Great Taste Magazine

By Robert Johnson

August 2010

In Downtown Long Beach on the corner of Pine Avenue and First  Street, just up from Long Beach Harbor, sits what used to be a bank. Built in a more romantic age, this particular building is a Grecian marvel – guarded in front by ionic pillars that give way to a stone and mortar egress.  The bank is now long gone, but please trust that some treasures still remain. Today, the Madison Restaurant keeps watch over the culinary assets and currency that Chef Reynaldo Tovar lends out to interested patrons. The restaurant opened in 1997 and stayed true to the design and architecture befitting the era in which the building was constructed.

For nine years, Chef Tovar has worked at the distinguished establishment. First, Chef Rey was a line cook and then sous chef for a few years under one chef. He was then sous chef under a new executive chef before stepping into that role himself. Now the menu, the aplomb, and the satisfaction of being a part of The Madison are all his. Read more »

 By Todd Lejnieks

August 2010

The concept of Tao is based upon the understanding that the only constant in the Universe is change and that we must understand and be in harmony with this change. This, of course, is a perfect description on how to run a dining room or kitchen successfully.

What follows are some ways to approach what we do in our day-to-day jobs serving food to the masses, and hopefully along the way, find our own little nirvana. Read more »

By Lori Olsen

August 2010

Attending food shows is a great way to sharpen your food and hospitality industry chops. With access to new industry trends, products and strategies, food shows provide helpful tips and demonstrations that can take you and your business to the next level. Guest speakers and speaker forums at the food shows are educational and timely and can help you see your business in a whole new light. Don’t miss out on what’s new in the industry. Check out the upcoming food shows in your area! Read more »

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been predicted to spread as far as Europe and the arctic – and we are already starting to see the devastating effects of the accident. Along with the detrimental destruction to the environment, the spill will also affect much of the Gulf’s wildlife – which means seafood. So how is the oil spill going to affect the restaurant industry?

Read more »

-Roy Hendrickson is Chef de Cuisine at Zimzala at the Shorebreak Hotel and has been for about 5 months. 8/12/10

- Tim Kast has been named Executive Chef Partner of the soon-to-open Seasons 52 in South Coast Plaza. 8/9/10.

- Jorge Estrada has departed Fleming’s Newport Beach. Rumor has it that he will be replaced with Chris Hutten, currently at The Catch, Anaheim. 8/1/10 Read more »

 8/26/10- U.S. Restaurant Traffic Will Grow Less Than Population Growth Over Next Decade, Reports NPD

Visits to U.S. restaurants are forecasted to grow less than one percent a year over the next decade, slower than the 1.1 percent a year growth in the country’s population, according to recently released foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. The report, A Look into the Future of Foodservice, forecasts that annual visits to restaurants will increase by 8 percent over the next ten years.

The report, which provides forecasts of restaurant segments, categories, visit situations, and beverage and food products based on the aging of the U.S. population, population growth, and recent trends, finds that the aging of the U.S. population over the next decade will not benefit the restaurant industry. Read more »

By: Robert Johnson

July 2010

Culinary artistry can be achieved by delicately balancing contrasts, and chefs spend their careers trying to pair the right combination of sweet and sour, salty and bitter, even crispy and tender. For Chef Joseph Youkhan of the Savannah Chophouse, this philosophy not only applies to cooking but also to life. The Chef is unwittingly a prime example of contrasts. Chef Joseph is a towering figure; at first glance, one might too quickly assume that he is the type that might fold you in half for looking at him the wrong way, but once he begins to speak, an unexpected mildness radiates from his imposing frame.

Chef Youkhan was born in Yonkers, New York but grew up in the Bronx. A self-taught chef, Joseph learned the basics of the culinary industry from his father - a chef and owner of an Italian restaurant in New York. But rather than rely on what he learned in the kitchen, Chef Youkhan spent a great deal of time at bookstores pouring over cookbooks so that he could learn new techniques and refine the ones he had already learned. Around age sixteen, Chef Joseph left the Big Apple for a trip behind the Orange Curtain. Read more »

Its summertime in Orange County and the living is easy. Fine dining or casual, some restaurants really heat up during the summer months - nothing beats enjoying a delicious meal and frosty beverage under the California sun. We asked Great Taste readers what their favorite summer restaurants were, and they were more than happy to share.

“My favorite summer restaurant is the Beachcomber in Crystal Cove.
It’s right on the beach, and is operated out of one of the old cottages that were built in the 1940’s as part of a seaside colony. And if the view wasn’t enough, they have the best burger hands down, that you can get in SoCal. Your mouth will water just thinking about it on the shuttle bus ride down, from the parking lot on PCH. It’s worth the trip.”
-Jimmy Weita, Executive Chef, Disneyland Hotel & Park Banquets, Resort Special Events Read more »