Ventura Spirits and Angeleno Spritz, Vintage Distilling, and Xoloitzcuintle Tequila.
Brewmasters: Beverage Masters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, sip and savor all throughout the event, including Southern California favorites L.A.’s All Season Brewing, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Arts District Brewing Company, Big Noise Beer, Boomtown Brewery, Pasadena’s Cerveceria Del Pueblo, Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Beer, Arcadia’s first Microbrewery Mt. Lowe Brewing Co., Nova Brewing Co., Over Town Brewing Co., San Fernando Brewing Co., and Tarantula Hill Brewing Co.
Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine and Sake Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars, Bodegas de Santo Tomas, BONDLE Wines, CRŪ Winery, Golden Star Vineyards, Hitching Post Wines, LMA Wines,Moraga Canyon Vineyards, Anderson Valley’s Navarro Vineyards, NON (Non-alcoholic Wine Alternatives), Sake Akagisan, Sake High!, San Simeon Wines, Stephen Hemmert Wines, Warson Wine Company, Wiens Cellars, and more.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate featuring 2024 premier water master Perfect Hydration Alkaline Water, Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co., Koe Kombucha, boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, and Unincorporated Coffee Roasters.
Every dollar raised at the Masters of Taste 2024 will benefit the work of Union Station Homeless Services (Union Station), a local organization successfully fighting to end homelessness. Over the last six years, Masters of Taste has impressively raised close to $3 Million, helping countless families and individuals find a secure and welcoming place to call home. What is more impressive is that Union Station has seen a 97% Success Rate in permanently housing people since adopting the Housing First model. Their mission transcends just providing temporary shelters; they are committed to creating lasting solutions for homelessness through housing, supportive services, and connection to the community. Over the past 50 years, Union Station has grown to be one of the best homeless services agencies in Los Angeles and is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 38 communities spanning from Eagle Rock to Pomona.
Masters of Taste 2024 is a 100% outdoor event. Additionally, all guests will be receiving their very own utensils and hand sanitizer to use throughout the event.
Mark your calendars and save-the-date for the return of the seventh annual Masters of Taste 2024!
Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2024 will take place on Sunday, April 7th, 2024, and this is a 21+ event. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now. For more information on Masters of Taste 2024, please visit www.MastersofTasteLA.com.
About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.comYou Might also like
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The Iconic Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort Hosts Angel Oak Wine Pairing Dinner April 19
The Iconic Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort Hosts Angel Oak Wine Pairing Dinner April 19.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara–the premier oceanfront resort along the Gaviota Coast–welcomes Babcock Winery & Vineyards to its intimate Angel Oak Wine Cellar for a four-course pairing menu in collaboration with Angel Oak chef Josh Kellim.
The special night is the second of a new monthly wine pairing dinner series to take place at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara.
The evening’s savory menu begins with a caviar course featuring an onion creme-fraiche-topped duck fat tater tot, followed by a second course of black truffle quail eggs, then a grilled guinea hen with white asparagus and morel mushrooms.
The evening concludes with a slow cooked lamb loin and rack, paired with a smoked date puree, lemon yogurt, fresh hummus and spiced lamb jus. Each flavor presented is carefully chosen to bring forth the tasting notes of each Babcock wine poured. Babcock Winery & Vineyards is best-known for its Estate Grown versions of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chenin Blanc.. The pairing menu is matched with the moody environment of the private wine cellar room below Angel Oak–The Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s fine dining restaurant.
The Angel Oak x Babcock Winery & Vineyards Dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19th. Seats are $225 per person excluding tax and gratuity charge.
Reservations can be made online here.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Set against a backdrop of golden beaches and lush mountains, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara embodies the charm, beauty, and energy of the Mediterranean in the heart of Santa Barbara. The iconic Central California resort spans 78 acres and features 358 guest rooms and suites, two natural beaches, lush gardens, and a collection of amenities including: a 42,000 square-foot spa and wellness center; three salt-water infinity pools; six culinary venues including the signature Angel Oak, housing the resort’s 12,000-bottle wine collection; robust activities program for guests of all ages; and 70,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. The property is distinctly nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, offering easy access to the region’s best vineyards, and is just minutes from the center of charming and historic Santa Barbara.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Bethesda, MD, part of Marriott International, Inc., currently operates more than 100 hotels in 32 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.marriott.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.
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Make this Boutique Winery part of Your Next Oregon Trip!
Why You should make Boutique Bells Up Winery part of Your Oregon Trip!
Bells Up Winery – Accessibility and Experience are worth its weight in wine!
Dave and Sara Specter, owners of Bells Up Winery in Newberg, are proving that a tiny winery (they describe it as “micro-boutique” and “un-Domaine”) can make a lasting impression on visitors who want that special “Oregon Experience”.
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How does Bells Up Winery do it?
One phone call, one email, and one pour at a time.
Sara sums it up nicely.
“We were out-of-state visitors ourselves in 2008, and this type of one-on-one owner/winemaker-hosted wine experience was what we loved best, but you hardly see it anymore.”
Their strategy and business plan—producing a scant 600 cases per year across nine wines, and only offering winemaker-hosted private tastings limited exclusively to one group at a time—may sound a bit retro, but it is an intentional throwback to simpler times… when communication and commerce were way more personal and intimate, and far less digital.
Related: Williamette Valley’s Bells Up Winery is Oregon’s answer to music in the bottle
What’s the Bells Up Winery Method
Bells Up Winery is one of the few that do not embrace online sales, online reservations, and SMS text marketing.
Dave and Sara have proved that old school relationship-based wine sales can not only work, but their customers also find it refreshing.
The only way to buy their wine is directly from the winery, either in person or by phone call. Once they’ve gotten to know you and your wine preferences, repeat orders can be made by phone or email.
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If you are uncertain about a selection, they can either reference your tasting with them or discuss your preferences, then describe the available wines directly to you.
Only accepting tasting reservations by phone also allows them to advise their guests about what to expect in advance, which sets expectations for an exceptional experience. After all, reservations for this $50/person winemaker-hosted tasting are special and limited to a maximum party size of six.
Related: From world-class food and wine, to history, hospitality, nature adventures, UFO’s and more, this Tourism ‘Secret’ is about to explode.
This ensures that Dave and Sara can make the personal connections that create happy visitors that talk about their experience and ambassadors of them and their Oregon travels.
Their managed and controlled growth plan of increasing production only as a wine consistently sells out allows them to stay small, intimate, and personal. They insist that winery production will cap at 1,000 cases, which will allow them to continue their focus on surprising and delighting their visitors.
Related:
Love a Quality Martini? Whiskey Old Fashioned? Knox & Dobson Introduces Superior Ready-To-Drink Bottled Cocktails
How does Bells Up Winery do it?
To learn more, visit www.bellsupwinery.com, then phone them at 503-537-1328 to arrange your own Bells Up wine tasting as part of your next Oregon Travel Experience!
Contributed by:
Carl Giavanti Consulting carl@carlgiavanticonsulting.com 971.221.4212
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Suzanne Tracht and Jar Welcomes Raphael Lunetta for a Collaborative Dinner at Jar on July 18
Suzanne Tracht and Jar Welcomes Raphael Lunetta for a Collaborative Dinner at Jar on July 18
Two of Los Angeles’ Seasoned Chefs/Restaurateurs Join Talents for a Best-of-Summer Menu on July 18
Chef Suzanne Tracht welcomes her long-time friend and colleague Raphael Lunetta for a first-time collaborative dinner at Jar, combining their talents and love of Southern California’s seasonal markets.
Suzanne and Raphael have been talking about doing a dinner together for months.
“We’ve known each other in the culinary community for years and share the same sensibility in our cooking,”
says Tracht.
“It’s rare for chefs to see each other unless we’re at an event, and even that is fleeting. This makes for an opportunity that we know we’ll enjoy, and it’s great for both of us because we can work off each other’s energy and inspire one another.”
The four-course dinner begins with an Amuse Bouche of Sweet Summer Melon with Dungeness Crab with Jalapeno Vinaigrette & Persian mint. Then to share for the table, guests will savor Suzanne’s signature Fried Ipswich Clams with Cocktail & Roasted Garlic Tartar Sauce. Next is Wild Striped Bass & Spot Prawn with Sweet Corn Succotash, followed by the entrée of Westholme Australian Wagyu New York Strip with Weiser Farms Baked Potato, Wild Watercress, Gorgonzola, Tomato Confit & Roasted Balsamic-Glazed Ojai Roots’ Vidalia Onions.
Finish with Raphael’s Chilled Summer Cherry Soup with Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Biscotti for dessert.
Guests can pair beverages with Jar’s complete list of wines, cocktails and beers, available à la carte. The dinner is priced at $172 per person, menu only, and inclusive of taxes and gratuity. The dinner must be reserved and pre-paid via OpenTable Experience ticketing.The public may call JAR at 323.655.6566 for further information.
Lunetta & Jar
July 18, 2023
$172
~Amuse~
Sweet Summer Melon with Dungeness Crab
jalapeno vinaigrette, persian mint
~Shared~
Fried Ipswich Clams
cocktail & roasted garlic tartar sauce
~Second~
Wild Striped Bass & Spot Prawn
sweet corn succotash
~Entree~
Westholme Australian Wagyu New York Strip
weiser farms baked potato,
wild watercress, gorgonzola, tomato confit
roasted balsamic glazed ojai roots vidalia onions
~Dessert~
Chilled Summer Cherry Soup
vanilla ice cream, chocolate biscotti
$172 per person
includes tax and tip
alcohol, wine, and beverages not included
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