Since opening his first restaurant in 1989, Todd English has become quite the chef and quite the catch. We shared a few moments with English and found that, in addition to his good looks and culinary chops, he’s also very funny.    

To what do you attribute the rise of food entertainment television?
TODD ENGLISH: Food is edible entertainment. It is a show for the mouth and a mini staycation for the palette. Food is mysterious, as it is often a collection of exotic flavors that have the ability to evoke a very real emotional/psychological adventure.

What are your guilty pleasures when it comes to food?
TE: I enjoy good food but, like everyone, I also appreciate the power of peanut M&M’s, In-N-Out burgers and chocolate chip cookies. And while I am revealing my inner foodie secrets, the cookies don’t always make it to the oven as I have a slight weakness for [raw] cookie dough.

Tell us about your new book, Cooking In Every Day English: The ABC’s Of Great Flavor At Home?
TE: It’s for those people who may never have set foot in the kitchen, as well as those who know their way around the pantry. It is about taking common ingredients and elevating them to the remarkable without feeling as if you have to be a trained chef to do so. I also feel a responsibility to address the need for cooking healthy meals. I spice things up—literally—and offer flavor without all the fat.

What is the greatest misconception about you?
TE:  Sometimes I feel people think I am unapproachable and it is really quite the opposite. I enjoy hearing stories from the kitchen, as it allows me to be both teacher and student.

Read more from Joshua Estrin at popmuncher.com.

Tortelloni di zucca Drago

Drago Santa Monica is celebrating the end of an era. The legendary Italian eatery is closing its doors at the end of the month after 21 years as one of LA’s favorites. As an honorary tribute, chef Celestino Drago is adding seven throwback dishes from the original 1991 menu to his current list of offerings. Beginning January 9, homemade entrees such as sautéed duck liver with aged balsamic glace and grilled Belgium endive; baked ziti with meat and cheese sauce wrapped with eggplant; and a polenta sandwich with wild mushrooms, fontina cheese and truffle fondue will accompany signature Drago dishes like tortelloni di zucca (pumpkin, sage butter and parmesan cheese) and pappardelle al fagiano (roasted pheasant and morel mushrooms). Arrivederci! 2628 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 310-828-1585

Magnolia Bakery is celebrating LA’s NBA teams with special Lakers and Clippers cupcakes. The sweet buttercream treats are available every home game and can be delivered and pre-ordered for your next party. 8389 W. Third St., LA, 323-951-0636

Country style flatbread at Artisan House

New downtown eatery Artisan House could easily be found in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking District. Located on Main Street in the historic Pacific Electric Building, the upscale gastropub and market gives off a chic city vibe and offers an ever-changing menu of organic and vegan dishes crafted by executive chef Jason Ryczek. Ryczek “pays respect to the basics” by using seasonal ingredients to create dishes in a variety of style including French-Italian, Western-Mediterranean and German. A restaurant signature, the “country style” flatbread—made with a nutty whole-wheat dough—is used in everything from basic Margarita pizzas to more elaborate pies like duck prosciutto and pear with triple cream brie, caramelized shallots, baby kale and 40-year balsamico. Also on the menu are adventurous shared plates, salads and cocktails from veteran mixologist Elden McFeron III. Adjoining the restaurant is the well-stocked market stocked with an array of wine and liquor, imported cheeses, herbs and spices and organic bath oils. The restaurant is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. Artisan House, 600 S. Main St., 213-622-6333

Add a little spice to your holiday drinks repertoire with a festive cocktail like the Nutmeg Honey. Made with Tequila Don Julio 1942, the sweet and savory blend makes for a great seasonal drink.

NUTMEG HONEY
1½  ounces Tequila Don Julio 1942
¾  ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
¾ ounce honey syrup (50/50 ration of honey to water)
Ground nutmeg
Honey for garnish
Sugar for garnish

Combine Tequila Don Julio 1942, lime juice, honey syrup, and ground nutmeg in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Rim a rocks glass with honey and sugar. Pour cocktail into the glass and serve. 

Angelenos devoted to chocolate are sure to delight in the Beverly Hills opening of chic confectionary shop Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Master chocolatier Katrina Markoff’s Moroccan-themed boutique—with its hand-carved Marrakesh arches and 17-foot ceilings—is divided into three rooms: the café, the marketplace, and the lab. The café serves delectable “drinking chocolates,” Blue Bottle Coffee, and an array of chocolate goodies including frozen brownie sticks oozing with melted caramel, pain au chocolat, and maple milk chocolate pudding served with an edible bacon spoon. The marketplace sells Vosges chocolate favorites like exotic truffles spiked with Champagne and roses, sweet curry and coconut, ginger and wasabi and crunchy hazelnut praline; caramel marshmallows; and peanut butter bon bons. The laboratory is home to pastry chef Hayley Evans, who concocts chocolate treats and new vegan recipes daily. 311 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-275-3621

A curry veg pie
 
Last November, The New York Times officially declared that pie is the new king of desserts. (Sorry, cupcakes.) A year later, pies are still going strong across the nation including right here in Los Angeles. Opened last month in Downtown’s renascent Arts District, The Pie Hole is the latest iteration of this nostalgic trend: a simple pie-and-coffee shop with a few wooden tables, some metal chairs, and a hot oven. Head pastry chef Adrianna Sullivan—who has baked in some of the city’s most lauded restaurants including Providence, Water Grill, and MB Post—serves not only the usual suspects like seasonal apple crumble and lemon curd meringue based on prize-winning recipes created by one of the owner’s mothers, but also more unconventional flavors like gooey peanut butter-pretzel and small, savory “hand pies” including one filled with carnitas and queso fresco with a masa crust, and another stuffed with mac 'n' cheese. All ingredients are sourced locally (including the specially roasted Groundwork Coffee blend), and the menu will change according to season and availability since everything is made fresh by hand on site. This is one trend with staying power. 714 Traction Ave., 213-537-0115

The proscuitto tower at Mr. C Beverly Hills

A new happy hour spot has arrived. The Mr. C Beverly Hills hotel is now serving homemade bites and delicious cocktails in its spacious, European-inspired lobby lounge beginning daily at 5 PM. Owned by the Cipriani family—whose global collection of establishments reaches cities including New York, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi—Mr. C offers food from its namesake restaurant in an intimate, bar-style setting. Enjoy authentic Italian pizzas, a selection of cheeses, charcuteries and the legendary prosciutto tower. From the cocktail menu try the Harry’s Bar Special Roger made with I Spirit Vodka, peach purée and orange juice. 1224 Beverwil Dr., LA, 310-277-2800 

The rooftop cabanas at The Peninsula Beverly Hills

September 6 marks a new tradition at a classic Beverly Hills hotel. For the first time, The Peninsula Beverly Hills is set to open its luxurious rooftop pool cabanas to non-hotel guests. Angelenos looking to enjoy evening cocktails and appetizers al fresco can reserve any of the 12 heated pool cabanas (5–9 PM) equipped with a personal iPod station, a flat-screen television, and comfortable Janus et Cie patio furniture. The perches also offer a stunning view of the city skyline. 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-551-2888

The Gap is cooking up more than just jeans this summer. In celebration of its 1969 fall denim collection, Gap has launched its first-ever gourmet taco truck in select cities around the country. Dubbed Pico de Gap, the inspiration for the truck came from the L.A. Gap creative team’s late night dinners at a local food truck. The vintage truck holds true to the 1969 collection’s throwback aesthete with a hand-paint job featuring a replica of a vintage Gap ad and neon sign from the 1970s. The custom-designed braised lamb, shrimp, carnita and spicy tofu tacos come courtesy of Top Chef alum and celebrity chef Marcel Vigneron. Keep your eyes peeled for this mobile fiesta that will be stopping by music events, nightlife hotspots, festivals, select Gap stores and more (through September 30)—or stop by one of their scheduled pit stops listed below.

Pico de Gap Truck Stops:

August 21
Gourmet Music Carnival (11 AM–7 PM). LA State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St.; truckitfest.com

August 27–28
Sunset Junction Music Festival (all day). Vermont Avenue and Hoover St.; sunsetjunction.org

September 8
Art Walk Los Angeles (6–11 PM). Northwest corner of S. Spring Street and W. 4th St.; truckitfest.com

September 18
Gourmet Music Carnival (11 AM–7 PM). LA State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St.; truckitfest.com

September 24
Abbott Kinney Festival (10 AM–6 PM). Abbot Kinney Blvd. and Venice Blvd., Venice Beach; abbotkinney.org

Watch for more dates and times at twitter.com/PicodeGapLA or facebook.com/gap