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Category: Women We Love

  • The Celeb Chef | An Interview with Pace Webb, Chef & Founder of Taste of Pace

    The Celeb Chef | An Interview with Pace Webb, Chef & Founder of Taste of Pace


    I was first introduced to Pace Webb just over one year ago. Since that time, I’ve known that she would make a rockstar interview guest. Lucky for me, when I tossed the idea her way, she was more than on board.

    Pace is the chef and founder of Taste of Pace, a Los Angeles based catering company that focuses its menus around fresh, seasonal ingredients. When she’s not in the kitchen, this natural entertainer finds her self in front of the camera and behind the mic. She shares her passion for food as a lifestyle expert for many well known brands and media outlets like Yahoo Shine and on her radio show TOP Talk.

    For our interview, I wanted to introduce Pace to my favorite spot on the block Gjusta. If you’re an Angeleno then chances are you’ve at least heard of, if not yet dined at, the acclaimed Gjelina restaurant located on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Gusta comes from the same owners and serves similar style fair in a more casual bakery/cafe environment. You can find everything your stomach desires here from fresh baked breads to house-made sauces to gourmet sandwiches and salads. Oh yeah, there’s a fancy barista bar inside too. Seating is limited to benches and overturned milk cartons in the rear of the building so we opted to take our food to go. Whether you dine in or take out you must find a reason to come try their baklava croissants – you won’t be disappointed!

    While we indulged our sugar cravings, Pace filled me in on the founding of her company, how she grew her career both inside and outside of the kitchen, and her advice for other aspiring chef-preneurs. Definitely an interview not to be missed!

    More About Pace

    taste-of-pacePace’s journey to start her own lifestyle food brand and catering company started at the age of 17 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She took this experience as an indication that she needed to reevaluate what she put in her body. Studying alternative nutrition gave her the foundation and love for the impact clean food has on the body. After studying abroad in Rome, she became classically trained in Western European cuisine. Now, cancer-free with a fresh lease on life and a passion for traveling, living in over seven cities around the globe, Pace created her company to focus on wellness, new creative food combinations and most importantly, rich joie de vivre!

    Pace’s sparkle, and performance-like art for feeding people comes naturally as a fourth-generation entertainer. Her unique view on food and general panache for incredible flavor pairings has caught the eye of major brands such as Yahoo, Jell-O and Acura, hiring her to create recipes and host web series. She pens her own blog, and contributes to various food and lifestyle magazines, including C Magazine, Angeleno, Utterly Engaged and Chalkboard Magazine. Hosting weekly cooking classes in her downtown loft/kitchen allows Pace to give back to her community and inspire a new generation with healthy, simple and fresh local ingredients. Pace currently lives the fabulous life in the downtown Los Angeles Arts District with her dog, Willie Nelson.  www.Pacewebb.com {Source Taste of Pace}

    What is Taste of Pace?

    Taste of Pace Catering is a full service catering company based in Los Angeles specializing in Western European Cuisine with international elements utilizing seasonal and local ingredients. The Taste of Pace team is suitable for private parties, corporate events and weddings. You can get a Taste of Pace by attending a Monthly Supper Club hosted in secret locations boasting courses of fresh seasonal food off the cuff. {Source Taste of Pace}

    Check out Taste of Pace at:

    Web: www.tasteofpace.com

    Instagram: @tasteofpace

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Taste.of.Pace

    A Toast to you and Pace too,

    Jen

  • Behind the Scenes! Savour this Kitchen Interview

    Behind the Scenes! Savour this Kitchen Interview

    the-springs

    When asked where she’d like to do our interview, Marlene offered up The Springs, a spot in downtown LA where Marlene spends much of her time. The Springs describes itself as a “multi-faceted urban oasis cultivating health, wellness, sustainability, and community”.

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    If you’re anything like me, this description is confusing at best until you arrive at said destination. Walk inside of the large warehouse space and you’ll be greeted by a juice bar/ raw vegan restaurant nestled amongst a yoga studio, wellness center, and plenty of open seating for the freelancers amongst us to settle in and work.

    the-springs

    Oh yeah and there’s this awesome outdoor space which get even prettier when the sunsets and the hanging lights turn on.

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    Marlene and I each ordered one of The Springs 100% organic cold-pressed juices, the Fireside and North Star respectively. An order of house made chips and guac proved to be the perfect pairing.

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    While I bathed Marlene in questions she showered me with gifts. These are the four spice blends in the Savour this Kitchen collection. I gave the spices a test drive by whipping up a batch of Marlene’s Gypsy carrot cupcakes with Merchant cream cheese icing. Click on this link to get yourself a free sample!

    the-springs

    To hear all about the making of these spices and the rest of the story behind Savour this Kitchen, make sure to check out my interview with Marlene!

     

    Cheers!

     

    Jen

  • The Culinarian | An Interview with Marleen Bernstein, Chef & Owner of Savour This Kitchen

    The Culinarian | An Interview with Marleen Bernstein, Chef & Owner of Savour This Kitchen

    A few weeks ago I was introduced to the marvelous Marlene Bernstein. She is the chef and owner behind Savour this Kitchen, an umbrella brand for the catering company / line of original sauces and spice blends she runs with her brother Michael. As someone who keeps her fridge fully stocked with sauces, spices, and condiments of all varieties at all times, I was immediately all over Ms. Bernstein’s blends. Needless to say, I was stoked when she agreed to sit down for an interview with Toast Meets Jam.

    When asked where she’d like us to do the interview, she easily came up with The Springs LA, a newish downtown hotspot that boasts itself as an “urban oasis of wellness”. To put it simply this place is absolute amaze-balls. Part organic juice bar, part yoga center, part local for morning rave parties, The Springs has everything this girl could possibly want in life all rolled into one.

    Over our interview, Marlene guided me through the journey that brought about Savour this Kitchen and it’s evolution over the past few years. She also shed light on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, her advice for aspiring foodies, and what she does to keep the STK train driving forward. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Toast Meets Jam interview if we didn’t have some fun along the way so you’ll also get to find out what makes Marlene, Marlene, from her favorite Halloween costume to her hidden talent.

    More About Marlene

    savour-this-kitchenMarlene is the chef behind Savour this Kithcen. She is trained in classical French cuisine but her cooking is inspired greatly by er Mediterranean roots. When she’s not making her rounds at the LA farmers’ markets or hosting a fantastic fete, you can find her catching a dance class, exploring downtown, or writing recipes for popular blogs like LaurenConrad.com.

    What is Savour this Kitchen?

    Launched in the summer of 2011, Savour This Kitchen began as Savour This Moment, a California fresh catering company dedicated to using wholesome flavors and natural ingredients. After receiving rave reviews for the unique sauces in their dishes, brother and sister entrepreneurial super team, Michael + Marlene, decided to sell these sauces as stand alone products.

    Savour This Sauce came to fruition at the beginning of 2013 and featured their three signature sauces: Red Pepper Romesco, Thai Chile Cilantro, and Pistachio Mint Pesto. With humble beginnings at the La Canada Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, people flocked to the new vegan, gluten free brand.

    Thanks to love and support from the community, coupled with early success at the Farmer’s Market, Savour This Sauce found a smooth transition into retail outlets. Nearly a year and a half into the sauce line, the budding company decided to expand beyond sauces and develop a line of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired spice blends: Gypsy, Merchant, Nomad and Seafarer. In order to establish a marketplace for these unique seasonings (and more that are being developed) that make cooking more approachable, fun and delicious, Michael & Marlene created the umbrella brand Savour This Kitchen for their various product lines. (cite: Savour this Kitchen)

    Check out Savour this Kitchen at:

    Web: www.savourthiskitchen.com

    Instagram: @savourthiskitchen

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savourthiskitchen

    A Toast to you and Marlene too,

    Jen

     

     

  • Up Next on Toast Meets Jam – Marlene Bernstein!

    Up Next on Toast Meets Jam – Marlene Bernstein!

    An Interview with Marlene Bernstein, chef & owner of Savour this Kitchen

    Coming up next on Toast Meets Jam… Marlene Bernstein,  chef and owner of Savour this Kitchen.

    Whether you’re just discovering Toast Meets Jam or have been following along for a bit, this next interview is one you won’t want to miss. Marlene is the pint-sized powerhouse behind Savour this Kitchen, an umbrella brand that includes her catering company as well as vegan and gluten free signature sauce and spice blends. She invited me to one of her favorite spots in downtown LA, The Springs, to catch-up over green juice and guacamole.

    There are so many things I love about this interview. To start, I am head over heels for The Springs. This recently opened spots dubs itself “a multi-faceted urban oasis” and includes an organic juice bar, yoga studio, wellness center, and raw vegan restaurant & wine bar. What’s not to love?? If you’re in LA you need to find any excuse to make your way there (yes even you west siders!).

    On top of getting to do the interview at an awesome spot, Marlene was just a blast to get to know. We started with the serious — how did you get started, what’s your advice–weaved in a lot of of fun along the way, and ended up with a full-on karate demonstration– she’s a black belt. There are so many ‘mazing things to discover about Marlene. Make sure to check back to catch the full interview!

    Cheers!

    Jen

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  • Behind the Scenes! The Brand Gals Interview

    Behind the Scenes! The Brand Gals Interview

    The-Brand-Gals

    For our interview, Kelsey and I met at a the quintessential cafe, Aroma Coffee and Tea. The cafe is located in Tujunga Village, a hidden gem of Studio City.

    The-Brand-Gals

    Seats look plentiful here but be warned. If you’re heading there for weekend brunch get there early or prepare to wait. When we arrived the line was already beginning to stretch down the block.

    The-Brand-Gals

    The cafe has a nice mix of indoor/outdoor seating. You order at the counter, take a number, and then go on the hunt for an open table. It can be a bit tricky to nab a free menu before reaching the counter so I suggest pursuing the online menu before arriving.

    The-Brand-Gals

    Our brunch stretched into the afternoon so I decided to try out Aroma’s Tofu and broccoli rice bowl. They provide every type of hot sauce imaginable including good ‘ole Sriracha so I was pretty much in heaven.

     

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    Now, if you haven’t yet had the chance to check it out, make sure to catch my interview with Kelsey to hear this gal’s story behind The Brand Gals.

     

    Cheers!

     

    Jen