Iron Chef

Hanging Out With Aaron Sanchez

House of Blues menu revamping. Bud Light spokesman. Chopped judge. Aaron Sanchez keeps a hectic schedule, but that didn't stop him from sitting down with us at Downtown Disney's House of Blues patio to chat about guacamole, his TV obsession and rock 'n roll.So what brought you to House of Blues?The ... More >>

ABC Reveals Details About Nigella Lawson & Anthony Bourdain Show

As his No Reservations show on Travel Channel is winding down, Anthony Bourdain shows no signs of doing the same. He's working on his next travel series for CNN; there's that show on PBS called The Mind of a Chef his company is producing; and now comes more details on the culinary competition show h ... More >>

Original Iron Chef Gets New Chairman; Japan Not Happy

Can someone be too young and too handsome? Apparently if you've been anointed the new chairman of Iron Chef Japan, you can. Kotaku is reporting that Japanese fans of the original Iron Chef are up in arms over the striking good looks and youth of the new chairman producers have chosen to preside over ... More >>

Five Ways to Beat Jason Quinn at the OC Fair Culinary Competition on Aug. 9

So you know by now that this coming Thursday, August 9, I'll be facing off against chef Jason Quinn of Playground at the OC Fair's Pro Chef vs. Home Cook competition. The idea is sort of a mixture of Chopped and Iron Chef America, where we'll get access to a common pantry and have to incorporate a b ... More >>

SoCo Farmers Market Erects Permanent Structure

A few years ago, when Jeff Duggan of Portola Coffee and I were talking about his plans to move into the OC Mart Mix, he said it was going to be OC's version of the San Francisco Ferry Building. I confess that I rolled my eyes--people are always saying these sorts of enthusiastic things to me--but at ... More >>

5 Long-Shuttered OC Restaurants That I Miss

It's been exactly five years since I was given the honor of writing restaurant reviews for this fine paper. In that time, I've been to what I estimate is about 300 restaurants. I'm not going to start rattling of my favorites, because, well, I and your other humble Forkers already do that with our we ... More >>

Foie Gras: 2012's Bacon, Or: Time to End the Foie Gras Follies

​Is it July yet? I can't wait for the day when foie gras is banned in California.Don't get me wrong; I love foie gras. There's nothing like a little medallion of seared foie gras and a small glass of Sauternes to ouvrir l'appétit, as the French would say. It shines perched atop a salade gasconne ... More >>

On the Line: Anne Eng of Panfiniti, Part One

Photo by Mary Pastrana​When it came time to interview someone aboard another luxe lonchera, Anne Eng's Panfiniti reminded me of a concept my friend would talk about opening if she could. Wrapping our digits around grilled bread and melty fillings is a menu we can all relate to. We also related to ... More >>

5 Foods That Always Taste Better Made at Restaurants than Made at Home. Always.

If I hear someone pronounce EVOO i-vuu one more time, I'm going to shoot myself...​You. Yeah, I know you. Your knife skills are up there with the best line chefs in Orange County. Your knife block costs more than a month of my rent. Every time you watch Top Chef, Chopped, or Iron Chef, you come up ... More >>

Holiday Gift Guide: Six Great Food-Related Gifts From The 99-Cent-Only Store

Edwin Goei​You don't know how hard it is for me to keep a straight face as I write this, because, c'mon, I'm sure you're also chortling at the very idea of buying your loved ones (or even your not-so-loved-ones) gifts from the 99-Cent-Only Store.I could justify such a list as you're about to read ... More >>

A Look Inside CUCINA Enoteca, The Latest High-End Eatery to Hit the Irvine Spectrum

​A test run at lunch was the final exam for waitstaff at CUCINA enoteca before they opened for business Tuesday evening. The morning was spent in classic Extreme Home Makeover fashion, as crews raced to stage dual patios. We roamed the front of their 8,800 square foot house, snapping photos of the ... More >>

On the Line: Eric Souka of Capital Seafood, Part One

​The latest branch of Capital Seafood greeted guests just less than a month ago, bringing its signature Asian cuisine to the lifestyle venue known as the Irvine Spectrum. Executive director Eric Souka has been cooking with Capital for more than 30 years, and he was gracious enough to meet between ... More >>

Food Network Commemorates 9/11 with Half-Assed See-Through Graphic

​Every media outlet had their own way of commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Some, like the news stations devoted all their coverage to it; others, like those airing NFL games, did it through specials or the use of ribbons by on-air hosts. Others made logical mentions when necessary--on Si ... More >>

Weekend Guide: BBQ, Beer and a Chef Throwdown

Orange County BBQ BonanzaBabyyyyy, baby back ribs [barbecue sauce] at the Orange County BBQ Bonanza. ​You're busy people. Let us plan your weekend for you. Happy eating! TODAYOrange County BBQ Bonanza What: BBQ ribs, pulled pork, tri-tip, sausages. And maybe some Handi Wipes. The four- ... More >>

On the Line: Renzo Macchiavello of Renzo's A Taste of Peru, Part Two

Photo by Kevin Lara​Family is a recurring theme in our interview with Renzo Macchiavello: influencing his past, supporting his present and inspiring him to excel at what he does best. His expertise earns him gold medals, and here, he offers a few good anecdotes in part two of his On the Line inter ... More >>

On The Line: John Cuevas of The Crow Bar and Kitchen, Part One

Photo by Kevin Lara  ​Meet John Cuevas, the James Beard-nominated new chef at The Crow Bar and Kitchen, who was previously cooking at Muse at Montage Beverly Hills as its Executive Chef.  He's no stranger to OC though, having worked at St. Regis Resort in Dana Point and The Lo ... More >>

On the Line: Owner Daniel Woo and Chef Greg Ong of Sushilicious, Part One

Photo by Kevin LaraChef Greg Ong​This week's On the Line is a twofer: We hear from two people instead of just one. Daniel Woo is the owner and Greg Ong is the chef at Sushilicious, the Irvine revolving-sushi restaurant that has its waitstaff use an iPod Touch instead of a notepad and features fanc ... More >>

'Sunday Night Chef Fights' Coming to Huntington Beach This Weekend

​This seems like it could be fun: Something called Sunday Night Chef Fights is coming to Huntington Beach--when else?--this Sunday night. Chefs. Fight. Yeah!

Bistro Anju Has an Iron Chef

Hideki Saito weathers drunkards and the clueless alike at his Laguna Niguel eatery to deliver greatness

On the Line: Danny Godinez of Anepalco's Cafe, Part Uno

Photo by Todd BarnesGodinez putting the finishing strokes on his bomb-ass huevos divorciados​I must admit I wasn't blown away the first time I visited Anepalco's Cafe in Orange--found the chilaquiles a bit too exotic. But I'm always man enough to admit when I was wrong, and I've more than made up ... More >>

Celeb Watching and Tasty Vittles at Bowlmor Lanes

​For heterosexual guys who think watching a show like Dancing With the Stars is only for those who are light in the loafers, it's time to wake up. Yes, the ABC dance contest features lots of muscular and semi-shirtless male dancers, but the females are beyond compare: Edyta Slwinska, Kym Johnson a ... More >>

Iron Chef Challenger's Restaurant Defeated at Costa Mesa's Mitsuwa

Edwin Goei​Remember back in January when Dave broke the news that Maestro, the Japanese/Italian stall at Mitsuwa Marketplace's food court, was shuttering? Then remember a month later I wrote about how a new stall by Iron Chef Challenger Myung Lee was going to replace it?

Top Five Songs Used In Futurama

​If you don't have Comedy Central, you're lucky. Sort of. On the one hand, you haven't been bombarded by grinding repetition of commercials featuring the classic Futurama character hypnotoad. The wonky-eyed frog drones incessantly while a voice commands viewers to  watch the new episodes that ... More >>

Iron Chef Cat Cora Appearing At South Coast Plaza on Monday

Photo Courtesy of Macy's Culinary Council​Cat Cora, one of the three big heads you'll see (on gigantic posterboard) when you walk into Macy's Signature Kitchen at Macy's Home Store in South Coast Plaza, is actually going to be there in the flesh, Monday, June 21st at 6:30 p.m. to share tips on thr ... More >>

Ugo Allesina of Prego, Part Two

Kimberly Valenzuela​This week we are featuring Executive Chef and Partner Ugo Allesina of Prego Ristorante in north Irvine on the line. If you missed Part One of the interview, you can find it here. Stay tuned tomorrow for a recipe from Chef Ugo!

Five Food Network Shows First In Line For Reanimation

Believe it or not, children, there was a time when the Food Network actually concentrated on teaching people to cook. The idea of ten hours a day of inane food "battles" was unheard of, Iron Chef still came to us from campy Japan, the appetite suppressant known as Sandra Lee hadn't yet created her f ... More >>

New Food Competition Series With Bobby Flay Announced

Photo Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com​Do we really need another food competition show? I'm inclined to think not. The two Top Chef shows are more than enough for me. Heck, we could've stopped at the original Iron Chef. Every show since has proven that the genre suffers from the law of diminishing ... More >>

Richard Blais' Corned Beef Whisky Drink

preppybyday @ flickr.com CC BY 2.0​Ah, St. Patrick's Day, the day when people who aren't Irish celebrate Irish pride with food not known in Ireland and colored beer that would make most Irish blanch with horror. Corned beef and cabbage is not exactly a typical Irish dish, though it can be very tas ... More >>

The Worst Show on Food Network

Food Network​Food Network, Food Network, Food Network, you have really lost your way.You used to teach people how to cook; there were interesting shows like the Two Fat Ladies. Even Good Eats, the best show ever on the network, has lowered its standards and got the preachy diet message going.You'v ... More >>

Chubby British Chef* Looking For American Town To Kickstart His Anti-Obesity Crusade

*No, Not Gordon Ramsay, but Jamie Oliver.Not satisfied with a worldwide culinary empire that includes several charity restaurants, numerous cook books and various TV shows and appearances (over here, Jamie At Home airs on the Food Network), Oliver wants to take on the seemingly insurmountable task o ... More >>

Princess Mononoke

Bowers

Top Chef Masters Contestants Announced; O.C. Chefs Shut Out

Bravo TVThe food blogosphere is on FIRE (pun intended) right now over the announcement of Top Chef Masters, airing on June 10th. Think of it as Top Chef meets Iron Chef America meets WWE Smackdown. If there's such a thing as a foodie-gasm, this is the thing to inspire it. The judges will be celeb ... More >>

Iron Chef Cat Cora and Partner Are Both Pregnant

Courtesy of Food NetworkIt was announced yesterday that Cat Cora (Iron Chef and one of the three principles at Macy's Signature Kitchen at SCP) and her partner are both pregnant, with children from the same sperm donor. But this isn't the part that's interesting. No, what's interesting is that the ... More >>

Iron Chef to Open Restaurant in O.C.

Orange County's going to be home to a restaurant by an Iron Chef. No, not Batali. No, not Morimoto either. It's Cat Cora -- the lone female Iron Chef. But first, let me clarify that the planned restaurant -- called CCQ for Cat Cora's 'Que -- is actually going to be paired up with Nancy Silverton ... More >>

Newport Beach's Pelican Grill Is Deliciously Lavish

Game On

Hot Mama: Cooking Mama for the Wii looks good enough to eat

Iron Chef Meets What's Up Tiger Lily

Most Extreme Elimination Challenge is still faster than a cheap shot

The Kickup Artist

Hidden masters oeuvre a hybrid of humor and homage

Cocktails and Dreams

Terri Torzon wins with delish Dona

Days of Beer and Ramen

Bachelors use their noodle

Go for the Gold

Stay for the Crispy Crackle catfish

Letters

Letters

The Cutting Board Is Sacred

Everything I ever needed to know about the Japanese I learned watching Iron Chef