Podcasts about mendocino farms

Since stepping down from the “day to day” of running Mendocino Farms, a premium fast-casual gourmet sandwich and salad concept that she co-founded in 2005, Ellen Chen has focused her time, energy, and passion on investing in female and minority-founded businesses. Ellen is leveraging her twenty years of experience growing food brands to help early-stage founders understand their purpose, operationalize their values, secure the necessary resources, and hopefully avoid some of the mistakes she made. In 2015, Nation's Restaurant News included her on their annual Power List, and in 2020, Nation's Restaurant News named her the 50 most influential women in food service. She sits on the Boards of Directors of Mendocino Farms, Sugared + Bronzed, and HomeState, as well as an Advisor to Curbit, Womaness, Kirra, and Vibrant Funds. Ellen strongly believes in giving back to her community. She serves as a Board Member of Teach AAPI and AAPI LA, an initiative launched by the Mayor's office in Los Angeles. In today's episode, Nada sits down with Ellen to discuss the success of “Mendo” and their 75 locations. Ellen explains how her vision of creating a team culture served as the foundation on which she and her husband, Mario, built their thriving business. They discuss the challenges of managing busy schedules and the strategic decisions she made as a working mother. Ellen also shares some of the challenges she faced by not having the type of support she needed and now offers to female founders. To find out more about Mendocino Farms, check out their ⁠website⁠. Follow on Instagram: ⁠@ell.c.chen⁠. Please follow us at ⁠@thisislibertyroad⁠ on Instagram; we want to share and connect with you and hear your thoughts and comments. Please rate and review this podcast. It helps to know if these conversations inspire and equip you to consider your possibilities and lean into your future with intention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mario Del Pero's career shows how mentorship and dedication, combined with a clear vision, strategic partnerships, and innovative concepts like Mendocino Farms, Dom Food Group, and Neighborly, can transform the restaurant industry. His work serves as an inspiration for operators aiming to balance authenticity with growth.Key Takeaways:• Mario reflects on the skills he first gained from his father, who strategically reinforced his work ethic, and how working for Ron and Greg Newman at Sharkeez ultimately “changed the direction of my life."• Mario describes Dom Food Group as a food venture studio that incubates and creates restaurant brands. His focus is on the "preschool" phase of these businesses—helping them start strong before building executive teams to guide their growth.• Jimmy invites Mario to share his vision for the future of the virtual kitchen.• Jimmy refers to the “impossible triangle” and asks if Mario can help solve the puzzle of balancing quality, affordability, and fair wages.• Schatzy and Mario discuss convenience stores and grocery stores disrupting the market by offering better food quality and innovative models, challenging traditional restaurants for market share.• Mario talks about Neighborly, an innovative concept that integrates multiple iconic dining experiences under one roof, maximizing space while offering diverse culinary options.• Mario turns the tables by asking the hosts about the applications of artificial intelligence in the restaurant space.Schatzy, Jimmy, and Mario wrap up with fun and lively games like “Trivia Tuesday,” “What's Hot and Not,” “Branded Quickfire,” and “What's Your Uber Rating.”

Jason and Mike discuss the new vegan Philly Cheesesteak at Mendocino Farms,  They also discuss a new AI generated ad by the vegan company NotCo.

We talk Big Gamel Eats! // Jeremy Bringardner is here from Mendocino Farms to talk about their new locations in Seattle and our collaboration on a Bristol Bay Wild Sockeye Salmon Roll // Loretta challenges us with her Shortcut, or Scratch? segment on….Salsa // We talk through one of Thierry’s winter recipes on Simple to Spectacular! // Mackerel with Tomato Confit and Caper Vinaigrette followed up by Pink Grapefruit and Vermouth Sorbet // Chef Sohla El-Waylly is here to talk about her new Book "Start Here – Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook" 

Ever wonder how restaurants are adapting to the rapidly changing world?  Join us in this enlightening episode of The Digital Restaurant Podcast as we dive into the future of the restaurant industry with our special guest, Mario Del Perro, a visionary from DOM Food Group and co-creator of Mendocino Farms.  Mario shares his unique perspective on the future of the restaurant industry as we delve into the importance of understanding your target audience, creating a craveable menu, and more as we dissect the essence of building a successful restaurant brand. Mario also enlightens us on the significance of a kitchen designed for off-premise and virtual orders and how to navigate the complex virtual kitchen space. We talk about the food delivery revolution and the ever critical topic of sustainability in the restaurant industry. You'll hear Mario's take on creating a delivery-friendly healthy menu that maintains freshness and flavor, even after a 45-minute journey. The conversation doesn't end there; we dive into the influence of Whole Foods Market and the significance of health and sustainability in the industry. It's a discussion you won't want to miss!In this episode:

A fireworks epiphany, not being in denial about the weather, a powerful Mendocino Farms lesson, outdated agendas, two parents named Stacey... you know who's not on summer break? Episode 123.       

Vibrating restaurant holders, a perplexing addition to Mendocino Farms, allergies, recounting a past voyage to San Diego, a profound take on Rihanna's halftime performance... incredible that after all that I still have the strength to whip up this description.  Feel free to use my code COMPOSED20 for up to 56% off your first subscription at Magic Mind in the next 10 days and 20% off your one time purchase at MAGIC MIND dot CO slash COMPOSED, and used code COMPOSED20.    

Happy Thursday! I'm back this week with a celebrity from California (even if you haven't heard of her yet) and a powerhouse on the national food scene.

Talk About it Tuesday November 2022 eps is all about sustainable holiday giving. We also chat about Giving Tuesday Collaboration with Mendocino Farms. We speak with Tyler Chanel, an ethical blogger and founder of Thrift and Tangles. Our conversation is on all things sustainable giving for the holidays. Then we talk about our collaboration with Mendocino Farms for giving Tuesday. LINKS from eps: https://www.thriftsandtangles.com/links/ https://www.ellerali.com/ https://theorangecollab.com/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Ellen Chen knows that grit and a methodical approach are key to growing a successful business and challenging norms. She's the co-founder of Mendocino Farms, a family of restaurants known for turning sandwiches, salads and more into an unexpected culinary adventure.Chen grew Mendocino Farms along with her husband, Mario Del Pero. Under her leadership as president, it grew into a beloved establishment with locations throughout California, Texas and Georgia. She transitioned to the company's board in 2019.Today, she focuses on lifting new entrepreneurs from under-represented groups by providing them with advice and financial support. She was included on the annual Power List of Nation's Restaurant News, which recognizes the top 50 leaders who have changed the restaurant industry. She also serves on the boards of the California Restaurant Association and Vibrant Ventures, a VC that invests in plant-based consumer products.She recently joined City National Bank's CEO Kelly Coffey for a conversation about embodying the American Dream, entrepreneurship, and the value of investing in new female and under-represented business leaders.

This week's episode of Evie Unbounded features a homegrown, green thumb entrepreneur who took it from farm to table - Ellen Chen. She is a wife, mother and successful business woman who co-founded Mendocino Farms with her husband. In this episode, you will discover the in depth workings of behind the kitchen and what it takes for to become a truly successful family business. #EvieJeang #EvieUnbounded Subscribe, like, comment and share. You can reach our team at talktome@evieunbounded.com. Follow Evie Jeang and Simona Fusco on social media to stay up to date with the latest news! www.Facebook.com/Evie.Jeang www.Instagram.com/EvieJeang www.Instagram.com/Ellen.C.Chen www.Twitter.com/IdealLegalGroup www.LinkedIn.com/IdealLegalGroup www.EvieUnbounded.com

Phil Rosenthal and David Wild have lunch with Rock And Roll Hall of Fame member and Grammy award winner Jimmy Jam. Phil, David, and Jimmy sit down at the SiriusXM Garage to discuss Jimmy's amazing career over his favorite salad from Mendocino Farms. Jimmy talks about working with legendary artists, his origins as a young musician, the support of his mother and reconciliation with his father and how that has influenced being a parent himself. Jimmy also discusses his early days with Prince, the process of producing records with Janet Jackson, the influence of Clarence Avant, legacy, process, parenthood, and more. Enjoy this episode of Naked Lunch. To learn more about building community through food and Somebody Feed the People, visit the Philanthropy page at Phil Rosenthal World dot com. 

How do you create a podcast consistently for over five years without resenting the process or the system that's supposed to support your creative output? This week we're lucky to be joined by the prolific podcast coach and creator, Chelsea Riffe, who so graciously lets us in on what systems she's created in order to run her business, and successful multi-year long podcast with clarity, a good sense of humor, and ease. Find out more about Chelsea's work below Interview & Hosting Lab (on 5/25) On IG @chelseariffe In My Non-Expert Opinion podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! On IG @nonexpertopinionpod Join us for a FREE month of meditation, breathwork, and movement! Use code HOLISTICISM and rinse the brain, body and spirit with us on Open's beautiful app. Use code HOLISTICISM or go to this link to sign up :) This podcast is edited by Softer Sound Studios. Check out their magical work here. Use HOLISTICISM for $5 off any Mendocino Farms order at checkout. Join us in on Holisticism Hub here. Our detailed show notes can be found @ www.holisticism.com/journal

Ellen Chen is the Co-Founder of Mendocino Farms—an LA-based fast-casual sandwich chain with an almost cult-like following. Ellen didn't come from a food and beverage background. Still, after meeting her future husband, restauranteur Mario Del Pero, she decided to step away from her impressive career as a consultant to learn about all aspects of the restaurant business. At Skew, his teriyaki restaurant, she worked front-of-house, back-of-house, and even cleaned the bathrooms. At the same time, she became its principal investor. After realizing Skew's scalability limitations, Ellen and Mario created Mendocino Farms. Built around the mantra "eat happy," they immediately implemented the principles passed along to them by their entrepreneurial families. That meant hard work, transparency, and taking excellent care of every stakeholder. Mendocino Farms grew to several booming locations before TPG acquired the firm in 2017. Since stepping away from day-to-day operations in 2020, Ellen has worked to support female-led start-ups through mentorship and investing. In our inspiring chat, Ellen talks about the decision to double down on Mendocino Farms' core product, the guerilla marketing tactics she employed in a pre-social media world, and how she sought to safeguard Mendocino Farms' culture through a time of explosive popularity and growth. Ellen also describes the challenges she faced as a woman in business, asserting that doors would have remained closed to her if not for her male partner.  She explains the importance of having conversations about the incredible disparity between male and female founders seeking investors and describes the practical steps she's taking to redress it.

Who taught you how to be a great restaurateur? Was that person truly great in their role? Were you a truly great student in that season of your life? Today we chat with Mario Del Pero, an objectively great restaurateur and entrepreneur who took the initiative to learn from great restaurateurs. In our conversation, he walks us along the path that led Mendocino Farms to 42 locations and the amazing opportunities that have come after that massive success. For more on Mendocino Farms or Dom Food Group click the links in the show notes. https://www.mendocinofarms.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/dom-food-group/about/ FULL COMP is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. ________________________________ CLICK HERE to Chat with Josh Free Download: 5 Steps to Achieve a 15% Net Profit We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out the FULL COMP media universe by visiting: FULL COMP Restaurant Marketing School The Playbook Industry Town Halls

Mendocino Farms co-founder Ellen Chen talks to co-hosts Andy Wang and Danica Lo about how she left corporate America and created a game-changing independent restaurant. We also discuss her successful exit from Mendocino Farms, her support of other entrepreneurs and her involvement in Teach AAPI, a new organization that helps AAPI children connect with their heritage. teachaapi.org Los Angeles Asian American Stories is brought to you by AAPI LA, a new initiative created by the Los Angeles' Mayor's Office to give voice to the concerns of Asian American Pacific Islander communities Visit Our Website: https://aapila.org

Bring your appetites! On today's podcast, Rudy and Tyler go through a Thrillist list of chain restaurants you'll only find in Southern California and add a few places of their own to the list. They cover more tv shows to binge, the national blood shortage, and argue which sport is the worst to see in person. We're surprised they found time to record in their busy schedule playing Wordle! Got a comment or question? Send it to: toliveandtryinlapodcast@gmail.com Follow us on: Instagram: @toliveandtryinlapodcast Twitter: @toliveandtrypod

Welcome to episode 7 of the To Do San Francisco podcast!Go follow the To Do San Francisco page on Facebook or the @ToDoSFPodcast account on Twitter.In this episode, Jamie talks about:Fleet Week 2021 - A fun waterfront weekend awaits! Keep your dogs leashed to avoid them running off scared from the noise of the Blue Angels practice flights throughout the week.  Mendocino Farms Market at 300 Mission Street - Quick casual and tasty food option for downtown residents, workers, and visitors that is open 11am -  7:30pm  every day of the week! Very convenient pick-up ordering with their smartphone app.Happy Lemon opens their Salesforce Transit Center location for boba and generally sweet drink fans!Thank you for listening!jamie

Avital Ash (Cake, Antisocial Distance) joins the 'boys to discuss kosher eats and Letterboxd before a review of Mendocino Farms. Plus, a McDonald's edition of Jingle All The Whey.Sources for this week's intro:https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-mendocino-farms-20160923-snap-story.htmlhttps://www.thrillist.com/eat/los-angeles/things-you-didnt-know-about-mendocino-farmshttps://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/mendocino-farms-rolls-changeshttps://www.mendocinofarms.com/our-story/Commercials featured in the Jingle All The Whey segment:Summer SongIt's A Good Time For The Great Taste of McDonald'sGurakoro BurgerMcDonald's & You - BreakfastDo You Believe In Magic?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ellen Chen and Mario Del Pero are the married founders of California restaurant chain Mendocino Farms. In this episode, Ellen and Mario describe the many changes eateries like theirs were forced to undergo over the past year, including migrating a huge percentage of their business “off-premise," which meant leaning heavily into both technological innovation and a defined employee culture and set of core values. Ellen and Mario also discuss their families and backgrounds. Ellen, a Taiwanese immigrant, has roots in manufacturing and management consulting, while Mario is a third-generation northern California agriculturalist. Despite their differences, Ellen and Mario represent a unique partnership, having harnessed their disparate skills to successfully lead Mendocino Farms' evolution from a confined urban gastropub to the thriving suburban family oasis of today. Ellen and Mario cite restaurant industry mentors Tom Simms and Dee Stein, as well as USC professor Steven Lamy, as inspiring life influences.

Welcome to Brentfast with Brent Pope - where Hollywood meets great food! In this bonus Dessert clip from Episode 39, Brent and Bobby Bognar chat about: So I Married an Axe Murderer, proving that we're funny, The Piper Downs, Bobby's favorite hosts, and learning to play the mandolin!  You can follow Bobby Bognar on Instagram and Twitter  at @bobbybognar. For all the Brentfast episodes and sweet merch, go to Brentfast.com. Follow Brent on Instagram and Twitter, @scoopspope, and see all the Brentfast pics on Brent's Facebook actor page.

Welcome to Brentfast with Brent Pope, where Hollywood meets great food! Brent chats with host and musician Bobby Bognar, best known for the History Channel's Food Tech, the Surviving Hollywood podcast, and his bands, The Piper Downs and The Bognar Brothers! They discuss: being a frontman in a band, Ben Folds, what makes a good host, the downside of always being right, and their Brentfast from Mendocino Farms! You can follow Bobby Bognar on Instagram and Twitter  at @bobbybognar. For all the Brentfast episodes and sweet merch, go to Brentfast.com. Follow Brent on Instagram and Twitter, @scoopspope, and see all the Brentfast pics on Brent's Facebook actor page.

Mendocino Farms is the perfect example of fast casual 2.0. Committed to big footprints with beautiful designs and activities like foosball and corn hole, the Los Angeles–based brand elevated the entire fast-casual experience and built significant buzz as a result, growing to 35 locations between California and Texas, with plans to scale nationally. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Mendocino Farms, which was so invested in a dine-in experience, had to quickly translate that in-store identity into something that would work just as well in its off-premises channels. CEO Kevin Miles joins the podcast to talk about what that translation looked like, how it will inform Mendo's future growth plans, and why the brick-and-mortar footprint is still critical to developing a brand. Subscribe to QSR at QSRmagazine.com/subscribeQSR Magazine informationFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedInQSRmagazine.com Have feedback or interview suggestions? Email us at sam@qsrmagazine.com.

Bobby reads unanswered texts. Rick brings a housewarming gift. Khalyla tells the Mendocino Farms story. We talk Undateable, the house that fell off a cliff, how to book Will Smith, veruca seals, and Johnny Boom Booms.    *Take a shot every time you hear "Mendocino Farms"   Extra Content: www.patreon.com/tigerbelly   Thank you to our Sponsors:  http://getquip.com/belly https://www.betterhelp.com/belly

In their first episode back in the kitchen after 5 months of remote podcasting, Brian and Nick talk about The Chainsmokers, the latest in German innovation, and Ben Shapiro's YouTuber sister.This episode's food is from Mendocino Farms!

How do you adapt your business model when the world suddenly changes around you? Meet Ellen Chen, co-founder of Mendocino Farms, one of the most lucrative gourmet sandwich restaurants in California. In this episode, she shares just how she and her company adapted to these trying times to maintain their brand values, keep their customers and employees happy, and how to do it yourself! She shares strong words of encouragement and wisdom to help your business stay successful. Listen in! Timestamped show notes 05:55 - Ellen shares how Mendocino Farms is handling the lockdown 10:55 - Remind yourself: what is your brand’s purpose? 16:19 - Ellen shares what she thinks businesses will be like as restrictions ease up 17:29 - She discusses how her company plans to pivot in order to adapt to the current situation 19:07 - What is a “cloud kitchen?” 21:27 - Ellen talks about how she was able to break into the industry by finding a niche 24:41 - Ellen shares how food has always been an important aspect of her life 26:18 - Yin and yang in business 28:07 - What is it like being a family business? 31:03 - Ellen shares some of the other projects she’s working on 37:10 - The benefit of being part of a network of driven, hard-working entrepreneurs 38:52 - How to prepare for an uncertain future 41:32 - The tenacity to keep going 43:48 - As an entrepreneur, nothing is ever truly uncomfortable anymore 48:08 - Don’t get too comfortable! 49:20 - Failure is not a bad thing Links Mendocino Farms: https://www.mendocinofarms.com/

Ellen Chen is the Cofounder of Mendocino Farms along with her husband Mario, both of whom have a passion for community and connection. After 15 years of serving up great food, throughout California and now Texas, their strong partnerships with their farmers and food artisans creates a true vibe you can feel in each of their locations where they truly “sell happy.”

A food item that's so simple and part of our lives that it's almost slept on for being one of the best options at any given time. Plus, it has arguably the most possibilities and variations of anything you can eat. This is, of course, the sandwich. Kev and Jack go for a rapid fire series through the main staples of both types of sandwiches and also different places you can eat them. Just make sure you're not too hungry before you listen.

In 2005, Mendocino Farms opened its doors, selling gourmet sandwiches with the quality of the high-end cafes for only a couple dollars more than most of the Fast Casual sandwich players.Since then, the Mendocino Farms Brand has earned a devoted following of hungry foodies and attracted investments from Whole Foods Market and TPG Growth, fueling expansion into dozens of communities throughout California and Texas and becoming some of the most loved and highest grossing sales per foot restaurants in the neighborhoods they serve.Guest: Mario Del Pero, Co-Founder of Mendocino Farms

Check out some of Eric's latest articles on Culturemap.com (http://houston.culturemap.com/) including: Crawfish Cafe Coming to the Heights in 2020 (http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/07-26-19-crawfish-cafe-viet-cajun-restaurant-new-location-the-heights-shepherd-row-braun-enterprises-kiet-duong-julie-nguyen/#slide=0) The Rustic is Opening a 2nd Location in Uptown Park (http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/07-26-19-the-rustic-new-location-bar-restaurant-concerts-uptown-park-freerange-concepts-pat-green/) Famed Houston Chef Takes Over Award Winning Hermann Park Restaurant (http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/07-25-19-mark-holley-new-chef-davis-st-hermann-park-reopen/#slide=0)

Graduate of Princeton University, Nick Marsh, opened his first food and beverage operation, Xando Coffee and Bar in 1994 with four friends and his brother. 10 years later he parted ways and stumbled on Chopt, a quick-service restaurant that was going into its 4th year and looking to expand. Fast forward 15 years later and Marsh now serves as Chopt CEO. In addition, Marsh has also served as Director, and in some instances Investor, for Mendocino Farms, Dos Toros Taqueria, Quiznos, and Boloco. [Click here for FREE registration to the TRAmarketplace. Enter promotional code "unstoppable19" at checkout] Show Notes Success Quote or Mantra "if you can trust yourself when all others doubt you but make allowance for their downing too." You must believe in where you're going. In this episode with Nick Marsh we will discuss: Applying ancient history to current problems Consulting Creativity Communication Global inspiration Making mistakes Owners being present every day Partnerships The IMMENSE importance of partnerships There is no ONE right answer Clear-cut branding Building restaurants too fast The importance of making decisions that reflect your vision The history of Chopt prior to Nick's involvement Why Chopt attracted Nick to the brand How to and when to know to scale The positives of waiting 20 years before you scale Creativity is key Smooth and swift execution Lose the ego and listen Today's sponsor: Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you'll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable.  CAKE provides an easy-to-use integrated software and hardware solution to build better dining experiences for restaurant operators and their guests. With mobile marketing and waitlist management to point of sale payment processing, the CAKErestaurant management system helps you grow your business.  Learn more at trycake.com/unstoppable EthicsSuite.com -provide a safe, secure, simple and anonymous communication channel between you and your employees to help you protect your hard-earned reputation and assets. Demonstrate to your team that you are committed to providing a workplace that operates with the highest ethical standards. Staying informed about important issues will help you resolve them internally before they spiral into larger, costly, or public problems.   Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Tell the truth What is your biggest weakness? "Slow no" What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Tell me specifically your organization strategy What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Restaurant over-saturation is urban and coastal regions Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Assume positive intent What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Customization What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? East of Eden by John Steinbeck GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough? Think about real estate strategy What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations? Custom BOH systems currently in development If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Don't let hard work be the only thing between you and your goals Smart is good but too smart becomes a liability Don't ever think you're better than anyone else and don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough Contact info: Email: support@choptsalad.com Social: @choptsalad Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Nick Marsh for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!   Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

We’re taping from the Hilton San Diego Del Mar, which is just steps away from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This week’s special guest is David Favela, founder of Border X Brewing in Barrio Logan, the first Latino-owned brewery in San Diego. David is a first-generation immigrant from Mexico, and he grew up in Escondido. He did his undergrad at Chico State and studied international business at UCSD, and worked at Hewlett Packard for over 20 years. He launched Border X Brewing five years ago, and just expanded the brewery to a second location in Los Angeles. David tells us how Border X Brewing began and why he decided to focus on Mexican flavors and brewing traditions, which resulted in the creation of their most popular beers—saison brewed with jamaica (hibiscus tea) and the Horchata Golden Stout. He also talks about how Barrio Logan has changed over the years—the neighborhood is bustling with more breweries, art galleries and new shops, which we featured in this month’s Neighborhood Guide—but that the change is community-led. David’s pick for Two People, $50 is Mariscos El Golosito, a B.Y.O.B. Sinaloan seafood restaurant in Barrio Logan, and the staff’s picks this week were Louisiana Purchase and Thai One On in Carlsbad. In Hot Plates, we talked about the revamp and remodel of Currant American Brasserie, the new menu at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido and Liberty Station, and the news that Mendocino Farms and Blue Bottle Coffee are opening locations at the new Tower 180 office building on First and Broadway. David’s 60 Second Beer Review is Groundswell Brewing Company’s Tropical Hefeweizen. The Hot Topic this week is the Aperol spritz—is it a good or bad drink? Check out the article in the New York Times that started the debate, and hear what Troy and Lauren have to say. It’s time again for San Diego Magazine’s annual Best Restaurants party! Next week, on June 12, San Diego’s top chefs and winners of this year’s critic’s and readers’ picks will serve their signature dishes to an intimate crowd at Pirch at UTC. This year, we’re hosting a pre-party at Room & Board, which includes a live taping of the Happy Half Hour! There’s still time to get tickets! We want to hear from our listeners! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message, like a caller did about Troy mispronouncing “shave ice” during our episode about the I Love Poke Festival. Or, you can email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast.

This week, on the podcast, we've got Ian Stevenson, Executive Director of Trellis and part of the team spearheading "Love Costa Mesa Day 2019." Love Costa Mesa Day is an annual day of volunteering and service, happening on Saturday, May 18th, 2019. We get all the details on where to sign up, how to participate, what it means and why it's happening - plus lots more about our beloved Costa Mesa. Check it out!   Sign Up For Love Costa Mesa Day: Website: https://www.lovecostamesa.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovecostamesa/ Instagram: @lovecostamesa   On this episode, we discuss: OCC Planetarium: https://www.iheartcostamesa.com/play/spacing-out-costa-mesa-occ-planetarium/ Trellis: https://wearetrellis.com/ Podcast with Muriel Ullman, Network for Homeless Solutions: https://www.iheartcostamesa.com/love/muriel-ullman-network-for-homeless-solutions/ City of Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter: https://www.costamesaca.gov/city-hall/city-departments/city-manager-s-office/addressing-costa-mesa-s-homeless Lighthouse Church: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lighthouse/115428045149999 Costa Mesa Homeless Task Force: https://www.costamesaca.gov/city-hall/city-departments/city-manager-s-office/network-for-homeless-solutions/addressing-homelessness Newport Rib Company: http://www.ribcompany.com/ Mendocino Farms: https://www.mendocinofarms.com/costa-mesa/ Fairview Park: https://www.iheartcostamesa.com/featured/fairview-park/ OC Fair: https://ocfair.com/   I Heart Costa Mesa is sponsored by: Music Factory School of Music Mesa Water District Sign up for the free Water Efficient Landscape Workshop, Sunday May 4th at 8:30am at Mesa Water! Please tell your friends about the podcast – and don't forget to leave your rating and review wherever you listen! Find us on… Facebook: www.facebook.com/iheartcostamesa/ Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iheartcostamesa/ Instagram: @iheartcostamesa Twitter: @iheartcostamesa Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/iheartcostamesa Shop the store! https://www.iheartcostamesa.com/shop/ Big thanks to everyone who helped make this podcast possible! Producer: Danny Thompson (danny@themusicfactoryoc.com) Intro / Outro Voiceover: Brian Kazarian Music: Eddie “DJ Kaboom” Iniestra   

Today on What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by frequent contributor and co-host Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. The guys discuss Lyle Bento joining Sambrooks Management Company as culinary director, Maurizio Ferrarese signing on to be the executive chef at Ristorante Cavour at the Hotel Granduca, Finn Hall getting an opening date, California-based sandwich shop Mendocino Farms opening a location in Houston in 2019, and much more! Diana American Grill and B.B. Lemon are featured in this week's Restaurants of the Week segment. In the Guest of the Week section of the podcast, Eric is joined by Jane Wild of the Dunlavy. Eric and Jane discuss Jane's journey into the culinary world, exploring the Art Institute in Houston, moving to Chicago, joining Whole Foods, the dishes at The Dunlavy, creating memorable sandwiches, the response from patrons, other projects that Jane has been involved with, getting more invovled in the Houston food scene, getting know other chefs, and more!

In this episode - you'll hear from Ellen Chen - co-founder of Mendocino Farms Restaurant, the incredibly popular neighborhood sandwich restaurant and how it all started. It is clear that Ellen and her team want to make a difference in their journey to "Selling Happy" - a difference for Mendocino Farms employees, for the farms and farmers that they partnered up with and for each neighborhood they open a location in. And their guests are eating it up... Mendocino Farms really does sell happy.... but it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows. Ellen and I talk about the struggles - with her start in the restaurant business, about her in-laws taking a second mortgage on their home and loaning them the money and to cleaning bathrooms. Her professional failure included a restaurant in Southern CA and the personal failure she mentions at the end of the show is one that everyone can learn from.... Enjoy! Like what you hear? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Thanks for listening - Yinh

On today’s Happy Half Hour, we’re talking about Simsim headed to Kearny Mesa, a new wine country-inspired restaurant in the Gaslamp, classic burgers coming to Barrio Logan, and new menu items at The Crack Shack and Mendocino Farms. We’re joined by Javier Plascencia, the prolific chef known for toggling both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border with his legion of Baja eateries (Misión19, Finca Altozano, etc.) and two former San Diego spots (Romesco and Bracero, R.I.P.). But good news! He’s spilling details about the upcoming restaurant he’s going to open in San Diego—and sharing details about guest chef-ing at the Hotel del’s California Clambake series on July 28. Our guest is Laura Johnson, co-founder of You & Yours Distilling Co., a gin and vodka distillery that opened last March in the East Village. She talks about how a vacation to Cuba got her interested in the spirits, why she cares about ingredient transparency, and how regulations are different for distillers versus winemakers and brewers. Plus, canned cocktails! They’re coming. We end with Two People/$50, including Prep Kitchen, Punch Bowl Social, Trust, and Yakyudori.

On this episode of the I Heart Costa Mesa Show, we've got a guest host: our very own Mister Mesa! He interviews local fitness coach, Quentin “Coach Q” Pullen, on today's show. Coach Q is a former Marine and bodybuilder who has been a fitness trainer in Costa Mesa for over two decades. In 2014, Coach Q was responsible for creating the PlayPen OC, a military-style obstacle course at the Newport-Mesa YMCA. He currently trains clients at the Self Made Training Facility in Costa Mesa. In this episode, Coach Q talks about ‘Everything Fitness' – his philosophy for motivation, setting challenges, food choices, cheat days - and why he settled in our fine city. Where to find Coach Q (and his dog) online: Coach Q's website: http://www.qthecoach.com Coach Q on Instagram: @q_the_coach Coach Q on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qthecoach/ King The Portuguese Water Dog on Instagram: @kingtheportie People and Places mentioned in this episode: David Goggins: http://davidgoggins.com/ Newport-Mesa Family YMCA: https://www.ymcaoc.org/newport-mesa-family-ymca/ Self Made: https://selfmadetrainingfacility.com/location/costa-mesa/ Innovative Results: https://innovative-results.com/ Irvine Ranch Market: https://irvineranchmarketoc.com/ Rance's Pizza: https://www.rancespizza.com/costa-mesa-menu/ Orange County Farmer's Market: https://www.yelp.com/biz/costa-mesa-certified-farmers-market-costa-mesa Keto Diet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenic_diet Spartan Race: https://www.spartan.com/en Marine Corps Mud Run: https://www.marinecorpsmudrun.com/ American Ninja Warrior: https://www.nbc.com/american-ninja-warrior Ultimate Beastmaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_Beastmaster In the Fast Final Five, Coach Q discusses the following Costa Mesa restaurants, events and places:  Mendocino Farms: http://mendocinofarms.com/costa-mesa/ Fairview Park: https://www.iheartcostamesa.com/featured/fairview-park/ OC Marathon: http://www.ocmarathon.com/ OC Fair: https://ocfair.com/ I Heart Costa Mesa is sponsored by: Music Factory School of Music The Orange County Market Place Please tell your friends about the podcast – and don't forget to leave your rating and review wherever you listen! Find us on… Facebook: www.facebook.com/iheartcostamesa/ Instagram: @iheartcostamesa Twitter: @iheartcostamesa Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/iheartcostamesa Big thanks to everyone who helped make this podcast possible! Producer: Danny Thompson (danny@themusicfactoryoc.com) Intro / Outro Voiceover: Brian Kazarian Music: Eddie “DJ Kaboom” Iniestra

This week on The Stew we welcome Chef Hunter Pritchett, from the newly opened “Melody” restaurant in Los Angeles, specializing in self proclaimed lazy french cooking. Theres nothing lazy about what goes into his dishes though, Jason and Andre break down a bunch of stuff on his menu, his cooking career leading up to now, working in intense french kitchens making dover sole, to developing and consulting for the wildly popular Mendocino Farms. Hunter knows a lot about cooking and we're all lucky to learn a thing or two from the fella.

Tune in as we kick off 2018 with a brand new episode featuring Mario Del Pero, founder of Mendocino Farms. We sat down with Mario to discuss his journey in the food space, starting as a bouncer at a local restaurant/bar to eventually creating one of the hottest sandwich destinations in LA and beyond. Whether you’re a weekly Mendo customer or just hearing about them for the first time, you won’t want to miss this! SUBSCRIBE TO TFH NEWSLETTER & STAY UPDATED > http://bit.ly/tfh-newsletter FOLLOW TFH ON INSTAGRAM > http://www.instagram.com/thefounderhour FOLLOW TFH ON TWITTER > http://www.twitter.com/thefounderhour INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR? EMAIL US > partnerships@thefounderhour.com

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.

On today’s Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are talking about the latest restaurant news, like second locations for both Nomad Donuts (North Park) and Mendocino Farms (Del Mar). And we’re joined by Angela Landsberg, Executive Director of the North Park Main Street association, which is hosting the Taste of North Park, a dining and drinking event on October 14 with food from Crazee Burger, Tamarindo, and more, plus 16 craft brewers, like Modern Times Beer and Thorn Street Brewery. (Word to the wise: The event always sells out!) Today’s guest is Claire Groebner, Development Coordinator at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, a seven-acre garden in National City that provides nutrition education, cooking classes, and other health-focused resources to the public, particularly in the South Bay. Claire explains why National City is a “food swamp” and what Olivewood is doing to shift the perspective through kids’ field trips, gardening lessons, and open house events (the next one is September 29!). Also, she tells us the story of one of their “kitchenistas” who just opened this restaurant. In hot topics, we’re chatting about the ongoing legal battle over the term “natural.” And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including Dumpling Inn, Little Lion, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, and Plant Power Food.

On this episode, we bring you to Mendocino Farms, the LA fast casual known for their gourmet sandwiches. The growth potential in this market is massive– with Americans consuming on average 9.4 sandwiches per month. Paul Barron speaks to Executive Chef Judy Han about the farm-to-table concept and its comforting and homey atmosphere. Listen in to learn about the brand's nontraditional approach to sandwiches and the interesting story behind the unique baby blue colored cow mascot.

On this week's episode: 0:00 Mendocino Farms, Pret a Manger and emotional labor10:00 Bill's serving style: anti pomp and circumstance16:30 Tableside guac, what a scam that is20:04 Some thoughts on tipping, and some insider info26:09 Back to emotional labor for a moment28:45 VHS was a scam too, maybe30:28 Humpfest!

A Silicon Valley entrepreneur, investor, speaker and computer security expert, Dave Asprey spent 15 years and $300,000 to hack his own biology. Along the way, he created an early cloud computing service at the first web hosting company and ran strategic planning for two public companies. He splits his time between helping others upgrade themselves with coaching and on The Bulletproof Executive, and serving as Trend Micro's head cloud computing tech evangelist.The Financial Times calls him a “bio-hacker who takes self-quantification to the extreme of self-experimentation” because Asprey upgraded his brain by 20 IQ points, lowered his biological age, and lost 100 lbs without using calories or exercise. He can be see in Men's Health, Rolling Stone, Vogue, or Forbes.A sought-after public speaker and executive coach with thousands of hours on stage globally, he has presented at Wharton, Kellogg, the Univ. of California, and Singularity University, as well as 100′s of private companies and conferences. Published in both the NY Times and Fortune, his core industries are cloud, virtualization, security, software, & networking (Trend Micro, Citrix, Blue Coat, Zeus, 3Com, Exodus) and consumer medtech/anti-aging (Corventis, Basis, Bulletproof Executive).Mario Del Pero is the founder of Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market. Mendocino Farms restaurants are some of the highest grossing sales per foot restaurants in the city, while also being some of the most loved.Mario started in the restaurant business when he was still a student at USC. He helped grow Baja Sharkeez from an idea to a dominant Beach Lifestyle concept with units in a number of Southern California beach communities. After Sharkeez, Mario created one of the first Fast Casual Asian concepts, called Skew's Teriyaki. He grew Skew's to three units in Los Angeles, selling the company in 2001.Mario created Mendocino Farms with his partner and wife Ellen Chen in 2003, opening their first unit in a failed Starbucks on Bunker Hill in Downtown Los Angeles in 2004. Most recently, Mendocino Farms received an investment from private equity firm Catterton Partners and is now preparing to grow to 30 units in the Southern California market by 2018.