California Cooking

Before social distancing, Jess got to hang out with actress, entrepreneur and mom Haylie Duff. Their kids go to the same school and they've been talking about getting in the kitchen together for a while so Jess was so happy when they could finally made it happen. Haylie showed Jessica how to make one of her go-to recipes, a creamy tuscan salmon skillet dinner that was so good. They chatted about her adorable family, her clothing line Little Moon Society, where her passion for cooking comes from, her career in acting and more.

This week on California Cooking, Jess is checking out a great new restaurant at the Row in Downtown LA. Michelin Star chef Melissa Perello made quite the name for herself in San Francisco with her two restaurants, Octavia and Frances. Jess catches up with Melissa to learn more about what she's firing up in L.A. Her new restaurant is called M. Georgina. Melissa shares why she joined L.A.'s restaurant scene, the pressure that comes with a Michelin star reputation, and why M. Georgina is her dream restaurant.

This week on California Cooking, Jessica is hanging out with chef and restaurateur Nick Liberato. Nick is quite the busy guy; he has 3 daughters ages 5 and under, 2 restaurants in Venice and his show Restaurants on the Edge just came out on Netflix. We talked about his new show, his travels around the world, and how he brings life back into distressed restaurants. Then, he taught Jess how to cook up the most epic mussels dish.

This week on California Cooking, Jess is checking out West Hollywood’s newest hot spot, Olivetta. In a city where new restaurants are popping up all the time, Olivetta stands out among the rest. Not only is the restaurant visually stunning, but the food is spectacular. Owner Marissa Hermer, who you may know from the Ladies of London, opened Olivetta because she and her husband believed that Los Angeles was missing this kind of restaurant. She teamed up with executive chef Michael Fiorelli and they created a menu that Hollywood's biggest stars cant get enough of!

In this episode of California Cooking, Jessica is celebrating the Oscars with the owner of Casa Vega, Christy Vega. Casa Vega is an L.A. landmark, so it was no surprise that award-winning director Quentin Tarantino featured the iconic valley restaurant in his Oscar-nominated movie "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood." Christy even makes a cameo appearance in the movie! She shares some behind-the-scenes stories, shows Jess how to make their famous enchiladas (the same ones they served to Leo and Brad in the film), and she even reveals Quentin Tarantino's personal margarita recipe!

In this episode, Jessica meets the 2 guys responsible for bringing authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza to Los Angeles, Dan Michaels and Tod Himmel. Dan and Tod have very fond memories growing up eating at Gino's East, a very popular pizza joint in Chicago. Tod moved to L.A. 30 years ago to get into showbiz, and would find himself bringing back a dozen frozen pizzas from Gino's East every time he went back to visit Chicago. Then, he and his pal Dan decided to bring this Chicago staple to Los Angeles. They opened Gino's East in Sherman Oaks just this past December and have gotten quite the warm welcome from Chicago transplants and L.A. natives alike!

Whether you have visitors coming into town, or looking for a new place to try in 2020, you won't want to miss these gems! The Infatuation's L.A. Editorial Lead Brant Cox takes Jessica to three of the best new restaurants on the westside of Los Angeles. Brant breaks everything down from vibe, to must-have dishes on the menu, and more! Hear what Dudley Market, Pasjoli, and Birdie G's all have to offer!

This week, Jessica is baking desserts with Julie Tanous. Julie is a recipe developer, food writer, and co-creator of the very popular food blog Julie & Jesse with Jesse Tyler Ferguson from the show Modern Family. Julie tells Jessica all about her chance encounter with Jesse, and how they were already planning to write a cookbook together on the first night they met. Jesse also walks Jess through baking incredible sweet potato pie bars, which are perfect for the holidays!

This week on California Cooking, Jessica visits a quaint neighborhood restaurant in Santa Monica called Osteria Bigoli. Osteria Bigoli is all about old world Italian food with a new flair. The chef at the helm of the kitchen is Claudio Marchesen. Chef Claudio has the most charming personality and his pasta-making skills are top notch. Chef Claudio and General Manager Mark Arreola have been working side by side for decades, and share their stories about the LA food scene through the years.

This week on California Cooking, Jess is hanging out with the executive chef of Pizzana, Daniele Uditi. Chef Daniele is living out the American dream, but his road to success hasn't been the easiest.  It all started out with Daniele and his brother moving to the U.S. From Italy. They fell on some hard times and even had to live out of their van for while. Everything changed when Daniele made a pizza for a famous actor, and the rest is history.

This week on California Cooking, Jess is sitting down with the chef and owner of NIGHT+MARKET, Kris Yenbamroong. Kris has made quite the name for himself with his L.A. take on Thai food. Kris grew up working in his family's restaurant on Sunset Blvd. before opening NIGHT+MARKET. He talks about the ups and downs of the restaurant biz, the person who single handedly helped put NIGHT+MARKET on the map, and the Oscar-winning actress who he calls his "noodle bae."

This week on California Cooking, Jessica is getting transported to the Greek islands without ever leaving L.A. The Kassi Club is a new restaurant and lounge whose vibe, decor, and food makes you feel like you're on vacation. That immersive experience was exactly what inspired owner Nick Mathers to create this restaurant when he was on holiday in Uruguay. He shares all about how he envisioned the Kassi Club from start to finish, the secret to owning multiple successful restaurants, and why some people credit him for starting the avocado toast craze.

This week on California Cooking, Jessica is learning all about Peruvian cuisine from Chef Ricardo Zarate of Rosaline. Chef Ricardo’s restaurant is a tribute to his mom, the name sake of Rosaline. As the 11th of 13 siblings, Ricardo grew up surrounded by lots of food, noise, and laughter. His earliest childhood memories take place in the kitchen. Chef Zarate recounts the meals he shared with his family, his fascinating journey to becoming a restaurant chef and owner, the origins of peruvian cooking, and more.

Welcome to a brand new season of California Cooking! Jess is excited to share with you what she's been cooking up the last few months. She has met so many culinary rockstars over the past few months who have inspired her. First up is the chef and owner of Jaffa, Anne Conness. Anne is not a chef by trade. She took a trip to Israel that completely changed her life. Jess and Anne talk about her travels, the food, the culture, and the dish she ate that changed everything.

This week on California Cooking, Jessica visits one of the hottest new restaurants on the Sunset Strip: 1 Kitchen. She sits down with executive chef Chris Crary, who describes the inspiration behind the restaurant's "Cali-Italian" cuisine and its farm-to-table philosophy. Jessica also talks with him about his time on the hit Bravo television series Top Chef, his childhood growing up on a farm in Ohio, and how cooking helped him get his wife.

This week, Jessica visits the newest rooftop restaurant and bar in Hollywood: Sorra. She sits down with executive chef Brandon Kida, who fuses both Japanese and Mexican flavors together to create truly memorable dishes. She talks with Brandon about where the unique name for the restaurant comes from, what inspired him to combine two completely different flavor profiles, and what combinations they've tried in the kitchen that didn't work.

Jessica is checking out a new neighborhood restaurant in Venice on Abbot Kinney called Yours Truly. Jess chats with the executive chef and partner in charge, Vartan Abgaryan. Vartan is known for combining different flavors from around the world in unexpected ways. He explains how in college, he briefly thought he wanted to be a doctor, but the only subject he could focus on in class was food and he quickly realized he had a passion for cooking. Vartan shares how he could work 24/7 because this profession makes him so happy. The genuine love for his craft is reflected in every dish he creates.

On this episode of the podcast, Jessica meets Chef Keith Corbin, the man behind California soul food restaurant Alta Adams. Unlike any previous chefs on the show, Chef Keith’s story is about so much more than food and cooking. It’s about finding hope and redemption after years of troubling times. Chef Keith experienced some dark days and spent some time in prison, but when he met Michelin star chef Daniel Patterson, he completely turned his life around. Chef Daniel believes in giving people second chances, and that’s exactly what he gave Keith. Since then, Chef Keith has proven to his family, friends and community that he could turn his second chance into something truly special. In just a few short months since its opening, his soul food restaurant Alta Adams has become a neighborhood favorite.

On this episode of California Cooking, Jessica is getting you ready for grilling season. Jessica loves grilled meats and veggies, but for her, it's all about the sauces and the dips that go with them. After years of searching, Jess has finally found a sauce and dip-obsessed kindred soul in Hunter Pritchett. Hunter is the executive chef and partner of Atrium, a new greenhouse inspired eatery in Los Feliz. Inspired by L.A.'s diversity, Hunter combines ingredients and flavors from different cuisines to create one-of-a-kind dishes.

On this episode of the podcast, Jessica is hanging out with L.A.'s Pie Queen, Nicole Rucker, at the most charming neighborhood restaurant and bakery called Fiona. Located in the Fairfax District, Fiona serves up an eclectic mix of Vietnamese cooking and American baking. The unusual combo is loved by customers and keeps them coming back for more. Jessica and Nicole talk all about the restaurant, how she got started, and the pies that made her baking royalty.