Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

The Chamily Dinner, a holiday family style dinner by Executive Chef Peter Cham raised funds for No Kid Hungry and was a delicious evening where talented Executive Chef Peter Cham of Finch & Fork prepared and presented an authentic Cambodian Dinner at the Kimpton Canary Hotel that attracted an enthusiastic crowd of foodie locals, including Chef Peter Cham's mother and father to support No Kid Hungry.

The plates included banh chao – rice flour crepe with shrimp, tumeric and spouts; sach ko akak – New York strip skewer with green papaya salad and toasted peanut; sach krok – pork sausage with sticky rie and bird's eye chili; prahok ktiss – spicy pork belly dip with crisp vegetable crudite and herbs; nom banh hok – rice vermicelli with jidori chicken, red curry, cabbage and long beans; trey aung – grilled sea bass with hydroponic lettuce, fish sauce and diakon radish.

The dinner began with a delicious Cambodian Gin and tonic and a fine selection of wines were paired with the various dishes including Gas ton Chiquet Brut Rose Champagne, Sanford Rose of Pinot Noir, Claiborne & Churchill Dry Riesling, Notary Public Chenin Blanc, Pence PTG Gamay – Pinot Noir and Storm Duvarita Vyd Pinot Noir. The sweetest ending was to this congenial dinner was jake ktiss – tapioca pudding with banana, coconut cream and toasted sesame served with a Thai style coffee.

Many guests also brought gift wrapped holiday gifts for children. The family style dinner was so much fun and beyond delicious! Peter and his staff at Finch & Fork did an amazing job providing this charming and charitable visit to Cambodia dinner. It was truly a lovely holiday experience and guests were asking Chef Cham to do it again soon.

31 West Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara CA, 93101
Reservations: (877) 468-3515
Direct: (805) 884-0300

Put the diet aside and treat yourself to a culinary feast during Oxnard Restaurant Week 2019, “Tacos, Treats & Tastings”. The week-long celebration spotlights Oxnard’s culinary culture taking place Friday, January 18, 2019 through Sunday, January 27, 2019.

Many of Oxnard’s unique restaurants will offer foodies the opportunity to savor scrumptious cuisine and play on this year’s theme to create signature dishes such as taco plates, sweet treats and thirst-quenching beverages, complete with reduced prices and enticing offers.

Participating eateries to date include Blaze Pizza, Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina, Clearwater at Riverpark, Coastal Grill, Fresh & Fabulous, Heritage Coffee & Gifts, Kanaloa Seafood, La Dolce Vita, Missy’s Cupcake Creations, Otani’s Fish Market & Restaurant, Palm Boy Coffee & Acai, PokeCeviche, Red Tandem Brewery, Scratch Sandwich Counter, the Shores Restaurant, Tierra Sur Restaurant, Ventura BBQ Company and Xielo Artisan Desserts.

Oxnard’s Restaurant Week is held annually in conjunction with California Restaurant Month designed to promote culinary travel throughout the state. A list of participating restaurants and menu options will be updated and available online at www.visitoxnard.com/restaurantweek.

Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures through transient occupancy tax, and tourism revenue opportunities through the promotion of Oxnard as a premier travel destination. Oxnard is an easy drive up the coast from Los Angeles or from the northern portions of California. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy Oxnard’s uncrowded beaches, explore the many diverse attractions and outdoor adventures that are unique to the area. A wide variety of hotel accommodations are available ranging from mid-priced rooms to oceanfront and seaside settings. For more information, call the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau at 805-385-7545 or visit the website at www.visitoxnard.com.

MIAMI MASKA TO OPEN ITS DOORS IN DECEMBERI, HELMED BY EXECUTIVE CHEF HEMANT MATHUR, 1ST INDIAN CHEF IN THE U.S. TO BE AWARDED A MICHELIN STAR

Rickshaw Hospitality Group is opening its first-ever South Florida location with its latest concept Maska, slated to open this December. Helmed by the renowned Executive Chef Hemant Mathur, the first Indian Chef in the U.S. to be awarded a Michelin Star, the indoor and outdoor eatery will be open for dinner only and will launch its Sunday brunch this January 2019.

Maska is located in the heart of Midtown Miami’s burgeoning shopping district and is a more upscale and vibrant iteration of Chef Mathur’s Michelin-rated restaurants in New York City. In 2004, Chef Mathur opened Devi near Union Square, which, under his lead, became the country’s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant. In 2010, he opened Tulsi, on Manhattan’s East side, which also received Michelin-star rating. Being inspired by his legendary cooking, restauranteurs Pravin Mascarenhas and Shamsu Lalani decided to bring his to Miami and introduce his Michelin rated Indian food to the people of Florida, something that they feel is lacking with the Indian food scene out here in Florida.

Referred to as the “Yo-Yo Ma of tandoor cooking,” earning him numerous accolades and esteemed recognition over his 30-year career span, Chef Mathur is a virtuoso whose instrument is the traditional Indian clay oven (which will be heavily incorporated into Maska’s contemporary-casual menu). Maska, will cater authentic Indian as well as progressive Indian cuisine. The eclectic menu is broken down into three categories: small plates, Maska Marke (from the tandoor and clay oven), and large plates. Standout signature menu items include, Lucknowi Galouti Kebab, Lamb Chops, Octopus Masala, Nalli Nihari & Murg Maska which will appeal to all sorts of diners. The restaurant will also feature a full-service bar and serve specialty cocktails like Maska Mule.

With indoor and outdoor seating, the 7,000 sq. ft. sophisticated yet sexy space can seat up to 120 guests and serves as an ideal space for private events. The eatery also boasts a chic lounge area, expansive bar, an open kitchen, and open Tandoor adjacent to a Maska Model Mural on its wall. The restaurant has a seasoned in-house catering team that can accommodate special occasions of all sizes, weddings, rehearsal dinners and local food festivals.

Maska is located at 3252 Northeast 1st Avenue, Suite 109 in Miami, Florida. Initially the restaurant will be open for dinner only from Tuesday to Sunday with valet and street parking available. For more information, please call 786-971-9100 or visit . www.maskamiami.com

Countdown to the 2019 Winter Fancy Food Show! From Sunday, January 13-Tuesday, January 15, over 1,400 exhibitors, and 90,000 specialty foods, will be featured at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.

Specialty Food Association Winter Fancy Food Show Features Innovation and Disruption

The fastest-growing segment of the food industry, specialty food, is gathering in San Francisco, California for the Winter Fancy Food Show from Sunday, January 13 through Tuesday, January 15. Presented by the Specialty Food Association (SFA), a not-for-profit association with over 3,800 members, including food artisans, importers, buyers and entrepreneurs, the show features 1,400+ companies exhibiting over 90,000 specialty foods – something for every palate.

“The Winter Fancy Food Show is where retail buyers, foodservice, and others in the food industry come to see just how much innovation is happening in our space,” said Phil Kafarakis, SFA president. “With the best of the best under one roof, we provide the first-of-the-year venue for tasting the trends, learning, networking, and conducting critical business to make 2019 a success. We’re also thrilled to be the first facility-wide event in the newly renovated Moscone Center. Come on by!”

The largest for specialty food on the West Coast, the show features specialty food companies from around the world. California boasts the largest state presence with more than 370 food companies, followed by New York and Oregon. More than 30 countries will be participating in 16 international pavilions, the largest from Italy, Japan, and France.

Voted Best Authentic Italian Restaurant in Santa Barbara by Italian Tourism LA!