Podcasts about consortium holdings

Step into the world of design mastery with Taylor Leage, the brilliant mind behind the transformative interiors of Consortium Holdings. As the Principal Interior Designer and Head of the Department of Interior, Taylor shares insights from her decade-long journey, crafting award-winning projects in the dynamic realms of bars and restaurants. So tune in and learn about her inspirations and perspectives behind her intersection of creativity, functionality, and ambiance in the hospitality industry. Get your samples of Perfect Puree: https://perfectpuree.com/foodservice/complimentary-samples/?utm_source=bartenderatlarge&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sampling2022 ____________________________________ Join us every Monday as acclaimed bartender, Erick Castro, interviews some of the bar industry's top talents from around the world, including bartenders, distillers & authors. If you love cocktails & spirits then this award-winning podcast is just for you. SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get early access to episodes, exclusive bonus episodes, special content and more: https://www.patreon.com/BartenderAtLarge WATCH OUR VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/bartenderatlarge FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: Erick Castro: www.instagram.com/HungryBartender Bartender at Large: www.instagram.com/BartenderAtLarge FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Erick Castro: www.twitter.com/HungryBartender Bartender at Large: www.twitter.com/BartendAtLarge

You know that giant bin at Best Buy that carries all those DVDs? Think of this latest episode of the Happy Half Hour podcast like that bin. There's a little bit of everything. So, prepare for a lesson on machaca and Vietnam trivia. After finally being removed by Petco Park security, hosts Troy and David are back at the SDM office catching listeners up on all the food happenings around America's Finest City. The duo discuss the splashiest move yet from Consortium Holdings, the re-opening of the storied Lafayette Hotel on Monday, complete with bowling lanes, an even sexier pool, and Instagram-worthy restrooms. Zebra-prints, chandeliers, fringe, velvets, gaudy trinkets, reds, blues, greens—the new $31M hotel is straight out of a Moulin Rouge set. In food news, after starting out as a farmers market vendor, Smokin' J's has opened another location in the Gaslamp Quarter. Similar to their Poway location, the joint is providing customers with brisket, pulled pork, chicken, St. Louis ribs and enough TVs to satisfy Troy and David. Now that Michelin is finally paying attention to San Diego (thank you, Addison), North Park's Mabel's Gone Fishing received a Bib Gourmand and Troy shows his psychic abilities by predicting another star coming to town soon. (Days later, we learned of Valle being awarded its first Michelin star.) Saigon Coffee has opened their first brick-and-mortar in North Park, and just like Smokin' J's, it started as a farmers market vendor. Vietnamese coffee traditionally takes a long time to make, but Saigon uses special filters to speed up the process. “It's so damn delicious,” Troy says. Brine Box also recently opened in Oceanside as a little stand on the pier dedicated to great British food and zero-waste. And it's not all fried fare: shoutout to the seared albacore and Korean barbecue prawns. Other openings include SoiPB from Khwanta Osanai and Truffle in North Park. With a name like that, David says you can even expect the fungi to come shaved on ice cream. Finally, Phil Esteban has opened another White Rice, this time in Linda Vista. David and Troy end by discussing the closing of Sapporo's Anchor Steam in San Francisco. It feels a little too close to home now that Sapporo acquired Stone Brewing Co. Finally, in “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” David recommends the wings at The Regal Beagle. “Their blue cheese dressing was very obviously homemade,” he says. Troy praises National City's Mujer Divina and their excellent machaca. Stay tuned for next week's episode of Happy Half Hour and keep up with David and Troy by following them on Instagram. David can be followed @davidelimartin. Troy can be followed @heytroyjohnson.

Full interview with good friend and Chef Phillip Esteban.  Former projects include R+D chef for Consortium Holdings in SD, currently White Rice Bodega, Open Gym, Future is Color, Weapon Ramen, Wordsmith Bookstore and soon to open Wild Flower. 

Look, there are enough excellent brunch restaurants in San Diego that waiting hours for a seat at Morning Glory—Little Italy's rose-hued bastion of breakfast pork belly and morning booze—feels, admittedly, a little silly. Our out-of-town friends gaze forlornly at happy, well-fed-looking strangers while we assure them that the forthcoming pancakes will be worth the delay. “There's a Champagne vending machine,” we promise. Maybe it's the pink tile ceiling. Or the trippy mirrored bathroom. But that doesn't explain why we'll join similar queues for a speakeasy in La Jolla or a hi-fi music bar in North Park. The common thread, of course, is the group that owns them: Consortium Holdings, the culinary and social company behind 19 of San Diego's buzziest restaurants and bars. It all started with an East Village burger bar, and now… well, soon you'll be able to lay down your head at Consortium's first crack at an overnight concept. Last year, CH purchased the Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club and set about revamping the iconic hipster haunt from top to bottom. When the joint reopens its doors this year, hotel guests (and all us locals) can line up at seven fresh food and drink establishments. We sat down with their director of education and development (and founding member), Anthony Schmidt, for a breakdown of CH's ascent to local glory. Anthony talks about his past life as an associate professor of speech and debate at SDSU, where he'd lecture in early morning classes after moonlighting as a bartender by night. His early years behind the bar taught him that great drinks aren't merely about precision and technique. Anthony believes that CH owes their hold on San Diego's heart (and Instagram feed) partly to a willingness to invest in the next generation of mixologists. “The greatest bartenders in the world make other bartenders better,” he says. In food news, SDM's 2022 Restaurant of the Year—chef Travis Swikard's Callie—is opening up a new rooftop event space in April. Common Theory Public House is coming to Otay Ranch and will be joined by Realm of 52 Remedies and Woomiok next door. Lastly, the team behind Azuki Sushi is opening omakase-only restaurant Kinme on March 15, replacing Hachi Ramen in Banker's Hill. Anthony and Troy both raved about birria on “Two People, Fifty Bucks.” For Anthony, Fernandez Birrieria's rich tendon taco is where it's at; Troy went for Birrieria Don Rafa's sauce-drenched birria quesadilla. David headed to Gaslamp Lumpia Factory for chicken lumpia and a pork sinigang soup. See ya next week!

During the pandemic, actor Matthew Arkin got a call from his dad, Alan Arkin. “My dad says, ‘Hey, you know you can make aquavit at home?'” Matthew explains, sipping a damn delicious aquavit tonic in the SDM conference room. Matthew's response was, essentially, “Uh, thanks, dad.” In Scandinavia, aquavit (the word means water of life) is everything. There are over 200 songs dedicated to it. In the U.S., it's mostly known as the stuff they drink in Scandinavia—a bracing blast of northern booze that helps wash down the pickled herring. A couple weeks went by and Matthew's dad called again. He says the thing about the aquavit again. Whether genuinely inspired or just to get his dad to shut up about it, Matthew decided to give it a go. He made a batch—a warmer, smoother version you could sip like bourbon. He stuck it in the freezer and figured he'd forget about it forever. A year later, friends intervened. Visiting one day, Marc Marosi (a stand-in for George Clooney, a dapper fellow) tasted it. Loved it. Told Matthew he could sell it. “I don't drink, but I want more of this,” Marc said at the time. So they called their old friend Bruce Glassman, a San Diego-based food and drinks writer (and former SDM beer columnist) to help perfect the recipe. After finding the perfect mix on the 22nd try, the new American aquavit—Batch 22—was born. The title is also an ode to the man whose random call started the idea, since Alan Arkin famously starred in the 1970s film, Catch 22. Was it really any good? To find out, the three friends—all now in their 60s—set out on a cross-country road trip. With a hundred mason jars full of their small-batch aquavit, they'd drive city to city and let the bartenders of America tell them if they were nuts or not. And every time, the bartenders were floored. They were also thankful it wasn't yet another tequila, another small-batch bourbon. In an evolved cocktail industry constantly looking for something new—this smooth, small-batch aquavit stands out. In just under six months, Batch 22 won several awards from across the country. It is shockingly delicious, not the aquavit most Americans know. The golden-hued spirit tastes of caraway and rye and dill and citrus. As if you liquefied a quality rye bread and put it in a bottle. According to the EU, the dominant flavor of aquavit must come from caraway and must have a minimum 37.5% ABV. Batch 22's three most prominent notes are citrus, caraway, and dill. Unlike traditional aquavit, Batch 22 is smooth, sippable, and exceptionally mixable. The three friends come into the San Diego Magazine offices for one of the more hilarious (and, at times, bawdy) episodes of HHH we've had in a long while. We assemble around the conference room, Bruce acts as bartender. We drink, we laugh. In news, Pacific Beach is getting its own al fresco food hall brought to you by food collective Mission + Garnet for a six-concept eatery from local restaurateur, Scott Slater. Perfecte Rocher has settled in as the new director of culinary operations for Consortium Holdings' most recent project: the Lafayette Hotel in North Park and the venerated golden-age hipster beacon of San Diego history. WashMobile, the family-owned spot for tortas (Mexican sandwiches), is setting up shop at NOVO Brazil Brewing Co. once a week—their first pop-up in San Diego. Soichi Sushi is opening next door in the former De Nada Kitchen on Adams Ave. Sonoran-inspired BBQ spot, Papalito, plans to open in South Park, adding to their map with hubs in North Park and East Village. Lastly, Amplified East Village has been aquired by long time PR head, Aubree Miller. It is being revamped as modbom. They will be switching to more cocktail focused and Drew Bent will be leasing the kitchen. If you wanna meet Glassman and Arkin and Marosi and try their creation—on April 1 they're launching a new cocktail with Understory at the Sky Deck.

During the day, Michael Vera cooks at standout Pacific Beach restaurant, The Fishery. In his off time, he grows delicious bacteria. The words mold or fungus may not make your mouth water, but they should. They're the gateways to fermentation, which gives us bread, coffee, miso, chocolate, beer, kimchi, wine, cheese, soy sauce, other forms of dear-god delicious. And right now, no fungus is hotter than Japanese koji—rice grains cultured with aspergillus oryzae. “It's a sweet, funky marinade that tenderizes and intensifies with umami,” says Michael Vera, owner of West Coast Koji, a company he created during the pandemic by using Home Depot racks to ferment various things in the living room of his North Park apartment. “My wife was not happy with the state of our apartment for a very long time. It was a huge laboratory full of funky stuff.” Now he sells his koji to Michelin-star restaurants like Jeune et Jolie and Rustic Canyon, plus Juniper & Ivy and Consortium Holdings. Koji is famous for its umami-cranking transformation of proteins, and you can taste WCK's effect on the duck breast at Matsu in Oceanside. Anyone can buy dried koji at Asian grocers, but WCK's is fresh, and rare. There are only probably 10 commercial koji producers in the U.S., which makes his delicious fuzz business a boon for local cooks. On this episode, Michael gives us the 101 on koji and the fascinating world of culinary ferment. For “Hot Plates,” it seems everyone is moving to North County. We talk about the northward expansion of Lola55, long one of the best taco operations in the city now headed to Carlsbad. We finally are allowed to spill the news on George's chefs Trey Foshee and Christine Rivera's newest concept—Sandpiper, an oysters and wood-smoked meats joint that will go into the former home of Galaxy Taco. The group behind Nolita Hall and Half-Door Brewing have taken over the spot vacated by Civico by the Park—a sprawling space on the bottom floor of the Mister A's building. And the vegan superstars behind Kindred are going to open their spinoff soon—called Mothership, owner Kory Stetina calls it “just your run of the mill crashed starship on a tropical alien planet kind of spot.”

I'm suspended fourteen stories above San Diego Bay. I am being dangled over the edge of a cliff made of metal. I smell vaguely of quality craft beer. I am an offering to the gods of amusement. Questioning life choices, my emotional state in that jittery nook between joy and terror. Just hanging there, looking directly down, wondering how good latch technology is these days. Intellectually, you know how safe this is. You know the byzantine safety measures in place. But intellect is no match for that primal scream inside you that says “WHAT THE NO.” This roller coaster's new trick (new to me, at least) is that, instead of just plunging you down the thrill drop, it dangles you over the edge and then stops for a full 3-5 seconds. Lets you take it all in. Then it lets you go. It just drops you, at a 90-degree angle, 143 feet down, 60 miles per hour freefall. Your feet just dangle the whole wild time. The Emperor, SeaWorld's new roller coaster, opens tomorrow (March 12). It's been two years in the making. It's the tallest, fastest, longest dive roller coaster in California. And it's where we podcast from this week. You can hear our adrenaline shakes. To commemorate the coaster's arrival, local craft brew success story Hess Brewing created the Emperor Hazy IPA—a juicy little number that's available exclusively at the park. And it's coinciding with SeaWorld's Seven Seas Food Festival and Craft Beer Festival, which runs now through May 1. VP of Marketing Erika Diprofio—whose name either sounds like a law firm or an expensive perfume—explains the coaster, the beer, and the cause (a portion of sales of the IPA will go to Penguins International). We also hassle the newest member of the SDM media team—our social media manager, Rachel Frank—and make her get on the mic with us to meet you guys. Rachel is a ball of energy and creative force. She created and ran her own music platform, www.listensd.com. She dressed as a panda “to meet friends” in San Diego, and it became such a big hit that she ended up dancing on stage in panda gear with Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, you name it. During the pandemic, she created a short film, “I'm An Ant,” about the meaning of life in an ant costume. It's wonderfully weird, charming, creative. And… it's a finalist at Cannes World Film Festival—after winning Best Experimental Short at the Paris International Film Festival. She'll be creating the new SDM on social media going forward. We actively adore her. Point is, it feels good to be podcasting in public with real people again. Our Zoom-exclusively podcast era has come to a merciful end. In “Hot Plates,” we talk about one of San Diego's best brewpubs, Gravity Heights—a collaboration between master brewer Skip Virgilio (he co-founded AleSmith) and chef Ryan Johnston and Whisknladle Hospitality—which is planning to open a second location in Mission Valley, and Anthony Wells of Juniper & Ivy is a semifinalist for a James Beard Award. For “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” David's has a codependent relationship with soup (this time at Pho on Fifth), Erika professes her love for all things Callie, and Troy found himself in a sweet life spot while staring at warm focaccia bread with melted brie cheese, balsamic, and Granny Smith apples at Seneca, the rooftop restaurant from Consortium Holdings.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We're returning from a short break and taped this episode from a premier club suite at Petco Park, thanks to this week's sponsor, the San Diego Padres. We're here with Eddie Quinn, vice president of partnership services for the Padres and the park's resident beer expert, as they face off against the Miami Marlins. Eddie started his career with the Padres as a bat boy before he headed off to college, then he returned to San Diego and rejoined them as a sales representative. He's been with the team ever since (more than 15 years!) and worked his way up to his current title. He tells us about the craft beer program at the park and how many different breweries they partner with, and names his top three favorite brews that are available on site—listen in to get his recommendations! In Hot Plates, we have some big news to catch up on. Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen restaurant, named after the chef's popular TV show, is opening its fourth (and largest) location at Harrah's Resort in Valley Center next spring. La Puerta, a cantina that's been in the Gaslamp for over a decade, opened its second location in Mission Hills. After being on hold for a few years, LA icon Roscoe's House of Chicken N Waffles announced it is opening soon in Barrio Logan. Chef Bernard Guillas, who has been at The Marine Room for almost 30 years, recently retired. For Two People, $50, Eddie is a fan of the Beagle Burger at The Regal Beagle in Mission Hills. Troy's pick is the omakase with dry-aged bluefin tuna at Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub in Oceanside. David recommends the chile verde at Cantina Mayahuel in North Park. My pick is the branzino and cheese cart at Seneca, Consortium Holdings' new restaurant at the InterContinental Hotel. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a restaurant recommendation? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you're too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

Matt Lingo - Renowned photographer specializing in outdoor lifestyle and studio photography. After becoming an art school dropout, Matt photographed action sports and cycling across the United States, snapping shots of middle schoolers skating megaramps to dodging gravel kicked up from rally cars. Matt hung the camera up for three years after his son was born to focus on being a dad, but after a while dusted off the gear and began shooting more tactical/firearms. Matt loves using every tool and unfair advantage to create images that push the envelope while still being authentic and convincing. Matt Lingo's photos truly speak for themselves & Matt clients list include: Clandestine Media Group, Half Faced Blades, Urt, KBD, Canoe Club USA, Noveske, Red Bull, DC Shoes, Reebok, Levi's, Rolling Stone, ESPN, Oakley, Vans, Troy Lee Designs, Specialized Bikes, Pacsun, Hoonigans, Pit Viper, One More Wave, C4 Foundation, RESCO Instruments, Consortium Holdings. Bobby is joined by Matt to discuss Photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, Fatherhood, Guns, Helicopters, Sharks, UFO's, Colorado, Outdoor life & much more. Please subscribe or like us on social media platforms for updates on shows, events, and episode drops. Become a Mountain Side Patron Here for exclusive footage.www.TheMountainSidePodcast.comwww.MattLingo.comSponsor Linkswww.ONNIT.comMountain Side listeners use Discount code TMS to receive 10% off ONNIT products!www.Drizly.comAlcohol delivery to your door Mountain Side listeners Discount Here!Other Affiliates Links

Welcome to the Hiking My Feelings Virtual Campfire. This 20-day event is a fundraiser for the Hiking My Feelings Wilderness Wellness Center, the American Diabetes Association, and RAINN - the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. Each night from May 26-June 14, 2020 we are going live at 5pm PT to bring inspiration, hope, and healing to the community in these uncertain times. If you find value in what we're sharing here, please consider making a contribution to our non-profit organization. You can get tickets to the Virtual Campfire at https://hikingmyfeelings.org/campfire and you can make a one-time donation at https://hikingmyfeelings.org/give Our guests tonight are: DOC PEACE - @doc.peace on Instagram - docpeaceofmind.com Dr. Peace Uche is doc.PEACE, a Doctor of pharmacy by trade and Spoken Word Poet at heart. doc.PEACE is a best selling author of doc.PEACE of Mind Method: A Poetic Guide to Living Your Best Life (exclusively available on Amazon). She's presented on numerous stages across the world, speaking on how to live a more passionate and fulfilled life consistently. doc PEACE transforms mindsets using the power of spoken word and emboldens aspiring speakers to share their life stories, providing valuable insight on story-crafting and finding a platform. She lives in San Diego, CA where she avidly plays beach volleyball in her free time. KAT HUMPHUS - @kathumphus on Instagram Kat Humphus is a Le Cordon Bleu Paris trained Chef who has worked under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, and Wylie Dufresne at WD-50 in New York. Kat opened BO-beau kitchen + bar in Ocean Beach, CA, in 2010, being named one of San Diego's Youngest and Most Talented Executive Chefs by Locale Magazine. Katherine was one of two females nominated for the San Diego Union Tribune's Best Chef award in 2012, and won Best New Chef by Ranch and Coast Magazine in 2012. In 2015, Chef Kat competed on the Food Networks Guys Grocery Games and won the competition! She later went on to compete on Beat Bobby Flay against Iron Chef Bobby Flay. Chef Kat currently works with Consortium Holdings, one of the most badass restaurant groups in San Diego. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hikingmyfeelings/support

08: Jason McLeod is a Canadian San Diego chef who has actually earned a Michelin Star or TWO in his career. I knew I wanted to interview Jason right when I had the idea to start this podcast. Some of his notable San Diego restaurants are Craft & Commerce, Born & Raised, Ironside, Morning Glory Cafe, to name a few. We dive into how someone who is  so seasoned in his industry and craft, was still thrown a huge curveball with COVID and what he is doing to stay safe in his restaurants, but also afloat.    In our conversation, we discuss:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Moving 500 miles from his hometown to work as a dishwasher in Banff ski resort Moving up the ranks to become a chef for major hotel chains Becoming a partner with Consortium Holdings and building over 10 restaurants Creating the first full service, seafood focused restaurant based on the history of San Diego fishing Realizing the end of a restaurant concept and transitioning it to meet the needs of customers   Drink of the Week: A non-alcoholic Iced Mocha haha (listen to the intro) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Get more Cha Cha Sips @chanelsonego!   Resources: consortiumholdings.com Instagram: @ironsidechef Check out Jason and his partners’ amazing projects when you’re in San Diego! Find your next experience here. Cha Cha Sips is managed and edited by Nikki Butler Media.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! This week, we checked in with Chef Phillip Esteban, a National City native who has worked at David Chang’s Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York City and most recently as the research and development chef for Consortium Holdings. We’d initially planned to have Phillip on the show back in March to talk about his upcoming culinary projects in National City, which we featured in the April issue’s Neighborhood Guide. With the show up and running again, we talked to him about the status of his upcoming Filipino restaurant, Well Fed, and his culinary bookstore, Wordsmith, which is going in the new Market on 8th development in downtown National City. He shares what we can expect when the store opens this fall and how the restaurant is taking shape for a 2021 opening. He is also going to be on an episode of the Food Network’s Chopped on Tuesday, July 7—we’ll have to tune in! We had a great conversation with Phillip about the revitalization efforts in National City, his experiences as a Filipino American in San Diego, and how Filipino cuisine is still underrepresented locally and throughout the US. He shares how he put his efforts into his catering business, Craft Meals, and expanded it to provide Filipino silog (rice bowls) for at-home delivery once the March lockdown went into effect. The rice bowls have been a hit (if you like pork, you have to try the lechon), and Phillip also teamed up with World Central Kitchen to help donate meals to health care workers. Since March, he and his team have donated 40,000 meals. You can view the menu and order through Rice Bowls for All. We brought the Hot Plates segment back, where we discuss the latest local restaurant news. First, we talk about bars having to close again. Then we take a look at restaurants that have opened or expanded during the pandemic: Puesto is opening its new brewery and restaurant in Mission Valley; Michelin-starred chef Akira Back opened Lumi, a large rooftop restaurant in the Gaslamp; and La Puerta, a popular Mexican restaurant downtown, is working on its second location in Mission Hills. We also talk about Encinitas closing a section of its main street downtown to allow for more outdoor dining. We end our show with our revised Takeout for Two segment. David recommends the boozy popsicles and the cioppino at Small Bar, Troy loves the empanadas at Empanada Kitchen, and my pick is the brisket at Coop’s West Texas BBQ. Phillip had three picks, all of which are small businesses that just opened and are offering delivery: Coffee from Provecho; Tijuana-style burritos from Longplay Studio; and Mexican seafood from Mariscos Tone Camarón. Thank you so much for listening and for staying with us. We want to hear from you. Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? A topic that should be explored? Need a recommendation for takeout? Do you have a question for Troy? Let us know. You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com.

Episode 18 brings us to Jason McLeod, the executive chef and part owner of Consortium Holdings - a restaurant group based here in San Diego. For the lack of a better description, I was introduced to Jason through our mutual friend Sarah through a series of comments exchanged on Instagram. At the time, Jason had recently opened Ironside - a seafood restaurant in the Little Italy neighborhood of downtown San Diego. We talk about him growing up in Canada, leaving home on a bus with $200 to his name, the influence of the Wu Tang Clan, and we even touch on what you at home my be doing wrong in the kitchen. And the new podcast he’s hosting! Jason has been on one heck of a ride that had him traveling all over the world working at the some of the finest restaurants, and over the better part of the last decade, he has taken a company from a few bars in downtown to 17 different bars and restaurant concepts in what have been dominating the food & beverage scene in the now greater-San Diego area. This was a fun one for me, especially since his restaurants are some of the ones my wife and I most often frequent. We actually recorded this at Morning Glory - his latest breakfast/brunch restaurant shortly after their last service of the day, so there’s a small bit of ambient noise in the background. I hope you enjoy it. Links: https://consortiumholdings.com/ https://standard-h.com/ @standardh_ Follow Jason: @ironsidechef @jasonsshittychefdrivenpodcast @jasonsshittychefdrivendsnaps --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/standardhpodcast/support

Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! In the guest seat this week is Jason O’Bryan, bar manager at The Lion’s Share. Jason also recently joined Service Animals, a new beverage consulting company and developed the drink menu for The Florence in Poway. Jason talked about how The Lion’s Share has remained successful despite its hard-to-find location and upcoming changes on the menu, as well as what it was like opening a bar in suburbia. He also talked about Tortoise, an underground fine-dining pop-up restaurant he founded with his wife (who was a sommelier at Addison) that has only 16 seats available for its monthly event. Jason’s pick for Two People, $50 was Cantina Mayahuel, while the staff’s picks this week were The Taco Stand, Wayfarer Bread and The Smoking Goat. This week in Hot Plates, we talked about the impending closure of Paesano in North Park—an Italian restaurant that’s been in the neighborhood for 50 years—and what’s going in its place. Kensington is getting a new South American restaurant, Pachamama, which promises to have a menu that’s 100 percent organic. Consortium Holdings is working on opening another restaurant downtown while it renovates Neighborhood, J & Tony's Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse. Cucina Urbana has a new executive chef, Tim Kolanko, who was the founding chef at A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines. The Hot Topic again is restaurant surcharges, which were recently back in the news: Paradise Point Resort in Mission Bay agreed to pay almost $35,000 to the City of San Diego in fines over its surcharges to customers. We have a phone number for this podcast now! We're going to end each podcast with a question for our listeners, and you can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave us a message. You can also email us at HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50. It’s your last chance to join us at the Best of North County party, happening this Sunday! You don’t want to miss this party at the Park Hyatt Aviara where you get unlimited bites and sips from all the new and noteworthy spots in North County.

In this week’s Hot Plates, we talked about the huge remodel ($260 million!) at Sycuan Casino, which is having its grand opening today. Troy got the First Look at the renovation and Bull & Bourbon, the resort’s new signature steakhouse. Also new in town is Louisiana Purchase, a New Orleans-themed restaurant in North Park, and Hess Brewing had the soft opening for its new tasting room in Imperial Beach. We can’t believe it's already been three years since Trust opened in Hillcrest—in honor of the restaurant’s anniversary, Pastry Chef Jeremy Harville is bringing back a selection of the most popular desserts for a limited time. Lastly, we learned that Carnitas' Snack Shack is now known as the Porchetta Shack. Founders Hanis Cavin and Sara Stroud have rebranded their popular pork-centric eatery in North Park, and are no longer affiliated with the location that's on the waterfront. In the guest seat this week is Ted Smith, the new executive chef at Born & Raised, the fancy steakhouse in Little Italy from Consortium Holdings. Ted was formerly the executive chef of Craft & Commerce, and he was also the Chef de Cuisine at Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant. He also spent time in the kitchen at The Four Seasons Resort in Vail, Colorado. Ted shared with us how he’s going to refresh the menu at Born & Raised (we got the scoop on what dish could be taken off the menu) and the table numbers for the best seats in the house. His pick for Two People, $50, was Izakaya Masa in Mission Hills, and SDM staff liked Cesarina, Nolita Hall and Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens Liberty Station. The Hot Topic is a new bill introduced in the California Assembly that could create stricter rules for third-party food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash. AB 1360 would require drivers to get a food handler's permit, and a section of the bill would define the drivers as "contract labor" — which means that restaurants could be liable for drivers. We have a phone number for this podcast now! We're going to end each podcast with a question for our listeners, and you can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave us a message. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50.

This interview with Anthony Schmidt, bar director for Consortium Holdings in San Diego (Polite Provisions, Craft and Commerce, Neighborhood, Noble Experiment, Ironside, Born and Raised) was straight fire!!  Anthony has so much to share and give to the bar community, there are so many aspects of hospitality that he touches on.  I really hope you guys enjoy this one!

Join in as host Kat Humphus interviews Chef Phillip Esteban- the Research and Development Chef of Consortium Holdings, one of San Diego’s most innovative restaurant groups. Kat and Phil talk about the importance of creating and cultivating community within the restaurants, and also our own San Diego Food Scene. What is “San Diego” regional food? How can consumers best support the SD Food Scene? What is the best way for young cooks to get ahead in the kitchen? Tune in to find out!

Join Chefs Elizabeth Olson and Jason McLeod of Consortium Holdings (Born and Raised, Ironside, Soda and Swine, etc) as they talk about the bright side of the restaurant industry. Elizabeth stays passionate about her pastries by reinventing the classics, looking to see what other inspirational chefs are doing, and by working together with Jason on interesting and consistent new menu items. Jason just got back from a trip to Korea and Japan and is massively inspired by their attention to detail and their intentional cooking. Jason is a passionate advocate for the restaurant industry and believes there are so many positive and healthy perks to being a part of it.

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are chatting about restaurant news, like the new Blue Water Grill in Carlsbad, a chic new Japanese spot in La Jolla, the buzzy chef now working in Oceanside, and our thoughts on Shake Shack’s recent opening in Westfield UTC. Today’s guest is Jason McLeod, the chef-partner of Consortium Holdings, better known as the team behind—to name a few—Ironside Fish & Oyster, Soda & Swine, Craft & Commerce, and most recently $7-million steakhouse Born & Raised in Little Italy. He talks about coming on board the cocktail-centric restaurant group to expand its food, the beauty of dry-aged steaks, and why we need to change the narrative of San Diego’s food scene. Plus, inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s recent rant on Yelp, we discuss the pros and cons of the review site. And what did Food & Wine get right and wrong about San Diego dining? And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including Civico 1845, Mendocino Farms, and Hooley’s in La Mesa.

The Divas get comfy in the lounge with 2 Michelin Star Chef Jason McLeod. Chef Jason dishes about his culinery history, the Consortium Holdings group and more on this episode of The Diva Lounge!

In this podcast the gang sits down with San Diego native chef "Phillip Esteban" to discuss his culinary travels and the food scene in San Diego..This is one of our favorite podcasts to date.