California Cooking

It seems everyone in Los Angeles is talking about Teddy's Red Tacos, but what's all the buzz about? On this episode of California Cooking, Jessica goes straight to the source: the owner himself, Teddy Vazquez. Teddy started out with nothing, but his "never give up" attitude and positive energy propelled him to where he is today. Teddy started as an Uber driver and sold tacos out of his trunk to his customers. Eventually, he saved up enough money doing that to quit Uber and launch his own taco truck. Word about his amazing tacos spread and he amassed a following. Teddy parlayed this popularity into a brick and mortar restaurant on Venice Boulevard, just steps away from the beach. Teddy also tells Jessica about taco Tuesday night with Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, and how a Super Bowl commercial that featured Teddy's Tacos was the big break he needed to launch him to new heights.

In this episode of California Cooking, Jessica is hanging out with one of the most talented couples in the culinary world, Jet and Ali Tila. Not only has Jet made a splash on a number of Food Network TV shows, but he also holds the world record for the largest stir fry. Jet tells Jessica all about the celebrity chefs who have made a big impact on his career, plus which Food Network star he shares a matching tattoo with. Jet and Ali also share the fantastic story of how they met, and what it was like putting together their new cookbook.

On this episode of the podcast, Jessica is hanging out at the newest, most gorgeous rooftop restaurant in Los Angeles: Margot. Located in Culver City, Margot's California chic design, breathtaking views of LA, and delicious food is creating quite the buzz. The chef at the helm of the kitchen is Mike Williams. Chef Mike's story starts with him serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq right after 9/11. When he got back to the states, he decided to get into culinary world. He shares how military life has helped him run a kitchen. He shared the best piece of advice he has for young chefs, and also reveals the hardest part of running a restaurant.

In this episode, Jess chats with Chef Zach Pollack at his casual pizza joint, Cosa Buona. Zach studied abroad in Florence, Italy and fell in love with cooking and, more importantly, the way Italians dine. Zach also shares the history of pizza making, what type of pizza stole his heart in Italy, and how he's taken that style of pizza and created the perfect hybrid at Cosa Buona that both Italians and Americans love. Zach also reveals some of the special ingredients that make Cosa Buona's other dishes so delicious.

On this episode of California Cooking, Jess hangs out in the kitchen with Chef Ray Garcia of Broken Spanish. Chef Ray teaches Jess how to make queso fundido, the most mouth-watering carne asada marinade, the secret on how to cook the perfect beans, and more! What's even more incredible about Chef Ray is his story. He grew up in Cypress and attended UCLA with aspirations of being a lawyer. While he was working his way through school, he realized how passionate he was about cooking. After finishing college, he enrolled at the California School of Culinary Arts and hasn't looked back since. You could say he didn't exactly find his passion, but rather, his passion found him. The late food critic Jonathan Gold once wrote, "If you could design a perfect chef for Los Angeles, he might seem a lot like Ray Garcia..."

On this episode, Iranian-American actress Shohreh Aghdashloo shares her remarkable story. As a young adult, she left her home country of Iran, parting ways with her family and the only life she knew. She came to Los Angeles with a dream to pursue her passion for acting and one day grace the silver screen. Today, she is a bonafide Hollywood star with dozens of film and television credits. Jess and Shohreh talk about family, her TV show, upcoming movie, and of course, food!

Jessica chats with a husband and wife duo who are changing the culinary scene one restaurant opening at a time. Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee are married, business partners, and have started a unique dining experience with four concepts located side-by-side in a single strip mall. They now have six concepts in total and counting. Jess hears all about how their restaurants and bars got started, including the early days of running their business out of a one bedroom apartment. They also dish on their plans for the future and their new restaurant that one publication is referring to as, "maybe one of the world's best."

Jessica meets up with Eater LA's senior editor Farley Elliott to find out about L.A.'s most essential burger spots. From an underground beef & bun operation that started out in a backyard, to a gourmet Italian burger topped with ragù bolognese, to the only burger spot in the city serving up 100% grass-fed Wagyu beef.

Chef Casey Lane is a four-time James Beard nominated chef. He opened his first restaurant, The Tasting Kitchen, when he was just 25 years old. In addition to also owning Casa Apicii in New York's Greenwich Village, Casey now has two more restaurants in Los Angeles: Breva in Downtown L.A. and Viale dei Romani at the La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood. Jess chats with Chef Casey Lane about food, fortune, his future, and more.

Jessica gets in the kitchen with America's favorite French chef, Ludo Lefevrbe. Chef Ludo moved to Los Angeles from France more than 20 years ago, and his hard work has paid off in spades. He now has 4 restaurants and countless awards to prove it. Jess meets up with Chef Ludo at his newest restaurant Petit Trois, where he shares his love for food, family, the French and his secret to running a successful business. With Valentine's Day around the corner, Chef Ludo also gives some romantic cooking advice.

Jessica is in the kitchen with Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, TV host, and former New England Patriots cheerleader Camille Kostek. 2019 is off to a great start for Camille; she was recently named this year's first Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and rookie, and her boyfriend, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, is Super Bowl bound. Jessica and Camille whip up a hearty vegetable stew (one of Gronk's favorites) while chatting about her modeling career, football, and her relationship.

Jonah Freedman is the 25-year-old food phenom behind Freedman's in Silver Lake. Jonah's vision was to take the traditional Jewish deli concept, mainly known for breakfast and lunch, and hip it up with dinner, cocktails, and an overall modern vibe. Jessica heads to Freedman's, where Jonah shares his journey as a restaurateur and the source of his inspiration.

Jessica chats and cooks with chef, author, and TV personality Antonia Lofaso. She is the co-owner and executive chef of L.A. restaurants Black Market Liquor Bar and Scopa Italian Roots. Chef Lofaso shares stories behind her restaurant business, the secret to her success, and how she got into the world of food. Jess and Chef Lofaso then head into the kitchen to make a Creste Rigate, a delicious mushroom pasta dish.

In this episode of the California Cooking podcast, Jess enters the test kitchen of celebrity chef Curtis Stone. He shows Jessica how to whip up one of his favorite side dishes, baked mashed potatoes with bacon and mascarpone cheese. With the holidays just around the corner, Jess also gets some invaluable advice on avoiding a gravy disaster. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.

Jess heads to one of her favorite restaurants, EP & LP in West Hollywood to learn a thing or two from executive chef Louis Tikaram. He shares the inspiration and cooking techniques behind some of the world class dishes found at the restaurant, including Jessica's favorite sticky spare ribs. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.

Evan Funke is a pasta-making master and the owner of Felix Trattoria. Evan has traveled all over Italy learning how to make pasta of all different styles and shapes, while taking extra care to prepare the pasta he makes adhering to local methods and traditions. In this episode, Jess tries her hand and pasta making. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.

Jessica visits with Candace Nelson, co-founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes and Pizzana restaurant. Candace shares how she left her career as an investment banker to pursue her dream of opening her own bakery, and also explains how a pizza party inspired her to open her newest venture, Pizzana. Jess and Candace also whip up some tasty treats from The Sprinkles Baking Book. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.

Jessica cooks up the "Greatest of All Time Burger" with Laila Ali, daughter of boxer Muhammad Ali. Laila also teaches Jess how to make a delicious side-dish just in time for Thanksgiving, all while sharing stories from her childhood and her love for being in the kitchen. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.

Kim Malek, a mother of three, was working a six-figure job for U2 lead singer Bono when she decided to give it up to follow her passion: opening an ice cream shop. The result was Salt and Straw, an Oregon-based artisanal ice cream brand that began as a push cart in Portland and has since expanded to other West Coast cities, include five locations in the Los Angeles area. Salt and Straw is known for its unique, unexpected and flavorful combinations, like avocado & Oaxacan chocolate fudge and bone marrow & smoked cherries, in addition to classics such as sea salt with caramel ribbon and chocolate gooey brownie. The creations are so tasty and popular that the ice cream shop has developed somewhat of a cult-like following. Jessica Holmes goes behind the brand with Co-founder and CEO Kim Malek, who discusses the humble beginnings of her business and reveals her favorite Salt and Straw flavor. Full show notes available at http://ktla.com/cooking.