After our interview, I tried cookbook author Mark Bittman’s recipe for Turkish Breakfast, a cinch-to-make hummus paired with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, olives and whole-wheat toast. I added a slab of watermelon and served it for a luscious eat-every-bite dinner. Better yet, I tried it for breakfast. Delicious. Much – so much – more flavor-packed than my lonely egg. Turkish BreakfastYield:…
Celebrity Interviews
There is mischief in Amar Santana’s eyes as his exuberant laughter fills my kitchen with culinary joy. He is relaxed, his confidence driven by a passion for cooking and a well-proven skill sets. The celebrity chef joined me to share the secrets of his silky corn pudding, a versatile side dish that can accompany everything from steak to sweetbreads. Watch…
Recognize the name? Chef Amar Santana dazzled viewers as a finalist on Bravo’s “Top Chef.” He competed on Korean Food Battle, and although he doesn’t speak Korean, almost won the competition. The HALL Global Eatery, SCP, Costa Mesa: Along with business partner Ahmed Labbate, Chef Santana has opened a extraordinary food hall at South Coast Plaza (it’s the spot where…
Fifi Chao, much respected and beloved food writer for the Orange County Business Journal for more than three decades, recently passed away. In the photo above, Fifi embraces her much-adored husband, Patrick. Some of Orange County’s best chefs gathered at Break of Dawn Restaurant in Laguna Hills to create a 10-course dinner in her honor. They dubbed it “Fifi’s Best.”…
Many say that cooking at the James Beard House for a chef, is like performing at Carnegie Hall is for a musician. Zov Karamardian, executive chef-owner of Zov’s Bistro, Zov’s Cafes and Zov’s Anaheim, with join culinary director Louie Jocson on October 6th in New York City to cook in the former home of the late James Beard. It is…
The allure of grilling seems obvious, especially when it comes to meat cookery. The taming of flame and smoke has a primordial vibe, the welcome challenge of creating scrumptious flavor and texture while conquering flare-ups, cool downs or interruptions. For retired Anaheim Ducks superstar Teemu Selanne, the appeal runs even deeper. He likes the camaraderie that it fuels, the sociability…
Ten years ago I had the opportunity to interview Maya Angelou about cooking, life and love. The time spent wasn’t rushed. She was generous of thought and deed. Here is a portion of the story I wrote about it: My words sounded like a jittery chicken pecking corn through a picket fence. Maya Angelou’s voice sang in rhythmical patterns with…
GOLDEN FOODIE AWARDS: Thank you so very much for voting me Best Food Writer in Orange County! It was such fun to look our at the audience and an ocean of chefs and restaurateurs who have shared their hearts and recipes with me over the last 25 years. ALAN GREELEY: This man is one of a kind. His culinary genius…