Photo of chef Brandon Go assembling three of his precisely packed bento boxes at Hayato at Row DTLA by Rosalie Atkinson.
The rise of the chef, BraveTart, and bento boxes
Journalist Andrew Friedman lifts the veil on how kitchen culture has changed since the 1970s. Just in time for KCRW’s Pie Contest, Stella Parks dishes on her bestselling cookbook, BraveTart. Dan Barber’s latest venture focuses on breeding sustainable seeds. Acadian foodways get a long-awaited spotlight. Thinking about getting takeout? Hayato is creating bento boxes that double as works of art.
FROM THIS EPISODE
'Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll'
12 MIN, 49 SEC
The American culinary world has seen a dramatic shift since the 1970s and ‘80s. During that time, kitchen life was glamorized as a non-stop party, complete with copious amounts of drugs, alcohol, and law breaking. Journalist Andrew Friedman chronicles the evolution of the American chef in his latest book, ‘Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll.’
Andrew Friedman
'BraveTart'
9 MIN, 46 SEC
Few desserts are as essential to the American palate as pie. With our annual pie contest just weeks away, Stella Parks, author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook ‘BraveTart,’ shares her passion for pies.
Stella Parks
Bebop-a rebop-a rhubarb pie!
7 MIN, 4 SEC
Garden fresh rhubarb. Photo via public domain.
Which market fresh vegetable was once used for medicinal remedies and is now synonymous with delicious pie filling? You guessed it. This week, Laura Avery talks about fresh rhubarb with Robert Wemischner, Professor of Baking and Pastry at Los Angeles Trade Tech College. Mario Trevino of Trevino Family Farms in Lompoc also talks about growing this surprisingly versatile ingredient.
Planting seeds for future generations
9 MIN, 14 SEC
Dan Barber is the James Beard-winning chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, 30 miles outside of New York City. A few years ago, he wrote a hugely influential book on sustainable farming called The Third Plate. Now, he wants to overhaul the way seeds are bred with his new seed company, Row 7.
898 Squash sprouts from Row 7 Seeds. Breeder: Michael Mazourek,
Cornell University. Photo by Johnny Autry.
Remembering and rediscovering Acadian food
9 MIN, 53 SEC
Journalist Simon Thibault is the descendant of Acadians, the French colonists who during the 17th and 18th centuries settled in what are now Canada’s Maritime provinces. He’s written about his fascinating culinary heritage in “Pantry and Palate: Remembering and Rediscovering Acadian Food.”
Simon Thibault
The art of bento
7 MIN, 42 SEC
A Hayato bento, ready to opened and devoured. Photo by Rosalie Atkinson.
Certain foods are seemingly ready-made for Instagram. Take the carefully packed bento box, which chef Brandon Go is making an artform at Hayato in downtown LA. Go is assembling 20 boxes per day featuring portions of bite-sized food made using five essential Japanese culinary techniques.
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