October 12, 2024 • 27 mins
Manhattan Beach Food and Wine starts at 6pm today.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, it's Neil Sevadra. You're listening to kfi EM six
forty the four Report on demand on the iHeartRadio app.
How do you do? Boy? What a day? As we
broadcast live from Manhattan Beach Food and Wine today. The
event actually starts at six o'clock, So this is a
rare opportunity for us to connect with chefs and those
(00:20):
that are out here showing their wares like Knox and Dobson.
We were talking just a little bit ago about that
look that up and all kinds of wine and cocktails
and spirits here today, as well as fifty chefs from
not only here locally and the South Bay, but in
(00:41):
Los Angeles, but Mexico, from Sonoma, from all kinds of places.
So we're getting to as many of them as we can.
And right now we're going to talk to chef Eric Klein,
executive chef of wolf Came Wolfgang Puck Catering. Yes sir,
So okay we all know who Wolfgang Pocket is, Yes, sir?
(01:04):
What is it like as a chef to step into
any sort of space that is close to that name?
What are the expectations that come with that as a chef?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, there's a lot of expection. First on, Neil, thank
you so much for having me on the show. Is fantastic,
Iron radios love it, love the music, look for the personality.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Did you go to the same speech therapist as well? Absolutely?
I love it.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What a great So you know, there's a many levels
in our business and what we do every day. You know,
I'm working with a big man understanding his vision. You know,
I'm being with a company for almost thirty years on
and off. Good for you, and it's great, you know.
I mean you started.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Old enough to be at a business, at any company
for thirty years.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Good food, the good life.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So the thing is this, have something in comment. We
love enjoying, entertaining, we love hospitality, we love quality of
the food, memories, and I think this is what's all about.
And I think you asking me a very valid question.
Is just stepping in in an aya, in the building
or any events we do for example, like nothing is
set up and you make the most fabulous bite.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
For the people.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know, we just do what we do. And I
think you know we have good techniques, we believe what
we do and we want to make people happy.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I've said this on the air before, been doing this
show for a long time that that caterers are like
the front lines of soldiers, because it is it is
the best food under the worst circumstances, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
So I think you know, over the years and the periods,
you know, I mean me being the chef for Wolfgang
I did from the fine dining from Spago and every
kind of sort, and I'm going to the catering.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Is that difference.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
No, We're just an extension of Spago and all the
restaurants and chef Wolfgang Os. And also we have one
end the day where we do a lot of corporate
business or anything. But sometimes we do event and people say, oh,
can you come cook for us? It's just sure, we
need what you got. Oh I got a food on kitchen.
You come over there, you a toaster oven, and you like, sure,
microwave and microwave And people say, what that works now,
isn't it? And I'm like, well, you know, it's not
(03:16):
a problem. So the same thing where we step a
big breeder, we always look, we always are ready, you know,
And we have a lot of chefs come sometimes to
our kitchen and it's like, oh, I have all the
time finding things I don't know where to cook, and
I say, Chef, you have a stove and an oven,
you can do anything you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Want for us. We need just a portable burner in
a little oven.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
We can do magic. And you're going to see tonight.
You know, this is a fantastic way. We're bought basically
a great setup. We're going to do like an Oktoberfest,
flare a little bit, you know, a little bit of
German and Austria and a little bit of Northeastern friends
where I come from, a mixture and Grete sausage and
have a fun time.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You know. I have a friend on the radio station
here who does this show. He's that we refer to
him as the house whisperer, and he does a show
on KFI called Home where he talks about building, you know,
home and your life and all that. And he says,
all the time, give me the bad tools. I'm a professional.
I can do great things with them. But if you
(04:12):
are a novice, get the best tools you could get,
because you could give. So I'd love that attitude of
you going listen, you can hand us anything and we'll
make it sing. Yeah, because you're the pro.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
And I know, absolutely, and it was just very fortunate.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You know, part of our company we have, we're exposed
to a lot of large events. You know, we just
did one of them for this electric car company.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Maybe you heard about it.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
You know, they have they innovative and you know they say, oh,
you go middle of the parking lot and you figure
out something out. Do you go to the super Bowl
or you go to the Formula one and you cook
for one hundred and seventy five thousand people. But it's
one thing and never change in our philosophy. It's quality
and the people. The people always come first, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
And there's a recent event that you did, but we
did the.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Formula one last year, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And yes, the recent event like you know for electric cars, Yes,
I think.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That you know me about it is I think it
was right next to where our studios are.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
But it was fantastic to have been a real treat.
It is part of events that people, you know, they say, hey,
listen there when you're catering, there may be an event
going on that's the star, right, whatever the event is.
But they will not No one who knows what they're
doing is going to do an event where the food
is not good, they just can't. I don't care what
(05:27):
you show them. You could show them whatever you want, technology, whatever,
And if the food's garbage, that's what they're going to
be exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And if you have bad breads, you can always having
good mint.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
No, no, we are good. That can you hang tight
for one more segment? Sure, I'd love to talk to
you some more. All right, We're gonna talk more with
the chef when we come back. I mean that the
whole thought of Chef Eric Klein is with us executive
chef there with Wolfgame Puck catering, but the whole thought
about catering under that name. I have some questions for
you as well, So go know where it is The
(05:57):
Fork Report.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
You're listening to The Fork Report with Neildra on demand
from KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Howdy, howdy howdy, Happy Saturday to you. Gorgeous day to day.
We're out here at the Manhattan Beach Food and Wine event.
What a beautiful day, perfect for this event that's going
to start at six o'clock. We're kind of doing the
pre event vibe here talking having cocktails, eating some great
food and meeting some chefs and some fantastic people here,
(06:24):
of whom I'm talking with right now, Chef Eric Klein,
executive chef there with Wolfgang Puck catering, and I'm fascinated
by this for a couple of things. One we talked
about that, you know, when it comes to the culinary arts,
catering is frontlines, you just it is improvise, adapt, and overcome.
It is how can I produce the best in the
(06:45):
worst circumstances usually, and how can I zig and zag
when I need to? So? It to me, it's a
it is outside of the comfort zones of a line
and a brigade and a kitchen in the traditional sense.
So we were talking about that working under a big
name like Wolfgang Puck, which leads me to this next question.
(07:07):
You have this big smile, you have the beautiful eyes,
this great smile that you can tell your passion, your
love for what you do. How do you, as a
chef who is a creative by nature, work for another
creative and feel that you're fulfilling your desire to create
and execute the vision of Wolfgang Puck?
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But thank you, there are great questions, you know, I
think I constantly believe and magnet attractions. You know, everybody
who has very common taught process and believe always attract
each other.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Over the years.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know, Wolfgang has grown up in Austria. I grew
up in northeastern France, where we grew up in a
very similar growing up. My parents are being farmer, my
mom a butcher, my dad a farmer, and you know,
do wine do and things I felt like when I
grew up. The pineapple was the most exotic free ever saw.
But it came and I can because it was not
in a time where we grew up, you know, in
a month AND's it was.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Not very popular.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Whatsoever is come?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Do you make it sound sexier like Dolay?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
It's from dol.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, and it's just fascinating when you look at it.
But I think you know, overall, what I admire more
is my team.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
We have ideas over the years where.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
They fine tune how to make things, recipe, follow up
techniques using the same style of brigade, but adjusted it
and evolve it to a different level to give a
chance and oppertuinity, allow people to come here.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Let me show you, let me teach you. I always have,
I said to.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
All my young students and my young apprentiction chefs and say,
don't worry about I teach you. And I say, you
know what, I know some stuff, but I may learn
something from you too, And always open for myself for
a dialogue, to conversation with them to make sure we
can evolve together as a team. Every good idea has
always a place. And I think, you know, I'm nothing
without my team, and I realize I mean no. We
(09:05):
have like over thousands and thousands of employees across the
United States, but we have calls. We handle everything like
a family. We have a small group with talking. I
know everybody's name, everybody knows me. We take care of
each other.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Somebody has a baby, Hey, send food over there.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Let's celebrate. Somebody has a little sad moment. Let them
remember and celebrate their own life. I think you know
that is the most thing. My team is the most
important thing. Of course my family too as well. You
know that is very difficult when you're a chef. But
the overhaul is just to make sure you can take
care of people.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
How do you keep from and I love that answer,
by the way, how do you keep from making something
so special like food? Creating food for people? Every day
not becoming a job. How do you keep it special?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Well, to keep it specials, just do what you love.
Many years back, we invented many dishes May food Chef did.
The smoke salmon pizza was a part of like you
know we did, like the tuna cons and many other things,
bread and elevating. I do things because I enjoy it.
I'm not getting up to go to work. I'm going
(10:12):
where something I'll enjoyed. I love spending time. Sometimes I
get a phone call, hey, any time you're coming home.
I'm like, oh, I'm sorry, And even look at my time,
and everybody said, well, Chef, why are you wearing a watch?
And I said, well, I just to make sure I
remember sometimes, but I never look at my watch for time.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I just do what I have to do. And I think,
you know, that is the thing and my biggest legacy.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I know what I want to do. I want to
share with everybody. So we made sausage for this event
for the things. I took the cooks and I said,
come on, let me show you to make the sausage.
Let me make how to make beer sausage, Chicken Vice,
Worst housemade pretzels like you camera solid and they're like, oh, chef.
Now you can go somewhere and you can say, hey,
I learned that I know something where you cannot find everywhere.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
So taking in information, giving out information you.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Have to it's a secret.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The same thing you know we are broadcasting on radio,
listening music or anything.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
What is that?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
It's just communicating, charing with that money and having fun.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
What's your go to dish for comfort for you when
you need a hug from your food?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I have so many different things. Like earlier to ask
me what's your favorite place? You know, I like Johnny's Pastrami.
I like the Apple Pan. I like a lot of
all the diners. You know order at the Apple Pan
of course, the slice of pie for sure, and regular
burger and a coke.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I mean, listen, you know, I'm a classical guy. I
loves simple things. It has to be complicated whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Love to go.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I have a good DNA but everywhere, you know, I'm
made all the chefs. You know, this is one of
my favorite thing to do. When we can go somewhere
and took all the chefs and then say give me
one of each of the menu and just experience that.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
You know, that is just fascinating.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What a pleasure. Chef Eric Klein, executive chef of Wolf
King Puck Catering, What a real pleasure.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Thanks for It's a pleasure to have you over here, to.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Have you in the studio. Sometimes let me.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Bring some food, oh man, magic.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
And music to my ears though perfect, all right, my friend,
what a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Enjoy yourself. I can't wait for people to eat your food.
And I'm a couple of peace. Yeah, thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Dahn, you're listening to the Fork Report with Nil Sevedra
on demand from KFI A six forty at.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Your service every single Saturday for three hours, the only
three hour show of it's kind that I'm aware of
and happy to do it. Three hours to shake off
the heaviness of the news. I know there's a lot
going on in the world, but the most important thing
about life is to live it, and the most important
thing about living in food, good food and good beverage.
(12:34):
So we get together for these three hours and just
celebrate food, the people that make it, the culture behind it,
introducing you to neat people, and just having a good
time at Today it's a special day because we're out
here in Manhattan Beach at the Manhattan Beach Food and
Wine event. And you know, as much as for as
(12:56):
long as I've been doing the show over ten years
and carry the one when I mean fourteen years now,
I'm constantly surprised how many people we still haven't talked
to an events like this that gives the opportunity. Chef
Chris Constantino is with us from Nick's Cafe and Sonoma
and we're chatting off the air constantly. Your your name
(13:19):
is preceded by celebrity chef. I'm guessing most people don't
like that term. What say you, sir?
Speaker 6 (13:24):
I think it's a weird term.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I think what doesn't mean like you serve celebrities or
you yourself are a celebrity and a chef.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
I ultimately call myself an executive dishwasher, right, so the
measure of your success, right is good? Did you start
in the dish shit?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I did?
Speaker 6 (13:40):
And to me, it's always been that way. And I
don't know where the term came from. I think it's
because some of us have been on TV or.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
But it is what it is. Yeah, every time I
say that, I usually see the chef WinCE a little
bit and it's like, listen, it's a compliment that means
you're a well known chef.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
True, it is a compliment. I'm not knocking it.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
I do.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
I much prefer to hide out.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Yeah, I get it. But you realize every time another chef,
an up and coming chef, sees that or hears that,
or knows about you and your success is whether it
be wins in competitions or whether it be restaurant wins
that that motivates. I mean, that's kind of cool. It is.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I think, you know, inspiration is really important. I think
mentors are even more important, and we well, me personally,
I have mentors that I still fall back to, and
having those long term mentors I think really guide you
in your career, helping you get through the tougher times.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
So today, these events, prior to the pandemic, they were
a diamond dozen they I mean, they were popping out,
and I personally, my view was there was too many
to be produced from passion alone, had to be just
money grabs. When I see an event like this, and
one of the reasons why we're here it is because
I know the people putting it on. I know the
(15:02):
cause in which it's benefiting all those things. What makes
you say, yeah, I'll be there, I'll be a part
of that. You know, a paycheck Neil.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
No, I would have been really cool.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If he just was just with the douche background, would
have been really funny. No, the chicks and money, Neil.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
Honestly, Neil Fraser called me and asked me to come wow,
And I think to me, it's really important.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
It's like you said, it has to have soul. And
when your friends call and ask you to do him
a favor, you do him a favor.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
What is it about that guy? I mean, besides the
fact that he spells Neil wrong, he's pretty powerful guy.
I'm just saying, do you want to have another Neil?
I just personally, I don't like the a. It just
doesn't make sense to.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Spells Neil wrong. And by the way, folks I have
I don't know if you realize this. I'm standing here
thinking I'm in front of a screen, so I keep
moving my hands and I feel like an imbecilet. You're Italian, right,
I'm Italian, but still it's it's very awkward.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
I dare you that was asked this movie. His ears
are wiggling. He's you cannot stop me.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
It's so hard. It's like, Okay, sit on your hands
and just talk, but then never go.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
To a strip joint because you could never sit on
your hands. I haven't been to where he pretends. Oh, no,
of course you haven't.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
I mean we have been in a pandemic for how long?
And then you know, even before that, when I went
to Vegas, I never went.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
They were boring, messing with you.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
I think, like that question you asked about why, right,
Neil is this amazing human. Right, He's always trying to
give back. He's always asking what we need. So when
somebody in your community says to you, hey, I'm putting
on an event it's for a charity, I would really
appreciate your help. I'm not gonna say no, it's hard
(16:47):
for me to do that.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
I was just thinking, we're gonna cut that and separate it,
and we're gonna play it as a promo and they
won't know he's talking about Neil Fraser. They'll think it's
about me and the show. Wow, what do celebrity chefs
think about?
Speaker 6 (17:04):
There's your new open at the station.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Robin will take care of this. Sorry, dude, Wow, you
are You're more like Petros than you know. All right,
so what uh what do you got serving here to do? Oh? Man,
we can okay, we can totally hang out here.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
So it's it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So what do you got here? What did you bring
to the table? What do you what can people experience
of yours?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
So I'm actually in the process of opening a new
project in Maui in y Land. It's gonna be called
Coasts and we're Maui. Well, I was consulting on that
property in Sonoma, I know, but it's like.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
You're not picking. It's like I got a new place
opening in Pakoima.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Yeah yeah, yeah, in lake in the middle of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Now.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
So I'm really trying to focus on a lot of
the items that we're going to be doing out there.
So we have a ConA campachi, which is from the
Big Island, really beautiful crudo and on Maui they do
a lot of sunflower seeds. A lot of people don't
realize sunflowers sunflower oil, which is huge out there. So
we're gonna do dish with ConA cumpachi and sunflower, a
(18:16):
little bit of chili, really beautiful, and then.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Cook how do you cook your crude?
Speaker 5 (18:22):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's a test you pass. You pass.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
We are going to have a little yu zoo on
it so it'll cure it just a little bit fresh
u zu juice, and then we're gonna do a West
Home Wagu hangar steak tartar and with that it's gonna
be really fun because I have this unique cheese that's
called belper Knole and it's as it's it's really it
looks like it looks like a truffle. It's a dried
(18:49):
cheese and it's round. So what happens in the morning,
They get the fresh milk, they make the cheese and
inside of it is little bits of garlic. They form
it into a little ball and coat it in black
pepper and they let it dry. So then you shave
it over the tartar like truffles.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
The hell you do? Oh that sounds magical.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
So to enhance that, we're doing this really fun new
project and I want you to come try this. It's
this new salt that I'm making. It's called Herbs de petaluma.
So Herbs de petaluma is a white CBG flower, which
means it's a hemp flower. So it has those beautiful
(19:31):
notes of cannabis without any THHC. Coriander that's been grown
on the farm, wild fenel pollen, and that's the salt
that we're gonna season. So it's gonna enhance the way
the beef eat. Right, So you think about what they eat,
all those herbaceous grasses. So we're gonna go down those roads.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Wow, you know it's funny. People always say, you know,
when I listen to your show Nel and the Fork Report,
I get hungry. And then when I have a chef
like you sit down and describe what there, I go.
Now I know what it sounds like when it is
Chris Conzattino, the chef extraord and air celebrity chef. Tell
your friends, Tell your friends you hurt them on the air.
It's like eating him in person, but via the airway.
(20:11):
What a pleasure, man, Thanks for taking time. And now
these things are they pull you in a thousand different directions,
and I'm hoping that we can pull your ass sometime
into the studio and love talk at length anytime. I
would love you. I've heard such great things from people
that know you, and it was real pleasure to me.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Now you're fabricating lies to keep me down.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Yeah, yeah, I actually say that to everyone I meet.
I said it to some lady. I don't even think
she I think she didn't even work in the culinary arts.
I think she was parking cars. It's cool, but real
pleasure to meet you, man.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Thank you all right.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It is the Fork Report. More to come, so our
last segment before we say a di and then we
get to enjoy this place as it lights up at
six o'clock and comes alive. So go know where the
Manhattan Beach Food and Wine event is where we are today.
You've been listening to the Fork Report, you can always
hear us live. I'm on kf I AM six forty
(21:01):
two to five pm on Saturday and anytime on demand
on the iHeartRadio. At Manhattan Beach Food and Wine. We're
gonna wrap up with Shelby Russell, some more who's putting
on the event. And the last, but certainly not least,
chef Neil Frasier, even though he spells his first name wrong,
is with us. He's been on the show many times.
(21:24):
We also have a great friend in Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.
In the seventh district. I gave coin my a shout
out earlier. I was just kidding, but nice to see. Chef.
Your name has been dropped a couple of times today.
I think I have some of your name on my shoe.
It's been dropped so much. People have said things like
(21:45):
when you call and ask them to come therein I'm flattered. Well,
I hear that a lot. You know, you're you're not
someone I hear negative stuff about it.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Now, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
My chef Gouzi and Jason Bullen, who was here last night,
said to me, I don't know, maybe three or four
months ago. He goes, you know, Neil, I've known you
for twenty five years, and I've never seen you actually
burn a bridge, like intentionally, like walk in a room
and like I won't say, I won't say for vanity,
but I haven't, you know. And it's like, you know,
there's certain situations you get into where you're, you know,
adversarial with somebody and just kind of like be adversarial
and walk out and then hopefully it mends. But you know,
(22:18):
I've been in this business a long time. I had
a kid really young, and I wanted to stay in
LA because of her. And she has an eight month
old grandchild who will be here in a couple of minutes.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Wow, and or child. I have a grandchild. But so yeah,
I've stuck around LA.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
And he can bring hers. He come by himself.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
No, she she Scarlett. She's eight months old and thirty pounds.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And super cute, and that's awesome. So I stuck around
Los Angeles to be part of her life. And and
I have a younger child who's a sophomore in college.
I'm currently home, but you know, LA has been my home.
And I was born and raised in Hollywood, and I
kind of, you know, for a long time wore the
culinary badge of dishonor on my arm.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
And people was like, why do you live in Los Angeles?
The food's terrible there.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Then you know, all of a sudden it kind of
grew into this, you know, megaopolis, and you know, Chris
Cozentina was saying, like San Francisco is really having a
moment of not doing well, and he comes to LA
and there's a lot of other things happening. It's just
there's a lot of people here, you know, like it's
like last night there was a Dodger game, and you know,
and the you know, the show was almost sold out
last night, and there's sixteen million people in the Ali
(23:19):
metro area.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
There's a lot of people.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
And I think with food and culture and you know,
you know, going back to like what Jonathan Gold did
is really celebrating the whole culture of Los Angeles, which
I tried the best of our ability to invite people
from different places that they weren't all Michelin starred chefs.
And I think that hopefully shows and hopefully that shows
and how people kind of you know go through the
event and digest it.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah, you've got people from you know, not only New York,
Sonoma and the like, but also Tijuana.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
Yeah, Rufos become a new friend and I cooked at
his restaurant a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
It's called Rix, And it's funny, like Tijuana is one
of those things.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
I mean, you and I, you know, grew up in
La long enough to like you go down there, there's
you know, there's a whatever, you a zebra you're sitting
on and like you got a revolution now, and you're
like it's coffee bars and and micro breweries and caesars,
which was a you know, not a great restaurant is
now you know, I don't say they've they it's really
grown up and it's uh, you know, being an Angelina
and going there when I was eighteen.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Just to drink beer.
Speaker 7 (24:13):
It's like it's a really different place. There's there's really
ten really amazing restaurants in Tijuana.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I always tell people they say, have you ever eaten
a horse? I said, not willingly, but I did have
a burger in Tijuana once that I was pretty sure
wasn't beef. Yeah, it does change in LA has changed,
you found, like you were saying, but there is you know,
New York chefs that were coming here because they felt
they were pinched too much to do a certain thing
in New York only and they wanted to do that
(24:40):
have the freedom to come to LA and experiment.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Yeah, and it's funny, like you know, Dominy Crenne was
the first chef that said yes. And she called me
and like I know her. I mean, I don't want
to say we're best friends. I have her cell phone
number and she's like, she goes, Chef, you're doing a
mane Went festival. Like yeah, she goes, I'm like, do
you want to come.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
She's like I do. I'm like, why she goes.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
I was the chef executive up to the Mene Beach
Country Club for eight years and I was like really
when wow?
Speaker 5 (25:04):
And she started a career off there. So it's funny
where people start out.
Speaker 7 (25:07):
I mean, not everybody has like, you know, my my
resume looks very you know, linear, like makes sense like
a lot of people don't, you know. I mean Dominique,
you know, kind of was kicked out of La. She
had a restaurant in Santa Monica.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I didn't do well. She moved to San Francisco.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
She's the only mission on the three star Chef that's
a female in the United States, you know, and she
does very well.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
And it's just like you're saying, like, it doesn't always,
you know, trickle up.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Sometimes it trickles up and down and over to the
side and people stop working and then they, you know,
end out doing something that you know, resonates.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
I'm similar in my career. I love radio, but I
gotten radio to be in radio in LA. I didn't
want to carpet back. It just wasn't my scene. I wanted.
I love my city, I love southern California. I wanted
to be here and I know that that's been a
huge focus of yours and just you know, and I
love what you're doing. Okay, so we got we gotta go.
We're gonna end the show. But you guys, both from
(25:55):
Shelby and U. Chef Walt Disney said that he didn't
care what people said about prices and all that stuff
when they were walking, and he cared what they said
when they walked out. What do you want people to
say when they walk out of the event the Manhattan
Beach Food and Wine event today, Shelby.
Speaker 7 (26:11):
I just want them to have the most amazing time
and have the best food possible, like it's there's some
incredible food, and just have a great experience.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Excellent chef.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Hey, and I thought the environment was really nice.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
I mean, Shelby's like, I can't wait for you to
see it at night because I didn't come to the
night before and it really.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Popped and people had a great time. You can't you
can't create an environment.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
It has to be.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
It has to work, you know, And you can create
a great environment and the wrong people that it doesn't work. Oh,
I agree, Like the magic of that is like, you know,
if we all knew the answer to that, Shelby and
I would not be working. We'd be like counting money somewhere.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
The promise and the payoff, that's all.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
It's it's always a hard balance.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Make the promise with the marketing and the look and
the vibe, and you make the payoff with the hard
work of the chefs that are gonna. Yeah, conclude that. Yeah,
all right, I know, I see we're going. We're going.
Thanks so much. Stick around. You've got Tiffany Hobbes coming up.
Thanks so much. Live from Manhattan Beach and Food Wide
event and all the folks here, we'll see you on
the flip side. Be empathetic, be kind to each other.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
You're listening to The Fork Report with Nil Savedra on
demand from KFI AM six forty
Hey, it's Neil Sevadra. You're listening to kfi EM six
forty the four Report on demand on the iHeartRadio app.
How do you do? Boy? What a day? As we
broadcast live from Manhattan Beach Food and Wine today. The
event actually starts at six o'clock, So this is a
rare opportunity for us to connect with chefs and those
(00:20):
that are out here showing their wares like Knox and Dobson.
We were talking just a little bit ago about that
look that up and all kinds of wine and cocktails
and spirits here today, as well as fifty chefs from
not only here locally and the South Bay, but in
(00:41):
Los Angeles, but Mexico, from Sonoma, from all kinds of places.
So we're getting to as many of them as we can.
And right now we're going to talk to chef Eric Klein,
executive chef of wolf Came Wolfgang Puck Catering. Yes sir,
So okay we all know who Wolfgang Pocket is, Yes, sir?
(01:04):
What is it like as a chef to step into
any sort of space that is close to that name?
What are the expectations that come with that as a chef?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, there's a lot of expection. First on, Neil, thank
you so much for having me on the show. Is fantastic,
Iron radios love it, love the music, look for the personality.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Did you go to the same speech therapist as well? Absolutely?
I love it.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What a great So you know, there's a many levels
in our business and what we do every day. You know,
I'm working with a big man understanding his vision. You know,
I'm being with a company for almost thirty years on
and off. Good for you, and it's great, you know.
I mean you started.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Old enough to be at a business, at any company
for thirty years.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Good food, the good life.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So the thing is this, have something in comment. We
love enjoying, entertaining, we love hospitality, we love quality of
the food, memories, and I think this is what's all about.
And I think you asking me a very valid question.
Is just stepping in in an aya, in the building
or any events we do for example, like nothing is
set up and you make the most fabulous bite.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
For the people.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know, we just do what we do. And I
think you know we have good techniques, we believe what
we do and we want to make people happy.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I've said this on the air before, been doing this
show for a long time that that caterers are like
the front lines of soldiers, because it is it is
the best food under the worst circumstances, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
So I think you know, over the years and the periods,
you know, I mean me being the chef for Wolfgang
I did from the fine dining from Spago and every
kind of sort, and I'm going to the catering.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Is that difference.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
No, We're just an extension of Spago and all the
restaurants and chef Wolfgang Os. And also we have one
end the day where we do a lot of corporate
business or anything. But sometimes we do event and people say, oh,
can you come cook for us? It's just sure, we
need what you got. Oh I got a food on kitchen.
You come over there, you a toaster oven, and you like, sure,
microwave and microwave And people say, what that works now,
isn't it? And I'm like, well, you know, it's not
(03:16):
a problem. So the same thing where we step a
big breeder, we always look, we always are ready, you know,
And we have a lot of chefs come sometimes to
our kitchen and it's like, oh, I have all the
time finding things I don't know where to cook, and
I say, Chef, you have a stove and an oven,
you can do anything you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Want for us. We need just a portable burner in
a little oven.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
We can do magic. And you're going to see tonight.
You know, this is a fantastic way. We're bought basically
a great setup. We're going to do like an Oktoberfest,
flare a little bit, you know, a little bit of
German and Austria and a little bit of Northeastern friends
where I come from, a mixture and Grete sausage and
have a fun time.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You know. I have a friend on the radio station
here who does this show. He's that we refer to
him as the house whisperer, and he does a show
on KFI called Home where he talks about building, you know,
home and your life and all that. And he says,
all the time, give me the bad tools. I'm a professional.
I can do great things with them. But if you
(04:12):
are a novice, get the best tools you could get,
because you could give. So I'd love that attitude of
you going listen, you can hand us anything and we'll
make it sing. Yeah, because you're the pro.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
And I know, absolutely, and it was just very fortunate.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You know, part of our company we have, we're exposed
to a lot of large events. You know, we just
did one of them for this electric car company.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Maybe you heard about it.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
You know, they have they innovative and you know they say, oh,
you go middle of the parking lot and you figure
out something out. Do you go to the super Bowl
or you go to the Formula one and you cook
for one hundred and seventy five thousand people. But it's
one thing and never change in our philosophy. It's quality
and the people. The people always come first, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
And there's a recent event that you did, but we
did the.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Formula one last year, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And yes, the recent event like you know for electric cars, Yes,
I think.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That you know me about it is I think it
was right next to where our studios are.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
But it was fantastic to have been a real treat.
It is part of events that people, you know, they say, hey,
listen there when you're catering, there may be an event
going on that's the star, right, whatever the event is.
But they will not No one who knows what they're
doing is going to do an event where the food
is not good, they just can't. I don't care what
(05:27):
you show them. You could show them whatever you want, technology, whatever,
And if the food's garbage, that's what they're going to
be exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And if you have bad breads, you can always having
good mint.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
No, no, we are good. That can you hang tight
for one more segment? Sure, I'd love to talk to
you some more. All right, We're gonna talk more with
the chef when we come back. I mean that the
whole thought of Chef Eric Klein is with us executive
chef there with Wolfgame Puck catering, but the whole thought
about catering under that name. I have some questions for
you as well, So go know where it is The
(05:57):
Fork Report.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
You're listening to The Fork Report with Neildra on demand
from KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Howdy, howdy howdy, Happy Saturday to you. Gorgeous day to day.
We're out here at the Manhattan Beach Food and Wine event.
What a beautiful day, perfect for this event that's going
to start at six o'clock. We're kind of doing the
pre event vibe here talking having cocktails, eating some great
food and meeting some chefs and some fantastic people here,
(06:24):
of whom I'm talking with right now, Chef Eric Klein,
executive chef there with Wolfgang Puck catering, and I'm fascinated
by this for a couple of things. One we talked
about that, you know, when it comes to the culinary arts,
catering is frontlines, you just it is improvise, adapt, and overcome.
It is how can I produce the best in the
(06:45):
worst circumstances usually, and how can I zig and zag
when I need to? So? It to me, it's a
it is outside of the comfort zones of a line
and a brigade and a kitchen in the traditional sense.
So we were talking about that working under a big
name like Wolfgang Puck, which leads me to this next question.
(07:07):
You have this big smile, you have the beautiful eyes,
this great smile that you can tell your passion, your
love for what you do. How do you, as a
chef who is a creative by nature, work for another
creative and feel that you're fulfilling your desire to create
and execute the vision of Wolfgang Puck?
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But thank you, there are great questions, you know, I
think I constantly believe and magnet attractions. You know, everybody
who has very common taught process and believe always attract
each other.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Over the years.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know, Wolfgang has grown up in Austria. I grew
up in northeastern France, where we grew up in a
very similar growing up. My parents are being farmer, my
mom a butcher, my dad a farmer, and you know,
do wine do and things I felt like when I
grew up. The pineapple was the most exotic free ever saw.
But it came and I can because it was not
in a time where we grew up, you know, in
a month AND's it was.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Not very popular.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Whatsoever is come?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Do you make it sound sexier like Dolay?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
It's from dol.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, and it's just fascinating when you look at it.
But I think you know, overall, what I admire more
is my team.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
We have ideas over the years where.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
They fine tune how to make things, recipe, follow up
techniques using the same style of brigade, but adjusted it
and evolve it to a different level to give a
chance and oppertuinity, allow people to come here.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Let me show you, let me teach you. I always have,
I said to.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
All my young students and my young apprentiction chefs and say,
don't worry about I teach you. And I say, you
know what, I know some stuff, but I may learn
something from you too, And always open for myself for
a dialogue, to conversation with them to make sure we
can evolve together as a team. Every good idea has
always a place. And I think, you know, I'm nothing
without my team, and I realize I mean no. We
(09:05):
have like over thousands and thousands of employees across the
United States, but we have calls. We handle everything like
a family. We have a small group with talking. I
know everybody's name, everybody knows me. We take care of
each other.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Somebody has a baby, Hey, send food over there.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Let's celebrate. Somebody has a little sad moment. Let them
remember and celebrate their own life. I think you know
that is the most thing. My team is the most
important thing. Of course my family too as well. You
know that is very difficult when you're a chef. But
the overhaul is just to make sure you can take
care of people.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
How do you keep from and I love that answer,
by the way, how do you keep from making something
so special like food? Creating food for people? Every day
not becoming a job. How do you keep it special?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Well, to keep it specials, just do what you love.
Many years back, we invented many dishes May food Chef did.
The smoke salmon pizza was a part of like you
know we did, like the tuna cons and many other things,
bread and elevating. I do things because I enjoy it.
I'm not getting up to go to work. I'm going
(10:12):
where something I'll enjoyed. I love spending time. Sometimes I
get a phone call, hey, any time you're coming home.
I'm like, oh, I'm sorry, And even look at my time,
and everybody said, well, Chef, why are you wearing a watch?
And I said, well, I just to make sure I
remember sometimes, but I never look at my watch for time.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I just do what I have to do. And I think,
you know, that is the thing and my biggest legacy.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I know what I want to do. I want to
share with everybody. So we made sausage for this event
for the things. I took the cooks and I said,
come on, let me show you to make the sausage.
Let me make how to make beer sausage, Chicken Vice,
Worst housemade pretzels like you camera solid and they're like, oh, chef.
Now you can go somewhere and you can say, hey,
I learned that I know something where you cannot find everywhere.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
So taking in information, giving out information you.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Have to it's a secret.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The same thing you know we are broadcasting on radio,
listening music or anything.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
What is that?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
It's just communicating, charing with that money and having fun.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
What's your go to dish for comfort for you when
you need a hug from your food?
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I have so many different things. Like earlier to ask
me what's your favorite place? You know, I like Johnny's Pastrami.
I like the Apple Pan. I like a lot of
all the diners. You know order at the Apple Pan
of course, the slice of pie for sure, and regular
burger and a coke.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I mean, listen, you know, I'm a classical guy. I
loves simple things. It has to be complicated whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Love to go.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I have a good DNA but everywhere, you know, I'm
made all the chefs. You know, this is one of
my favorite thing to do. When we can go somewhere
and took all the chefs and then say give me
one of each of the menu and just experience that.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
You know, that is just fascinating.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What a pleasure. Chef Eric Klein, executive chef of Wolf
King Puck Catering, What a real pleasure.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Thanks for It's a pleasure to have you over here, to.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Have you in the studio. Sometimes let me.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Bring some food, oh man, magic.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
And music to my ears though perfect, all right, my friend,
what a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Enjoy yourself. I can't wait for people to eat your food.
And I'm a couple of peace. Yeah, thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Dahn, you're listening to the Fork Report with Nil Sevedra
on demand from KFI A six forty at.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Your service every single Saturday for three hours, the only
three hour show of it's kind that I'm aware of
and happy to do it. Three hours to shake off
the heaviness of the news. I know there's a lot
going on in the world, but the most important thing
about life is to live it, and the most important
thing about living in food, good food and good beverage.
(12:34):
So we get together for these three hours and just
celebrate food, the people that make it, the culture behind it,
introducing you to neat people, and just having a good
time at Today it's a special day because we're out
here in Manhattan Beach at the Manhattan Beach Food and
Wine event. And you know, as much as for as
(12:56):
long as I've been doing the show over ten years
and carry the one when I mean fourteen years now,
I'm constantly surprised how many people we still haven't talked
to an events like this that gives the opportunity. Chef
Chris Constantino is with us from Nick's Cafe and Sonoma
and we're chatting off the air constantly. Your your name
(13:19):
is preceded by celebrity chef. I'm guessing most people don't
like that term. What say you, sir?
Speaker 6 (13:24):
I think it's a weird term.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I think what doesn't mean like you serve celebrities or
you yourself are a celebrity and a chef.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
I ultimately call myself an executive dishwasher, right, so the
measure of your success, right is good? Did you start
in the dish shit?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I did?
Speaker 6 (13:40):
And to me, it's always been that way. And I
don't know where the term came from. I think it's
because some of us have been on TV or.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
But it is what it is. Yeah, every time I
say that, I usually see the chef WinCE a little
bit and it's like, listen, it's a compliment that means
you're a well known chef.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
True, it is a compliment. I'm not knocking it.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
I do.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
I much prefer to hide out.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Yeah, I get it. But you realize every time another chef,
an up and coming chef, sees that or hears that,
or knows about you and your success is whether it
be wins in competitions or whether it be restaurant wins
that that motivates. I mean, that's kind of cool. It is.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I think, you know, inspiration is really important. I think
mentors are even more important, and we well, me personally,
I have mentors that I still fall back to, and
having those long term mentors I think really guide you
in your career, helping you get through the tougher times.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
So today, these events, prior to the pandemic, they were
a diamond dozen they I mean, they were popping out,
and I personally, my view was there was too many
to be produced from passion alone, had to be just
money grabs. When I see an event like this, and
one of the reasons why we're here it is because
I know the people putting it on. I know the
(15:02):
cause in which it's benefiting all those things. What makes
you say, yeah, I'll be there, I'll be a part
of that. You know, a paycheck Neil.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
No, I would have been really cool.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If he just was just with the douche background, would
have been really funny. No, the chicks and money, Neil.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
Honestly, Neil Fraser called me and asked me to come wow,
And I think to me, it's really important.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
It's like you said, it has to have soul. And
when your friends call and ask you to do him
a favor, you do him a favor.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
What is it about that guy? I mean, besides the
fact that he spells Neil wrong, he's pretty powerful guy.
I'm just saying, do you want to have another Neil?
I just personally, I don't like the a. It just
doesn't make sense to.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Spells Neil wrong. And by the way, folks I have
I don't know if you realize this. I'm standing here
thinking I'm in front of a screen, so I keep
moving my hands and I feel like an imbecilet. You're Italian, right,
I'm Italian, but still it's it's very awkward.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
I dare you that was asked this movie. His ears
are wiggling. He's you cannot stop me.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
It's so hard. It's like, Okay, sit on your hands
and just talk, but then never go.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
To a strip joint because you could never sit on
your hands. I haven't been to where he pretends. Oh, no,
of course you haven't.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
I mean we have been in a pandemic for how long?
And then you know, even before that, when I went
to Vegas, I never went.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
They were boring, messing with you.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
I think, like that question you asked about why, right,
Neil is this amazing human. Right, He's always trying to
give back. He's always asking what we need. So when
somebody in your community says to you, hey, I'm putting
on an event it's for a charity, I would really
appreciate your help. I'm not gonna say no, it's hard
(16:47):
for me to do that.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
I was just thinking, we're gonna cut that and separate it,
and we're gonna play it as a promo and they
won't know he's talking about Neil Fraser. They'll think it's
about me and the show. Wow, what do celebrity chefs
think about?
Speaker 6 (17:04):
There's your new open at the station.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Robin will take care of this. Sorry, dude, Wow, you
are You're more like Petros than you know. All right,
so what uh what do you got serving here to do? Oh? Man,
we can okay, we can totally hang out here.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
So it's it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So what do you got here? What did you bring
to the table? What do you what can people experience
of yours?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
So I'm actually in the process of opening a new
project in Maui in y Land. It's gonna be called
Coasts and we're Maui. Well, I was consulting on that
property in Sonoma, I know, but it's like.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
You're not picking. It's like I got a new place
opening in Pakoima.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Yeah yeah, yeah, in lake in the middle of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Now.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
So I'm really trying to focus on a lot of
the items that we're going to be doing out there.
So we have a ConA campachi, which is from the
Big Island, really beautiful crudo and on Maui they do
a lot of sunflower seeds. A lot of people don't
realize sunflowers sunflower oil, which is huge out there. So
we're gonna do dish with ConA cumpachi and sunflower, a
(18:16):
little bit of chili, really beautiful, and then.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Cook how do you cook your crude?
Speaker 5 (18:22):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's a test you pass. You pass.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
We are going to have a little yu zoo on
it so it'll cure it just a little bit fresh
u zu juice, and then we're gonna do a West
Home Wagu hangar steak tartar and with that it's gonna
be really fun because I have this unique cheese that's
called belper Knole and it's as it's it's really it
looks like it looks like a truffle. It's a dried
(18:49):
cheese and it's round. So what happens in the morning,
They get the fresh milk, they make the cheese and
inside of it is little bits of garlic. They form
it into a little ball and coat it in black
pepper and they let it dry. So then you shave
it over the tartar like truffles.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
The hell you do? Oh that sounds magical.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
So to enhance that, we're doing this really fun new
project and I want you to come try this. It's
this new salt that I'm making. It's called Herbs de petaluma.
So Herbs de petaluma is a white CBG flower, which
means it's a hemp flower. So it has those beautiful
(19:31):
notes of cannabis without any THHC. Coriander that's been grown
on the farm, wild fenel pollen, and that's the salt
that we're gonna season. So it's gonna enhance the way
the beef eat. Right, So you think about what they eat,
all those herbaceous grasses. So we're gonna go down those roads.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Wow, you know it's funny. People always say, you know,
when I listen to your show Nel and the Fork Report,
I get hungry. And then when I have a chef
like you sit down and describe what there, I go.
Now I know what it sounds like when it is
Chris Conzattino, the chef extraord and air celebrity chef. Tell
your friends, Tell your friends you hurt them on the air.
It's like eating him in person, but via the airway.
(20:11):
What a pleasure, man, Thanks for taking time. And now
these things are they pull you in a thousand different directions,
and I'm hoping that we can pull your ass sometime
into the studio and love talk at length anytime. I
would love you. I've heard such great things from people
that know you, and it was real pleasure to me.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Now you're fabricating lies to keep me down.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Yeah, yeah, I actually say that to everyone I meet.
I said it to some lady. I don't even think
she I think she didn't even work in the culinary arts.
I think she was parking cars. It's cool, but real
pleasure to meet you, man.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Thank you all right.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It is the Fork Report. More to come, so our
last segment before we say a di and then we
get to enjoy this place as it lights up at
six o'clock and comes alive. So go know where the
Manhattan Beach Food and Wine event is where we are today.
You've been listening to the Fork Report, you can always
hear us live. I'm on kf I AM six forty
(21:01):
two to five pm on Saturday and anytime on demand
on the iHeartRadio. At Manhattan Beach Food and Wine. We're
gonna wrap up with Shelby Russell, some more who's putting
on the event. And the last, but certainly not least,
chef Neil Frasier, even though he spells his first name wrong,
is with us. He's been on the show many times.
(21:24):
We also have a great friend in Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.
In the seventh district. I gave coin my a shout
out earlier. I was just kidding, but nice to see. Chef.
Your name has been dropped a couple of times today.
I think I have some of your name on my shoe.
It's been dropped so much. People have said things like
(21:45):
when you call and ask them to come therein I'm flattered. Well,
I hear that a lot. You know, you're you're not
someone I hear negative stuff about it.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Now, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
My chef Gouzi and Jason Bullen, who was here last night,
said to me, I don't know, maybe three or four
months ago. He goes, you know, Neil, I've known you
for twenty five years, and I've never seen you actually
burn a bridge, like intentionally, like walk in a room
and like I won't say, I won't say for vanity,
but I haven't, you know. And it's like, you know,
there's certain situations you get into where you're, you know,
adversarial with somebody and just kind of like be adversarial
and walk out and then hopefully it mends. But you know,
(22:18):
I've been in this business a long time. I had
a kid really young, and I wanted to stay in
LA because of her. And she has an eight month
old grandchild who will be here in a couple of minutes.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Wow, and or child. I have a grandchild. But so yeah,
I've stuck around LA.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
And he can bring hers. He come by himself.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
No, she she Scarlett. She's eight months old and thirty pounds.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And super cute, and that's awesome. So I stuck around
Los Angeles to be part of her life. And and
I have a younger child who's a sophomore in college.
I'm currently home, but you know, LA has been my home.
And I was born and raised in Hollywood, and I
kind of, you know, for a long time wore the
culinary badge of dishonor on my arm.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
And people was like, why do you live in Los Angeles?
The food's terrible there.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Then you know, all of a sudden it kind of
grew into this, you know, megaopolis, and you know, Chris
Cozentina was saying, like San Francisco is really having a
moment of not doing well, and he comes to LA
and there's a lot of other things happening. It's just
there's a lot of people here, you know, like it's
like last night there was a Dodger game, and you know,
and the you know, the show was almost sold out
last night, and there's sixteen million people in the Ali
(23:19):
metro area.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
There's a lot of people.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
And I think with food and culture and you know,
you know, going back to like what Jonathan Gold did
is really celebrating the whole culture of Los Angeles, which
I tried the best of our ability to invite people
from different places that they weren't all Michelin starred chefs.
And I think that hopefully shows and hopefully that shows
and how people kind of you know go through the
event and digest it.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah, you've got people from you know, not only New York,
Sonoma and the like, but also Tijuana.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
Yeah, Rufos become a new friend and I cooked at
his restaurant a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
It's called Rix, And it's funny, like Tijuana is one
of those things.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
I mean, you and I, you know, grew up in
La long enough to like you go down there, there's
you know, there's a whatever, you a zebra you're sitting
on and like you got a revolution now, and you're
like it's coffee bars and and micro breweries and caesars,
which was a you know, not a great restaurant is
now you know, I don't say they've they it's really
grown up and it's uh, you know, being an Angelina
and going there when I was eighteen.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Just to drink beer.
Speaker 7 (24:13):
It's like it's a really different place. There's there's really
ten really amazing restaurants in Tijuana.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I always tell people they say, have you ever eaten
a horse? I said, not willingly, but I did have
a burger in Tijuana once that I was pretty sure
wasn't beef. Yeah, it does change in LA has changed,
you found, like you were saying, but there is you know,
New York chefs that were coming here because they felt
they were pinched too much to do a certain thing
in New York only and they wanted to do that
(24:40):
have the freedom to come to LA and experiment.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Yeah, and it's funny, like you know, Dominy Crenne was
the first chef that said yes. And she called me
and like I know her. I mean, I don't want
to say we're best friends. I have her cell phone
number and she's like, she goes, Chef, you're doing a
mane Went festival. Like yeah, she goes, I'm like, do
you want to come.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
She's like I do. I'm like, why she goes.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
I was the chef executive up to the Mene Beach
Country Club for eight years and I was like really
when wow?
Speaker 5 (25:04):
And she started a career off there. So it's funny
where people start out.
Speaker 7 (25:07):
I mean, not everybody has like, you know, my my
resume looks very you know, linear, like makes sense like
a lot of people don't, you know. I mean Dominique,
you know, kind of was kicked out of La. She
had a restaurant in Santa Monica.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I didn't do well. She moved to San Francisco.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
She's the only mission on the three star Chef that's
a female in the United States, you know, and she
does very well.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
And it's just like you're saying, like, it doesn't always,
you know, trickle up.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Sometimes it trickles up and down and over to the
side and people stop working and then they, you know,
end out doing something that you know, resonates.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
I'm similar in my career. I love radio, but I
gotten radio to be in radio in LA. I didn't
want to carpet back. It just wasn't my scene. I wanted.
I love my city, I love southern California. I wanted
to be here and I know that that's been a
huge focus of yours and just you know, and I
love what you're doing. Okay, so we got we gotta go.
We're gonna end the show. But you guys, both from
(25:55):
Shelby and U. Chef Walt Disney said that he didn't
care what people said about prices and all that stuff
when they were walking, and he cared what they said
when they walked out. What do you want people to
say when they walk out of the event the Manhattan
Beach Food and Wine event today, Shelby.
Speaker 7 (26:11):
I just want them to have the most amazing time
and have the best food possible, like it's there's some
incredible food, and just have a great experience.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Excellent chef.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Hey, and I thought the environment was really nice.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
I mean, Shelby's like, I can't wait for you to
see it at night because I didn't come to the
night before and it really.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Popped and people had a great time. You can't you
can't create an environment.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
It has to be.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
It has to work, you know, And you can create
a great environment and the wrong people that it doesn't work. Oh,
I agree, Like the magic of that is like, you know,
if we all knew the answer to that, Shelby and
I would not be working. We'd be like counting money somewhere.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
The promise and the payoff, that's all.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
It's it's always a hard balance.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Make the promise with the marketing and the look and
the vibe, and you make the payoff with the hard
work of the chefs that are gonna. Yeah, conclude that. Yeah,
all right, I know, I see we're going. We're going.
Thanks so much. Stick around. You've got Tiffany Hobbes coming up.
Thanks so much. Live from Manhattan Beach and Food Wide
event and all the folks here, we'll see you on
the flip side. Be empathetic, be kind to each other.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
You're listening to The Fork Report with Nil Savedra on
demand from KFI AM six forty
The Fork Report w Neil Saavedra News
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