@ForkReporter | Hour 2

The Best of Show 2023 Continued.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey, it's Niel Sevedra. You'relistening to kfi EM six forty The Fork
Report on demand on the iHeartRadio app. Don't forget follow us on that app
as well, and then you willhave access to breaking news and everything else
that can come your way. Timand Nancy Cushman are here on the fore

(00:21):
Report today, and this is verycool. When husband and wife's family members
work together. I always find thatthere's a different level of love and happiness
that goes into the food, whichis always a cool part of the process.
And of course you can taste thosethings. I've had food that was

(00:43):
prepared technically perfectly that did not haveany life into it, and then I've
had food from people that are selftaught and just have the passion that it
comes through. So when you canget that combination in and technique and ability
and pass it along with love,it's always a good thing. So Tim

(01:06):
and Nancy Cushman are here chef Timrestaurant tour. Nancy his wife are bringing
or have brought. Was it backin April that you folks came to Santa
Monica. Yes, it was rightaround April, and so we welcome you.
Originally out of Boston, and that'swhere you've made your magic before here.

(01:30):
Yes, I'm originally from Boston.Nancy's originally from Chicago, and we
met in Chicago, but opened ourfirst restaurants in Boston. Wow, and
why did you choose Boston first.I'll make a long story short. We
were living in Chicago and I hadbeen away. I lived out here for

(01:52):
about seven years in the eighties andgot my start out here and restaurants in
the eighties. Moved to Chicago agowe met there. I was there for
about ten years and then, uh, my mom was getting older, so
I hadn't seen her in a lot, and you know, so we did.
Nancy got a job offer. Shewas in advertising working with Leo Burnett

(02:14):
in Chicago, So we moved toBoston and then, uh just took our
time and just started looking around,uh to start to the first restaurant there.
We actually considered opening in La restaurant. Yeah, it's Japanese inspired,
it's kind of a higher end Amacasserestaurant. It started with a macas and

(02:35):
all the cart menus, and wedid consider La, but then we were
a little bit lazy and said,we live in Boston already. Why don't
we try to bring this to Bostonand sixteen years later, still open and
doing really well. Yeah, notlazy, that's sensible. I mean it's
a big jump out here in LAand you get a culture change as well.
But there seems to be a movement, small movement of some getting some

(03:01):
wonderful Boston chefs and places coming outto Los Angeles of which you are one,
yes, and having you know,that kind of background in respect and
being honored by the James Beard Associationand these types of things. Bringing that

(03:22):
someone like me, I'm giddy aboutit. I I we welcome you with
open arms, and I'm thrilled thatyou're here in town. So far,
how's it been going so far?Great? And so you're about no,
no, no, what six blocksfrom the beach from Ocean Avenue on there
on the third Street promenade. Andtell us about the concept you brought three

(03:44):
concepts, yes to lay tells aboutthose? Well, two we actually we
have them all in Boston. Alsothat we started two of them about four
four years ago or so. That'sGo Go Yeah and ms Klux Deluxe Chicken
and Dumplings and then mister Rony Cupswe uh It's part of another restaurant that

(04:09):
we have in outside of Boston calledthe restaurants called Bianca, and mister Rony
Cups is kind of attached to it. So that's all. That's the pizza,
Pizza Rha Go Goo. Yeah,is crispy Norri tacos, which is
essentially cut Nori sheets into rounds andthen we tempora fry them and shape them

(04:30):
into a taco. Essentially, it'sa sushi and a nice crispy Norri.
This is so la. When youlook at it, you we wonder like,
how come we don't have this inthis form? The tempura is genius.
That combination adding to the crispiness,the crunch, you know, more
of a muted flavor. Yeah,but definitely something that can feel is great.

(04:56):
I will make note that all ofyour locations are all of your names
and concepts sound like bad guys fromlike Dick Tracy. Oh yeah, we
had mister Rony Cups, Miss missClucks came in and don't get me started
on the Go Go. Yeah.It's like they might sound pretty bad,
like pretty uh those bad guys,but if you actually see the logos are

(05:19):
all very it's very whimsical. Islike, we're mister Cups is actually a
walking stick of pepperoni with really funshoes on and a pizza beret. There's
that marketing background coming into play.I just love that. I want I
want somebody get mister Rony Cups onthe phone right this instant. We could

(05:40):
give them an alter etail exactly.We you know, we're pretty easy going
and uh and like to have fun. So you know, we try to
make things whimsical or you know,fun that would kind of stick out in
your mind and go, yeah,let's go to mister Rony Cups. And
we've had a lot of kids,uh do Like one dad said to go
ahead say it, and he goesmister Rony Cups. It was like,

(06:02):
you know, it was great.The kid got a kick out of saying,
oh yeah, they're fabulous names,and they strike the curiosity as to
what's going to be on the otherside of that. So, of course
the Pepperoni Cups that we all havecome to know and love. And I'm
staring at it right here. Howlong did it take you to perfect your

(06:26):
pizza crust? And all? Well, you never perfect anything that's you know,
that's always an ongoing endeavor. ButI've I've been in working in restaurants
for forty four years and I've donea lot of pizza in a lot of
different restaurants, different styles, NewYork, Neopolitan. I've eaten pizza all

(06:49):
over the world and Thailand, Italy, France, Japan, all over the
US. So I have a lotof different versions of pizza. But it's
always evolving, and especially now,it's like the golden age of nozza.
You know, there's amazing flowers available. You know, there's an an enormous

(07:10):
amount of knowledge out there that youknow everyone sharing, and you know it's
it's kind of like, you know, the ingredients are simple, but the
processes is what really uh takes thetime and the effort. The one pizza
that we're using at one of ourrestaurants, it took me a half a
year, uh too, and everyweek I worked on a different iteration of

(07:33):
it, using different flowers, fermentations, hydration levels, you know, temperatures,
everything. So I spent a halfa year on that dough. Uh.
Specifically, can I add color tothat story? Oh? Please?
We at our house in Boston,in our backyard, we imported a Stefano
for our wood burning wood wood burningoven and imported the oven and then built

(07:58):
a mini pizza hut. We callit lovingly around it, and I like
to joke that it's better than ourhouse. But Tim spent those six months
like a mad scientist kind of walkinginside and outside of the house. Had
bins of flower all around the kitchen, just mad scientists, like doing combinations
of flowers and hydrations and all sortsof stuff. And then there was that

(08:18):
moment where I was like, oh, this is maybe not going to end
well for him, because but Ialways such a perfectionist. So he had
that aha moment and came into thehouse with the pizza finally and said,
ah, this is it, sowow, really well. I also got
an imported Italian mixer it's like afork mixer, and I got that.

(08:39):
I worked with a guy for threedays. I mean pizzas like sushi.
You know, you never master itand it's always but it's always an ongoing
effort. But I worked with thisthis gentleman that was from Naples, and
because I wanted to know, youknow, it was probably eight or nine
years ago, and I wanted toreally know what was happening with the true

(09:01):
Neapolitan pizza, and so that wasvery eye opening and I learned a lot
from him. But the pieces thatI end up with are more kind of
American. There's a lot of differentnames like neo Neapolitan and yeah, bicker
crust, Yeah, thin thin crust, thick crust. You know, there's
all different kinds of pizzas these days. But but the pizza house that we

(09:24):
built, my brother is a mason, So a week before the pizza even
arrived, he laid down the foundationand then he had some carpenter friends and
we built a house around it,and it's all post and beam and naughty
pine, and then we built abar in there out of this two hundred
year old would be found in Connecticutfrom an old mill. And so then

(09:46):
we put in a TV with surroundsound and better than our house. As
I said, can you be andbe it? Yeah, your best radio,
buddy, because actually it's in areally small it's in a really small
and the town inspector somehow knew wewere building it, and he came in
and he thought we were gonna actuallyhave people live in it, and so

(10:09):
he was he told us you stopstop instruction right now, and we said,
no, this is just a pizza. We're making pizza. Yeah,
it's a little shed to come forthe expensive pizza oven. And then he
ate a slice and gave you permitsfor whatever you wanted. Yeah. Yeah,
he comes up to inspect it acouple of times a week, just

(10:31):
to make sure everything's right. Wow, you know what I'll ask you.
I know you guys are pressed fortime. Is this your last segment?
Can you do one more segment?Okay? Because I know that you pressed
for time. People don't understand thatyou don't sleep when on restaurants. We're
happy to be here, so stickaround. We'll come back and talk to
the good folks, to him andNancy Cushman and the three concepts that they've

(10:54):
brought to LA and why you shouldbe excited about it. Will taste the
food and more to come. Sogo know where you're listening to The Fork
Report with Nil Savedra on demand fromKFI AM six forty. Don't forget hit
that follow button boo boo boo booboop and follow us so we can send
you breaking news and the like.Also, I would love for you to

(11:18):
hang out with me on social media. I am the guy. I don't
have anybody else doing it, Soit is me on there, on Instagram,
Twitter and now threads at Fork Reporter, at Fork Reporter, because I
am your friendly neighborhood Fork Reporter.Please join me there and don't forget.
You've got Taula Sharp coming up atfive o'clock right after this program with Everything

(11:43):
so Cal of course with so CalSaturdays, and then Unsolved with Steve Gregory
starting at seven, and The JesusChrist Show is live tomorrow at six.
I got to get up to produceit. Of course, Tony's going to
be running the board. We getup, you get up, see you
at six going to hell? Justkidding. I don't have that power.

(12:03):
If I did, yeah, you'dbe going to hell right now. Talking
with Tim and Nancy Cushman that thereare three concepts. Uh go go yah,
Miss Clucks Deluxe and mister Rony Cups. You guys heavy drinkers or was
that sober when you guys came togetherfor those names. We're probably high.

(12:30):
We're not, honey, No,we're not. We just love to have
fun. I love that, youknow what. I love what you do
too. It's a pleasure, youknow. We always say, we're in
a pleasure business. We're so fortunateto be in a pleasure business. And
if things don't bring you joy whenyou're eating food or having food, then
you're not eating the right food.Oh. I snapped at somebody at a
hotel once and that's not my normalgig. And I said, you realize

(12:52):
you were in the hospitality business.Why would you get in this business and
be so mean? Wow, timeto choose a different percussion. Hospitality should
be fun. You should be excitedabout things. Okay, like we are
right now looking through all these things, why don't you give us information websites
any anywhere, anythink that people willwant to know after we start describing all

(13:16):
this wonderful food. Okay, sure, Yeah, we have go Go Yah
dot com. We have we haveMisclux Deluxe dot com and mister anicups dot
com. Wow. So this isyour chicken and waffles. Yes, that's
the Kia fried chicken. It hasa little miso maple syrup sauce on it.

(13:41):
Sweet little miso. What a greatcombination. If you dip then in
the little sauce that's next to it, that's a Yuzu Kosha ali. So
it's a little bit matches the sweetnesswith a little bit of citrus and spice
too great combination. And I knowthis had to travel and the biggest fear

(14:05):
is bringing anything fried traveled. Yes, but those flavors, how that is
really it, Tayla, Tayla relaxed, It's coming your way. That I
was. I lifted it up andstarted and then and then the pulling and
the grabbing hospitality. Oh the sauce. She pointed at the sauce. As

(14:31):
you guys know in restaurants as well, it's hard to find. Could help,
It's all right, it's okay.We still love it. Yes,
she actually is. And this beautyright here, that's the salmon Teriaki crispy
Nori taco. Oh my lord.So you get a little crispy, a

(14:54):
little soft that's almost like a shelike he is like uh texture where you
get soft and crunchy at the sametime. That is one of the most
dangerous things I've ever eaten. Iwould not stop ever. They are hard
to put down. Yeah, butwow, that flavor and the crunch of

(15:16):
that shell is magic, pure magic. That is really really. Did you
get one of those tacos? Idid? They were phenomenal. Are you
going to finish yours? What dowe say about eating talking with your mouth?
Sorry, taco, you want someof that? Try the mushroom one

(15:37):
to this, I mean this righthere, the big task four feet of
space between them, and it's alittle tug of war right now. So
this is the braised mushroom and ithas a miso truffle aoli on top,
and it's also braised with tofu narriditofu, which is is there citrus in

(16:02):
there? Yes, there's lemons est. Wow, okay, don't make that
now you can. Yeah, there'slemons zest and some garlic chips fried garlic
chips on top too. Wow wowwow wow. Those are excellent. Those
are really really magical. I knowwe're up against the clock here, but

(16:23):
tell us about the pizza that wetalked about that So this is wonderful leoparding
on there. Yeah, we lovecharred uh, charred pizza. Uh.
And this is the the pepperoni oneand we use the azoso. Yeah we
learned we were at the pizza showand uh, the the Eso pepperoni which

(16:45):
you get the cups with. Andthen it's really you know, it's a
simple sauce, simple cheese. Onething I like putting on pizza is oregano
and and olive oil. So wekind of do a little drizzle of olive
oil and oregano. But the reganojust adds so much depth to it.
Yeah, I think that's what I'mtasting is there. You bide into it.

(17:06):
The crust is delicious. It hasthat leoparding, which is really nice.
You get that extra crunch on thebottom, and you get all those
favorite textures and then all of asudden you get this little rush a finish
that is different and I really likethat. That is fantastic. Well,
one thing we played with is whattype of regano, because there's a very
beautiful Italian oregano, and then welooked at dry organic Sicilian or yeah,

(17:32):
and where we ended up for thepizza here in Santa Monica, mister ron
cups is Mexican oregano. Oh really, and it gives it a little bit
of extra kind of like floral,a little floral, a little earthiness still,
but it's a little bit different spin. But we Mexicans give a little
something there, you go. Yeah, yeah, it's so you know,

(17:53):
we have both in the house,but there is something that has just a
little little more floral, a littlemore flavor and beautiful. Yeah, it's
really deeper, earthy flavor. Sothis is what we're going to do because
we're up against the clock here.You guys have a place to go,
and what we're going to do isjust eat this wonderful food ourselves and continue

(18:15):
to talk about it because it reallyis amazing. I love smart flavors,
not only techniques on the the everythingthat you're doing here from the dough and
all that wonderful, but man togive have those surprise flavors and textures on
those tacos and the sauce on there. Everything plays together nicely. You could

(18:36):
easily go too mushy on the insideswhen you're dealing with some of those sauces
as you know, and mushrooms andthings like that, and it just comes
together and is delightful, just reallyreally special. Chef. Oh, that's
good to hear. Thank you.I appreciate it. It's good to hear
from me camp outside of these places. This is stuff that I would share
with my entire family. That's acompliment. Yeah, I just I know

(19:02):
they'd all get a kick out ofthis. Thanks so much for coming on.
Yes, well, thanks for havingus. Well we'll have you on
again. And if there's anything goingon specials, you know, anything new
on the menu, you let usknow and we will make sure people know
about it. I've on grub Soif you can't get down to the Santa
Monica Third Street Promenade kitchen, UnitedMix is the location. We're available around

(19:26):
that immediate vicinity for delivery too.Right now, wow, well, why
don't you let me know when itgets towards downtown Los Angeles get a ghost
kitchen or something. We are weare if there's anyone out there in the
audience, we are looking for otherlocations. Oh wow, we actually we
look to expand the brands and takethem all over as many places as you

(19:48):
want to eat our Carrie, Iget chicken and our pizza and our so
smart. The food is so smartand has a lot of attention to detail.
And I love that because because youcan look at stuff and say,
okay, that's pizza, those arewings. I have you. But when
you get into him, I lovethe surprise. Just that's Sitrus. I
know, I know, I seeyour eyes. I'm sorry, I'm Goneley

(20:11):
all right, thanks so much forcoming on, Thanks for having us.
Everything on our websites, they canfind out it is the Fork Report on
Neil Savedra this KFI AM six forty. You're listening to the Fork Report with
Neil Savedra on demand from KFI AMsix forty live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app.

(20:32):
Neil Savedra here with you, yourfriendly neighborhood Fork Reporter. Happy to
be with you. Please join uson social media at fork Reporter on Twitter,
Instagram and now threads Twitter, Instagramand now threads at fork Reporter.
Okay, we just had Tim andNancy Cushman. There are three concepts here

(20:55):
in Santa Monica on the Third StreetPromenade, Go go Ah, Miss Clucks
Deluxe and Mister Rony Cups. Whatwonderful humans just to start out with.
They are so lovely. They havethat killer passion and joy that you want
people that are making your food.You know that stuff transfers, It just

(21:18):
does. I don't want someone angry, mean, you want people putting uh,
you know, love in that youhave soul food. Soul food is
never made by an angry person.It ain't gonna taste good. You have
good barbecue that comes from Joy Pizza, same burgers. Same when you're cooking

(21:40):
that way, it just you youjust feel it everywhere. So not only
was I going over all their allthe delicious stuff that they brought with them,
but those tacos are genius. Andnow I think they're plating some more
for you guys too. I thinkthey're playing that stuff up. They were

(22:03):
they had problems with traffic and reallywas was a chore for them to get
over here, and they were sograteful, but they are going to make
sure that they put the rest together. So they were like literally these things
were coming in uh As before theywere on. But wow, going over

(22:26):
these these Talkie Day's tacos. Sowhat they did is they fried the norri
in some tempura to make the tacoshell. So you've got a seaweed and
yeah, your tempura batter fried intoa shell, which is a bizarre combination

(22:53):
to experience because it has, youknow, the flavor in the crunch of
something you expect to be heavy,like Deep Fried is. You know,
he reads heavy, but it's not, so you get this very light,
thin, crispy and dare I saycrunchy because it's light, and then the

(23:22):
filling is just magic. They havevegetarian and vegan options, all of these
things. But I'm just blown awayat the thought that has gone into this
and the passion and joy. LikeI love when people from restaurants are looking
and they're watching and they're saying intheir head they want to see people eat

(23:47):
their food. If I love aplace, I love staring at somebody eating
there for the first time. I'mlike, oh man, they're going to
get that. But holy heck,all of the oh this sandwich, make
sure I get you know, pictures. But it's hard for this stuff to
travel. You know, they've gota they're plate in this in a kitchen

(24:10):
here that has nothing but a microwave. I mean there, we don't have
a setup for this because of thelaws here, and so you know,
people have to figure out how toprepare this stuff for us. But okay,
what'd you get to taste, Kayla? I had some pizza, I
had the what is it seaweed fishtaco I had some of the waffle fries,

(24:33):
I had some of the chicken.I think I had everything that they
bought. Did you try this sandwich? I'm gonna eat that sandwich when you
turn your back, well, okay, give it a try there, don't
you got to get a picture ofit. Yeah, well, we'll get
a picture of it. You canturn it around to the other side.
Just don't take the pretty bite first. Go take the ugly bite first.

(24:56):
Okay, But really I love thatkind of attitude. And the food just
pops when you get that right there. They got their fry down for sure,
but you get that crispy crunch onthe outside of those sushi tacos and
then the citrus in through the zestcoming out with the the that soft kind

(25:25):
of woodsy meaty that you get witha mushroom and the sauce on it,
and you're it just is is brightand fresh and ridiculous, just ridiculous.
I can't say enough. We willpost all this. It's very rare that
we have someone on that's gotten threeplaces there in Santa Monica on the third

(25:48):
Street Promenade. You've got go GoYah. You've got Miss Clux Deluxe and
Mister Rony Cups and just the flavors, and I've found them to be magical.
I love what sneaks up, theflavor that sneaks up even with the
pizza. You know you you justwith that Mexican oregano just gives it an

(26:11):
extra little I'm well, try thatat home. That's what's going to happen
next, just so you know.So thanks a big thanks to Tim and
Nancy Cushman. I know that it'sa trek from Santa Monica to hear they
all already have restaurants in Boston,and to juggle all those things as a

(26:32):
husband and wife team and still smile. Mm, that's amazing, unto itself,
smiling when working together ridiculous. Youthink you think Caitlin and I smile
and we're not even married. We'realready at that place we just eat.
Is that what you're wearing today?Is that what your You forgot your hat

(26:52):
today? Yeah? Use you forgotyour head. See that's for real what
you just to experienced, the tension, the passion, the product that comes
from that. I'm in a weird, silly mood. Reilly enjoyed my silly
Neil. I love the little sleep. No cares Neil. He's fun.

(27:18):
He looks like he's gonna light afire. You're listening to The Fork Report
with Nil Savedra on demand from KFIAM six forty heard everywhere on that there.
iHeartRadio app anywhere you are in thecountry, I'm just pop it on.
Listen to the Fork Report, comfortof whatever you want to do wherever

(27:41):
you could be sitting by a lakelistening to us right now. I love
going back and forth on social media. By the way, you can hang
out with us during the week,obviously during the show as well on social
media at Fork Reporter at Fork Reporteron Instagram and Twitter. But hang out

(28:03):
with us there, won't you Instagram? We do some Instagram live. Sometimes
it's me just Pop having a coupleof pops in the backyard and grilling.
Sometimes I'm with my brother Craig andhis bar, whatever it might be.
You never know what's gonna happen,So join me there on Instagram at Folk
Reporter. Won't you all right?This is you know, I know that

(28:26):
there's a lot of novelty food outthere, but I'm always curious as to
texture and flavors. When you changelittle things here, change little things there.
This comes from foodbeast dot Com,one of our favorites, foodbeast dot
com and this is Jacksonville launches theirsausage strip so get this. It's sausage,

(28:48):
but it looks and cooks like bacon. What so this isn't brand speaking
new. It actually came out Ithink last year, but it was very
limit it in the market as towhere you could find it. And now
more and more locations. You haveit at Walmart, you have it at
Alberson's Safe Way. Of course,we love Kroger all them places. But

(29:14):
it started out in the Midwest,and now it's more and more real.
Really, uh, why can't Iget that more and more retailors. She
she's spent one night with my brotherCraig last night drinking. That's a tough
sentence, Neil. No, I'mjust slow today. Thank you Kayla for

(29:34):
coming to my defense once again.As my faithful sidekicking producer. I find
out things, you know what,she doesn't do well. She doesn't promote
herself like I find out things she'sdoing from other people. Yeah, your
producer's great. She did X,Y and Z, and I'm like,

(29:55):
wow, she doesn't even tell me, she just does it. Yeah,
I gotta do better with that.But I always have your back, Nail,
that's for sure. Well, I'mgoing to start promoting you then,
shoot, I find out stuff andI have to reach out to her and
say, hey, did you dothis? She said, yeah, thanks.
I am a big fan of peopleout thinking me. That's the best
partners in the world. My wife, my friends, anybody that when you

(30:18):
care about them, you want tooutthink them and their needs and what makes
them happy. It's a big thingwith me. I love trying to outthink
my friends and family to make surethey're taken care of. So I appreciate
you. So she's actually the one. Kayla sent this to me, and
I'm like, what, so thesestrips. You've got great mixes too,
smoked choriso, you've got spicy,you've got original maple flavored. But there's

(30:42):
sausage. So I'm going to tryand get my hands on some of these.
I will I will weighe into aWalmart, fending against all the people
and the different types of humanity thatgo to Walmart's just to see or I'll
pop in even better, get tothe local Robertsons and see what's going on

(31:04):
with these. But I here's whyit's not a novelty to me. One
they're actually, interestingly enough, fortypercent less fat and thirty percent less sodium
per serving than traditional bacon. Sothese sausage strips are fascinating in that way.
But two think about it this way. Adding them to a hamburger is

(31:30):
going to be different than slicing opena sausage or something wrapping things in them
for appetizers. Like, to me, this is not just a novelty.
It can change the way you experiencesausage. So, in addition to the
forty percent less fat and thirty percentless sodium preserving than traditional bacon, I'm
actually quite curious to see how thesethings can be used if they're tasty.

(31:57):
But it's Johnsonville, how bad canit be? So I'm curious of jumping
in on them and seeing how thesethings go down. But you never ever
know, So once I taste them, I will post it and I will
let you know, just like wedid with the and a lot of people
love that. The hamburger pet well, the hot dog patties that are out

(32:22):
there, you can only get themon QVC. Those turned out being to
be pretty tasty. Still have toget out and get a nice thick slab
of baloney from a local butcher tosee if it tastes the same I'm guessing
it probably would. And if itdoesn't, taste exactly the same, could
you imagine like a three quarter inchslice of bologny grilled and put on a

(32:45):
bun. Come on, go outsideright now and slap someone in the face.
It is the fork Report on NielSavadrik KFI A Los Angele you've been
listening to the Forkerport. You canalways hear us live on KFI AM six
forty two to five pm on Saturday, and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.