Jen A. Miller Consulting

Tag: chef

Behind the Scenes! Taste of Pace Interview

Pace, founder of Taste of Pace, calls downtown LA home so when she agreed to come out to Venice for our interview, I knew I needed to make the trip worth her while. There was no question that our brunch needed to come from Gjusta. This bakery and cafe from the family behind Gjelina opened a few months ago and has had me drooling over every bit of their menu ever since.

Even before you walk through Gjusta’s doors you are greeted by their smell. Fresh baked breads and pastries are served up daily and the smell of sugar and carbs is enough to lure you in off the street.

The bakery’s signature baklava croissants and scones were our pick from the window of delectable treats.

Besides breads and pastries, Gjusta serves up house cured fish and meets, homemade sauces and spreads, signature soups, salads, and sandwiches, and has a gourmet barista bar to boot.

Seating at Gjusta is limited to a few benches and over turned milk cartons in the cafe’s parking lot. Since the set-up was less than ideal for shooting, Pace and I held our interview at my house just a few blocks away from the cafe. We cozied up on the patio, soaked in the sunshine, and dug into our take-away.

Catch my interview with Pace to get the scoop on making it as an entrepreneur in the food biz!

Cheers!

Jen

April 22, 2015
Up Next on Toast Meets Jam – Pace Webb!

An Interview with Pace Webb, chef & lifestyle expert behind Taste of Pace

Coming up next on Toast Meets Jam… Pace Webb, the chef and lifestyle expert behind Taste of Pace.

I remember as clear as day the first time I met Pace. She was decked out in a fantastic yellow print dress and wearing the most “catch-me-if-you-can” color of pink lipstick. I knew I liked her before even getting introduced.

If you’ve ever encountered Pace you know just how irresistible she can be. Her kick-ass outfit drew me in but as soon as we got to talking I could see that her personality was just as colorful. You can’t help but want to hang with this vivacious lady.

Though she earns high marks for her sense of fashion, Pace’s real talents come to life in the kitchen. She is the founder of the catering company Taste of Pace, the host of an invite-only supper club, and a regular TV personality for various food and lifestyle media including Oprah’s OWN Network.

This time around we mixed things up a bit and held our interview at my house in Venice. I wanted to introduce Pace to one of my favorite new brunch spots, Gjusta, but their set-up was less than ideal for filming. Instead, we grabbed a box of pastries to go and brunched take-away style.

Over our baklava croissoints Pace and I talk about the founding of her company, her evolution from chef to TV personality, and why dessert just doesn’t get any better than chocolate cake. Make sure to check back next week to catch the full interview!

Cheers!

Jen

April 17, 2015
Behind the Scenes! Savour this Kitchen Interview

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”.

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.

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

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.

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!

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

April 15, 2015
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

April 3, 2015