Famous Chefs Salute Julia Child in “Dishing with Julia Child”
Every Friday through May 8 at 10 pm on KQED

How many of you remember Julia Child, the most famous American-born chef who mastered the Art of French Cooking while living and studying in France? She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public through the teachings in her best-selling cookbooks and her cooking shows on television. In 2000, Child received the French Legion of Honour, a uniquely unusual recognition to be awarded to an American chef in France. And now you can catch a few episodes of “Dishing with Julia Child,” a new series of videos produced as a tribute by her friends, teachers and colleagues Jacques Pepin, Martha Stewart, Eric Ripert, Jose Andres, Rick Bayles, Carla Hall, Vivian Howard, Sara Moulton and Marcus Samuelson–all famous chefs–airing on PBS TV nationally, and on KQED TV in the Bay Area.

And if you plan to travel to Washington D.C., don’t miss visiting the Smithsonian Institution where Julia’s kitchen is on display as a permanent exhibit. The kitchen was custom built for her by her beloved husband to fit her over-6-feet-tall frame. And since you are all cocooned now at home, search Netflix for the movie “Julia, Julia” with Meryl Streep in the lead playing Julia. In addition, you may venture into your own kitchen to try Julia’s recipes in order to treat your family to a French dinner. I don’t cook but I heard it is achievable if you watch Julia’s videos. Julia passed away in 2004 at the age of 92. Her last meal was French onion soup.

Information
Find details on screenings dates and streaming options at video.kqed.org/show/dishing-julia

Photo courtesy of KQED

Check, Please! Bay Area Inaugurates its 15th Season

The intriguing concept of sending three anonymous amateur restaurant reviewers to three restaurants of their choice and recommendation is the premise of one of the most popular locally-produced dining shows among the KQED programs! The weekly show, which brings the reviewers to the studio to share their opinions about the restaurants they dined at, is hosted and moderated by the incomparable Leslie Sbrocco, the award- winning author, wine connoisseur, newspaper columnist, speaker and a regular guest on TV shows such as NBC Today and ABC’s Good Morning America.

Check out the attached photo and see if you can identify the author of this column among the guests with good taste? Yes, I made it! My selected restaurant for Check, Please, Bay Area! was Chef Chu’s of Los Altos, one of the ten best Chinese restaurants in the United States. You too can be a guest restaurant reviewer on this fab show by wowing the producers with information about you and your favorite restaurants. Apply at www.kqed.org. Good luck and let me know when you will be appearing on this show.

Photo courtesy of Check Please, Bay Area!

Manresa Breads to the Rescue in Los Gatos
Fridays to Sundays, pick-ups from 2 to 4 pm

Manresa breads are in demand and so are the chocolate babkas, croissants, and other sweets and savories. Owned and operated by chef David Kinch, of Michelin-starred Los Gatos Manresa restaurant fame, the Manresa Bakery is open for the take-out business. The fabulous head baker Avery Ruzicka and her talented team keep the ovens hot and busy for the avalanche of orders from regular and new customers. They are also selling 5-pound bags of organic flours from local mills and community supported agriculture produce boxes from area farms while giving out their sourdough starter for free.

Information
Preorder and prepay. No-contact pickups in Los Gatos at 605 University Avenue, at the Industrial Way parking lot.
Coffee and wine will be available for sale in a few weeks.
www.pre-ordermanresabread.com

Photo courtesy of Manresa Bakery

Foodie With an Agenda, with Food Critic Soleil Ho
May 7 at Noon

Curious to hear the whole story? Well, it’s about time as the San Francisco Chronicle’s food critic entered a new era of restaurant criticism in 2019 when longtime food critic Michael Bauer retired (really? seriously?) and was succeeded by Soleil Ho. Quick to set herself apart from her predecessor, Ho freely mixes thoughts on racism, cultural appropriation and other hot-button topics into her weekly reviews in the Food section of the local newspaper. Nominated for a number of prestigious awards, her “Racist Sandwich” podcast has also received the Southern Foodways Alliance Smith Symposium Fellowship and a UC Berkeley-11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Fellowship. This will definitely be an interesting and mentally simulating conversation with a young and controversial voice in the Bay Area’s active food culture… or lack of it.

Information: This is an online program with live streaming, presented free of charge by The Commonwealth Club of California; donations are welcome and may be made during the registration process at commonwealthclub.org. The Commonwealth Club of California is the oldest in the United States, dating back to 1924 and largest public affairs forum. Every year, they present more than 450 forums on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy. The mission of The Commonwealth Club of California is to be the leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. Call 415-597-6700 for details.

Photo courtesy of the Commonwealth Club
Food Critic Soleil Ho illustration by Wendy Xu

Lina Broydo immigrated from Russia, then the Soviet Union, to Israel where she was educated and got married. After working at the University in Birmingham, England, she and her husband immigrated to the United States. She lives in Los Altos Hills, CA and writes about travel, art, style, entertainment, and sports. She hardly cooks or bakes, with no borsch or piroshky on her home cooking menu. Therefore, she makes reservations and enjoys dining out, mostly sushi.