The Mushroom Council is touring the nation this spring to spotlight the flavor, versatility and sustainability of fresh mushrooms and the dedication of farmers who help bring this superfood from farm to plate.
The Los Angeles stop of the gourmet roadshow celebrated all things mushroom at a cocktail reception at Century City Italian specialty market Eataly’s Terra Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge on Monday, June 2, 7 pm.
The event launched the restaurant’s month-long Mushroom Monday promotion featuring a mushroom-forward tasting menu of signature dishes and mushroom infused cocktails created by Eataly’s chefs.
Passed appetizers included spiedinos of Cremini mushrooms and cippolini with balsamic. There was fritto of crispy tempura oyster mushroom with thyme aioli. Pizza alla palla featured roasted cremini and button mushrooms with mozzarella and provolone.
Mushroom tasting stations displayed Insalata Spinaci with baby spinach and roasted shiitake mushrooms with sherry vinaigrette and parmigiano. A housemade casarecce pasta featured a mixed mushroom ragù with fresh herbs and Grana Padano. A gnocchi with sausage and oyster mushroom ragù was topped with pecorino romano. Portabella mushrooms were grilled with rosemary oil. A Double R Ranch striploin steak featured maitake compound butter.
Two signature cocktails included Beech, Please! – a white beech mushroom–infused Botanist gin, Campari, Baldoria Umami vermouth. Shroom Service featured Japanese whiskey, shiitake mushroom cordial and soda.
Table displays featured a gamut of mushrooms.
The formal presentation featured remarks by a Mushroom Council spokeswoman and Eataly’s culinary team.
If you hadn’t had your fill of mushrooms yet, there was a gift bag on your way out, with – you guessed it – more mushrooms to cook at home!
Spring through summer is an exciting time in local agriculture: it’s the California Avocado season! This year is even more so because at about 375 million pounds, the crop is expected to be the most robust since 2020.
Although the season lasts only late March or early April through late summer, it is enormously important to the roughly 3,000 families who farm the land from San Diego to Monterey because after months of work, they now gear up to pick the fruits of their labor.
It is also important to us consumers: California avocados are fresh and local. Grown close to home, they move from grove to grocer to table within days, minimizing carbon emissions from transportation. The avocado is a nutritional powerhouse, with 1/3 of a medium fruit providing nearly 20 vitamins minerals and phytonutrients packed in good heart healthy fat. Not to mention, the fruit has a rare knack to transform an array of dishes from being ordinary and mundane to becoming extraordinary and gourmet. Clearly, its time to celebrate the California season, and what better way to do so than an avocado grove tour?
Our tour met up at our base hotel in Thousand Oaks to walk over to local resto Pearl District for an avocado forward dinner. On the menu was Ahi Crudo with California Avocado, Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, Pickled Kumquats; Chilled California Avocado and Shrimp Vietnamese-Style Ceviche; Pan Roasted Halibut with California Avocado and White Miso Salsa; Grilled Prime Filet Mignon with California Avocado and Potato Hash; Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice with Local Veggies and California Avocado. Dessert was a decadent California Avocado Tiramisu with Berry Coulis.
Next day after breakfast, we shuttled over to family owned Camlam Farms in the hills of Camarillo. With over 1,000 acres in production and 300 acres dedicated to avocados, the farm has history goes back to the 1876 Rancho Calleguas land grant. John Lamb has led operations for over 30 years and served on the California Avocado Commission board with brothers and long-time stewards Robert III and David Lamb, and sixth-generation grower and next-gen leader Maureen Cottingham. The family is a pioneer of high-density planting and sustainable irrigation and works with universities to host rootstock trials for continued innovation. One such trial led to the Lamb Hass, a premium variety gaining global recognition.
A people mover ride toured us through groves of a number of different avocado varieties including Lamb Hass, Gem and the most well-known, Hass. We learned their differences and their different needs. We also learnt about their irrigation and temperature control for frost prevention. And we learned about the bees and pollination. We tried our hand at harvesting, and my big lesson was to leave a bit of the stem on the fruit to prevent it from ripening too fast.
Then there was a guacamole competition with some surprising ingredients like mango, pepitas, bacon, jam and dragon fruit. We split into teams for a showdown for prizes for various categories like most creative, most scoop-worthy, etc
By now we had worked up an appetite and were ready for lunch by the orchard’s peaceful reservoir. Hosting farm visitors to the farm over the years, the family has become expert at grilling, so lunch featured pork ribs, tri-tip and chicken grilled onsite by the Lamb Family. The proteins were accompanied by – you guessed it – avocado forward sides. There was Farmers’ Market Green Salad with Sliced California Avocado and Roasted Beets, Baby Gem Lettuce and California Avocado Salad with Spiced Chickpeas and Goat Cheese; Grilled California Avocado, Corn, Quinoa and Mango; Lemon and Herb Risotto Cakes with California Avocado Crema. Dessert was Lamb Family Lemon Tart and California Avocado Brownies.
After lunch it was time to relax with the multi-generation Lamb family for a Q&A and farming stories. Maureen’s young son whom we had previously met as he rode his horse now flitted in and out of the area on his bicycle.
After a bit of rest back at the hotel, the group walked over to another local eatery Crawford’s to network and say farewell at one last avocado-forward reception.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Gingold | Craft Media Solutions
To honor firefighters, first responders, and community heroes for their efforts during the recent wildfires, Chefs ❤️ LA hosted a fundraiser at Lawry’s The Prime Rib Beverly Hills on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
Brad Metzger, President of Brad Metzger Restaurant Solutions and Founder/Producer of LA Chef Con, and Jacqui Leanza, Managing Partner of Brad Metzger Restaurant Solutions joined Tiffany Stith, COO of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc., and Ryan Wilson, CEO of Lawry’s Restaurants to put the event together.
The line up of L.A.’s top chefs included Curtis Stone, Michael Cimarusti, Suzanne Goin, Nyesha Arrington who all volunteered their time and talent pro bono.
The evening was hosted by Somebody Feed Phil creator Phil Rosenthal, Nine-time James Beard Award-Winning journalist Ruth Reichl, Los Angeles Times food columnist Jenn Harris, Brad Metzger, Jacqui Leanza, and auctioneer Billy Harris.
The VIP Michelin Experience Hour featured eight Michelin Chef Tastings and an elegant Eight-Course Tasting Menu for 262 guests.
It showcased seven signature dishes from culinary icons including William Bradley, Josiah Citrin, Michael Cimarusti, Jordan Kahn, Niki Nakayama & Carole Lida-Nakayama, Jon Yao, and Curtis Stone, along with Astrea Caviar, six premium wines, and three craft cocktails that included Chef Michael Voltaggio’s Marcado 28 Tequila and Chef Elizabeth Falkner’s T’MARO Amaro.
Chef Daniel Boulud and his team prepared a delicate Mushroom Consommé to substitute for their Lobster Bisque for those with shellfish allergies, while Chef Suzanne Goin crafted an alternative to her signature salad for guests with pork or dairy restrictions.
The all-star lineup of chefs included Daniel Boulud, Jonathan Waxman, Ludovic Lefebvre, Nyesha Arrington, Suzanne Goin, Tiffany Dela Pena, Timothy Cardenas, Burt Bakman, Jeremy Fox, Katianna & John Hong, Andreas Roller, Clemence de Lutz + Sherry Yard.
Billy Harris led the Live Auction offering unique experiences that included: New York Culinary Getaway, a luxury NYC experience with stays at 1 Hotel, exclusive dinners at Le Bernardin and Peter Luger, and an insider’s tour with Andrew Friedman, Ultimate LA Taco & Tequila Experience, a private taco crawl with Bill Esparza and Chef Michael Voltaggio, Wynn Las Vegas Luxury Package, a premier getaway with top-tier accommodations and exclusive tastings from Wynn’s celebrated chefs, Michelin-Starred San Diego Culinary Getaway, a four-night stay at the newly reimagined Lafayette Hotel with exclusive tastings at Addison, Juniper & Ivy, and more, Los Angeles Luxury Staycation with oceanfront stays at Casa del Mar and Shutters, with VIP dining experiences at Funke, Bestia, Lulu, and Majordomo.
Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Jaime Moore, CAL FIRE Division Chief Anthony Jones, CAL FIRE Prevention Specialist Chloe Castillo, U.S. Army Veteran, CAL FIRE Division Chief Matthew Edmiston, and Ventura County Fire Andy Vansciver attended as Guests of Honor.
Co-Event Producer Jacqui Leanza managed the development of the CHEFS ❤️ LA website, managed the ticketing platform, addressed dietary restrictions and allergies, and oversaw charity and sponsor relations.
All event VIP Tickets as well as Dinner Tickets sold out within fifteen minutes on Saturday, February 1st, underscoring the public’s desire to support wildfire relief.
The evening’s Live Auction alone raised over $104,000. The evening’s final tally exceeded over $850,000. All proceeds benefited World Central Kitchen and Restaurants Care, which provides critical support to hospitality workers affected by the wildfires.
For more information, and to donate or find ways to support World Central Kitchen or Restaurants Care, please visit www.WCK.org or www.RestaurantsCare.org
Los Angeles magazine will present its Angels of Comedy Disaster Relief Benefit on Thursday February 13th 6:00 – 10:00pm at Engine Co. No. 28, one of the city’s oldest firehouses. All proceeds benefit Pasadena Community Foundation’s efforts to raise funds for victims of Los Angeles wildfires – overwhelmed first responders, and displaced families and animals. More than just being a donation the event is about coming together as a community to heal, laugh, and rebuild.
The evening will kick off with a networking cocktail hour from 6 to 7:15pm featuring beef and vegan Firehouse chili, cornbread, cocktails, beer, and wine. At 7:15, the magazine’s publisher, Chris Gialanella and evening host Sharon Fredrickson will deliver opening remarks.
The show launches at 7:30pm with Sharon Fredrickson guiding audience through a lineup of stand-up performances by some of LA’s funniest comedians, including Aida Rodriguez, Ashley Burgess, Carla Collins, Erik Rivera, Kim McVicar, Kwame Siegel, Renee Percy, Sandy Stec, Maxi Witrak, and Peter S. Kim.
The event will also honor Los Angeles first responders, sharing their inspiring stories and recognizing their heroism. Additional funds will be raised with a raffle offering once-in-a-lifetime prizes.
Generous event sponsors include Boomtown Brewery, Garrison Brothers, Gelato Festival, Golden Eagle Vodka, Hollywood Creative Alliance, KNEKT TV and Mezcal 33.
The evening is a 21+ event, and the all-inclusive ticket includes entry, Firehouse chili and cornbread, cocktails, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and full evening of comedy.
More than just being a donation, Angels of Comedy is about coming together as a community to heal, laugh, and rebuild, and you can join the effort by buying a ticket for the evening and for the raffle, as well as by spreading the word.
Yume Calabasas celebrated the grand opening of its second location in historic Old Town Calabasas on February 10 to showcase the new venue and its offerings.
Like the original location in Studio City, the new location offers a modern twist on traditional Japanese cuisine with an emphasis on intentional sourcing of ingredients locally and from Japan. The menu includes a selection of classic sushi and sashimi, as well as a dedicated Kushiyaki menu, along with new signature menu items available only at this location.
Appetizers include Oysters on the Half Shell served with a choice of uni, caviar, or onion and Yume sauce, a house special ponzu sauce. Sunomono is a refreshing Japanese cucumber salad with shrimp, octopus, or crab. There is charred Miso Eggplant. Similar to a spring roll, Seafood Cigar filled with shrimp or avocado is deep fried. Crispy Rice comes with a choice of spicy tuna, spicy shrimp or avocado with truffle oil. Agedashi Tofu is fried tofu with daikon radish & dashi.
The sushi menu includes Unagi, freshwater eel; Engawa, seared halibut fin and delicacies like Santa Barbara Uni.
Rolls include classics like California Roll; Spicy Tuna Roll; Creamy Salmon Roll with Soy Paper; and Spicy Miso Sea Bass Handroll with Soy Paper.
Specialty rolls include a Green Dragon Roll, with eel & blue crab with avocado, takuan, sesame seeds, and nori rolled in seaweed paper; Citrus Roll, with spicy tuna, avocado, lemon, garlic chips, cucumber and soy paper; and a Vegan Roll with asparagus, gobo, shiitake mushrooms, avocado, roasted bell pepper, crispy onions and ponzu olive oil.
Sashimi specials include Halibut Sashimi with Yume Sauce or Fresh Truffle; Octopus Sashimi with Yuzu; Salmon Carpaccio with Mushrooms; and Albacore Sashimi with kogashi soy butter.
The Kushiyaki section offers two grilled skewers of Negima – chicken with green onion, tare sauce, or lemon & salt, and Chilean Sea Bass with onion or sea salt.
Rounding out the menu are hot dishes like Grilled Jumbo Shrimp served with sweet spicy sauce and Escabeche shrimp or whitefish with jalapeno, cilantro, onion, and sweet vinegar.
Signature menu items exclusive to the new location include Kanpachi Crudo with Japanese amberjack with cilantro miso sauce; Hirame Orange Crudo, halibut sashimi with orange marmalade and yuzu vinaigrette; Crispy Whole Red Snapper, a deep fried whole snapper served with a sweet and spicy soy sauce; and Artisan Sushi Block which includes six pieces of pressed sushi with seaweed or soy paper.
The sushi selection includes Torotaku, Serrano Yellowtail, Truffle Salmon, Yuzu White Fish, Garlic Albacore and Spicy Tuna.
The beverage menu aims to make the new location not just a dining destination, but also a vibrant hub for nightlife. It features Japanese-inspired cocktails, rare sakes, Japanese whiskies and other spirits available only at this location.
Yume’s new location features a sleek, modern design featuring a solid walnut sushi bar with walls alternating venetian plaster walls and custom handmade wallpaper with a gold fish decal design. The light gray onyx cocktail bar with orange accents draws inspiration from the gates of Fushimi Inari in Japan. The 100-seat dining room features a sushi bar and spacious lounge area for cocktails before or after dinner. There is also a 40-seat private dining room with its own bar and private entrance at the back of the restaurant.
Yume, which means ‘dream’ in Japanese, opened its first location in Studio City in 2020, and has been a neighborhood staple ever since.
For more information, please visit https://www.yumesushibar.com
Descanso restaurant celebrated the grand opening of its Los Angeles location on January 23.
Corporate Executive Chef Jose Angulo’s menu updates Mexico’s culinary traditions with modern techniques. Highlights include the Seafood Tower with oysters, poached lobster tail, Peruvian scallops, snow crab claws, shrimp cocktail, ceviche campechano, caperberries, morita cocktail sauce, cucumber-serrano mignonette, and lemon.
Enchiladas de Langosta feature butter-poached lobster in tortillas, and Taquitos de Camarón are made with marinated shrimp, blue corn tortillas, shredded lettuce, morita aioli, and mango-habanero salsa.
The popular Alambre, allows choice of steak, al pastor, chicken, shrimp or seasonal vegetables, complemented by bacon, onions, bell peppers, tres quesos frito, avocado toreado, serranos, micro cilantro and flour tortillas.
Located in the heart of Mid-Wilshire, the 9,000-square-foot location accommodates 240 guests and features a central bar, a main dining room, two open-air patios. In the celebrated Plancha room chefs prepare multi-course meals before guests at a communal table reminiscent of street vendors. For special occasions, a private Plancha Room for a more intimate Chef’s Table experience with a special menu of prized dishes for up to 10 people.
The restaurant will showcase artwork by local Los Angeles artists, with muralist Daniel Felechner, Erica Friend, and JP Mural (Juan Reyes) contributing pieces reflecting Mexico’s rich cultural heritage. Friend’s Coatlicue Mother of Gods and Sunflower Eclipse explore Aztec mythology and celestial themes, while Reyes honors Frida Kahlo’s legacy.
At the center of heart of the space, a show-stopping 38-seat bar will serve a variety of expertly crafted cocktails. The Margaritas Especiales include the classic El Descanso with Milagro Reposado, agave, and fresh lime, and the spicy Bad Hombre with Herradura Reposado, lime, pineapple, serrano, and a salt-and-pepper rim. Other options include the Sandía-Rita and Cucumber y Sal.
The Descanso’s Casillero Club offers exclusive access to fine limited-release agave spirits. Members can purchase rare Tequilas and Mezcals, with the option to store them in a private locker at the restaurant. Membership also includes priority reservations, first access to limited releases, and special gifts from the kitchen or bar with every visit.
Founded in Costa Mesa, California in 2018, the new venture marks a significant milestone in Descanso’s expansion beyond its Orange County roots.
The upcoming Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival kicked off with a preview event at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach hotel on Monday September 30, 6:30pm.
Participating chefs and wineries shared their excitement with a preview of their Festival offerings. The featured delicacies included an heirloom tomato salad, a mushroom crostini, carne asada on a homemade tortilla, breaded pork and shortrib on Romesco sauce, a tuna poke from the Strand House, and a gingery, more Japanese take on the same dish served in a cone from Wolfgang Puck catering.
Desserts included meringues, macaroons and assorted chocolates flavored with botanicals like rose and lavender. Of course, there were plenty of libations from wineries, distilleries and non-alocolic beverages to wash it all down.
The inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival is planned as a spectacular two-night strolling culinary extravaganza with an Opening Night celebration on Friday October 11, and a Grand Tasting on Saturday October 12. The festival will showcase the industry’s top tastemakers and connoisseurs to celebrate an all-star lineup of chefs, restaurants, wineries, spirits, cocktails, breweries, and non-alcoholic beverages, along with live entertainment.
The culinary extravaganza will feature a lineup of 50 of the Best Chefs representing not only the local cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Los Angeles, but state-wide from Solvang, Palm Springs, San Francisco and beyond – from across North America, from Denver, New York, New Orleans, Vancouver, and Mexico.
The venue is a 40,000-square-foot outdoor space in Manhattan Village located at the end of the Veterans Parkway Greenbelt Path. The venue features a beautifully landscaped trail that runs through Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach.
When I told people I was going to Lompoc, I kept being asked, What’s in Lompoc? For Lompoc, that question is all wrong – because it is exactly the lack of any sightseeing agenda that makes Lompoc such a great weekend getaway a comfortable 2 1/2 hrs from LA.
