Great Taste Magazine

By: Robert Johnson 

May/June 2010

It’s been said, “the future is now” and this adage certainly holds true for Chef Gabriel Caliendo of the Lazy Dog Cafe. His future seemed to have been decided at an early age, while growing up in his mother and father’s deli. At the tender young age of seven, he began his culinary training in the back of his family’s deli cracking olives with a Progresso soup can while standing on a pickle bucket in order to reach the counter. Chef Gabe helped his father make seven different kinds of sausage, learned how to make charcuterie and hand-pulled fresh buffalo mozzarella - all before he could drive a car.

Then, when he turned 14 and was eager to set out on his own, Chef Caliendo began working at Round Table Pizza on a work permit. His innate understanding of the intricacies of restaurant business was quickly revealed to his bosses when they realized that not only could he make pizzas better than his older peers, but he was also knowledgeable about food costs - a skill he attributes to his parents teaching him how to be efficient in both the kitchen and the office. Chef Gabe stayed in the pizza industry working at various pizza places until he thought that he might try his hand in the corporate world. Read more »

As we hurtle into the new decade of renewable energy, 3-dimensional movies, and health care reform, there is one topic on the forefront of everyone’s mind: going “green.” Whether you are an eco-soldier who has cultivated a compost pile in their backyard or a simple recycler who makes sure their soda cans don’t go to the landfill, there is no denying that being eco-friendly is becoming a way of life for Americans. And with a projected record high $580 billion in sales for 2010 in the restaurant industry (National Restaurant Association), this is a trend that hospitality professionals cannot afford to ignore. With billions of people going out to eat each year and many of them bringing leftovers home, food packaging is an imperative part of the restaurant industry. Styrofoam, plastic bags and boxes are so prevalent that you could most likely think of at least three that you’ve thrown away in the past week. Read more »

Award-winning Chef Grant MacPherson is set to unveil Rustica, an exciting new restaurant in Fashion Island, next month. Rustica’s cuisine will be inspired from Chef’s international culinary experience, combining authentic regional cooking with uniquely Californian seasonal foods. Busy preparing for the restaurant’s debut on June 1, Chef MacPherson takes some time out to tell Great Taste Magazine about his latest endeavor.

Great Taste: Why did you choose a shopping district and Fashion Island in particular?
Chef MacPherson: I visited sunny, Southern California many times and thought it would be a good opportunity to be part of the Irvine collection at Fashion Island.

GT: What are some of your favorite/signature dishes on the menu? Read more »

We’ve all had bad nights in the industry. The kind of night where everything goes wrong and there seems to be no end in sight to the disaster you find yourself in. Your mind races; you can feel the sweat beads begin to form on your forehead. But what happens when your bad night affects others? Even worse, hungry others who have made reservations!
My Worst Night Ever features horror stories straight from hospitality industry professionals who recount for us the worst night of their career - a night that will forever be embedded in their minds. As you will see, many factors can contribute to a borderline meltdown. However, even the worst of nights can transform into great learning experiences and even create a tighter bond among staff and associates.

Joe Manzella, Proprietor, TAPS Fish House & Brewery and The Catch
We had just completed being “ground zero” for the 2002 Angels’ playoffs and magical World Series run. The Catch had successfully executed serving thousands of guests, celebrities, media and players in what was nothing short of a miracle for a restaurant that had been open less than two months. So when we looked at the event calendar and saw that the Rolling Stones were playing at Angel Stadium, why worry? We were going to snooze our way through that three hour rush, because we had just been on a three week tear Read more »

By Robert Johnson
March/April 2010

Life is strange. Very few of us actually end up where we plan to go. Rather than battle against the current of life’s ocean, we succumb to its effluence and trust that we will be provided for. Rather than be taken away by the current, Dave Dennis of the Matador Cantina in Fullerton, CA, was submerged well below it exploring the reefs. Dave started out as a scuba instructor and then later plunged himself into a life as an executive chef.

A native of La Habra Chef Dennis originally attended a commercial scuba diving program in Santa Barbara. While in school, he worked as a cook in order to earn money. So he was already used to being in the kitchen. He hoped to become a dive master on a charter boat, but there were not any of those positions available. Read more »

International Cuisine

By Kelly O’Quinn

If there was one literal word to describe Chef Dave Dennis, it would be cosmopolitan. Having traveled to seven different countries as a scuba instructor/chef on various charter boats and yachts, Chef Dennis has learned the use of multiple unique cooking methods and recipes from around the world which he incorporates into his distinct Mexican Fusion cuisine at The Matador Cantina in Downtown Fullerton. When we asked him which ethnic cuisine he found most interesting, his list seemed never-ending! With such an expansive knowledge of world-wide cuisine, Chef Dennis is the go-to man for an unrivaled culinary experience. Read more »

By Erin DeWitt
March/April 2010

So much must be done before a restaurant gets ready to open for the night: prep the food, set the tables, make sure the bar is plenty stocked. Prior to starting a long night of busy service, some restaurants gather together for a “family meal.” This gives employees a chance to sit down and break bread with their fellow co-workers. The meals can be anything and everything, Read more »

By Erin DeWitt
March/April 2010

The notion of house wines, which used to be that they were somewhat inferior, has drastically changed in recent years. A unique addition to your wine list, private label wines give your customers the opportunity to experience complex new flavors along with a sense of exclusivity. Interestingly, the experience of purchasing private labels or creating your own can be as diverse as the wines themselves - where the grapes come from, who made the wine and so on. House wines are holding their own on the wine list for a variety of factors, such as the new outlook on smaller vineyards and lesser-known winemakers.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse has been working with private labels for some time. “We make our own wine in partnership with a different winery each year under the Forty-Six Diamonds label.” Says Marian Jansen op de Haar, Fleming’s Director of Wine. “Our first year partnership was with Flora Springs on a meritage blend (Cab-Merlot-Cab Franc etc.), the second year we did it with Georges Duboeuf -this was a Pouilly-Fuissé (chardonnay) from the Macon region in France.  This year we have a Pinot Noir from Carneros that we made with Folio which is Michael and Rob Mondavi Jr.’s new company (we made it with Rob and their winemakers).” Read more »