Great brewers, distillers, and vintners know that hand-selected ingredients are the key to producing a truly distinct beverage. This same approach has helped to establish the exceptional portfolio of brands represented by Total Beverage Solution. The company, based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, is responsible for bringing some of the world’s most unique wine, beer, and spirits to the U.S. market. Unlike the majority of importers and beverage alcohol suppliers, Total Beverage Solution operates in all three categories of alcohol distribution: wine, beer, and spirits. In working with the full range of products, the company provides distributors with a greater selection of products and leverages the brand equity of the greater portfolio to introduce smaller brands to the U.S. market. In fact, the company specializes in building awareness of brands that have established market presence, but are under the radar of many large multi-nationals. Founded in 2002, the company’s first sizeable supply contract was Greene King brewers, the producers of Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale. Today the portfolio includes such brands as Germany’s Weihenstephan Beer - the world’s oldest brewery; Birra Moretti, The Beer in Italy; Tohu Wines from the Marlborough region of New Zealand – the only Maori-owned wine company; and Edradour Distillery - Scotland’s smallest distillery. According to CEO Dave Pardus, these brands not only represent quality, but each has its own story to tell. This sincere appreciation for brand heritage and character is perhaps the greatest asset to the company and its brands. Total Beverage Solution operates with a simple philosophy - to successfully manage each brand according to its individual qualities and objectives. Their success is proven and comes from a passionate team equipped with the experience and talent required to launch products, grow distribution, and build consumer recognition. Since acquiring the Weihenstephan brand in 2006 and Edradour in 2003, the company has doubled sales for both brands.
Chef Virginia Willis - Celebrity Chef- Thanksgiving
Live from Pilgrim Park where the Mayflower Replica is docked. Virginia got her start as the chef producer for Martha Stewart, but has written some top selling cookbooks. Pretty cool that we’ll be in Plymouth the week before Thanksgiving! She has some holiday appetizers and drink recipes that will go well with a side dish of history.
Virginia Willis is the author of the acclaimed cookbook, Bon Appétit, Y’all! Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2008). Previously she honed her attention to detail as the Kitchen Director for Martha Stewart Living Television where she supervised the food segments for the Emmy-award winning television show. With MSLTV, Virginia was also responsible for preparing private meals and events for Martha and her guests -- including among others, President Clinton, Aretha Franklin, and Julia Child. As Executive Producer for Epicurious on The Discovery Channel, she traveled the world taping fantastic stories about food - from harvesting capers in the shadow of a smoldering volcano to making authentic mustard in Dijon. Virginia's wide and varied food career started in Atlanta as an apprentice to Nathalie Dupree. She worked with Dupree on four PBS series and cookbooks, including the James Beard award-winning Comfortable Entertaining. She also spent several years as an editorial assistant with culinary authority Anne Willan on various projects including Cook It Right, an exhaustive tome that documents the various states of "doneness" (and over- and under-"doneness") of everything from whipped cream to braised pheasant.
Your hosts, Ivo & Peter Kastelan, ensure that your dining experience is first-class, with true European family hospitality. They bring over 30 years of Italian restaurant experience to Il Tiramisù, having owned and operated numerous successful restaurants here in the San Fernando Valley and have been featured in Los Angeles Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily News, Talk, and numerous other publications.