This Thanksgiving we volunteered to help prepare a traditional dinner for close to 200 members of the less fortunate in our community. We worked with Wade Volk who is with Showers of Blessings who provide a portable showers service for the homeless community. The Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara provided the venue and dozens of volunteers to set up and serve food.
Producing the dinner reminded me of my banquet chef days in a hotel. My pastry-chef wife Christine Dahl and I provided most of the sides and sauces for the meal. We prepared 75 lbs. yams, 16 pans of stuffing, 8 gallons of gravy, 12 pans of green beans with homemade mushroom soup. 150 gingerbread 'turkey" cookies, and 12 pans of apple cobbler.
It was a great group effort by all involved. My produce supplier The Berry Man donated all of the produce we needed and D'Angelo Breads donated bread for the stuffing. The Organic Soup Kitchen provided the mashed potatoes, Ethnic Bread in Goleta supplied slices of bread. See the link to a local news story from KEYT news.
Here is my favorite Risotto recipe. It is pretty simple. Be sure and get arborio or carnaroli rice, real Italian parmesan ( parmeggiano reggiano), quality saffron and so forth.
It's great on its own or as a foil with light meats or fowl such as veal scallopini, chicken breast picatta or pork tenderloins. Use the kitchen trick and cook the rice 3/4 the way done, leaving it very al dente. Pour it onto a buttered flat tray and cool. Just before serving, ad more stock and finish the cooking. By the way, leave out the cheese until the rice has cooked to your liking.
Keep in mind that the recipes in this book have ingredients that might be impossible to find as well as imprecise measurements and instructions. I avoided anything with a wild goat, African game animals, peacock, swans, and other exotica. After pouring through a number of the recipes I settled on a pork recipe. It appeared to be a darned good sweet and sour pork stew with dried fruits. I mostly followed the recipes with a few adjustments to proportions and thickened the broth with a little cornstarch slurry. The results were good and the crowds loved it.
From Wikipedia
Apicius is a collection of Roman cookery recipes, usually thought to have been compiled in the 1st century AD and written in a language that is in many ways closer to Vulgar than to Classical Latin; later recipes using Vulgar Latin (such as ficatum, bullire) were added to earlier recipes using Classical Latin (such as iecur, fervere).
The name "Apicius" had long been associated with excessively refined love of food, from the habits of an early bearer of the name, Marcus Gavius Apicius, a Roman gourmet and lover of refined luxury, who lived sometime in the 1st century AD during the reign of Tiberius. He is sometimes erroneously asserted to be the author of the book that is pseudepigraphically attributed to him.
Apicius is a text to be used in the kitchen. In the earliest printed editions, it was usually called De re coquinaria (On the Subject of Cooking), and attributed to an otherwise unknown Caelius Apicius, an invention based on the fact that one of the two manuscripts is headed with the words "API CAE"[1] or rather because there are a few recipes attributed to Apicius in the text: Patinam Apicianam sic facies (IV, 14) Ofellas Apicianas (VII, 2). It is also known as De re culinaria.
Apicius, De re culinaria (Lyon: Sebastianus Gryphium, 1541)
De opsoniis et condimentis (Amsterdam: J. Waesbergios), 1709. Frontispiece of the second edition of Martin Lister's privately printed version of Apicius
Recently my friend Chef James Sly dropped off 50 pounds of lemons at our kitchen. It was a much-appreciated gift. My pastry chef, wife Christine Dahl makes a terrific lemon curd that she uses to fill cakes and fruit tarts. After a couple hours of zesting and juicing, we have the lemon component done and in the freezer awaiting transformation into curd.
I first learned to make lemon curd in 1977 when I was sous chef to James at a place called La Serre, the Greenhouse. The restaurant featured a lattice and plant decor the give it an indoor garden effect. It was the haunt for entertainment personalities working in the Burbank studios and environs. Pictured below is the table favored by Natalie Wood and it was known as Natalie's Nook.
Dining at the Paris Ritz
We used the curd at La Serre to fill a rolled cake called Roulade. It was simply a pliable sponge cake that was filled with lemon curd and rolled into a log, covered with powdered sugar and sliced for plating. After dusting the cake with powdered sugar, it was branded in a criss-cross pattern with a red-hot iron rod. The recipe below is the one Chef James used and I imagine he picked that up during his stint in France at the Ritz Hotel.
History of the Ritz Hotel, from their web page.
It was back in the late 1800s that the Swiss hotelier, Cesar Ritz, purchased the former palace style mansion on the Place Vendome, which had originally been designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart, the royal architect for King Louis XIV and construction was started in 1705.
Having worked at The Savoy in London alongside the incredible French Chef, Auguste Escoffier, the hotel became an incredible success for wealthy clientele, yet Cesar Ritz had a vision to open the most luxurious hotel in the world fit for a prince, with his chosen destination being Paris.
So when the Ritz Hotel opened its doors in 1898 every room had its own bathroom, which was totally unheard of at that time, and decorated with top of the range fabrics, tapestries, gilding, etc, it was like an 18th-century gem attracting high society from the word go, (see this link for more).
Up close it looks like an other-world encounter. The pitting mirrors the impact craters on some distant moon. The reality is much more delicious. This is the dough for a terrific and easy French style bread that my chef-friend James Sly developed. The key steps are getting great bread flour and allowing plenty of time for the fermentation to develop the flavors from the flour. I am happy to share the recipe. It's out of this world.
Pastry chef Christine Dahl of Christine Dahl Pastries is a master of her craft. Specializing in Wedding cakes, she produces some 150 unique designs every year. Here is a masterpiece she has done for a wedding this weekend. The pipping is done with buttercream on an overlay of fondant icing. The art of the art is that it is all done freehand without any pattern or template. The cake is a chiffon base with lemon curd and white chocolate mousse plus fresh raspberries.
What may not be as obvious is that the cakes are very symmetrical and the fondant topping smooth and wrinkle-free. That is the hallmark of a skilled artisan. It's no surprise that they also are delicious!
Back in my early days as an apprentice chef, I worked at Disneyland's Club 33 with an old school chef, Rudy Stoy. Chef Rudy was all too kind to show me some of the old school cooking skills like preparing a Galantine of Chicken and how to bone out a leg of veal.
In his kitchen library, he kept a baking book that I remembered more for its title than its content. In passing, I mentioned this amusing tidbit to my friend chef James Sly. Shortly thereafter, he presented me with the baking book.
While the title is still amusing, the book is a real gem packed with great production recipes for professional bakeshops. Chef Dooven was a real master of the art and the recipes in the book are still viable today. They span the full spectrum from doughnuts to pulled sugar.
Here is an excerpt of a review.
If you are or know a baker, here is a wonderful book to add to your library titled... The Master Baker and His Work by K. Cammille Den Dooven. This hardcover book was originally published in 1928 and this copy of the 4th printing from 194o. (See all the pictures!)
Sprinkled with black and white photos showing cake decorations, samples of baked goods, sugar basket, table displays.
Filled with techniques and recipes for the commercial baker covering French, Viennese, Danish pastries, cake decoration, pound, sponge, angel cakes, jelly rolls, pies and fillings, icings and toppings, sweet doughs, breads, and rolls. This edition starts off with a recipe for a Silver Anniversary cake weighing 2500 pounds: "First a table was built, 6 x 5 feet.mounted on ball-bearing anti-friction caster wheels.."
Our Farmers Market in Santa Barbara always has a few hidden treasures. I found the smallest of young turnips, baby corn, long beans, carrots, bok choy, and scallions. The vegetables shouted "stir-fry." Married with a local organic chicken and a coconut rice, they made for a delicious dinner.
The 2018 Taste of the Town is now in the history books. This year was the 37th year that the event has taken place and I have been involved since its inception. I have cooked a wide range of "tastes" over the years and this year I made two new items. I prepared a carrot vichyssoise style soup and a parfait of local smoked salmon.
It is always like an old home week as many of the guests have been coming for years and it's a rare chance to visit with fellow food professionals. I think that I am the longest participating chef at the event at this point. Great cause and always a pleasant afternoon.
We have participated many times over the years at the Wine and Food Festival held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Over 1000 wine enthusiasts attend the event and sample wines from the best of the Central Coast wineries. This year I offered two dishes, Bay Scallops on a Corn Chowder Sauce and Bite-Sized Choux Puffs Filled with a Chicken Liver Pâté. I was surprised and pleased with the reception of the chicken liver dish as I had never offered that at a food event. Sometimes pushing the usual bounds has its benefits.
We received a wonderful thank you from Luke Swetland, the CEO of the Museum. Luke has also appeared on my cooking show, The Inn Crowd. I am delighted to be associated with the museum and natural history has always been a subject of my interest.
Back in my early teens, I use to visit my Great Uncle John Hutchings. My uncle John was a postman by day and an amateur natural historian in his time off. I use to hang around his farm and wonder at all the rocks, stuffed animals, nest and such. Some years later, he opened a museum to house his collection. His collection of the local bird species is so comprehensive that the Smithsonian Museum wanted to acquire it. He decided to keep it at his museum. Over the years, many people donated specimens from all over the world.
Every year, Santa Barbara hosts an Old Spanish Days celebration. We are delighted to have filmed an episode of The Inn Crowd at the Covarrubias Adobe in Santa Barbara to showcase the event. La Presidenta Denise Sanford and director David Bolton are guests in this episode. I have recreated a luncheon based on the old Hacienda style of cooking prevalent in the early to mid-1800s. The food style is influenced by Spanish traditions blended with indigenous ingredients.
We filmed at the historical Covarrubias Adobe with guests in period costumes. The Covarrubias adobe, at 715 Santa Barbara Street, is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Unlike many of the historic adobes in Santa Barbara, the Covarrubias Adobe is not named after its original owner. Domingo Antonio Ignacio Carrillo had the home built in 1817 for his wife, Concepción Pico Carrillo. The adobe later became known as the Covarrubias adobe after José María Covarrubias, who married into the Carrillo family. Visit the website for more details about this historic adobe.
Chef Michael Hutchings
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage, and traditions. This 90-year-old organization produces an annual eight-day festival -- Fiesta -- that is widely regarded as Santa Barbara’s premier festival.
Old Spanish Days Fiesta is unique among festivals, both local and national, in that it is run primarily by a volunteer Board of Directors and supported by only one year-round staff member. The 35 Directors and 25 Associate Directors represent a broad cross-section of the community. The Board of Directors annually selects a Presidente or Presidenta who not only presides over the Board but also serves as an ambassador of goodwill to residents and visitors alike. The President has the honor of choosing a theme for his/her year and the design of the annual poster and pin.
Old Spanish Days Fiesta is a beloved Santa Barbara tradition that has continued for nearly 90 years. It fosters a unique spirit among locals as an important coming together which encourages community cooperation, celebration, and growth. The festival has grown due to the overwhelming interest of many different organizations to develop and maintain it as an extension and expression of their place in the community. Visitors are also able to experience this historical spirit of Santa Barbara when they watch and join the city and its residents in Fiesta celebrations.
The annual event provides an education to residents and visitors about the history, customs, and traditions of the American Indian, Spanish, Mexican, and early American settlers that comprise the rich cultural heritage of Santa Barbara. Old Spanish Days Fiesta is not only a unique forum for the cultural expression of our spirit and diversity, but also provides a vehicle for the non-profit and community service groups to raise funds for local charities and social service organizations.
Old Spanish Days Fiesta has grown in stature and reputation to become one of the top regional festivals in the United States. The event annually draws thousands of visitors from around the world. Fiesta performers come from around the nation and Mexico to participate. Celebrities of international renown who have participated or performed in Fiesta include Leo Carrillo, Will Rogers, Shirley Temple, Charles Lindberg, William Randolph Hearst, Don Wilson, Paul Whitman, and Delores Del Rio.
La Presidenta Denise Sanford, Chef Michael Hutchings
David Bolton, Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great fruits, vegetables, and dairy products for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
July Fourth we prepared a BBQ dinner for a local client's gathering. They had prepared this event themselves the last 19 years and decided to relax and enjoy their own party. Look like we exceeded expectations! Here is their thank you note.
Dear Chef Michael,
You are a gem, so professional, fun to work with, and your food is just fantastic! Proven by everyone’s enthusiastic response as well as our delight the entire week enjoying all the left-overs! You are a consummate chef first and foremost and an artistic architect transforming our deck into a warm, hospitable, exceptionally well-run restaurant. Carlos is the perfect extension in fulfilling every guest needs so instinctively and with such charm.
We had an exceptionally great time, had time to fully enjoy our guests, and experienced no stress at any time with you and Carlos at the helm.
Daniel Petersen passed away this past week. Our sympathies to friends and family. I knew Daniel in his roles as the chef at Cold Springs Tavern, sous chef at the El Encanto Hotel, numerous catering events and the Central Coast Wine Classic at Hearst Castle. He was dynamic and dabbled in philosophy, physics, and was a credible Western style musician. He was a good guy that will be missed!
Anthony Bourdain has passed away. He was of the most know chefs turned entertainer in our time. Just last May Anthony was in Santa Barbara regaling the guests at a fundraiser for the Arts and Lectures program of UC Santa Barbara. Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential launched a career on the Food Network and CNN as a roving chef-explorer on Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. His chef post at Brasserie Les Halles was his last as a working chef. He was still considered the chef at large for Les Halles.
At the A&L event, he commented that the chefs preparing the dinner were the real chefs as he left the kitchen routine some 20 years ago. While I did not get to meet him, being at the event was terrific. He had flown in from Bali via Dubai and gave an explicative-filled recounting about his world-traveling lifestyle and evolution from chef to entertainment icon. I was there preparing my famed cultured abalone dish for the 300 plus guests.
We have been invited to offer our cuisine at the VIP Lounge at 1:00. I plan to offer my famous cultured abalone with a corn chowder sauce. For the main event, I switch to sea scallop and the same corn chowder sauce. Additionally, I am preparing chef Michel Richard's "Faux Gras" served in a choux puff pastry!
The Museum of Natural History's Wine and Food Festival will be upon us on June 30th. I will once again be cooking up something special for the event. I will have a culinary surprise to offer so be sure and attend this terrific event.
Chef Michael Hutchings
June 30, 2018 2:00-5:00 PM
The Santa Barbara Wine + Food Festival™ takes place along the banks of Mission Creek at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Mingle with winemakers, bakers, and chefs outdoors, under the oak trees. Guests will enjoy the best of Central Coast Wines and try their luck in our Every Cork Wins! Raffle.
Join host Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings for another delicious episode of The Inn Crowd. We are delighted to welcome Sheriff Bill Brown to The Inn Crowd cooking show.
Bill Brown has served as Santa Barbara County’s Sheriff-Coroner for more than a decade now. He was first elected on November 7, 2006, re-elected to a second term in June 2010, and re-elected again to a third term in June 2014.
Sheriff Brown began his law enforcement career in 1977 with the Pacifica Police Department in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1980, he transferred to the Inglewood Police Department. He served that Los Angeles County community until 1992 when he was selected as chief of police for the City of Moscow in Idaho. In that position, he was responsible for overseeing police operations for both the City of Moscow and the University of Idaho. In 1995, Brown was selected as chief of police for the City of Lompoc, is only the eighth person to hold the title of police chief in that community since it incorporated in 1899. He led the Lompoc Police Department for the next 11 years until being elected to his present office.
Sheriff Bill Brown, Chef Michael, Host Craig Case
The menu for this episode starts with a medley of spring vegetables layered with herb-stuffed pasta sheets and a drizzle of a fava bean pesto. The entree is a riff on a Hubert Keller's market fish with peppers and olive, very Mediterranean. The dessert course is the famous "Berliner" from Germany. The dish is best described as a brioche-like dough that is deep fried and filled with something sweet and delicious. We filled the Berliners with jam, lemon curd, and mascarpone cream. As an option, there is a recipe for pastry cream.
Speech from the Rathaus Schöneberg by John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963.
Photo Wikipedia
There is a story around the Berliner and a speech given by President Kenedy when he spoke in Berlin in 1963. Legend has it that US president John F. Kennedy made a whopping grammatical gaffe with his iconic declaration “Ich bin ein Berliner” 50 years ago on Wednesday, essentially telling his audience — and the world — “I am a jam doughnut”. Lucky Germans.
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven, and get cooking. I'll provide the recipes; the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great fruits, vegetables, and dairy products for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Pastry Chef Christine Dahl is a master of her craft. I was drooling as I watched her make Banana and Chocolate Ganache Pies. The crust is a pâte sucrée crust baked "blind." This means the pie shell is baked without any filling until golden brown. The pâte sucrée dough holds up well and does not need parchment paper and baking beans to keep the sides from collapsing.
After the pie shell cools, it is filled with a chocolate ganache which is nothing more than melted chocolate and whipping cream mixed together. After that sets, bananas are sliced lengthwise and placed on top of the ganache. The next layer is classic pastry cream. The top layer is a very simple white chocolate mousse. After a sprinkling of toasted-shredded coconut, a border of vanilla buttercream encircles the pie.
If you would like to make this delight, send me an email for the recipes. All the components are relatively easy but a little time concuming to get them ready. The results are well worth the effort.
Join host Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings for another delicious episode of The Inn Crowd. In this episode, we are the YMCA's Noah's Anchorage Reaching for the Stars Gala. We are delighted to welcome Gerd and Pete Jordano to The Inn Crowd cooking show kitchen. The Jordano's are longtime supporters of the YMCA's Noah's Anchorage program. Chef Michael teamed up with Chef Eric Widmer of the La Cumbre Country Club for this multi-course, multi-chef gala dinner. Here is the roster of participating chefs. See the menus that follow for their menu contributions.
Stephane Rapp-Santa Barbara City College
Sybille Kroemer
Carla Romero
Mike Blackwell-Hilton Garden
Mossin Sugich-Santa Barbara Yacht Club
Eric Widmer-La Cumbre Country Club
Michael Hutchings-Michael's Catering
Randy Bublitz-Santa Barbara City College
Greg Murphy-Bouchon
Brandon Cogan-Wine Cask
Vincent Vanhecke-Organizing Chef
Pete Clements-Pete Clements Catering
Christine Dahl-Christine Dahl Pastries
Jean Michel Carré-Chocolate CaliBresson
Jessica Foster-Jessica Foster Confections
Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter is a licensed residential eight-bed group home for children 10-17 years old and provides outreach to youth and young adults. Our unique services have been active in the Santa Barbara community for over 35 years and provide a trusted refuge and resource for youth and their families.
Temporary shelter and basic need
Crisis intervention, resolution, and support services
Counseling for youth and families
Workshops and therapeutic groups on youth issues
“Cooling off” periods
Individualized support services
24-hour toll-free hotline
Linkage to community referrals
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven, and get cooking. I'll provide the recipes; the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Christine Dahl, Jean Michel Carré, Jessica Foster, Michael Hutchings
Sal Cisneros- President and CEO Channel Islands YMCA, Craig Case Host
Vincent Vanhecke, Michael Hutchings, Pete Clements
Michael Hutchings, Randy Bublitz
Michael Hutchings, Mike Blackwell, Mossin Sugich
Pete and Gerd Jordano, Craig Case
Valerie Kissell- Executive Director, Youth and Family Services YMCA, Craig Case
Gerd and Pete Jordano, Chef Michael, Craig Case
Lamb Wellington-Scallops on Forbidden Rice
Chef's Note
At the gala, Chef Eric Made a Salmon Wellington in a similar manner.
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
In the early 90s, a farmer names Dough Richardson raised a variety of Bananas in his farm at Los Conchitas, CA. The Seaside Banana Farm grew some 30 plus varieties of bananas. I created a banana salsa recipe using a Brazilian variety and paired it with a local caught grilled swordfish. The Brazilian, also known as Hawaiian Apple, because of its smooth texture, fruity flavor and ideal balance of sweetness and acidity. The farm was in a microclimate that supported the grown of bananas. Over time it proved to not be practical due to goffers, mudslides, and the occasional freezing temperature. Dough even tried hiring a helicopter to hover over the crop to forestall freezing. Dough did resuscitate his banana enterprise in 2002 and they are found at farmers markets in the Southland.
This recipe will work with the ubiquitous Cavendish strain of banana that is in your grocers. I also pair the salsa with grilled chicken, scallops and pork tenderloin.
Join host Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings for another delicious episode of The Inn Crowd. We are delighted to welcome retired Fire Chief Pat McElroy to The Inn Crowd cooking show. McElroy's career as a firefighter has taken him to work in incidents throughout the country, including Hurricane Katrina, the Northridge Earthquake, and other major historical fires throughout the West Coast and Santa Barbara County.
About the Fire Department
The City of Santa Barbara (SBFD) has operated continuously since 1881. SBFD provides the response to all-risk emergencies to an average daily population of 123,000 people (90,000 residents plus visitors) within the 23 square mile City jurisdiction.
The department consists of 3 divisions: Administration, Operations, and Training, and Fire Prevention, staffed by 105 employees. 90 firefighters are assigned to the Operations Division, providing emergency response to the community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from 8 different station locations. Special response capabilities include Hazardous Materials, Water Rescue, and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF).
The menu for this episode starts with a Seafood "Crudo." Local rockfish and salmon fillet are accented with a lemon-fennel marinade and an array of tasty garnishes. For the main course, we have prepared a Q&D version of gnocchi called "Malfatti," which is to say poorly made, but tasty. The pasta dish would also serve as a foil for grilled check breast or pork cutlets. Dessert is another Q&D recipe, a version of Tiramisu that features those delicious Italian Amaretti cookies.
Pat McElroy, Chef Michael Hutchings. Host Craig Case
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven, and get cooking. I'll provide the recipes; the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
In Santa Barbara, our chanterelle mushroom (Cantharellus californicus) season is usually from November to late February. On rare occasions, they might appear in September or as in the case of our latest find, in April. We struck gold yesterday, again. Last week one of my prime spots yielded one, perfect chanterelles. On the chance there might be more Christine, my wife, scanned under the bush and found another excellent button mushroom. A little more searching uncovered a few more.
The famed food writer of the early 1800s, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, was known for the quote, "The discovery of a new dish confers more happiness on humanity than the discovery of a new star." To which I would say, "The discovery of a chanterelle in late April confers more happiness than the discovery of a new quote."
I was a pioneer in utilizing the indigenous chanterelles back in 1981 when I was the chef of the Olive Mill Bistro. A lady named Francis Dwight introduced me to the local chanterelle. Soon after that, a fabulous season pulled me into the mushroom brokerage business, and I picked, bought and shipped 6 tons of mushroom around the country and to London. In 1984, Julia Child invited me to take her on a mushroom hunt for her show Dinner at Julia's. It was a real adventure. The first day of the scheduled taping, a terrific storm almost washed us into a creek. The next day the four-wheeled jeep got stuck in the mud. Persistence paid off, and we brought back a basket of chanterelles. Julia prepared the mushroom for the episode and after taping quipped, "That's a blow for fungafobia."
Julia Child, Michael Hutchings
To enjoy these mushroom, do a simple sauté in butter. These young buttons were still crunchy after cooking. Below is a basic recipe for preparing the chanterelles. This recipe also worked well with most mushrooms.
Chef Michael, Dan Burnham, Meg Burnham, Host Craig Case
There is a French culinary term Haute Cuisine that translates as High Cooking. This style of cooking is not cannabis cuisine but refers to the Grande cuisine of "high level" establishments, gourmet restaurants and luxury hotels. Haute cuisine is characterized by meticulous preparation and careful presentation of food, at a high price level.
In this episode, it's a double entendre, and the food style is elevated in execution and done on the top floor of the highest building in Santa Barbara!
I am cooking a Monte Carlo style Salad Niçoise as devised by Chef Alain Ducasse. As always, I have my spin on the dish. Since it is spring, I start with a soup duette course comprised of a watercress and leek soups. Dessert is a playful dish I call a "French Taco."
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get cooking. I'll provide the recipes; the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen, atop the penthouse.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions, unless otherwise noted.
Melissa Mahan, Chef Michael Hutchings, Host Craig Case
If I had not gone the route of mastering the art of French cooking, I would have gone Italian. Italians have played an important part in my education. First, there was Ricardo Marino, our high school band teacher. He taught about life as well and fired my interest in music such that music was my major in college. Then there was my history teacher, Mr. DiCarlo. History was not the least of what he guided the students on. Mostly there was Dominick Laruccia. Dominick was a brilliant person having excelled in music performance (Carnegie Hall at 18), metal sculpting and organic chemistry (Berkley). Working for him was like getting a masters degree in life.
In that Italian vein, I have cooked an Italian "Saluto" to those descendants from the boot. We start with Pasta et Fagioli soup topped with a seared sea scallops. The dish hails from the fabled Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City. The soup is a worthy dish on its own, and the scallops are a nice bonus. Be sure and get large dry-pack scallops. They cost more but are worth the price. The main dish of lamb chops was my Italnesque version of a French recipe. A pâté-like lamb is cooked in a mold and served with braised fennel. Finally, the dessert is a ricotta and pear mouse layered with a hazelnut meringue. Buono Appetito!
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your bib apron. I'll provide the recipes, and the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
I am preparing an abalone tasting this week for a local organization. My usual default sauce is a beurre blanc with enoki mushrooms, dill, and fresh tomato. I am going to shake it up a bit and do a red wine butter sauce and set the abalone on a nest of forbidden rice. The abalone are raised on a farm by The Cultured Abalone. Dough Bush is the marine biologist in charge of the farm. They raise the red abalone as it has proven to be the best of the local species. Here is a link for abalone preparation that I made for The Cultured Abalone Farm a few years back.
Notes from Wikipedia: Haliotis rufescens (red abalone) is a species of very large edible sea snail in the family Haliotidae, the abalones, ormer shells or paua. It is distributed from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California, Mexico. It is most common in the southern half of its range.
Red abalone is the largest and most common abalone found in the northern part of the state of California, and it is the only species of abalone still legally harvested there, though on a restricted basis.Habitat
Red abalone live in rocky areas with kelp. They feed on the kelp species that grow in their home range, including giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), feather boa kelp (Egregia menziesii), and bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Juveniles eat coralline algae, bacteria, and diatoms. They are found from the intertidal zone to water more than 180 m (590 ft) deep but are most common between 6 and 40 m (20 and 131 ft).
PRESS RELEASE Reaching for Stars: Top Chef/Winemaker Dinner Benefits At-Risk Teens SANTA BARBARA, California–January 22, 2018–One night a year, top chefs team up to create the spectacular Reaching for Stars 5-course dinner to benefit local at-risk and homeless youth. This year, on Thursday, April 26th at the Santa Barbara Women’s Club, the program will be enhanced with premium wines from Brander, Alma Rosa, Babcock, Flying Goat Cellars, Buscador, and Lumen specifically paired to the culinary creations. Winemakers will also pour from their portfolios in a pre-dinner tasting. Reaching for Stars is the principal fundraiser for Youth & Family Services (YFS), the social branch of the Channel Islands YMCA. YFS comprises Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter–a licensed shelter for teens; My Home–providing housing for transitional age young adults; Support and Outreach Services–assisting homeless teens and those in risk of losing their housing, and the St. George Youth Center–providing after-school enrichment and support. Executive Chef Vincent Vanhecke has been leading the chef team for 14 years. His passion for helping kids comes from his heart and his history: “Supporting Reaching for Stars and YFS is important to me because it shows that the community cares about kids who are at risk and who have had a harsh upbringing. It is important to let them know that they are not different, that there is hope, and that many of us have been able to come out of these situations successfully.” His generous donation of his time and considerable talent has been matched with his top-chef team including chefs from the Wine Cask, the Yacht Club, La Cumbre Country Club, Michael’s Catering, Christine Dahl Pastries, Chocolats du CaliBressan, Bouchon, Sly’s, the University Club, SBCCS’s School of Culinary Arts and the culinary students of the same. This year’s menu will be accompanied by carefully curated regional wine pairings. Tama Takahashi of Inside Wine Santa Barbara has also selected vintners to participate in the wine tasting that will greet attendees as they arrive at the event. Takahashi volunteered her services after attending the event for several years, “Twice I’ve had the good fortune to be seated next to the keynote speaker–who is always one of the teens who have been helped by YFS. Hearing the personal story of a young person taken out of danger and mentored toward college has been profoundly moving and inspirational.” Valerie Kissell, Executive Director for YFS, comments on the challenges facing our youth. “We know that youth are extremely vulnerable when faced with trauma or adversity in their formative years and the support provided by programs, such as YFS, with consistent, caring adults can strengthen resiliency and the improve the prospect of future success.” Tickets for the event are $250 and include the winemaker tasting, 5-course gourmet wine-paired dinner, and a souvenir wine glass. A limited number of table sponsorships from $1,000 - $10,000 are available to support YFS programs. Please visit https://santabarbaracountyys.org/give/reachingforstars2018.html to purchase tickets or for more information. You are also invited to contact YFS Executive Director Valerie Kissell directly at (805) 569-1103 x 32.
Noah’s Anchorage 2018.
5:30 PM April 26
Rockwood Women’s Club
Santa Barbara
HD’s Station:
Wineries pouring
Miniature Crab Cakes with Aioli garnished with Green Onion
Tuna Tartare on ruffled Potato Chips
Polenta mini Crostini with Mushroom Ragu
Vegetable Gazpacho served in demi tasse
Stephane Rapp and Students (SBCC)
Sybille Kroemer
Carla Romero
1st Course:
Alma Rosa 2015 Jabali' Chardonnay
Spring Bounty Dégustation
Spring Onion flan, Pickled Ramp, English Pea Puree, Candied Vadouvan Pistachio, Black Olive crumble, Green Garlic Crisps, Pea Tendril
Mike Blackwell (Hilton Garden Inn)
Mossin Sugish (Santa Barbara Yacht Club)
Fish Course:
Babcock Pinot Noir
Salmon Wellington with Savoy Cabbage and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Sea Scallop served with Forbidden Black Rice and a Beurre Rouge Sauce
Eric Widmer (La Cumbre Country Club)
Michael Hutchings (Michael’s Catering)
Main Course:
Buscador 2015 WaveSlider Syrah/Petit Sirah
Brander 2016 Cuvee Nicholas Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah-braised Bison Short Rib, Mushroom dusted Bone Marrow and
Wild Boar Shank Crepinette with braised Shiitakes and Spring Shallots
Randy Bublitz and students (SBCC)
Greg Murphy (Bouchon)
Brandon Cogan (Wine Cask)
Cheese:
Lumen 2015 Pinot, SM Valley
Fontina, Reggiano, Salsiccia and Artichoke Tart with petite red veined Sorrel, edible Calendula flowers, and Popcorn shoots
Eureka! I found it! The yellow mushroom gold has been scarce in Santa Barbara these past few drought-affected years. I found this lonesome, solitary chanterelle two days ago. It wound up on a sauteed breast of chicken.
I will be on a break for a few days. We are going to Yountville to dine at The French Laundry. I will catch up on Inn Crowd posts after my return and tell you about dinner at the Laundry.
In 1977, I abandoned my career in music for a career in the culinary world. I had been in the kitchen in various capacities for over six years by thent. At that time, there were several chefs in the world that loomed large in my thinking: Agustus Escoffier, Ferdinand Point, Michel Guerard, Les Freres Troisgros, Michel Blanchet, Gastone Lenotre, Henré Soulé and the ambassador of French Cuisine, Chef Paul Bocuse. I became aware of Chef Bocuse when I was sous chef for Chef James Sly at the Studio City restaurant called La Serre. We were cooking what we thought of as modern French cuisine as chef Sly had recently returned from France and had worked with Michel Guerard, one of the proponents of Nouvelle Cuisine. It was at that time I decided to go to France to accelerate my knowledge of French Cuisine and was trying to make a connection in France to secure a position.
Robert Mondavi promoted a series of events at his winery in Napa call The Great Chefs of France. The ideas were to promote French Cuisine and American wines. It was at that time the American was awakening to the modern cuisine movement in France called Nouvelle Cuisine. In Los Angeles, a forward-thinking chef Jean Bertranou of L'Ermitage restaurant was bringing headliner French chefs to Los Angeles to prepare dinners. One of those dinners was headlined as the "Diner des Cent." Dinner of Hundred, so called because there were to be 100 dinner guests. Paul Bocuse and Roger Verge (Moulin de Mougins) headlined the dinner. I posted my Bocuse story in a previous blog that you may access here. In essence, I was at the feet of Chef Bocuse asking for an opportunity to work in his kitchen. Read my blog for the ironic twist that request took years later.
Chef Bocuse's style of cooking was in reality based more on the traditional French repertoire, especially around the Lyon regions of France. I have elected to prepare three dishes for this episode of The Inn Crowd. The first course calls for a fish called Rouget from the Mediterranean sea. I have used a local rock cod instead. The method for getting the potato'"scales" to adhere to the fish is very effective. The blanquette de Veau is a delicious, homey veal stew guaranteed to please. The dessert is another French classic, somewhat homey but delicious all the same.
In one of his last interviews, he was asked about a last meal. His reply was to enjoy a Pot au Feu. If possible, he said he would invite such hallowed French gastronomic as Antonin Carême, Auguste Escoffier, Fernand Point and Eugénie Brazie. They would drink condrieu and côte-rotie. “But I’d like to cheat a bit and ask them back the next day to finish the remains.”
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the air time my vary to as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show on-line at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions, unless otherwise noted.
Not every meal is beef tenderloin, truffles, and other exotic ingredients. In today's episode, I have our producer and resident epicure, Craig Case, at my side cooking an eclectic menu of the kind of dishes I like to enjoy every day. We have a standing joke at home that we don't eat like this every day. Well. actually, we do!
We start with a grilled ahi tuna salad set on an Asian inspired avocado salad. If you do not have fresh tuna, use salmon or shrimp. The pork tenderloin ragout is another flexible dish. It also works well with chicken or lamb. Think of recipes like LEGO blocks that can be assembled into infinite dishes. We finish up with a variation of Bananas Foster. Bananas Foster hails from a restaurant in New Orleans. Here is a quote from a New Orleans web page:
"In the 1950's, New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Owen Edward Brennan challenged his talented chef, Paul Blangé, to include bananas in a new culinary creation-Owen's way of promoting the imported fruit. Simultaneously, Holiday Magazine had asked Owen to provide a new recipe to appear in a feature article on Brennan's.
In 1951, Chef Paul created Bananas Foster. The scrumptious dessert was named for Richard Foster, who, as chairman, served with Owen on the New Orleans Crime Commission, a civic effort to clean up the French Quarter. Richard Foster, the owner of the Foster Awning Company, was a frequent customer of Brennan's and a very good friend of Owen."
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
A friend and great promotor of Central Coast wines passed away recently. I first met Archie at an event held by The American Insitute of Wine and Food (AIWF). He seemed like a post-beatnik, avant-garde artist at the time with his signature beret. In the mid-eighties, we had a conversation at my restaurant, Michael's Waterside, in which I mentioned an ambition to cook at the Hearst Castle. A few months later, I was invited to assist Chef Michel Richard at a Hearst Castle dinner. Afterward, I wrote to him with a three-page letter suggesting ways to improve the event. I was later invited to organize the kitchen teams and liaison with the guest chefs. I have had the pleasure of participating in Archie's signature dinner at the Hearst Castle for over 30 years.
Archie was my first guest when I began my tenure as the chef in residence for The Inn Crowd cooking show (link to first show). His erudition on wine and fine dining was a great beginning. Archie later went on to host his own show with Case Productions, Wine Country. We did several Inn Crowd shows over the course of several years including chef John Moeller, former White House chef and Steve Hearst, grandson of famed William Randolf Hearst.
Frank Ostini of Hitching Post fame and master winemaker Jim Clendennen of Au Bon Climat organized a memorial service at Jim's vineyard. It was a grand event and the only missing components were Archie and a live auction! Archie will be missed.
For the memorial, I prepared two of the many appetizers I have prepared at the Hearst Castle for the Central Coast Wine Classic. I did Potato Croquettes with truffles. It's based on a classic potato Dauphine which I married with a caramelized onion-truffle sauce. The Second offering was a potato blini-crepe. Graham C. Gaspard of Black River Caviar provided two huge tins of terrific caviar to pair with the blinis. I learned a new way of tasting caviar from Graham. He would scoop up a generous amount of caviar with the mother of pearl spoon and place it on the back of his thumb and waft it up!
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven. I'll provide the recipes, and the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Archie McLaren, Central Coast Wine Classic Founder & Chairman
Archie McLaren has been involved in an array of activities on the Central Coast of California since his arrival here in 1974 to represent legal publisher West Publishing Company. Originally assigned to Nevada and Central California, and later to Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii, he became the Administrator of International Marketing for The Orient for West, representing the company in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia. He retired from West Publishing Company in 1990.
During that time and following, he became no stranger to the world of fine cuisine and rare wine. He is the founding Bailli of the Central Coast Chapter of the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, a member of the Vintners’ Club of San Francisco, the Wine & Food Society of San Francisco, the San Francisco Chapter of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin and the Marin County Chapter of the International Wine & Food Society. He is the former Cellarmaster of the Avila Bay Wine Society and the former President of the Central Coast Wine Society.
Archie has served as Chairman/Executive Director of both the San Luis Obispo Vintners & Growers Association for whom he is still a consultant and the Paso Robles Westside Grand Crew. He is one of only two Americans inducted into the Austrian Wine Brotherhood (His friend Brooks Firestone is the other), and one of the few Americans inducted into the Commanderie des Bontemps - Medoc et Graves & Sauternes et Barsac of Bordeaux in France.
Archie has long been associated with charitable wine auctions. Not only did he serve for many years as the American Institute of Wine & Food’s Rare & Fine Wine and Auction Consultant, where he became close friends with Julia Child, he also served as a Director on its National Board. He is the Founder & Chairman of the Central Coast Wine Classic, held in high esteem as a prestigious and comprehensive food and wine event, held each year in July and in its thirty-first year, which boasts Wine Spectator among its many significant sponsors. Several years ago, Archie received a San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau Annual Tourism Award for his conception and presentation of the Wine Classic.
With revenues exceeding $1,000,000, the Central Coast Wine Classic is one of America’s most successful charity wine auctions. The Wine Classic not only promotes the wine, culinary and hospitality industries, it also confers substantive beneficiary proceeds through the Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation, which was created in 2004 to sustain 501(c)3 foundations in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County whose missions are in the Healing, Performing or Studio Arts. From 2004 through 2014, the Foundation has granted over $2,500,000 to 125 such non-profits. In the Fall of 2010, he was honored by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors for his Civic and Charitable Contributions to the citizens of San Luis Obispo County, in August of 2012, he was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Assembly of the California Legislature for the Central Coast Wine Classic’s donation of $100,000 to the Children’s Resource Network, in July of 2014 he was again recognized by the California State Assembly for his support of Central Coast non-profits, his promotion of the Central Coast Wine Industry and his positive impact on Central Coast Tourism through the Central Coast Wine Classic, and he has just been awarded in April of 2016 an additional Assembly Certificate of Recognition for being chosen as United Cerebral Palsy’s Citizen of the Year for 2016.
Archie has assisted in launching charity auctions in Washington, D.C., Honolulu, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Mendocino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara. His former partner in life, Carissa Chappellet, an owner of Chappellet Winery in the Napa Valley and the winery’s Legal Director & Ambassador, and he have served as Chairs of the WYES Public Television Auction in New Orleans and are frequent donors to and supporters of charitable wine auctions throughout the United States.
In addition, with Brian Talley in 2001, he co-founded the extremely popular World of Pinot Noir, now held at Santa Barbara. In 2007, he directed and was the auctioneer for the Pinot Plus Auction, the Carneros Wine Alliance’s inaugural Carneros Appellation wine and lifestyle tasting and auction, and, although he does not consider himself to be an even remotely functional auctioneer, was auctioneer for the 2007 and 2008 Lake County California Wine Auctions.
Archie is frequently invited to attend tastings of rare and collectible wines throughout the country and has participated in comprehensive vertical tastings of Chateaux d’Yquem, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Cos d’Estournel, Leoville Las Cases and Cheval Blanc, as well as La Tache, Hermitage La Chapelle, Penfolds Grange, Vega Sicilia Unico, and Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Private Reserve, among a number of others. A long-time Champagne aficionado who has attended many tastings of rare Champagnes (In 1972, Archie’s long-time friend, “Soul Man” songwriter David Porter turned him on to better sparkling wine than he was drinking at the time, and when Archie moved to California, he took it from there!), he was Founder and Director of the International Festival of Methode Champenoise.
On San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Public Radio KCBX, Archie hosted a fine wine program, the Wine Drinker’s Guide to Indulgence for twenty-three years (He continues to host an occasional show, including every year for the results of the California wine grape harvest), and has been a writer on fine wine for Adventures in Dining, the San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune, New Times and Santa Barbara Magazine.
His recent addition of an office and living quarters in downtown Santa Barbara is designed to enhance the demographic audience of the Central Coast Wine Classic, and he has already appeared on a Santa Barbara television show, The Inn Crowd, whose subject is the relationship between fine cuisine and fine wine. A television show on fine wine that he will host is in the initial stages with the goal of airing in early 2016. He is thrilled to note that within four blocks of his Santa Barbara living quarters are restaurants representing a dozen different ethnicities, each an outstanding and accurate representation of its theme, all the way from Himalayan to Creole.
His education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, a Juris Doctor of Law degree from the University of Memphis, and post-graduate studies in Humanities, English Literature and International Marketing at various universities. He continues to study a variety of subjects, including recently the Evolution of Language, the theories behind the Classical Western European Musical tradition, the History of the Female Influence in Fine Art, World Geology and various Cultural and Evolutionary Anthropological subjects.
Archie McLaren is involved in an array of civic activities, both in the arts and in the community in general. As previously indicated, he has received the San Luis Obispo Visitors & Convention Bureau’s Annual Tourism Award. He has twice served as the President of the Board of Directors of the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival and as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.
He served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Avila Beach Water District and the Chairman of the Avila Beach Front Street Enhancement Committee that designed the promenade and park for the rejuvenation of the community of Avila Beach after the discovery and mitigation of the Unocal Oil environmental damage, and for many years was Chairman of the committee that approves new projects for Avila Beach prior to their being approved at the county level.
In order to rebalance the energy and restore the vitality to the community of Avila Beach, a town that was physically and psychologically ripped apart by the Unocal mitigation, he presented Avila Drum Day, a rhythmic happening that was designed to heal the community’s collective psyche. World-renowned percussionists such as Airto Moreira, Walfredo Reyes, and Richie Gajate Garcia, at the behest of Santa Barbara resident Eddie Tuduri, founder of The Rhythmic Arts Project, donated their time and stunning musical abilities to the event. Archie has recently begun contemplating a novel on the subject of Rhythm and Harmonics and their various manifestations.
His many accomplishments over the years he has lived in California have resulted in his inclusion in Who’s Who in Media & Communications, Who’s Who in the West, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the excellent farm fresh produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Craig Case, Valerie Powdrell, Robin Himovitz, Loy Beardsmore, Michael Hutchings, Christine Dahl
The recent Thomas Fire and the ensuing Montecito Mudslide have wreaked devastation on our town. The loss of life has particularly has been painful and our thoughts and prayers are with all. This show is dedicated to the first responders, support organizations, and individuals that have tirelessly responded to this disaster. This past February, an event was held to benefit first responders and the victims of the fire and debris flow.
More than 3,00 people attended the event at hotel magnates Pat and Ursula Nesbitt's polo estate. One805 Kick Ash Bash honored first responders and raised much-needed funds for emergency equipment and relief efforts. The event was organized by a large contingent of locals and spearheaded by Eric Phillips, Sheila Herman, and Pat Smith. The event has been called Woodstock West and had headliners such as Alan Parsons and Friends, Kenny Loggins, Wilson Phillips, Steve Vai, Richard Marx, The Sisterhood Band, RUBY, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Dishwalla and Glen Phillips. Dennis Miller of Saturday Night Live fame emceed the event. Katy Perry, local performed made good, made a surprise visit and sang a number of her hits. Other notables attending included Jane Seymour, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Don Johnson and Billy Baldwin. The event raised about $2,000,000 to benefit the cause.
We were delighted to donate some 20 gallons of classic and vegetarian chilies for the event. Chef Christine Dahl, Christine Dahl Pastries, joined us for this event and made several thousand mini berry tarts and salty turtle cups, much to the delight of the attendees.
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photos by Will Conlin, YTS Films
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Chef Michael, Host Craig Case, Sponsor Guy DeMangeon
The 36 annual Taste of the Town was held Sunday, September 10, 2017. I have been participating since 1981 when the event began. This year I prepared two tasting dishes. I offered a vegan style Terrine of Mushroom in an Aspic. Lots of great mushrooms from The Berry Man are presented in an agar-agar bound vegetable broth. The other dish is a mousse of local smoked salmon with a topping of tobiko caviar. We served tastes to over 1,000 guests at this grand event.
Chef Michael Hutchings
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the sports season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your bib apron. I'll provide the recipes, and the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
The Berry Man Produce Company has generously provided all our wonderful produce for our Taste of the Town dishes we are providing. Many thanks to Guy DeMangeon, Les Clark, Jean-Pierre Jammet and the team for their ongoing support!
We have been busy in The Inn Crowd kitchen filming delicious episodes. I am a few shows in arrears in posting recipes. Stay tuned and past, present and future episode's recipes will be here for you to enjoy in the coming week.
We thank you for tuning in to our show and look forward to sharing many more delicious dishes and wonderful guests.
Last fall, we had the fun opportunity to showcase an episode of The Inn Crowd at the Santa Barbara Harbor and Seafood Festival. The event is an annual event that features the bounty of local seafood harvested by a dedicated cadre of Santa Barbar based fishermen. Out local fishery includes a vast assortment of species, see below.
Sablefish Photo Wikipedia
I decided to use the local black codfish which is sablefish. The codfish is a deep-water species that thrive at depths over 3,000 feet deep. Fishermen layout mile-long lines to harvest the black cod. The fish has a high-fat content and cooks up with large, delicate flakes. I did a Basque-style bell pepper ragout as a foil to the codfish. My assistants, Chris Lesant and Patricia Lamas, assisted in serving some 500 portions to members and friends of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Meanwhile, thousands of attendees enjoyed the seafood bounty from a variety of vendors.
Wikipedia: "The sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is one of two members of the fish family Anoplopomatidae and the only species in the Anoplopoma genus. In English, common names for it include sable (USA), butterfish (USA), black cod (USA, UK, Canada), blue cod (UK), bluefish (UK), candlefish (UK), coal cod (UK), coalfish (Canada), beshow, and skil(fish) (Canada), although many of these names also refer to other, unrelated, species. In the USA, the FDA accepts only "sablefish" as the Acceptable Market Name; "black cod" is considered a vernacular (regional) name and should not be used as a Statement of Identity for this species. The sablefish is found in muddy sea beds in the North Pacific at depths of 300 to 2,700 m (980 to 8,860 ft) and is commercially valuable to Japan.
From the Web page CFSB, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara:
"The Santa Barbara Channel is one of the nation's most productive sources of abundant, sustainable and high-quality seafood. Santa Barbara's harbor has over 100 small-boat fishermen who catch 6-10 million pounds of seafood annually, bringing in $30 million in economic benefit to the local community. Our fishermen bring in wild-caught white sea bass, black cod, ling cod, yellowtail, rockfishes, halibut, swordfish, tuna, king salmon, thresher shark, urchin, crab, shrimp, lobster, whelk, sea cucumber - more than 50species in total!
Santa Barbara is also home to eco-friendly farming of oysters, mussels, and abalone. There is also a fishermen direct market every Saturday morning. A handful of fishermen can participate on the City Pier (opposite Brophy's) every Saturday selling crab, shrimp, rockfish, lingcod, black cod, halibut, urchin, abalone (sustainably farmed), and other catch of the day items - with unbeatable prices and unsurpassed freshness and quality."
One of my signature dishes is the local farm raised abalone from The Cultured Abalone. Dough Bush manages the onshore farm that produces the abalone. The red abalone is the variant that they grow from broodstock. It has proven to be the healthiest and fastest growing variety of the seven varieties that inhabit the Santa Barbara Channel. After about three years they are at the market size of about three inches. They are a unique product raised of local seaweed in a very eco-friendly system. See my previous blogs relating to abalone.
The annual Harbor and Seafood Festival is Santa Barbara’s signature Autumn event. Timed with the opening of lobster season, the festival is presented by the City, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, Inc., Santa Barbara Harbor Merchants’ Association, and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Festival-goers will meet local fishermen and enjoy fresh lobster, crab, prawns, and other local-caught seafood. Live entertainment and other family-oriented activities round out a full day of fun. Event admission is free. For more festival information, including vendor lists and directions and parking, contact the Harbormaster’s Office at (805) 897-1961 or visit our website atwww.HarborFestival.org.
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2018 Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Main Harbor, 132-Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 Admission: Free
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your bib apron. I'll provide the recipes, and the rest is up to you. See you at the harbor.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the excellent farm fresh produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Recognition for Fundraising Chef Michael Hutchings
The Inn Crowd, hosted by Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings, is delighted to share an episode at the gala event "Fun with the Force." The event was organized by The Santa Barbara Police Foundation. The foundation is a support group for the local police force. Many of our Inn Crowd veterans were at the event including Police Chief Luhnow, Joyce Farr, Arlene Montesano, Ursula Nesbitt. This is our third year at this event and we are delighted to mention that the special auction-dinner we have donated each year has raised over $150,000 to date for the foundation. On that count, I was delighted and surprised to receive a special recognition for our efforts.
I decided to prepare mini desserts for the evenings offering. More properly called petits fours, we made about 3,000 delicious sweets.The menu included cheesecake, earthquake bites, Linzer torts, mixed nut bars, coconut macarons and raspberry tarts. We prepared some 3,000 pastries for the 600 plus guests and went home empty!
The Foundation supports the Santa Barbara Police Department by raising community awareness and providing needed funds for three primary purposes:
To provide information, resources, and financial support for deceased, injured, disabled or catastrophically ill police officers, or employees, of the Santa Barbara Police Department and their families.
To purchase and donate equipment requested by the officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department to support law enforcement efforts.
To provide financial assistance and access to counseling services for the men and women of the Santa Barbara Police Department, and other first responders of the Tri-County area, as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
Canine Exercise
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show. Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen. May the Fun with the Force be with you.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Chef Michael and Christine Dahl
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
We were delighted to once again film an episode of The Inn Crowd at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. I was one of several chefs participating in a promotion of local seafood. I prepared my version of a Miso Glazed Local Cod. Additionally, back in the studio, I have demonstrated two other winning dishes that are great for food events. I did a Crispy Fried Salmon and Thai Style Chili Mussels. I have also included the tasty Billy Bi Mussel Soup that chef James Sly prepared for the event. The featured mussels were from a local source.
Here is a little history of the museum from the web page. "The building that is currently home of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) was built in 1943 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal policies to stimulate the economy. As the building neared completion during World War II, the City of Santa Barbara sold the building to the United States Navy for $1. During the war, the building served as a Navy Training Center, and the Navy built the pier out front, commonly known as the Navy Pier or City Pier. After the war, the building housed the Navy Reserve. Many locals remember playing basketball here, in fact, the original herringbone, maple wood court can now be seen around the base of the new Point Conception Lighthouse Fresnel Lens Exhibit.
In the 1990’s the City of Santa Barbara bought the building back from the U.S. Navy for $2.4 million, and then had to invest another $2 million in ADA upgrades. The Founders of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum opened its doors in July 2000, fulfilling one of the original purposes of the WPA project, to house maritime artifacts. The building overlooks the Santa Barbara harbor, a 1916 Sea Mew David T. Nidever and the museum’s flagship, a 1917 sportfishing yacht Ranger. SBMM rents this 8,000 square feet space from the City of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront Enterprise Zone."
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
About The Event
James Sly of Sly’s in Carpinteria: His 40 years of restaurant experience has included formal training in Europe, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, working with Michel Guèrard at Règine’s in Paris and New York, and creating Lucky’s in Montecito.
Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering: He started his career in the kitchen of Disneyland at the famous private Club 33. He was taught by the Master Chef Rudolph Stoy and worked his way up to become the club’s Executive Chef. He went on to London to work at Le Gavroche, before coming to Santa Barbara to start Michael's Waterside, which was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine.
Mossin Sugrich of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club: He is a classically trained chef who attended SBCC Culinary School and helped build the kitchen at Elements, before working as Sous Chef at San Ysidro Ranch. He went on to work at Blush, the Four Seasons and the Belmond El Encanto.
Randy Bublitz of SBCC Culinary Arts Program: He has been at SBCC’s Culinary Arts Program since 1993 and oversees 120 students in the two-year program. He directed SBCC’s first study abroad culinary arts program to Paris, France in 2015, and followed up with a similar program in Rome, Italy this summer.
These chefs will show how to prepare locally caught seafood, which guests will enjoy tastings of along with local wines and craft beers. In addition, guests will meet some of the commercial fishermen who bring the Santa Barbara Channel's bounty to our plates. Proceeds from this event help support programming for both FishSB and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
FishSB is a joint program of Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce that provides critical support for local fisheries to help keep our working waterfront thriving.
For Taste of the Sea program information please contact Kim Selkoe of FishSB at (805) 259-7476 or [email protected].
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2017 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
In 1977, I received a call from my friend James Sly. At the time I was a banquet sous chef at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in Newport Beach, CA. Typically, my duties were cooking for large groups up to 1,500. Can you imagine 50 prime ribs roasting simultaneously or cooking Beef Stroganoff for 800? The work was more akin to a factory job. I was originally attracted to the hotel based on a food show where the chefs put on quite a display. Little did I realize that that was not the normal output of the kitchen. James proposed in that call that I become his sous chef at his first chef de cuisine position at the La Serre restaurant in Studio City, CA. We had already worked together at the fabled Chez Carey in Orange, CA. James was fresh off apprenticeships in France at illustrious places like the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and the Ritz in Paris. His tour burnished an already impressive resume. My response to the offer was a quick yes as it looked far more interesting that poaching 400 eggs for Eggs Benedict.
Natalie's Nook
La Serre catered to the entertainment industry based in Burbank and Studio City. We had diners like Mohammed Ali, Natalie Wood, and Jonny Carson. Regular guests were flattered with a brass nameplate at their reserved table and in Natalie Wood's case, a gazebo was named after her. The decor mimicked a lush greenhouse festooned with white lattice and lots of greenery.
The attached menus are representative of what we were cooking at the time. It was an exciting era to be cooking as the food revolution was just getting started and chefs were coming out of the kitchen and into the spotlight. French chef luminaries passed through LA to promote the new way of cooking, Nouvelle Cuisine. James was dialed into that new wave and we proffered dishes like Truite Bocuse, Guerard's Nouvelle Cuisine, Gastone Lenotre's desserts and Troisgros creations. It was at La Serre where we first met the great chef Michel Richard. He delivered some petite fours pastries from his Robertson Boulevard pastry shop and it was clear he was a master of the craft. See my previous blog regarding Chef Michel.
After a time, chef James moved on and I then had my first chef position at La Serre. It was a great learning experience and positioned me to launch my career. Thanks, James!
This blog is a reprise of an earlier post from a special wine-based dinner I prepared in Avila Beach, Ca and a luncheon in San Louis Obispo. You can view the original posting here. We have filmed the preparation of a part of the dinner menu dishes for an episode of The Inn Crowd and finish up at the Central Coast Wine Classic luncheon. Join Craig Case, host, and that chef, me, Michael Hutchings.
In the course of a culinary career, there are memorable moments such as learning the magic of making a hollandaise sauce or seeing a soufflé rise as expected, watching pommes soufflé puff up and crisp, making feuilletage pastry with its thousand layers as well as constructing a complicated sauce like veal demi-glace. In my formative years working in three-starred Michelin restaurants, I learned that superb ingredients are a vital ally in preparing superior classic cuisine. Chef's like Alain Ducasse claim that sixty percent of a successful dish is influenced by ingredient selection.
That mantra of ingredient-driven cuisine was my guide in planning a recent wine dinner for the Central Coast Classic Rare Wine Dinner. Archie McLaren, chairman of the Central Coast Wine Classic, requested that I prepare a dinner to compliment the wines provided by Don Schliff. The list featured a who's who of the French wine big guns, see the menu below. My challenge was to create a menu that reflected the nature and character of those wines. Unable to have a wine tasting, I relied on tasting notes researched on the internet. Once that was done, it took less than thirty minutes to plan the menu. It's simple in a way but relies on great ingredients cooked accurately.
The first course was my version of a dish done at Le Gavroche in London circa 1980. That, in turn, was a riff from chef Antoine Carême, the master from the late 1800's. Albert Roux, chef-patron of Le Gavroche at the time, discovered that recipe in one of the books written by Carême during Careme's lifetime. Albert had a private library of first edition cookbooks from the 1800s and I was able to borrow them for research. My version of the recipe changed the design and changed deviled quail eggs from a poached egg. The artichoke's hand turned hearts were cooked a blanc in a court bouillon spiked with lemon. The local Santa Barbara Smokehouse salmon I used is a great product.
The scallop dish featured fresh dry pack scallops weighing in at over two ounces each. In the trade, those are called U-8s. I dusted them with flour and seared both sides with a final cooking on the oven. The sauce was a classic chardonnay cream sauce that was finished with a puree of sea urchin roe. This gives the sauce a briny lobster-like finish and we set them on a nest of julienned leeks, carrots and celery root with a crown of tobiko caviar.
A duck breast course followed. Muscovy duck breast, trimmed and brined twelve hours, was seared, cooked with the sous vide method and then seared again to crisp the skin side. I prepared a standard duck demi-glace from some two dozen duck frames reduced down to an essence of four cups. The sauce was finished with cooked, diced foie gras from Hudson Valley and peeled grapes. Yes, I said peeled grapes. I recall the first week I worked at Le Gavroche I was asked to peel grapes. I thought at the time it was a little extreme and still do but we did peel the grapes.
The canon of lamb is the rack cut off the bone. I did a similar sear and sous vide cooking for the lamb. The sauce again was derived from the bones of the rack, demi-glace style. I nested the lamb on a mix of chanterelles and royal trumpet mushroom, cooked Bordelaise style with shallots, garlic, and parsley. Of note were the chanterelles that I got from my dear chef-friend Kurt Grasing, of Grasing's in Carmel by the Sea, California. The mushrooms were harvested in Slovenia and traveled to Oregon, San Francisco, Carmel, Santa Barbara to end up on a plate in Pismo Beach, California.
The beef course of slow braised short ribs was set on a confit of shallots. The base sauce started as the classic veal demi-glace that I learned from the Troisgros restaurant, Roanne, France, when I did a stage there in 1981. Their method did not involve roasting the veal bones but done as more of a fond blanc, white stock. The garnish of haricot vert fine came via my chef-friend James Sly of Sly's in Carpenteria, California. They are extra small and tender and unusual to find. Fondant potatoes have been a mainstay in my repertoire since Albert Roux introduced me to them in 1978. This version of mine adds a topping of potatoes gratin for an additional flavor layer. Carrots were simply sautéed and braised in chicken stock and butter.
Peaches and Chateau d'Yquem wine were made to go together. I made puff pastry, that magic dough, and cooked the peaches using my pastry-chef wife Christine Dahl's method for tart tatin. Basically, a butter-sugar caramel is prepared and placed in a tin, topped with peeled, sliced peaches, topped with a disk of thin puff pastry and baked. I garnished with a peach brandy-spiked caramel sauce and whipped creme fraîche to finish the dish.
We finished with dinner with mignardise, those sweet little nibbles you thought you had no room for. They included chocolate-dipped candied orange peel, hazelnut tuile, coconut macaroons, chocolate earthquakes and crisp palmiers. A special thanks go to my assistant chef Hugo Alvarado in preparing this dinner.
In closing, this was easily amongst the top five dinners I have prepared in my forty-five years of cooking and I must say, it is as rewarding and compelling as is was in the early days of learning the craft of cooking.
Archie McLaren, Founder of the Central Coast Wine Classic
The Inn Crowd Cooking Show
Last August 2017, I had the privilege to be part of the Central Coast wine Event founded by Archie McLaren. This was the 32nd iteration of this event and I have been involved in one guise or another over the years. This is most likely the last year of this event and it was great to work with fellow long-time participants, Chefs Rick Manson and Frank Ostini. All our bios and the event details are below along with the menu and a few recipes. We have filmed this event for an episode of The Inn Crowd cooking show. I think it's a fun episode and gives a great perspective of chefs collaborating on a luncheon for some 300 guests. The menu is below and was designed to compliment a variety of wines that were being offered at the event. I prepared three of my favorite dishes, Caramelized Onion Tart, Farm Raised Abalone with Herb Butter and a Lemon Curd Cake with Berries. The event took place in a private jet hangar and we worked from a typical field kitchen just outside the back door.
View host Craig case and I on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 with ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Auction
You may anticipate being in the immediate presence of such remarkable Kinetic Art Forms as Ferrari Enzo, 365GTB4 Daytona and 599GTB Automobiles, as well as a venerable Concours 356SC Porsche and a Bugatti 16.4 Veyron, a Rare Array of the World’s Most Exotic!
The Super Silent Auction will include many Large Format Etched and Hand-Painted Bottles from Magnums to Salmanazars representing the evolution of Unique Blends Created for the Wine Classic over the years. Auction luncheon prepared & presented by Wine Classic’s dynamic & creative family of chefs including Chef Rick Manson of Chef Rick’s, Ultimately Fine Foods, Chef Frank Ostini of the renowned Buellton Hitching Post, & Chef Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering in Santa Barbara.
The Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot will inure to the benefit of a Non-Profit whose Mission is the Healing Arts.
Caramelized Onion Tart
Grilled Corn Quesadilla
Red Pepper, Onion, Eggplant Crostini
Black Eye Pea Cakes
summer vegetable salad
Cultured Red Abalone, Chardonnay Butter
snipped dill, vine tomatoes
Oak Grilled Beef Tenderloin-Mushroom Sauce
Vegetable Sandwich with Goat Cheese
Lemon Curd Cake and Fresh Berries
peach coulis
Bread
Persona Dramatica
Our dear long-time friend, Chef Michael Hutchings, has been an integral part of the Central Coast Wine Classic since 1992, coordinating and presenting the Vintage Dinner, as well as an integral part of the Dinner at Hearst Castle for well over ten years, always presenting the hors-d'oeuvres for the Champagne reception, sometimes a main course during the Dinner, and again this year an amazing array of superlative such creations for the Champagne Reception. His creations have always been uniformly appropriate and wonderful. We know that you will find them to be so.
Michael is a chef who has paid his dues. Like many other American chefs, he took a job in a restaurant to work his way through college. An accomplished flutist, he planned a musical career. But in the kitchen of Disneyland at the fabled private Club 33, he was taught by the Black Hat Master Chef Rudolph Stoy, and his priorities changed. Michael Hutchings eventually became executive chef of Club 33, then worked under several Los Angeles chefs including James Sly at La Serre (now the owner of Sly’s in Carpinteria), and Jean Grodin, executive chef of L’Orangerie, Los Angeles.
The chef/owner of L’Ermitage, Jean Bertranou, suggested Michael Hutchings go to London to work at Le Gavroche under the Roux Brothers, so in 1978, Michael Hutchings, along with his wife and eight-month-old child, and modest savings, went to London to work at Le Gavroche. The Roux brothers were so impressed with his seriousness and ability that after only a few months they promoted him to sous-chef and told him that when he was ready for a restaurant in the United States they would back him financially in a partnership. Three years later, following brief stages in the kitchens of Alain Chapel, the Troisgros brothers, and Gaston Lenotre, he was ready.
The result was Michael’s Waterside in Santa Barbara. During ten years of operation, Michael’s Waterside was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine. After selling the Waterside in 1993, Chef Michael Hutchings hung his toque at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, NationsBank executive dining room, the Tower Club in Charlotte, Kaiser Grill, and St. James in Palm Springs. Now, Chef Michael oversees a food consulting and catering service business in Santa Barbara, California.
Some of the highlights of Michael’s career follow:
Journeyman in Europe with Albert Roux of Le Gavroche Two Star Michelin
Apprenticed in France with Gastone Lenotre, Alain Chapel, Troisgros, Two & Three Star Michelin
Michael’s Waterside listings in Mobile Guide, AAA Guide, Zagat Guide, Gault Millaut Travel Holiday Award 1985 to 1992, award discontinued
Distinguished Restaurant of North America Award 1993
Press credits with Time Magazine, Gourmet Magazine, Bon Appétit, Chocolatiere and others
Guest Chef at Beard House in New York 1986 and 1990
Guest Chef at Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite National Park
Special Event Coordinator for KCBX public radio at Hearst Castle Historical Monument
Chef Coordinator for Central Coast Wine Auction 1992-1997, dinner for 800 guests
Guest Chef at “Merci Julia” event celebrating Julia’s 80 birthday in 1992
Appeared on “Dinner at Julia’s” video magazine with Julia Child
Charitable fundraising for Red Cross, United Way, Cancer Society, Juvenile Diabetics Cooking video on CNN, NBC, and in France, Germany, and Japan
Julia Child’s 40th Anniversary of PBS Beef Bourguignonne event, 2003
Continuing Guest Chef Central Coast Wine Classic Dinner at Hearst Castle
Chef Host of The Inn Crowd Cooking Show
Thank you, Michael, for your continuing substantive role in our special Wine Classic culinary presentations. It is always a pleasure to have your good energy and expertise as part of our culinary proceedings and to celebrate our 31st Annual Wine Classic and the 25th Annual Dinner at Hearst Castle. All of Those Incredible Repasts to Which You Substantively Contributed Could Not Have Happened Without Your Focused and Gracious Extraordinary Culinary Expertise! Thank You, Michael!
Michael’s Catering 22 West Mission Street Suite G Santa Barbara, California, 93101
Chef Rick Manson
Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods Santa Maria, California
The Up-Tempo American cooking prepared by one of California Central Coast’s premier chefs, Rick Manson, a long-time friend of the Wine Classic and the community of Avila Beach (At Archie McLaren’s behest, Rick was the Chef for the array of world-class percussionists who were a part of the transcendent Avila Drum Day Healing Percussion Festival in the 1990s!) is a blend of Georgia low country, southern Louisiana, Southwest, and Southern California influences, seasoned with a hint of rhythm and blues, a splash of color, and a touch of irreverence. We welcome Chef Rick again, as he has presented his wondrously flavorful culinary creations for our Auction Luncheon several times, including his remarkable luncheon in 2013.
Chef Rick began earning critical acclaim during his 10-year tenure as executive chef of the King & Prince Hotel on historic St. Simons Island, Georgia. Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods in Santa Maria, his highly popular restaurant that he closed this past year, consistently earned the “Best Restaurant in Santa Maria” award from the Santa Maria Sun. Central Coast Magazine says “ … thank goodness for something different and intriguing!” Jim Clendenen, of Au Bon Climat Winery in Santa Maria, has said of Rick: “Some people are born into the hospitality industry.”
Chef Rick’s demeanor, his receptiveness, and his smile define that. He is an excellent chef, the consummate host and he always delivers a lagniappe (Cajun for something extra special), which transforms your experience with him into something memorable.’’ Rick was named the 2007 Central Coast Wine Classic’s Culinary Honoree founder Archie McLaren. Selected for his “indefatigable support and enthusiasm in furthering culinary excellence on the Central Coast,” Archie, after whom Chef Rick has named a Creole BBQ Shrimp course, “Archie McLaren’s New Orleans-Style Barbequed Shrimp with Warm Soppin’ Bread,” has said of Rick, “The guy is a Soulful Prince!”
Just to give you an idea of some of Rick’s “favorite things” …
Most engaging and memorable meal: “On Cathy’s and my honeymoon in Paris, I needed a recommendation as to where to take my new wife for her birthday dinner. Our hotel concierge didn’t hesitate a second in suggesting the Michelin 3-star restaurant Tour d’Argent. With a table overlooking Cathedral Notre Dame and the River Seine, from the martinis, “free” hors-d'oeuvres, Kir Royales, pressed duck, and white peach flambé, to Cathy throwing rolls at our dining neighbor (It was a wonderful accident! Bell sleeves, you know!), being our honeymoon and her birthday, it was by far the most memorable meal, ever!”
The other chefs he admires are quote: “My friends Marie Will and Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat Winery are two of the greatest cooks (chefs) I’ve ever known, although they don’t work professionally. Locally (the greater Central Coast) I’ve always admired Laurent Grangien of Bistro Laurent in Paso Robles and I have great respect for my peers who I’ve grown up with that are still “swingin’ their whisks,” including Laurent, Ian McPhee, James Sly, and a few of those young guys, Alphonso Curti of Trattoria Uliveto, Clark Staub of Full of Life Foods, and Anthony Endy of Rooney’s Irish Pub. Nationally, I have always loved the food of Dean Fearing, Emeril Lagasse, and Wolfgang Puck.”
Famous people for whom Rick has prepared meals: Jimmy Carter, Tom Petty, Robin Ventura, Herman Munster, Martha Stewart, Boz Scaggs, Jesse Jackson, Jonathan Winters, Jackson Browne, Robert Mondavi, David Crosby, Horace Grant, Metallica and Jimmy Messina. And Music … This engaging fellow isintoan array of Music! Delta Blues, Zydeco (Queen Ida has dined at his restaurant!), Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues, etc. etc. etc. Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm …
We know you will be energized and edified by the richly rhythmic quality of Rick’s unique Central California cuisine during his array of Luncheon courses at the Thirty-First Annual Central Coast Wine Classic Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Auction, especially in the rhythmic symbiotic culinary union with his Dear Friend of ours, Chef Frank Ostini.
Attending and supporting the Central Coast Wine Classic virtually from its beginning, no individual has been more continuously supportive of the Central Coast Wine Classic than Frank Ostini. His donations to the Live Auction alone have over the years raised over one-quarter of a million dollars for the event. Frank is extraordinarily gracious, generous and gregarious when it comes to assisting others, and he does so at a very high level, as The Hitching Post and Hartley-Ostini Wines are held in very high esteem by wine critics, collectors and gourmets alike. Decades prior to the extraordinarily successful film “Sideways,” Frank Ostini was famous among those of us who are his friends for an amazing array of fine food and wine activities.
Frank Ostini grew up in and around the Casmalia Hitching Post, his family’s steakhouse on the Central Coast of California since 1952. Specializing in traditional wood fire barbecue, Frank has expanded his menu to cook most anything over the embers at his Hitching Post II restaurant in Buellton, California. With high acclaim from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Gourmet and Sunset magazines and enthusiastic support from Chefs Wolfgang Puck and Bobby Flay, Frank has become the regional spokesman for what is popularly known as “Santa Maria Style BBQ,” a feast that features meats grilled over a red oak fire.
Many years ago, Frank expanded his interest in fine wine by being the President of the now historic Central Coast Wine Society. Since 1984 Frank, with partner Gray Hartley, has also made Hitching Post Wines, specializing in Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. Frank has recently received widespread international attention since his Hitching Post II and Hitching Post Pinot Noirs were featured in the aforementioned Academy Award-winning film Sideways. The winery has 800 barrels and produces about 15,000 cases a year. “When we started to make wine, I had one purpose,” says Frank. “To get good wine on my family restaurant’s table- wine that I produced. Doing the food and wine together is all I ever wanted, and it’s still all I really want to do”
Frank Ostini lives near the restaurant in Buellton with wife, Jami and his two children, Gray and Gabriella. When not in the restaurant or working in the winery, Frank is out promoting Santa Maria Style BBQ and Santa Barbara County Wines at charity events across the country. Speaking of Charity Events, Frank ALWAYS donates his time, his food, his wine and his energy to the Central Coast Wine Classic, and this year is obviously no exception, as his combination offering with his dear friend Jim Clendenen, as always, will be one of the most popular offerings in the Auction.
It is with extreme gratitude that we thank Frank for his many, many contributions to the Central Coast Wine Classic, including presenting the Auction Luncheon on a number of occasions, as well as of course presenting superb meat courses at several Hearst Castle Dinners, including this 31st year. We know that you will be comprehensively edified by the gracious and generous and talented Frank Ostini’s expertise and dynamically and graciously interactive good energy!
What a Superlative Team Duet of Chefs for the Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Auction! As fine as it gets! Ultimately Fine for certain!!!
Hitching Post 406 East Highway 246, Buellton, California (805) 688-0676
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
In spite of the animal rights group, it is a delicious product that has been enjoyed for over 6,000 years. The process is known as gavage and is most associated with France, where the parliament recently declared it a part of the country’s cultural heritage—in defiance of bans in other areas. But humans all over the world have been force-feeding animals to fatten their livers (and debating whether or not to do so) for millennia. Below I offer an alternate using chicken liver. Use free range, organic livers to appease the food-source conscious.
Here is the Wikipedia entry for the product.
"Foie gras (i/ˌfwɑːˈɡrɑː/; French: [fwa ɡʁɑ]); French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. By French law,[1] foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force-feeding corn with a gavage, although outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding.[2]A pastry containing pâté de foie gras and bacon, or pâté de foie gras tout court, was formerly known as "Strasbourg pie" (or "Strasburg pie"[3]) in English on account of that city's being a major producer of foie gras.[4]
Foie gras is a popular and well-known delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavor is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of an ordinary duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté (the lowest quality), and may also be served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak. French law states that "Foie gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France."[5]
The technique of gavage dates as far back as 2500 BC when the ancient Egyptians began keeping birds for food and deliberately fattened the birds through force-feeding.[6] Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China.[7]
A chef friend of mine has created a way around the animal rights issue, at least until we are all forced to be vegans. Chef Michael Richard created a "Faux Gras" meaning a phony foie gras. It is made from chicken livers. There are other, natural methods to produce foie gras. Check out this video.
The recent Thomas Fire and the ensuing Montecito Mudslide have wreaked devastation on our town. The loss of life has particularly has been painful and our thoughts and prayers are with all. This show is dedicated to the first responders, support organizations, and individuals that have tirelessly responded to this disaster. We encourage you to support these organization to aid in the recovery and healing of our beloved citizenry.
Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings
The Inn Crowd, hosted by producer Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings, offers a few dishes of comfort food, much needed in these difficult times as our town grieves and recovers from the disaster. I have prepared four of my favorites, Chicken Pot Pie, Tenderloin Chili, Shepherd's Pie and Pork Scallopini with Apple Cider Sauce and Fresh Noodles. These dishes are nourishing for the body and soul.
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Chef Michael, Andria Kahmann, Bob Emmons, Chris Emmons and Craig Case
The Inn Crowd, hosted by producer Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings, welcomes local Montectians Chris Emmons, Bob Emmons, and Andria Kahmann. We were delighted to have a session at the Emmons' vintage estate and dine in an elegant dining room paneled with carved English oak from an ancient manor house. I decided on preparing a trio of entrees, reasonably simple to execute. We prepared a mushroom stuffed breast of chicken with morels, a classic pork scaloppini with mustard and a grilled sea bass in a saffron broth.
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
Going through the culinary archives, my wife Christine Dahl, we pulled out a menu from one of a series of dinners done at the Biltmore Hotel in Santa Barbara back in the early 1990s. Christine was the pastry chef at the Biltmore at that time. This particular menu is of note as some of L.A.s most distinguished mega chefs were in the kitchen. Wolfgang Puck, Pierre Selvaggio, and Joachim Splichal were guest chefs hosted by the resident executive chef Carrie Nahabedian. All four are still big players in the food world.Christine relates that the proceedings in the kitchen were broadcast live to the diners, a novelty of reality dining at that time. This was at the beginning era of celebrity chefs and large gala dinners.
Thank you to all our loyal Inn Crowd followers. I will be on a winter break until later in the month. Please check back for blogs on new shows at that time. Meanwhile, back at the cooking range, enjoy some of the hundreds of recipes posted over the last four seasons.
We are busy filming season 9 of The Inn Crowd and many more delicious recipes are on the way.
The Inn Crowd, hosted by producer Craig Case with Chef Michael Hutchings welcomes muse from screen and stage, Tab Hunter. Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931) is an American actor, pop singer, and author. He has starred in over 40 films and is probably best known as a Hollywood star of the 1950s and 1960s.Tab was a great guest and still has that star quality. We filmed in the kitchens of Ginni and Chad Dreier's estate.
Ginni mentioned that Tab loved Dover sole so I built a menu around that theme. Starting with a Potato and Pesto Soup with a delicious garlic bread, I follow with a classic Sole Muniere and a Sole "Mazarin." The "Fillets de Sole Mazarin" is named after Cardinal Mazarin. Typically, when a name is associated with a French culinary dish, it was an act of flattery. This dish was on the menu in 1978 when I was the sous chef at Le Gavroche in London. Dessert for this episode is a variation of key lime pie. Here is a little history lesson from Wikipedia.
Mazarin succeeded his mentor, Cardinal Richelieu. He was a noted collector of art and jewels, particularly diamonds, and he bequeathed the "Mazarin diamonds" to Louis XIV in 1661, some of which remain in the collection of the Louvre museum in Paris. His personal library was the origin of the Bibliothèque Mazarine in Paris.
Following the end of the Thirty Years' War, Mazarin, as the de facto ruler of France, played a crucial role in establishing the Westphalian principles that would guide European states' foreign policy and the prevailing world order. Some of these principles, such as the nation state's sovereignty over its territory and domestic affairs and the legal equality among states, remain the basis of international law to this day.
View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.
Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
All recipes copyright 2018 Michael Hutchings, All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.
I cater therefore I am. This past week, on reflection, has been extraordinary. It began by catering for an engineer that was on the original team that designed the Atlas Rocket. It was the dark ages of computers and the math work was done on slide-rulers.
Atlas is a family of American missiles and space launch vehicles. The original Atlas missile was designed in the late 1950s and produced by the Convair Division of General Dynamics, to be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It was a liquid propellant rocket burning liquid oxygen and RP-1 fuel in three engines configured in an unusual "stage-and-a-half" or "Parallel Staging" design: its two outboard booster engines were jettisoned during ascent, while its center sustainer engine, propellant tanks and other structural elements were retained through orbital insertion (for orbital flights).
Also, at a private dinner, one of the guests was Nancy Pelosi. The menu had an Italian flair. Ms. Pelosi reportedly said that she had a dream about the Osso Bucco.
To cap it off, we filmed an episode of The Inn Crowd cooking show with the iconic Tab Hunter. Ginni Dreier hosted the show at her hilltop estate. See my later post about that show, the first of our winter 2017-18 season.
Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931) is an American actor, pop singer and author. He has starred in over 40 films and is probably best known as a Hollywood star of the 1950s and 1960s.
We will be up to something fishy on November first. Read on to see what on the line.
Taste of the Sea, a benefit for FishSB and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, participants will learn new ways to enjoy local seafood with cooking demonstrations from four top Santa Barbara chefs.
The event will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way.
The chefs are:
James Sly of Sly’s in Carpinteria, whose 40 years of restaurant experience have included formal training in Europe, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, working with Michel Guèrard at Règine’s in Paris and New York, and creating Lucky’s in Montecito.
Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering started his career in the kitchen of Disneyland at the well-known private Club 33. He was taught by the master chef Rudolph Stoy and worked his way up to become the club’s executive chef.
Hutchings went on to London to work at Le Gavroche before coming to Santa Barbara to start Michael's Waterside, which was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine.
Mossin Sugrich of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club is a classically trained chef who attended SBCC Culinary School and helped build the kitchen at Elements, before working as sous chef at San Ysidro Ranch.
Sugrich went on to work at Blush, the Four Seasons, and the Belmond El Encanto.
Randy Bublitz of SBCC Culinary Arts Program has been at SBCC’s world -renowned Culinary Arts Program since 1993. He oversees 120 students in the two-year program.
Bublitz directed SBCC’s first study abroad culinary arts program to Paris in 2015, and followed up with a similar program in Rome this summer.
These chefs will show how to prepare locally caught seafood. Attendees can enjoy tastings along with local wines and craft beers. Guests also will meet some of the commercial anglers who bring in the Santa Barbara Channel’s bounty.
Proceeds from this event, including a silent auction, help support programming for FishSB and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
Cost to attend is $30 for Maritime Museum members, $40 for non-members. Register at www.sbmm.org/all-events.
FishSB is a joint program of Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce that provides support for local fisheries to help keep our working waterfront thriving.
The 7,825 square-foot Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is the home of the First-Order Fresnel Lens from Point Conception Lighthouse. Its latest exhibit is The Geology of Oil in the Santa Barbara Channel & The Chumash Use of Asphaltum.
Visit www.sbmm.org or call 962-8404 for more information.
I am delighted to be supporting the FishSB event at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. I will be in the company of my dear friend Chef James Sly as well as Randy Bublitz of the Santa Barbara City College and Mossin Sugrich of the Santa Barbara yacht Club. Join us for and interesting and tasty evening.
Chef Michael Hutchings
Chefs Demonstrate Angles on Preparing Local Fish
By Greg Gorga for Santa Barbara Maritime Museum | September 12, 2017 | 2:35 p.m.
Taste of the Sea, a benefit for FishSB and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way.
Cost to attend is $30 for museum members, $40 for non-members. To register, visit www.sbmm.org/all-eventsor call 456-8747.
Guests at Taste of the Sea can explore new ways to enjoy local seafood with cooking demonstrations from four of Santa Barbara’s top chefs:
» James Sly of Sly’s in Carpinteria, whose 40 years of restaurant experience have included formal training in Europe, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, working with Michel Guèrard at Règine’s in Paris and New York, and creating Lucky’s in Montecito.
» Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering, who started his career in the kitchen of Disneyland at the private Club 33. He was taught by the Master Chef Rudolph Stoy and worked his way up to become the club’s executive chef.
Hutchings went on to London to work at Le Gavroche, before coming to Santa Barbara to start Michael's Waterside, which was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine.
» Mossin Sugrich of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, a classically trained chef who attended SBCC Culinary School and helped build the kitchen at Elements, before working as sous chef at San Ysidro Ranch. He went on to work at Blush, the Four Seasons and the Belmond El Encanto.
» Randy Bublitz of SBCC Culinary Arts Program, who has been with culinary arts school since 1993, oversees 120 students in the two-year program. He directed SBCC’s first study abroad culinary arts program to Paris in 2015, and followed up with a similar program in Rome this year.
The chefs will show how to prepare locally caught seafood. Guests will enjoy tastings of the dishes along with local wines and craft beers. They also will meet some of the commercial fishermen who bring the Santa Barbara Channel’s bounty to our plates.
The event is sponsored by Marie L. Morrisroe and supported by Silvio Di Loreto (in memoriam)
For more information, contact the education department, 456-8741, or visit [email protected]. For more about the museum, visit www.sbmm.orgor call 962-8404.
— Greg Gorga for Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
About FishSB
FishSB is a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce of the Santa Barbara Region and CFSB that began in the Fall of 2015.
With two years of initial funding, FishSB will work closely with CFSB to create new seafood marketing initiatives meant to improve local access to local seafood and increase our port's resilience to market fluctuations and regulatory changes.
The program will also work to educate locals, visitors and policymakers about the importance of supporting fisheries in the Santa Barbara Channel, which are some of the most strictly managed and carefully harvested fisheries in the world.
FishSB provides direct assistance to the County Board of Supervisors in relation to matters related to the fishing industry.
The first Director of the FishSB program is Kimberly Selkoe, who holds a Ph.D. in marine ecology and has 10 years of experience working on education and outreach on seafood and local fisheries. She is co-founder and past-director of the Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program and co-founder of Community Seafood CSF.
FishSB is overseen by Ken Oplinger, Chamber President and CEO.
The 36 annual Taste of the Town will be this coming Sunday, September 10. I have been participating since 1981 when the event began. Details are below. There will be more on this event when we air the episode of The Inn Crowd that features the event. I have prepared two dishes, some 2,000 portions, for this charity fundraiser. Last year I was surprised to receive a special recognition for the many years participating in the event. I will be there for the 40th year as well!
Chef Michael Hutchings
Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce
Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce
A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!
The Berry Man Produce Company has generously provided all our wonderful produce for our Taste of the Town dishes we are providing. Many thanks to Guy DeMangeon, Les Clark, Jean-Pierre Jammet and the team for their ongoing support!
The 36th Taste of the Town, a benefit for the Arthritis Foundation, takes place this Sunday, September 10. Here are the details.
WHAT: The 36th Annual Taste of the Town, Santa Barbara’s signature culinary event featuring tastings from the finest local restaurants breweries and distillers plus live jazz entertainment and dozens of impressive food/wine/lifestyle silent auction items to be offered.
WHEN: Sunday, September 10, 2017 from Noon to 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Riviera Park, 2030 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
WHO: Public Invited (Must be age 21+ to taste alcoholic beverages).
WHO’S BEING HONORED? Meet & Greet
Lead Vintner: Doug Margerum, Margerum Wine Company
Honorary Lead Chef: Mark Strausman from Freds at Barneys New York
Youth Honoree: Lilly Trautwein, 7-year-old juvenile arthritis victor from Santa Barbara
Medical Honoree: Dr. James Zmolek, Orthopedic Surgeon, Sansum Clinic and Cottage Center for Orthopedics
HOW MUCH: $125 per person if purchased by Saturday, 9/9/17 at Noon. $140 per person if purchased on Sunday 9/10/17 only at the event entrance. Call the Arthritis Foundation at 805-563-4685 or reserve online at www.arthritis.org/tasteofthetownsb
WHY: All proceeds from Taste of the Town Santa Barbara events support the programs and services of the Arthritis Foundation. The Foundation is the only non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of 53 million people (including nearly 300,000 children) with arthritis through health education, advocacy, research, and local juvenile arthritis support. More than 50,000 Santa Barbara County residents and children have been diagnosed with one of the 100+ forms of arthritis—and look for help and hope from the Arthritis Foundation.
I got a call a few days ago from chef John Downey. He had sold his restaurant of some 35 years and plans to retire in the Pacific Northwest. It was an odd call. John said he was cleaning out the fridges and had a couple of gallons of classic veal stock looking for a home. He figured I was one of the few in town that could use this kitchen nectar. He was right.
Even more odd was the coincidence that I was putting on an apron to go and make a pot of my own veal stock with the fifty pounds of veal bones in my fridge. It was a nice parting gift from one of the best chefs to practice the culinary craft on Santa Barbara.
What's for breakfast? How about some caviar. Sure, that's what we ate for breakfast as kids. NOT! I had a spoonful of some terrific leftover caviar produced in Uruguay by the Black River Caviar company. With the decimation of the wild sturgeon stock, farmed caviar is the best source for caviar. I was reminded of a dish we cooked at the shuttered L'Orangerie restaurant in my L.A. days. That was scrambled eggs served in their shell with chives and caviar. There is another more elaborate version that was prepared for the Czars of Russia. An egg is emptied through a small hole in its shell. After cleaning with water, it is filled with melted-clarified butter and allowed to harden in the cooler. After peeling, the egg-shaped butter is dipped in flour, beaten egg and fine breadcrumbs. Then, breaded once again after cooling in the fridge. Next step is to deep fry the coated "butter egg" until crisp. While it is still hot, the narrow end of the egg has a section removed and the butter poured out. Then, this delicate egg-shaped bread shell is filled with creamy scrambles eggs topped with caviar and a sprinkling of chives.
Here is an introductory note from the director of the caviar farm, "Welcome to the world of caviar. Welcome to Black River Caviar. The Alcalde family’s focus on sustainability and preservation of sturgeon species is what has attracted me most since the beginning. Caviar is a very special food, and while the quality of the product is the subsequent factor for me after sustainability, I have been overwhelmingly impressed; it’s unquestionably second to none. The Alcalde’s are true pioneers of the industry as they were the first to aquaculture sturgeon in the southern hemisphere and consistently generate a masterful product all while constantly striving to make each harvest better by using the latest innovative technology and seeking to improve every aspect of cultivation. The Black River brand is something I’m extremely proud to be a part of. Graham C. Gaspard DIRECTOR"
He has every reason to be proud as this is a first class oscietra caviar. "This variety of caviar is made from acipenser gueldenstaedtii sturgeon roe, of Russian origin. With a diameter between 3.0 and 3.2 mm, their color ranges from light brown to golden. Their texture is firm with a unique glazed shine, and their intense creamy taste with a touch of nuts nicely remains in the whole palate."
Oh yes, my breakfast. I cooked simple four minute coddled eggs and slathered them with the oscietra caviar and a little d'Angelo bread country loaf on the side. Next time, the Czar's Eggs.
