“Budonoki, located on the corner of Virgil and Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles is a friendly neighborhood izakaya offering drinking snacks and sushi alongside ice-cold beer, sake and serious cocktails.” “The creative pan-Asian izakaya comes from college friends and hospitality veterans Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley. It started out as a roving pop-up in 2021 after the duo met chef Dan Rabilwongse (an alum of Tsubaki and Hayato) via a mutual friend. Rabilwongse, who grew up in nearby Historic Filipinotown, put together the cuisine-melding menu, filled with signature dishes like pressed sushi, naem (a funky Thai fermented pork sausage), “budo-gnocchi” (Korean rice cakes with mushroom and black truffle), and charred Japanese sweet potatoes with miso butter.” Founders Eric Bedroussian and Josh Harley join us to unwrap all that is Budonoki.
Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe, Louisiana. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room. Founder and Winemaker Jeff Landry is our guest to uncork all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.
The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine festival in Manhattan Village took place on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and Saturday, September 13th, 2025. Both nights were sold out. Over the two-nights 46 All-Star Chefs prepared world-class cuisine served along with premier wines, top spirits, handcrafted cocktails, and craft beer pairing seamlessly with pulse-raising beats. Guests discovered a dynamic flow of music and flavor, spotlighting the unmistakable spirit of the South Bay. Lawrence Moore of Lawrence Moore and Associates joins us to provide a postscript on Manhattan Beach Food & Wine 2025 and looking ahead to 2026. She served as the very busy restaurant coordinator and public relations representative for MBF&W.
Sommelier Kelsey Kramer, the Director of Education for the Hill Country Wine Academy near Fredericksburg, Texas, is a theater major turned wine professional and educator, currently navigating the WSET Diploma program with 13+ years of hospitality, restaurant, and wine experience under her belt. Kelsey earned her CMS Sommelier certification in 2017, and at the same time began teaching about wine at High Street Wine Co. in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She began class programming and beverage selection for various wine education programs before shifting to virtual education program models in the COVID-19 shutdown. In 2019 she started her journey with William Chris Vineyards interactive virtual education program, and wine education became her full-time pursuit at the Texas Hill Country-based William Chris Wine Co. With a colorful background, Kelsey's educational style is performative, engaging and positive. Kelsey's classes typically focus on hospitality, tasting technique, and looking at Texas wine through an international wine industry lens. Kelsey Kramer is our guest pulling the cork on all that is the Hill Country Wine Academy
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.
Social Media can have an enormous impact on restaurants both on the upside as well as the unfortunate negative. Chef Andrew is skilled at managing and utilizing Social Media (for the good) to build his brand. He shares his informed insights.
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
