05/02 DEANA MARTIN , CHERYL NAJAFI, CINCO De MAYO, ED DeROSA

DEANA MARTIN  - ENTERTAINER

DEANA MARTIN IS IN CONCERT AT VITELLO'S UPSTAIRS - LOS ANGELES  THIS FRIDAY (MAY 3), SATURDAY (MAY 4) AND SUNDAY (MAY 5). Deana Martin is an influential American singer, actor and performer and the very proud daughter of iconic entertainer, Dean Martin.

Deana achieved success early in her career in films, theater and television, then quickly added to her repertoire — recording artist, best-selling author, nationally syndicated radio host, licensed pilot, and business entrepreneur.

In 2004 Deana broke new ground as an author with her best-selling memoir “Memories Are Made of This, Dean Martin Through His Daughters Eye’s”

In 2005, after Deana completed her sold-out “Deana Sings Dino” international concert tour, she was eager to return to the studio and record a new album. In 2006, Deana released “Memories Are Made Of This,” her top–selling CD of Standards and Jazz. It remained on the Top 10 charts for over 40 weeks. Deana then launched her phenomenally successful “Memories Are Made Of This” international concert tour.

2008 found Deana at Capitol Studios, in Hollywood, California, working on her next album. In the fall of 2009, Deana released her newest CD “Volare” and opened on the Billboard Heat Seeker chart at #7, Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums chart at #22, and on iTunes Top 10 chart. Deana loved working at Capitol Studios where she collaborated on this project with legendary multi-Grammy Award-winning engineer Al Schmitt.
Volare by Deana Martin (2009) - CD
Memories Are Made of This by Deana Martin (2006)


CHERYL -  CHERYLSTYLE.COM - CINCO De MAYO TIPS

New York Times best-selling author of "You’re So Invited: Panic Less, Play More & Get Your Party On!"

No-fuss home entertaining and lifestyle expert, Cheryl Najafi, is revolutionizing party planning and hosting with simple, affordable, easy-to-do tips that ‘break the rules’ of “proper” entertaining on HTTP://CHERYLSTYLE.COM, along with ideas for homemade food & drink, handmade fashion, practical DIY and artful and innovative decor.

 CHERYLSTYLE.COM offers Cheryl’s amazing ability to blend the everyday with the sophisticated providing "how-to" information, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content for everyone (even the novice crafters) to gather, eat, sip, gussy-up, create and nest.

CHERYLSTYLE.COM offers quick and simple tricks for the everyday hostess from quick tricks with leftovers to setting up a self-serve hot chocolate bar to mixing and matching table settings.

Please see below for Cheryl’s Cinco de Mayo alternative to margaritas and her delicious twist on pulled pork tacos! Prep for the fiesta and serve guests a fun alternative to margaritas. This Cinco de Mayo use your favorite Mexican style pilsner and prepare your chelada with fresh squeezed lime juice. If you want to get fancy, garnish the glasses with lime wheels instead of wedges and you can even salt the rim of your glass for extra celebratory flair

How to create a Chelada 

What You’ll Need

Makes 1 Serving

•    Margarita salt
•    1 bottle of Mexican style pilsner (we used Pacifico)
•    1 fresh lime halved
•    1 fresh lime cut into wedges
•    Rose’s Lime Juice
•    Ice
•    Beer glass
•    Small plate

Let’s Do It

•    Wet rim of glass with Rose’s Lime Juice
•    Dip in plate of margarita salt
•    Fill glass with ice
•    Squeeze fresh lime into glass and pour beer
•    Garnish with lime wedge

This dish is perfect for serving a crowd on Cinco de Mayo. You need something that won’t be stressful, is easy to assemble and tastes festively fun. Flavorful pulled pork tacos with a spicy pineapple salsa checks all the boxes and can even be set up as a taco bar for guests to serve themselves, which means less work and more play for you. how to make pulled pork tacos

What You’ll Need

Makes 6 servings

Pulled Pork Taco

•    1 teaspoon salt
•    1 garlic clove, minced
•    ½ teaspoon ground cumin
•    ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
•    ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
•    1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    ¼ cup brown sugar
•    2-3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
•    1 bay leaf
•    1 cup chicken broth
•    Corn tortillas
•    Crockpot
•    Forks


ED DeROSA - DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR CHURCHILL DOWNS 

Are you ready and raring to go for the most exciting two minutes in sports? Two minutes may sound short, but don’t let it fool you—the Kentucky Derby has been held every year since 1875 making it the longest continuously held major sporting event in the United States.

Last year 165,000 people attended the Derby and more than $187 million was wagered on-site and off, both record breaking numbers. Thanks to changes that have made the road to qualifying for the Derby easier to follow, and an increasing acceptance of online wagering, officials are expecting another record breaking year.

Horse racing expert and analyst Ed DeRosa from Churchill Downs, the home of the Derby, has been covering thoroughbred racing for 15 years and wants to get your listeners ready for the race.

On Thursday, May 2nd, Ed DeRosa, Director of Marketing for Brisnet.com, will be available to share his insights on this year’s Derby contenders including in-depth analysis of the trainers and jockeys. DeRosa will also offer pointers on how to evaluate the race entrants and how to wager your money in the most strategic way, so you can make watching the Derby even more fun this year.

05/01 MARIE GRIMM, IHOP, LARRY LIPSON

MARIE GRIMM - VP CULINARY INNOVATION - INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES

Marie Grimm, a culinary expert with over twenty years’ experience creating innovative new menu items for well-known restaurant brands, has been named Vice President, Culinary Innovation, International House of Pancakes, LLC, it was announced today by Natalia Franco,  Senior Vice President, Marketing for the company, to whom she will report.

In her new position, Grimm will be integral to the creation of innovative and exciting menu offerings that are enticing to guests and consistent with the IHOP® brand identity and operationally executable to the brand’s high standards of excellence.  In addition to overseeing the culinary pipeline, she will also work closely with the marketing and menu development teams to provide valuable insight and guidance on food costs and supplies, portioning and plating, and the continuing evolution of the menu.

Grimm joins IHOP from Olive Garden restaurants, where she spent the last six and a half years as Director of Culinary Development for the brand, creating its culinary pipeline, including new menu categories and offerings and overseeing the curriculum and training for Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany.

IHOP®, the restaurant known for “Everything you love about breakfast SM” is introducing its latest breakfast innovation: Brioche French Toast.

These thick-cut slices of rich round brioche bread are soaked in a lightly-sweetened vanilla batter and grilled to a delicate warm golden crispiness that is perfectly ready to layer with three flavorful varieties of toppings: Bananas Foster, Berry Berry and Peaches & Cream, will be in restaurants beginning April 15th.

“We’re delighted to bring our guests the next generation of French Toast,” said Natalia Franco, Senior Vice President, Marketing, International House of Pancakes, LLC. “They have been coming to IHOP restaurants for years because they know no one makes French Toast like IHOP restaurants can, and they love the way we continually find ways to surprise and delight them. Our new Brioche French Toast is unlike any they’ve ever tasted—it will delight our French Toast fans--and create new ones!”

Brioche French toast comes in three delicious and distinctively new flavors:

•    Bananas Foster Brioche French Toast comes with a New Orleans Foster’s sauce made with sliced bananas, caramelized in a buttery brown sugar glaze, and whipped topping.

•    Berry Berry Brioche French Toast layers blueberries and strawberry topping with a luscious dusting of powdered sugar and whipped topping.

•      Peaches & Cream Brioche French Toast combines sweetened sliced peaches, honey-roasted pecans and vanilla cream drizzle with a dollop of whipped topping.

LARRY LIPSON - COSTA RICA

THE FORMER FOOD & BEVERAGE CRITIC FOR THE LA DAILY NEWS (50 YEARS) FILES A WEEKLY REPORT ON WINE AND FINE DINING. LARRY ALONG WITH HIS WIFE LILLIAN AT THE LIPSON INSTITUTE FOR FINE WINE STUDIES IN COSTA RICA HAS A WEEKLY REPORT DETAILING HIS LIKE , DISLIKES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

04/30 CBS SURVIVOR: CARAMOAN, MALCOLM FREBERG, CHRIS SLAUGHTER

MALCOLM FREBERG  - SURVIVOR

SURVIVOR: CARAMOAN – FANS vs. FAVORITES is hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Jeff Probst and produced by SEG, Inc.  Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and David Burris are executive producers and Leisa Francis is co-executive producer. SURVIVOR fans can get more of their favorite show by tuning into “The Survivor After Show,” sponsored by Sprint, an exclusive online-only series which appears every Thursday on CBS.com.


Chris Slaughter - Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Assoc.

Join over 50 Chardonnay producers from around the world for an insightful weekend of education and exploration designed to enlighten wine consumers, industry professionals, and media on Chardonnay wine producing regions and wine making styles, and their effects on America’s favorite wine. Now in its fourth year, The Chardonnay Symposium is the only event of its kind in the United States focusing on the golden grape.  Taste the world’s most celebrated Chardonnays alongside food pairings specifically designed to enhance the wine experience, with celebrity chef demonstrations and an educational panel session moderated by Wine Enthusiast’s Steve Heimoff.

04/29 DON WHITTEMORE, DANDY DON'S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM, RACHAEL SNEDECOR, DOWNTOWN LIVERMORE

DON WHITTEMORE - DANDY DON'S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

We take so much care in making our ice cream for our clients. It’s not just a job — it’s our life. We started on May 1st, 1981. We’ve been serving restaurants since 1982, and when I get the chance I’ll show you our client list — they’re all very special.

Overrun is the technical term used to define the amount of air in ice cream. For example, 100% overrun equals 50% air and 50% ice cream. Lower-cost ice creams are usually 100% overrun. Dandy Don’s overrun is between 50% and 60%. We use an Emery-Thompson batch freezer allowing us to naturally mix in the air. It’s not just about the taste; it makes a better texture. The ice cream is dense, but it is still light and creamy on the palate. What’s really critical, when you’re buying ice cream for a restaurant, is the weight of the ice cream. Most smart restaurant operators use portion control to manage food costs, so we serve the smarter operators best. Most chefs scoop ice cream by weight, not by sight. A typical scoop is 4 ounces. A tub of Dandy Don’s ice cream may weigh 18 pounds or more, giving you a minimum of 72 four-ounce scoops. If you’re selling ice cream at $3.00 per scoop, your potential net profit is close to $200.00. Our Production Manager makes ice cream better than I do, which makes me a great teacher, by the way. He makes ice cream every day. I think we’re the only ice cream company in Los Angeles to put a “made on” date on every tub and pint. Most other ice cream companies use an expiration date on their product. We’re so anxious to serve ours, we tell you when we made it. In ice cream, freshness counts.

It started with a hot fudge sundae at a Planned Parenthood fund-raiser in 1993. David Tong, who eventually became our partner in China, asked me if I could make ice cream in China. “Sure,” I said. Many years later we’re still pumping out Dandy Don’s American Ice Cream in Guangzhou, China, 120 miles from Hong Kong.

And... all kinds of chocolates, like Bittersweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Cappuccino Crunch, Triple Chocolate with Chocolate Chips and Fudge, and Mandarin Orange Chocolate: Because they know the value of measuring by weight, not volume


Rachael Snedecor - Downtown Livermore


2013 Livermore Wine Country Festival is the largest celebration of wine, craft brews, arts, crafts, shopping, dining, entertainment and hometown charm in the East Bay! Over 150,000 attend each year to explore over 300 vendor booths and to shop at Downtown's incredible specialty boutiques. Enjoy our collection of restaurants that are globally inspired and locally enhanced!

Downtown Livermore — the place to come home to! Livermore Downtown is committed to preserving Livermore's historic downtown district as the destination place for Livermore residents who want to eat, drink, shop, gather to meet neighbors, and enjoy cultural activities in their hometown.

Livermore Downtown is a member of the California Main Street Association. Backed by the National Historic Trust and the National Main Street Center, Main Street projects take a holistic approach towards economic development. By promoting historic preservation and downtown merchants, and supporting a coordinated approach to design and development, Main Street projects help towns preserve their past as they revitalize their economic and cultural present — they truly become vibrant hometowns that future generations can enjoy.

Livermore boasts a beautiful downtown area, steeped in history reflecting the cattle and wine industries that created a thriving community. We have a very eclectic selection of restaurants and retail shops offering everything from home decor to gift items, fine wines, and, of course western wear.

Our Annual Wine Country Festival, Certified Farmer's Market, Holiday Parade, and Downtown Halloween Carnival bring people to the center of town year round to celebrate the bounties of our agricultural heritage and spirit of our community.

04/27 Top Chef, Carla Hall, The Chew, David Copperfield, Bahamas, Paul Clary, Clary Ranch, Steve Evans

 
Top Chef's Carla Hall - The Chew

The Chew and Top Chef's Carla Hall. In addition to the show, Carla will be on hand to talk about her role as a judge for Nestle's Crunch's 75th Birthday Showdown Baking Competition



David Copperfield - Bahamas

David Copperfield has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as the greatest magician in the world. He is the first living illusionist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was knighted by the French government. He, along with Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorsese and Colin Powell, received the Living Legend award from the United States Library of Congress. Among many other achievements, he has been named “Magician of the Century” and has won over 21 Emmy awards. Copperfield performs more than 600 shows per year at the MGM  Americans give up an average of three vacation days per year (that’s a combined 226 million vacation days), eschewing a bit of relaxation for the daily grind of demanding careers. Illusionist David Copperfield and athlete/actor Rick Fox are no different. Like many people, they were busy with everyday life when they finally stopped to take a break in The Islands Of The Bahamas. Grand and during his 10 weeks off he takes a break in Exuma, Bahamas, getting recharged and re-inspired. He credits this sabbatical with giving him the refresh needed to return home and wow crowds with new illusions


Paul Clary - Clary Ranch

Clary Ranch is located in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast AVA, about 5 miles due west of Petaluma and 11 miles from Tomales Bay. Clary Ranch Wines was founded by grower & winemaker Paul Clary, who planted the estate vineyards in 2000.

The vineyards consist of 5 blocks of Pinot Noir on about 12.5 acres and 2 blocks of Syrah on about 2.5 acres. The Pinot Noir clones are Dijon 133 & 667, and Pommard 4. The Syrah clones are Syrah 174 and Shiraz 1. The Pacific winds blow strongly through the end of August, and the grapes depend upon the warm, still days of September and October to ripen. Clary Ranch is on the extreme edge of cool-climate viticulture on the continent. The latest Syrah harvest has been just before Thanksgiving!

The grapes are harvested at night, and brought to the winery cold. After destemming and crushing, the juice is cold soaked for 5-10 days. Natural fermentation is allowed to begin, and the fermenting must is inoculated with a commercial yeast (Assmanshausen for Pinot, a Rhone strain for Syrah) after the Brix has dropped about 10 degrees, in order to provide natural flavor complexity while insuring against a stuck fermentation. The must is punched down 3-4 times daily, never pumped over. The wine is pressed just before dryness, and allowed to complete fermentation in barrel. Malolactic fermentation is facilitated by the remaining heat of primary fermentation.

Barrel aging lasts for 18-24 months. 50% new barrels are used. Pinot Noir is aged in French oak barrels from various coopers, and the Syrah is aged in a mixture of French and American oak. After bottling, the wines are aged for another 1-2 years prior to release.

The resultant wines reflect an elegant balance that has been heralded by wine critics and fans alike. In 2007, Wine Spectator named Clary Ranch as among "The Hot New Dozen of California Pinot Noir". Wine Enthusiast said that Clary Ranch is one to "keep an eye on". Allen Meadows of Burghound, often tough on California Pinots, has enthusiastically acclaimed Clary Ranch Pinot Noir as having "impeccable" balance. Clary Ranch Syrah, in very limited production, has a fast-growing base of fans who have fallen in love with its peppery black fruit, which provides the absolutely perfect complement for grilled and roasted meats.

STEVE EVANS - "THE MOVIE GUY"

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

04/25 Wayne Tucker, Bio S.I. Technology, Rachael Snedecor, Livermore Festival, Craig Haserot, Sojourn Cellars

Wayne Tucker - Founder/VP Sales Bio S.I. Technology  

Bio-S.I.™ is an all-natural organic liquid soil inoculant, used for sustainable plant growth that is ecologically safe for the environment. "Rebuilding Soil Naturally"

Bio-S.I.™ is not an enzyme product. We have a broad and diverse spectrum of living organisms not seen in other products. We have no laboratory-engineered microbes; we do not buy from an outside source. We do not use manure in any phase of production. As a change agent, we reverse the negative effects of over 70 years of farming practices that have poor tillage practices, over use of chemicals and salts in the soil, while rebuilding and restoring with our program. Bio-S.I.™ is applied in a program that reduces the amount of fertilizer and other chemical inputs. Most products are enzyme only; Bio-S.I.™ is a solution that contains a broad and diverse population of living microbes that produce the enzymes needed to produce the materials for the plants’ health and growth needs for better soil. Our products do not contain any laboratory-engineered microbes nor are they grown in a laboratory setting. We add no chemicals to inactivate the microbes so that gas will not be produced when they are put into containers.

Rachael Snedecor - LIVERMORE FESTIVAL

2013 Livermore Wine Country Festival is the largest celebration of wine, craft brews, arts, crafts, shopping, dining, entertainment and hometown charm in the East Bay! Over 150,000 attend each year to explore over 300 vendor booths and to shop at Downtown's incredible specialty boutiques. Enjoy our collection of restaurants that are globally inspired and locally enhanced! Downtown Livermore — the place to come home to! Livermore Downtown is committed to preserving Livermore's historic downtown district as the destination place for Livermore residents who want to eat, drink, shop, gather to meet neighbors, and enjoy cultural activities in their hometown.

Livermore Downtown is a member of the California Main Street Association. Backed by the National Historic Trust and the National Main Street Center, Main Street projects take a holistic approach towards economic development. By promoting historic preservation and downtown merchants, and supporting a coordinated approach to design and development, Main Street projects help towns preserve their past as they revitalize their economic and cultural present — they truly become vibrant hometowns that future generations can enjoy.

Livermore boasts a beautiful downtown area, steeped in history reflecting the cattle and wine industries that created a thriving community. We have a very eclectic selection of restaurants and retail shops offering everything from home decor to gift items, fine wines, and, of course western wear.

Our Annual Wine Country Festival, Certified Farmer's Market, Holiday Parade, and Downtown Halloween Carnival bring people to the center of town year round to celebrate the bounties of our agricultural heritage and spirit of our community.


Craig Haserot - Co-founder/Proprietor of Sojourn Cellars


He oversees sales, marketing, and operations, and he also plays important roles in the finance and winemaking functions of the winery. And while he enjoys his work in all of these different facets of the winery, his favorite part of his job is spending time with customers at release parties, wine events, and Tasting Salon gatherings.

During his nearly ten years in the wine business, Craig has immersed himself in all the aspects of the winery business. On the winemaking front, he has served as unofficial assistant winemaker, planted our estate vineyard (Home Ranch Vineyard), and managed grower relationships at a total of 14 vineyards in 2009. Craig’s main responsibility, however, has been to lead Sojourn’s sales and operations, and his success in these areas has enabled Sojourn’s production to grow to 5000 cases.
After growing up in San Marino, California, Craig attended Humboldt State University and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. He began his 16-year sales and sales management career in computer software with Ashton-Tate and left it in 2001 after working at Micromuse. Sojourn produced its first Cabernet Sauvignon in 2001 and Craig planted the Home Ranch Vineyard in 2002.
Craig lives in Sonoma with his wife Ellen and their two daughters, Natalie and Julia.

04/24 LARRY LIPSON, CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME, EMMITT SMITH

LARRY LIPSON - COSTA RICA

THE FORMER FOOD & BEVERAGE CRITIC FOR THE LA DAILY NEWS (50 YEARS) FILES A WEEKLY REPORT ON WINE AND FINE DINING. LARRY ALONG WITH HIS WIFE LILLIAN AT THE LIPSON INSTITUTE FOR FINE WINE STUDIES IN COSTA RICA HAS A WEEKLY REPORT DETAILING HIS LIKE , DISLIKES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.


EMMITT SMITH - SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME RUNNING BACK EMMITT SMITH HAS ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SUCCESS ON MANY STAGES — IN THE NFL, ON DANCING WITH THE STARS AND AS A PHILANTHROPIST. NOW HE’S SHARING SOMETHING HE HAS COMMON WITH MORE THAN 8 MILLION AMERICANS.   GOUT - OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD EMMITT JOINS US TODAY TO TELL US MORE.

A respected entrepreneur, a sought-after speaker, bestselling author and one of the most valuable personal brands in the sports-entertainment field — these are just a few of the ways to describe Emmitt Smith.

Smith first rose to prominence via an illustrious football career, which included three Super Bowl championships as a member of the Dallas Cowboys and the honor of being the only player to have won a Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP and NFL Rushing Crown in the same season. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010, Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, having amassed 18,355 yards during his 15 seasons.  Smith’s charm and charisma, which made him one of the sports world’s most popular personalities during his playing career, quickly translated to the entertainment world following his retirement. In 2006, Smith’s cross-over appeal became even more apparent when he, along with dance partner Cheryl Burke, was crowned winner of the hit ABC reality show “Dancing with the Stars.” Most recently in the fall of 2012, Smith once again took to the dance floor as part of the inaugural “Dancing with the Stars All Stars” cast and finished fourth, the last male contestant standing.  Currently President & CEO of Emmitt Smith Enterprises, Inc., Smith leads a team of talented individuals who oversee the company’s many ventures — including Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, the marketing and management of the Emmitt Smith brand, and the company’s two core businesses, EJ Smith Construction and E Smith Legacy, a real estate company.  As well known for his character and integrity as he is for his athletic ability, Smith continues to give back to the community and support higher education via Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, an organization that annually awards college scholarships and provides enrichment opportunities to underserved youth.  Smith continues to share his personal and professional stories with organizations across the country. He has been a member of the President's Health and Fitness Council, and has been recognized by numerous organizations for his leadership and public service. He also authored the 2011 book, Game On: Find Your Purpose — Pursue Your Dreams, which chronicles his story from humble beginnings growing up in Pensacola, Fla. to his rise in the business world.  Smith is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Recreation. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He is married and the father of five children.

Chef Paul Prudhomme - K-PAUL'S RESTAURANT NEW ORLEANS 

Chef Paul Prudhomme has propelled the distinctive cuisine of his native Louisiana into the international spotlight and continues to push the limits by creating exciting and new American and international dishes.

Chef Paul learned the importance of using the freshest ingredients while cooking at his mother’s side and continues to use only earth’s finest harvests. As the youngest of 13 children, Chef Paul was always adventurous. His strong curiosity of life and cultural customs motivated him to leave Louisiana in his early 20’s and travel across the United States to experience every culinary environment possible. From an Indian reservation all the way to the finest, five-star restaurant, Chef Paul learned to love, appreciate and blend the flavors of his younger years with those of many other cultures.

In July 1979, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen® opened its doors in New Orleans. In only a few years, his French Quarter restaurant attracted world travelers and continues to excite diners today. Diners are especially pleased to learn that K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen now takes reservations. Renovations were completed at the restaurant at the end of 1996 doubling the seating capacity. Today, K-Paul’s Catering division satisfies palates in New Orleans and “anywhere on the planet!”

As a result of endless requests for his seasoning secrets, Prudhomme created his own line of all natural (Koshersupervised) herbs and spices. Today, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends® are distributed in all fifty states and in more than 25 other countries. His blends are popular with both home cooks and professional chefs. In addition, Chef Paul produces his own seasoned and smoked meat s (andouille and tasso). All are available through Magic Seasonings’ Mail-Order catalog, which also features cookbooks, giftpacks and cooking tips (online at
www.chefpaul.com ).

Chef Paul recently added Magic Salt Free Seasoning®, Salmon Magic®, Shrimp Magic® and Sweetie Magic™ to his dry seasoning line and developed a line of sauces-marinades for retail and institutional use. He expanded manufacturing capabilities to a 130,000 square-foot plant which now produces custom blends, bulk sizes and contract packing for otherfood companies at Chef Paul’s AIB approved New Orleans area plant. Chef Paul consults with restaurant chains and large food manufacturers around the world to develop complete menus or selective menu items and specialty dishes. He and his Product Development team and R&D Kitchen can also create specific flavor profiles or duplicate existing ones.

As one of America’s best-known chefs, Prudhomme has been featured often on the three major television networks’ prime time programs. He has made guest appearances on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, 20/20, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Larry King Live, Nightwatch with Charlie Rose, the QVC Shopping Channel, CBS Early Show and the Weekend Today Show. In the Summer of 2002, Chef Paul’s life story was featured on A & E Biography.

Chef Prudhomme has been the subject of numerous articles and has penned many himself as well, in such prominent national magazines as Omni, Life, Time, Newsweek, Bon Appetit, Metropolitan Home, Travel and Leisure, Playboy, Food Arts, and National Geographic Traveler.

Among his many accolades and awards, Chef Paul received the “Restaurateur of the Year” award in 1983 from the Louisiana State Restaurant Association . Chef Paul was the first American–born chef to receive the coveted Merite׳ Agricole of the French Republic and was honored in 1986 as “Culinarian of the Year” and also “Culinary Diplomat”- Chef and Child Foundation (1994) by the American Culinary Federation . Chef Paul also took part in America’s Promise , one of the nation’s leading youth development organizations. The National Restaurant Association has bestowed upon Chef Paul both the College of Diplomates Award (1993) and the Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality Award (2001). He was honored as Nation’s Restaurant News “Fine Dining Legend Award” winner and selected as Chairman of the National Food Safety Education Month in 2001. Some of the local awards Chef Paul has received are the 1994 Louisiana Public Broadcasting Legend Award, the WYES Public Television President’s Award (1999-2000), and the Ella Brennan Savior Faire Award from the ACF-New Orleans Chapter. In May of 2003, Nation’s Restaurant News inducted him into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame and he received Bon Appetit’s Humanitarian Award in 2006.

An international presence, Chef Paul has made personal appearances and given lectures and seminars all over Europe and the Orient. He is devoted to feeding the American troops in bases around the world. He served as a consultant to Team USA of the American Culinary Federation, and participates actively at conventions, seminars and food trade shows nationally and internationally as a guest lecturer and in support of his Magic Seasoning Blends® . He spends time at universities and culinary schools around the world, giving educational seminars for students in all walks of life.

Chef Paul has cooked for heads of state as well as members of the U.S. Congress. Charity work is dear to Chef Paul’s heart and he lends his support to many major fundraisers, which benefit charities such as Meals on Wheels, Easter Seals, the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters,and the National Alzheimer’s Association. Prudhomme was the first Chef to participate in the Robert Mondavi “Great Chef of America” series and was one of 12 chefs chosen from around the world to participate in the celebration of Jerusalem 3000th year anniversary where each chef created a Kosher dish to be served at the King David’s Feast in March 1996.

A best-selling author, Chef Paul has written nine diverse cookbooks and produced six cooking videos, two of which were at the top of the Billboard’s chart for fifty-three consecutive weeks. Five of Chef Paul’s cooking series are based on his cookbooks, Fork In The Road, Fiery Foods, Kitchen Expedition, Louisiana Kitchen and Always Cooking and are currently aired on Cable Television and/or The Public Broadcasting System. Chef Paul’s latest book, Always Cooking, was released in the spring of 2007.

04/23 Kelsey Timmerman, Where am I Eating, Chef Claud Beltran, Noir Food & Wine

Kelsey Timmerman – Author of Where am I Eating

Kelsey's grandfather was a farmer and his dad grew up farming, but as an adult Kelsey couldn't even make a box of Mac 'n Cheese. In 2009 the US government began to require Country of Origin labels on most foods and Kelsey set out on a journey to discover where his food came from.  He followed his Starbucks coffee to Felipe, a Colombian coffee farmer and father of three who faced falling coffee prices and the dangerous mountainside where the coffee grew.  He followed his Dole banana to Costa Rica where he got up at 4am and biked into Dole's banana jungle in a monsoon alongside Juan. He followed his chocolate bar to the Ivory Coast where he met a 20-year-old slave on a cocoa farm who left his parents in Ghana without saying goodbye.

•    What our reliance on imported food means for us, and for the people who produce our food
•    The practices (good and bad) of major companies like Starbucks and Dole
•    How consumers can make small changes that will have a huge impact on the lives of farmers around the world

Kelsey’s writing has appeared in publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Condé Nast Portfolio and has aired on NPR.  His extensive travels have given him an understanding of environmental issues and the relationship between man and land that perhaps only his grandpa would recognize. 



CHEF CLAUD BELTRAN - Co-owner/Chef of Noir Food & Wine, Pasadena

LA TIMES: Pasadena, while delightful in so many other ways, has never been long on plausible adult restaurants, dining rooms where the cooking was serious, the noise level was reasonable and the wine list extended to more than a few dozen usual suspects. And a pretty high percentage of those restaurants over the past decade or so, places where you wouldn’t mind dragging a foodie after a movie or a public lecture at Caltech, have turned out to have something to do with Claud Beltran, a slightly odd chef trained under Thomas Keller.

04/22 GABE MEYERS, BOTTLEROCK FOUNDER, TODD BOTTORFF, TURNER PUBLISHING

GABE MEYERS - BOTTLEROCK FOUNDER

As BottleRock Napa Valley delivers the best in music and comedy through an incredible who’s who lineup, its food, wine and beer offerings will also strike a chord with attendees. Iconic Napa Valley chefs and restaurateurs such as Cindy Pawlcyn, Masaharu Morimoto, Todd Humphries, and Ken Frank will share the culinary stage with superstar vintners like Silver Oak, Miner Family, Rombauer, and St. Supery, along with artisan beers and micro-brews. Offering a culinary festival experience second to none, BottleRock has tapped the Cindy Pawlcyn Napa Valley team including managing partner Sean Knight to manage the culinary effort and establish BottleRock as having the ultimate food and wine experience.

Situated on four stages spread over 26 acres on the grounds at the Napa Valley Expo in the City of Napa, more than three dozen chefs and restaurateurs will join more than 50 wineries and artisan brewers during the inaugural BottleRock Napa Valley May 9 - 12. Food purveyors including Mustards Grill, Oenotri, ZuZu, Grace’s Table, The Girl & the Fig, Azzurro Pizzeria and Enoteca, Tra Vigne, Fish Story, Farmstead, The Model Bakery, C Casa, Barbers Q, and Gott’s Roadside, will be paired with some of the finest wines in the world, such as Grgich Hills, Beaulieu Vineyard, Hahn Family Wines, Ceja Vineyards, Flora Springs, Freemark Abbey, Sterling Vineyards, Acacia, and Regusci Winery. Coupled with beers and craft brews such as Bud Light, Sierra Nevada, Gordon Biersch, Hangar 24, Speakeasy, Goose Island and Napa Smith, BottleRock Napa Valley provides the very best to quench attendees’ thirsts and whet appetites.

“We can’t throw a music festival in the Napa Valley without providing great food, wine and brews,” stated festival founder Bob Vogt of WillPower Entertainment. “Napa Valley is known far and wide for extraordinary wine with a dining reputation to match, and BottleRock Napa Valley will absolutely reflect that culinary scene. It’s another feature that we feel will define BottleRock as a one of the most engaging music festivals anywhere.”

"We are thrilled to be involved with what is destined to be Napa Valley's preeminent event combining world-class musical talent with delicious Napa food and wine," says culinary partner Cindy Pawlcyn.  "BottleRock is such a natural extension of the valley's hospitality and talent, the surprise here is that it hasn't been done before."

In addition to the carefully curated cuisine, BottleRock Napa Valley features an incredible lineup of more than 80 artists, bands and performers, including; Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Zac Brown Band, Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Jane’s Addiction, The Shins, The Avett Brothers, Train, The Flaming Lips, The Black Crowes, Macklemore  & Ryan Lewis, Cake, Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, Primus, Alabama Shakes, Jackson Browne, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, along with America’s hottest comics such as Jim Gaffigan, Demetri Martin, Aasif Mandvi, Anthony Jeselnik, Tig Notaro, Jim Breuer, Greg Behrendt, Wyatt Cenac, Rob Delaney, Kristen Schaal, Bill Burr, J Chris Newberg, andNatasha Leggero. The complete festival lineup can be found at www.bottlerocknapavalley.com.

Festival passes are on sale now and begin at $139 for a single day pass, $329 for a 3-day pass, $399 for a 4-day pass, and $599 for 4-day VIP passes. Passes are on sale at www.bottlerocknapavalley.com.

More information can be found at http://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BottleRock Napa Valley, or follow on Twitter at https://t/, #bottlerocknapavalley.


Todd Bottorff - Turner Publishing

Todd Bottorff has served as President and Publisher of Turner Publishing since 2002. Mr. Bottorff earned degrees in liberal arts from the University of Virginia and a masters of business administration from Harvard University. Prior to Turner Publishing, Mr. Bottorff worked as a business consultant at McKinsey & Company and served as a senior member of the management team for a venture-funded technology startup and a publicly listed dot-com turnaround.

Mr. Bottorff's civic responsibilities include serving as a board member of Npt, Nashville's public television station(http://www.wnpt.net/), as a Board Member of Humanities Tennessee (tn-humanities.org) including the subcommittee that oversees the Southern Festival of Books (www.tn-humanities.org/festival/index.php), and on the Alumni Board of Montgomery Bell Academy (http://www.montgomerybell.edu/).

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04/19 TROY ROBERTS, JUDD FINKELSTEIN, JUDD HILL WINERY, STEVE EVANS

TROY ROBERTS  "48 HOURS" 

“Muscle, Mayhem and Murder" airs on Saturday, April 20, 2013 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). No pain, no gain… The real-life story of the South Florida crime spree so sensational that it inspired the major motion picture now in theaters.

In 1994, a group of body builders from Miami plotted the extortion and kidnapping of a millionaire; their plan, however, went awry, ending in one of the most gruesome double homicide to hit the area, and the escape of a survivor whose account was so incredible, it took months for police to believe it. 
Best friends Daniel Lugo and Adrian Doorbal ran the Sun Gym, known in Miami during the early 90s as THE body builder hangout. A fellow gym member, Jorge Delgado, approached them with the promise of making big money, and a plan to exact revenge on a former partner: Marc Schiller, a successful South American businessman, who allegedly cheated them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Together, Lugo, Doorbal and Delgado kidnapped Schiller and forced him to sign over his assets.  For nearly a month, they kept Schiller in a warehouse, beating and torturing him until he signed over everything he had.   Of course they couldn’t spend Schiller’s money, live in his multi-million dollar home, drive his cars while their captive was still alive… so they force-fed him liquor and sleeping pills and then put him behind the wheel of a car.  Schiller crashed the car, which led to a fiery inferno, but somehow he escaped.  While in the hospital recuperating, he tried in vain to tell hospital personnel about what he had endured, but after a month in the same clothes, not bathing, smelling of alcohol and full of drugs - nobody believed his story; he was written off as a deranged homeless man.

 The Sun Gym gang quickly blew through their fortune from Schiller, so they set their eyes on another millionaire, Frank Griga—known for his adult hotline business, exotic dancer girlfriend, Krisztina Furton, and covetable Lamborghini.  This time Lugo and Doorbal invited the couple to dinner under the guise of discussing a business venture… and then trapped them inside a townhouse where they beat Griga to death and injected his girlfriend with a fatal dose of tranquilizers --- all before extracting any information from which they could profit.

While the gang transported the bodies of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton to the same warehouse where Schiller was tortured, and dismembered them… news of the missing millionaire couple begins to surface.  Metro-Dade police eventually focus their attention on Lugo and his team, with the help of one very surprising source.  Troy Roberts provides a full report on this incredible-but-true case, and speaks one-on-one with survivor Marc Schiller about his ordeal... on this week's all-new 48 HOURS. 


JUDD FINKELSTEIN - JUDD HILL WINERY  

Judd was raised in Napa Valley. He graduated from The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication at Arizona State University with a bachelor's degree in Television Production, but you might say winemaking was in his blood. Since he was a tot, his parents were making wine. From pruning to picking to punching to pressing, Judd has been involved in every facet of winemaking, and he also studied winemaking at UC Davis and Napa Valley College.

One of Judd's other passions is playing his ukulele, both solo and with his band, The Maikai Gents Featuring The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa. "We perform old-time Hawaiian crooning in the Hapa-Haole style. We started because I wanted some Hawaiian music for a birthday luau I was having for myself and couldn't get the entertainer I wanted. We learned a few Hawaiian tunes and performed them at the party. My friends and family loved it, of course, but the funny thing was that the resort asked us back for a festival they were having later that spring! So we learned some more songs and have been gigging ever since." Why the ukulele?" Someone needed to play it! We thought a ukulele would round out our sound....and I haven't put it down in three years!" Judd has also started a ukulele club in the Napa Valley,

STEVE EVANS - "THE MOVIE GUY"

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.