SoCal Restaurant Show May 10, 2025 Hour 2

C•CAP Los Angeles’ (Culinary Careers Program) Annual Gala Benefit Dinner is set for Friday evening, May 16th at Jonathan Club Downtown Los Angeles. This year’s honoree is acclaimed Italian Chef Celestino Drago (Drago Centro), the pioneer of regional Italian fine dining in Los Angeles. Chef Celestino imported Sicilian culinary traditions to the city over 40 years ago. His award-winning, wildly popular restaurants honor his roots, with a modern twist. The evening launches with rooftop libations (including cocktails, premium wine and craft beer) and canapés followed by a sumptuous 4-course, wine-paired Sicilian dinner (with the menu by Celestino Drago) in the Jonathan Club Grand Ballroom. 

C•CAP Los Angeles annually supports over 7,000 LA area high school students with culinary arts education, job skills training, college scholarships, and career opportunities. C•CAP Los Angeles’ Director, Lisa Fontanesi, joins us with all the Gala details

If you’ve ever flown to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines you’ve surely tasted the addictive pineapple shaped, premium shortbread cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Co. “The family-owned business started modestly in 1998 when entrepreneurs Keith and Janet Sung developed a recipe for premium shortbread cookies. As an artist, Keith wanted to develop something unique – a cookie that represented true Hawaiian hospitality. What he created was a line of island-inspired flavors in a signature pineapple shape. The recipe has been refined over the years, but HCC always carry through that dedication to quality ingredients inspired by the flavors of their island home. From their bakery, stores opened throughout Honolulu, particularly in Waikiki, to ensure the hospitality that inspired HCC cookies was delivered to visitors from around the world. Eventually, HCC found homes and opened new locations on Maui, in Las Vegas, and in Guam.” Ryan Sung, representing the 2nd generation of proud Family ownership, joins us to tell the story of the Honolulu Cookie Co.

“Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week (May 18th through 25th) is organized by the United Cambodian Community and supported by Long Beach Food & Beverage, a California registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week will pay homage to the unique foods of its vast Cambodian community. This event is an opportunity to support local Cambodia Town restaurants during this challenging time while food lovers get to eat, drink, and try new places. Featured eateries will offer a Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week special or offer feature $5, $10, $15 and $20 menus at participating Cambodian restaurants and food businesses across the city!”

Shlap Muan, known for their addictive Cambodian accented Chicken Wings, is also a participating restaurant in Long Beach Cambodian Restaurant Week. They also serve at Smorgasburg LA on Sundays in Downtown Los Angeles and just got back from a very warm reception selling their signature spicy Wings at the Stagecoach Music Festival at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio.

Proprietor Hawk Tea takes a break from his busy fryer to join us.

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. Beef is back in popularity. Where’s the beef? Chef Andrew explains.