GAYOT's Blog

By Jeff Hoyt

 

 

Saxophonist Dave Koz is used to seeing his name in lights, but now he can see it on wine labels. The six-time Grammy nominee took the time before his concert yesterday at the Hollywood Bowl to introduce his latest venture: wine.

 

 

Three different grape varietals of KOZ Wine – Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a Rhone style El Dorado “Red Alto” Blend, and, our favorite, the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, are now on sale at Southern California Whole Foods Markets, and the musician will be making appearances to meet fans and sign bottles.

 

Continue reading “Wine for a Good “Koz”” »

By Sylvie Greil

 

 

Greetings from Southern Germany, where we had the pleasure of sampling a smooth, delicious “Pear Champagne.”

Reminiscent of a mild, moussey cider, its fine pearly bubbles play delicately on the tongue. Vintner Jörg Geiger originally labeled his libation Pear Champagne—until he got word from France that he better quickly change it to Birnenschaumwein (or pear bubbly), since, as everyone knows, Champagne can only come from, well, Champagne.

 

 

This particular sparkler centers around a fruit that has been used since 1760: Champagnerbratbirne, loosely translated as “Baked Champagne Pear,” or a pear that bakes well. It has garnered distinction from Slow Food Germany. www.manufaktur-joerg-geiger.de/

 

Continue reading “A Sparkling Pear Libation” »

By Sophie Gayot

 

I am pleased to introduce the “Gayot Dinner Series” which will be held at some of the finest restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

 

The Gayot’s are quite honored that celebrity chef Kerry Simon will be the first chef to participate. He will be cooking the first two dinners of the “Gayot Dinner Series,” which will be presented in his Los Angeles restaurant, Simon L.A., located in the Sofitel Los Angeles on September 10^th and 11^th.

 

Simon L.A. is one of our Los Angeles Top 10 American Restaurants, and has one of our Top 10 Chef’s Tables and Top 10 Lounges.

 

I will also be there both evenings to talk about the dishes with the guests. We are still fine-tuning the menu, but diners will be able to enjoy Maine lobster, organic corn tortellini, Simon Prime Beef Strip and more of Kerry Simon’s creative dishes, for the unbelievable price of just $48 per person.

 

You can make reservations by calling 310-358-3979. I hope to see you there!

 

 

By Sophie Gayot

Every week, we at GAYOT.com select a restaurant to be highlighted as our Review of the Week in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

 

This week, after my dinner at the signature restaurant of the new Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, I chose mar’sel for a few reasons.

 

Of course, the main one is the California cuisine of chef Michael Fiorelli. It is obvious that he uses very fresh ingredients—he even has fresh hearts of palm for the salads stored in the fridge. But, I also made the choice because of the prime location of the restaurant, which features a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean.

 

The restaurant also made our Los Angeles Top 10 Romantic Restaurants and Top 10 View lists.

   Continue reading “Dine with the Pacific” »

By Sophie Gayot

 

I think you will agree with me after looking at the photos below, taken during my dinner at Bistro LQ last week (click on them to enlarge), that Laurent Quenioux’s new venture on Beverly Boulevard is more of a serious dining destination than the word “bistro” implies.

 

But judge for yourself: Dine at Bistro LQ and if you don’t agree, let me know, but also if you do!

  Continue reading “More a Restaurant than a Bistro” »

By Sophie Gayot

 

If you missed my appearance last week on Frank Mottek’s Business Hour on KNX1070, here is another chance to hear about the Los Angeles restaurants that are perfect for dining during these summer days and thereafter.

 

You can listen to

- last week’s interview here

- previous interviews on KNX1070 here.

 

By Alain Gayot

 

How about a cute movie which is certainly going to deliver good laughs if not a bunch of chuckles sans the Hollywood special effects craze? Should you be a foodie or other type of gourmand head to see Julie & Julia, a movie based on the book by fellow blogger Julie Powell, who you can read more about at Eatizen Jane. In celebration of the film, some restaurants, like Chef Mavro in Honolulu, are offering movie-themed dinner menus, and the executive chef of The Ocean Bistro at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach in Florida, will be recreating his favorite Julia Child recipes. To learn more about the movie check out the review by clicking on the link at the bottom of this blog.

 

In this day and age when people are educated about food and wine, mastering the art of French cooking might not be your first priority, but what Julia Child started doing in the 1940s was monumental for food in America. Some of us might prefer Japanese food or, why not Mexican cuisine, but all of us owe thanks to a few key masters like Jacques Pepin and of course Julia Child with their TV shows.

 

 

Continue reading “Julie & Julia Brings the Culinary Greats to Mind” »

 

By Sophie Gayot 

Last night, as I was at Michael Mina’s XIV restaurant checking out its mini burgers and floats, perfect for a casual stop on the way back home from the office, I ran into Sam Nazarian who was having dinner (no surprise since he owns the place). Once again I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his new ventures in the restaurant world. 

  

Good news for Angelenos: Nazarian has partnered with the owners of Gladstone’s restaurant, right on the beach off Pacific Coast Highway, to manage the spacious location and transform it into a west coast Nikki Beach. 

  

We can’t wait! 

By Andre Gayot

 

Usually, hotel meeting rooms bear grandiose names like “The Imperial Room” or “The Majestic Room.” But in The Indigo, a San Diego boutique hotel, their modest function space is dubbed “The Fibonacci Room.” Many visitors would immediately assume the Italian name in such a location refers to some variety of pizza.

 

Shame on us! We should be taught in first grade to pay respect to the genius Fibonacci (1175-1250), whose real name was Leonardo Pisano, who changed our lives when he changed the way we represent numbers way back in the XII, I mean 12^th century. Fibonacci helped the world to adopt Arabic numerals instead of the Roman numbers that were then in use. He also popularized the use of the figure zero despite the resistance of the traditionalists, who, as usual, did not understand the concept and were up in arms against it. Hey! Zeros and ones: does that ring a bell for you, computer nerds?

Continue reading “Of the Good Use of Math in the Hospitality Industry” »