Posted on Apr 17, 2013 under Archives, Chefs, Interviews |
Chef Stefan Richter
Chef Stefan Richter was born in Finland, but spent the majority of his childhood in Germany where he began culinary training in his early teens. He worked his way through various European and Asian kitchens. In 1998, he joined master chefs Grant McPherson, Sotta Kuhn, Jacques Torres, Jean Philip Maury, and Marc Poidevin as part of the creative team for the opening of the Bellagio Hotel, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas as Executive Sous Chef. Since then, Stefan has moved to Santa Monica where he reimagined LA Farm into Stefan’s at LA Farm, serving New American cuisine with European flair. Stefan has also opened the restaurant group, Stefan’s Restaurants, which includes a full-time catering and event company and three steak houses in his native Finland.
I sat down with Stefan at his restaurant and we chatted about his experiences on Top Chef, his food philosophy, and his upcoming projects – burger restaurants.
Posted on Apr 07, 2013 under Archives, Interviews, Other interesting people |
Norbert Wabnig
Born in Vienna, Norbert Wabnig and his family moved to New Orleans in 1955, but returned during summers to Vienna, where he apprenticed in the kitchen of his uncle Franz Blauensteiner’s restaurant, Gausthaus au Stadt Paris. After graduating from the University of New Orleans, Wabnig moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career with his band Wendell Nightfall Troupe. To support himself, he took a job at what is now The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, which he later bought in 1978.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is amazing. I was lucky to sit down with Norbert, literally break bread and talk about cheese. Here is our chat:
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 under Archives, Chefs, Interviews |
Chef Cory Bahr
Chef Cory Bahr learned to cook from his grandparents. While growing up in Monroe, Louisiana, Bahr spent many hours in the kitchen helping with the family catering business. He waited tables as a teen and eventually migrated into the kitchen.
Two local ladies who admired his cooking asked Bahr to run a restaurant they were planning to open in Monroe. In 2007, at age 30, he was approached to open Monroe’s Restaurant Sage as executive chef. In 2011, Bahr was crowned King of Louisiana Seafood, and fulfilled his ‘royal’ duties by acting as a national spokesman for the Louisiana Seafood Board’s Chef Council. And in June 2012, just six months after opening his own hometown restaurant, Cotton, Cory Bahr remained cool as a cucumber on the Food Network’s Chopped! handily winning the cutthroat competition with his skill, speed, and ingenuity. He has been named “Chef to Watch” by Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine. Bahr was in town to host and cook for the annual “Only in Louisiana” brunch honoring Grammy nominees from Louisiana. I sat down with the young chef to talk a bit about southern food, Louisiana culture and upcoming projects.
Posted on Nov 30, 2012 under Chefs, Interviews |
Chef Duff Goldman at Charm City Cakes West/Cakemix
Chef Duff Goldman opened Charm City Cakes in Baltimore in 2002. His Food Network show “Ace of Cakes” ran for 10 seasons. Chef Duff recently opened a west coast branch of Charm City Cakes here in Los Angeles as well as his new Cakemix workshop. Cakemix allows guests to decorate their own cake and offers classes on cake decoration. I sat down with Chef Duff to talk about Charm City Cakes West, the new Cakemix and his upcoming projects.
