SoCal Restaurant Show

For the SoCal Restaurant Show the highlight of the OC Fair is the Culinary Arts inside the OC Promenade. That’s where the popular cooking demonstration stage is. There are also recreations of classic. OC restaurants selling select menu items. You can also meet their long-time food carving artist, the talented Ray Duey. Guests can explore the captivating Sand & Sea Exhibit, marvel at the OC Fai...

“BADMAASH is a Los Angeles–born lifestyle and hospitality brand that has been redefining modern Indian cuisine since 2013. Founded by brothers Nakul and Arjun Mahendro, the restaurant has earned local, national, and international acclaim for pushing the boundaries of the Indian dining experience. By blending traditional recipes with contemporary reinterpretations, BADMAASH pairs bold, vibrant flav...

“BADMAASH is a Los Angeles–born lifestyle and hospitality brand that has been redefining modern Indian cuisine since 2013. Founded by brothers Nakul and Arjun Mahendro, the restaurant has earned local, national, and international acclaim for pushing the boundaries of the Indian dining experience. By blending traditional recipes with contemporary reinterpretations, BADMAASH pairs bold, vibrant flav...

Believe it or not many food-savvy European visitors to the USA for World Cup games became obsessed with Ranch Dressing (America’s most popular salad dressing.) Not found in Europe…It’s an American creation. It got so crazy that the TSA had to put out a blast reminding departing visitors that the 12-ounce bottles of commercial Ranch dressing had to be placed in checked luggage. In the spirit of int...

Alice Glenn is the Executive Vice President of New Orleans & Co. She joins us to explain what a Destination Marketing and Sales Organization (DMO) does to support their home city. “New Orleans & Company is the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans’ tourism industry. Founded in 1960, their mission is to inspire, promote and encourage travel to New Orleans for...

Chef Mawa McQueen is a prominent restaurateur with popular properties in Aspen and Boulder Colorado. She is also a Ment’or Chefs Council Member and an enthusiastic supporter of Team USA 2027 on the road to Lyon. She joins us. “In addition to her four restaurants in Aspen - Michelin recommended Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawita Tapas & Wine Bar and two locations of Crepe Therapy Cafe- in the past yea...

Chef Instructor (Bread and Pastry Arts) Matt Serkes is on staff at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI.) We’ll meet him. “New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips individuals with the skills, confidence, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to excel in culinary & hospitality careers and passions. Through ac...

“Ashwin Vilkhu is a celebrated chef and restaurateur known for bringing modern Indian cuisine to New Orleans through his acclaimed restaurant Saffron NOLA where dishes draw on his Indian heritage and global influences, reinterpreting traditional Indian recipes with a Southern twist. He’s was a 2025 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: South.” “Chef Ashwin’s latest, The Kingsway, is a fine dini...

We’re live from New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center covering the Americas Selection for the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition. Eight top-flight culinary teams, from eight different countries in North & South America, are competing to determine which five teams move on to the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition in Lyon France in January of 2027. This bi-annual event...

Alice Glenn is the Executive Vice President of New Orleans & Co. She joins us to explain what a Destination Marketing and Sales Organization (DMO) does to support their home city. Meg Bickford is the Executive Chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. She joins us. “Edgar “Dook” Chase, IV is the Owner/President of Chase Hospitality Group and Chase Concessions, LLC., a partner in...

“Ashwin Vilkhu is a celebrated chef and restaurateur known for bringing modern Indian cuisine to New Orleans through his acclaimed restaurant Saffron NOLA where dishes draw on his Indian heritage and global influences, reinterpreting traditional Indian recipes with a Southern twist. He’s was a 2025 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: South.” Chef Ashwin joins us. Chef Instructor (Bread and Pa...

“Food journalist Ian McNulty is a writer for The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate and NOLA.com covering restaurants and food culture. His commentary series Where Y’Eat airs weekly on NPR affiliate WWNO, and he is a frequent contributor to WWL radio in New Orleans.” “Ian is the author of two books - “Louisiana Rambles: Exploring America’s Cajun and Creole Heartland,” a travel narrative abo...

“Edgar “Dook” Chase, IV is the Owner/President of Chase Hospitality Group and Chase Concessions, LLC., a partner in Chase North, the premier food and beverage operator and management concessionaire at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, and the proprietor of two of their concepts, Leah’s Kitchen and Dook’s Burgers. Chase Concessions also operates eleven other concepts at MSY, as well concep...

Meg Bickford is the Executive Chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. She joins us. “Native to the region and its Creole and Cajun cuisines, Chef Meg Bickford assumed the role of Executive Chef at Commander’s Palace in October 2020. Bickford graduated from the John Folse Culinary Institute and was subsequently hired by Commander’s, where she went on to serve as Executive Chef of C...

Outrageous Fair Food is always a mouthwatering highlight. What crazy edible will they next put on a stick? One of the all-star, Fair Food personalities is the well-traveled Midway Gourmet, Chef Dominic Palmieri of Biggy’s fame on the RCS Carnival Midway. We’ll find out what indulgent deliciousness Chef Dominic is cooking up now for The OC Fair (“Your Adventure Awaits!”) running now through Sunday,...

It’s Summer… Think specialty grapes and seasonal watermelon. “Red Muscatos™ Grapes are Melissa’s signature red table grape, known for their sweet, floral flavor and satisfying crunch. These seedless grapes are perfect for snacking, adding to fruit salads, or serving with cheese. Their vibrant red color and deliciously juicy texture make them a standout addition to any snack, appetizer or meal.”&nb...

“Foodies already know that authentic New Mexico Hatch Peppers make everything better — burgers, pizzas, tacos, omelets, guacamole, salsa …” It’s the always anticipated fresh Hatch Chile season for the next month. Check the Melissa’s Website for the schedule of Weekend roasting near you. “Named after the original growing area in Hatch, New Mexico, authentic Hatch Peppers are truly a Southwestern fa...

Outrageous Fair Food is always a mouthwatering highlight. What crazy edible will they next put on a stick? One of the all-star, Fair Food personalities is the well-traveled Midway Gourmet, Chef Dominic Palmieri of Biggy’s fame on the RCS Carnival Midway. We’ll find out what indulgent deliciousness Chef Dominic is cooking up now for The OC Fair (“Your Adventure Awaits!”) running through Sunday, Aug...

Outrageous Fair Food is always a mouthwatering highlight. What crazy edible will they next put on a stick? One of the all-star, Fair Food personalities is the well-traveled Midway Gourmet, Chef Dominic Palmieri of Biggy’s fame on the RCS Carnival Midway. We’ll find out what indulgent deliciousness Chef Dominic is cooking up now for The OC Fair (“Your Adventure Awaits!”) running now through Sunday,...

Outrageous Fair Food is always a mouthwatering highlight. What crazy edible will they next put on a stick? One of the all-star, Fair Food personalities is the well-traveled Midway Gourmet, Chef Dominic Palmieri of Biggy’s fame on the RCS Carnival Midway. We’ll find out what indulgent deliciousness Chef Dominic is cooking up now for The OC Fair (“Your Adventure Awaits!”) running now through Sunday,...

“Foodies already know that authentic New Mexico Hatch Peppers make everything better — burgers, pizzas, tacos, omelets, guacamole, salsa …” It’s the always anticipated fresh Hatch Chile season for the next month. Check the Melissa’s Website for the schedule of Weekend roasting near you. “Named after the original growing area in Hatch, New Mexico, authentic Hatch Peppers are truly a Southwestern fa...

California avocado growers (typically small family farmers growing premium fruit) are being squeezed by sometimes inferior Mexican avocados flooding the US market during California’s peak harvest season of June and July. Chef Andrew explains why California Haas Avocado farmers merit our support8

“The House of An restaurant group (Beverly Hill’s Crustacean) has cooked up a new and highly interactive buffet brunch concept at AnQi at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa called Bia Hoi Marketplace (pronounced bee-ah hoy. ) The next dates are Saturday & Sunday, August 1st & 2nd. (Sunday, August 2nd is sold out.) “Bia Hoi is inspired by the lively street-side beer and food cul...

Remember the confusing “Sell By” labels? In California it’s now “best if used by” or “best if frozen by.” Still uncertain ? Chef Andrew unravels it all.

“Where can you enjoy an enormous, loaded potato and live jazz? Where can you find LA’s only floating restaurant for a bowl of chowder? Where can you eat in a historic, fully restored streetcar where Hollywood legends and mobsters once dined? Unique Eats and Eateries of Los Angeles: The People and Stories Behind the Food by journalist Danny Jensen answers these questions and more.” “Whether you’re...