Waldorf Salad is Like Eating a Rainbow

If you’ve ever wished your kids would eat salad, maybe the Waldorf is for you. Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel of the famed Waldorf Astoria, must have had his kids in mind when he created this colorful, child-friendly salad a century ago. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy veggies, sweet fruit and toasted nuts. Ben and Nick call it “trail mix salad.”

We’ve updated the ingredients and flavors of this classic slightly to appeal to our boys’ tastes. It makes the perfect side dish for lunch or dinner, and even a weekend snack. The best thing though, is how the boys customized it … they eat it in butter lettuce cups. It’s fun, delicious and healthy.

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Irish Inspiration Around the World

By Andrew Hunter

St. Paddy’s Day is here, and while corned beef and cabbage is an obvious culinary tribute, I’ve been craving a delicious Irish Beer and Cheese Bread that Marilyn learned to make growing up in Texas (which is a country of its own). Plus, even though you’re reading this on St. Paddy’s, you can still get in the kitchen today in time for an Irish-inspired complement to dinner tonight.   
Irish Beer and Cheese Bread is like a biscuit, but it’s baked in a loaf pan (translation: it’s quick and easy to make). It’s especially good served with a crisp vegetable salad, or with a creamy soup like potato and leek. But the leftovers are the best…toasted, with bacon and eggs.

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Stirring the Pot

By Andrew Hunter

Certain foods can be found in every kitchen around the world, especially when they’re comfort foods. Rice is eaten at family tables from Korea to Argentina and places in between because all cultures are drawn to food that is comforting and makes us feel at home. Italians love Arborio, a short grain rice, for risotto, a creamy mixture that’s fit for peasants and kings alike.  It’s Italy’s ultimate comfort food.

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Keep on Truckin’

By Andrew Hunter

Food trucks are all the rage in cities across the country. In Los Angeles, there’s a food truck gridlock with offerings ranging from grilled cheese to cupcakes. But the one who started the craze – with a compelling taco, savvy use of social media and a dedication to serving healthy and delicious food to all people regardless of circumstance – is my friend Chef Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ fame.

I first met Roy at a holiday event at our kids’ school. I was in my chef whites looking for Ben and Nick in a sea of kids when I heard a little voice say, “chef, chef, daddy a chef.” I looked down to see a sweet little girl smiling up at me, and the telltale sign of a working chef … Roy’s black clogs splattered with sauce. The Kogi Taco Truck phenomenon hit many months later and quickly developed a cult following on Twitter.

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Childhood Ambition

By Andrew Hunter

When I was a child, I loved to scramble eggs. My family said my eggs were the best they ever had. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always a high-pitched, “Chef!” And while I rebelled against that certainty for a short stint in my 20’s, my destiny was set early in life.

So it was no surprise to anyone when my cousin Chipper and I, at the ripe old age of 10, decided to open a restaurant called “Andrewshka’s.” We would only serve potatoes… in all their glorious fried forms. I still remember standing together in the backyard by my dad’s grill shaking hands on our business venture.

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