Tis the Holiday season. …We’re previewing the show with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris.

Glasspa in Dana Point celebrated its first year in business last week. “Having navigated a year unlike any other, Chef-Owner Rob Wilson now enters into his second year with renewed optimism as he introduces a reimagined Wednesday and Saturday afternoon seafood market while the ban on dine-in is in effect.” Pre-batched cocktails are also on the Glasspar Seafood Market menu.

The wines of Arizona and Arizona Wine Country are worth exploring. There are 3 primary growing areas in the state with diverse characteristics. Our guide is Jessica Dupuy, Writer, Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine & Spirits. Her latest book, The Wines of Southwest USA, is part of the Classic Wine Library. It covers the emerging wine regions in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. Joining her is Arizona winemaking pioneer, Kent Callaghan, Founder & Proprietor of Callaghan Vineyards.

“Philly Jay’s Steaks (mobile kitchen) is treating greater Los Angeles to their eponymous City of Brotherly Love classic with the help of the illustrious Chef Jason McClain, previously the long-time executive chef of Jonathan Club. Chef Jason’s culinary credits include a litany of seriously impressive, highly rated restaurants across the country. Now, he’s directing his myriad of skills towards perfecting the Philly, elevating the down-home fare to the status of gourmet. The menu sports classic Phillies, of course, (and more) and you really can’t go wrong with that perennially popular mashup of cheese, fried onion, and paper-thin slices of steak. gracing the menu. Philly Jay’s Steak caters, too.” We’re talking authentic Philly Cheese Steaks with quality ingredients with Chef Jason McClain.

One of our most reliable sources of accurate restaurant news in fabulous Las Vegas is Al Mancini, who is a staff writer for The Las Vegas Review- Journal covering food, restaurants and other aspects of entertainment. Al has been working the Vegas food scene for 19 years. He was one of the creators of the popular, and widely referenced, Eating Las Vegas restaurant guidebook series. Al joins us with his quarterly update on the Las Vegas dining scene. He’ll give us an insider’s overview on how Las Vegas restaurants are creatively coping with all the severe COVID 19 restrictions. Al also comments on popular Vegas chef Mike Minor’s (known for ethereal barbecue, too) departure from Border Grill Las Vegas after a lengthy tenure with a pending move to San Diego.

“Back in 2010, brothers Yong and Ted Kim started crafting Korean-inspired sausages in their kitchen and Seoul Sausage Co. was born. Their two signature sausages — the Kalbi and the Sweet & Spicy — quickly began to pick up buzz at the farmers markets, wineries, and parties where they popped up, so the Kims decided to quit their advertising jobs, officially launch Seoul Sausage Company, and audition for Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race,” Season 3 on a lark. And lo and behold, against incredible odds, they won! Since then, Seoul Sausage Co. (“Make Sausage Not War”) has really gone full-throttle in their embrace of Korean-American flavors.” COVID 19 required reinventing their business model. A very active and growing catering business was put on hold and their menu is now available nationwide for convenient delivery via Goldbelly, the curated online marketplace for premium regional and artisanal foods crafted by local purveyors throughout the Country. Yong and Ted Kim take a break from grilling the Kalbi sausages to join us.

““Top Ten Pastry Chef in America” Zac Young (Bravo’s “Top Chef: Desserts,” inaugural season) wants it all… especially when it comes to sweets. In 2015, he created his interpretation of the instantly viral PieCaken, an epic 4-in-1 dessert composed of a Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Spice Cake, and Apple Pie all layered together with cinnamon buttercream. Instagram pastry fans of morning show hosts like Kelly Ripa went wild. The dessert wonder was such a hit that the City of New York had a pumpkin puree shortage due to production. Four years later, he struck gold… again! The limited-edition Christmas PieCaken by Chef Zac Young was created. A holiday spectacular brought 4 holiday bestsellers (Pecan Pie, Eggnog Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, and Cherry Pie) together, making all our sweet dreams come true. It’s a 6-pound flavor bomb that makes for a show-stopper on literally any holiday table.” It can be easily shipped nationwide via Goldbelly. Chef Zac Young joins us with whisk in hand.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew is regularly updating us on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the hospitality field and what we, as diners, can do to support the very survival of restaurants which is a genuine (and growing) concern. New (controversial) restrictions for restaurants are now in place for Southern California for the balance of the year (and possibly longer) as we’re in the all-important Holiday dining season. Chef Andrew reports on the initial push for the grass-roots, “86 Struggle” campaign to directly benefit local, out-of-work and struggling restaurant workers. (This is outside of Slapfish employees.) It all starts with the overstuffed Community Burger. We’ll “Ask the Chef.”

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness (with proper Social Distancing) on this week’s not-to-miss show!

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