This winter we were fortunate to dine with friends – old and new – soaking up the hip vibes at the beautifully understated and modern aesthetic of Isles Interiors in Newport Beach while enjoying conversation between spoonfuls of piping hot Mortadella Lobster Chowder crafted by the talented Chef Kyle Powers.
The timely cold weather transported us home to simpler times. Thanks to all who gathered at the communal table to make this an evening to remember including @lunareececeramics + @theurbanspring. Special thanks to Maria & Max Isles.
Photo credit to MB.Maher.com + + + + +
Four Course Menu crafted by the talented Chef Kyle Powers ofFork In the Road Catering and Wine Pairing by wine aficionado Tyler Rodriguez
We love getting to know Brad Fry whose sense of style harkens back to his days in Chicago. An energetic and fun bar manager for Michaels Restaurant Group, he is an active member in the United States Bartenders Guild and has participated in numerous cocktail competitions —one in which he represented the West Coast at World Class in 2016. Come, pull up a chair, stay awhile…
Q, How you got started behind the bar – and what captivated you?
A. Like most bartenders, I started as a server, and once of age, was offered to move up to a bartender. I’d say luck, and being in the right place/ right time have been the story of my success. I was very fortunate to be hired to co-run Bernard’s Bar, in what was the Elysian Hotel (now the Waldorf Astoria in downtown Chicago). Above our bar was Ria, a 2 Star Michelin rated restaurant, which we did the cocktails for. It was elevating my passion for food, and play in cocktails, that addicted me to the industry of service.
Q. Traditions…?
A. Keeping my tools and bar clean.
Q. Your philosophy…?
A. Prep, and set myself for success. Play like a child!
Q. Anything that comes to mind?
A. I’m honored to pair my cocktails and wine with these three amazingly talented chefs!
You would never know by his subtle demeanor, but three sentences into your conversation you discover that Chef Karlo Evaristo is fully immersed in a culinary adventure where the precise combination of ingredients culminates into a delightful and gratifying tasting experience.
Below is a bit of Q & A, but of course you meet him Monday 1/8/18 in Seal Beach ~ Come on a lark with us!
Q. What is your idea of the perfect meal?
A. I love tasting menus. Little bites of different flavors is more appealing to me than a big portion plate of one dish. The more courses the better.
Q. Which living food-related person do you most admire?
A. I think in the U.S., for a lot of cooks/chefs/foodies/homecooks, Thomas Keller would probably be on top of their list for a “food-related person” that they admire.
Not only has he brought American Cuisine on the world map, but he played a big role in training and inspiring the next generation of Chefs. Think about it, if it wasn’t for him, there would be no Alinea, no Benu –and even Noma’s Rene Redzepi trained with him.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
A. I have “slight” addiction on kitchen knives. I spend way too much than I should on them. BUT, I love it. I don’t regret buying any of them. I currently have 20+ something knives and all of them are handmade by super talented blade smiths.
Q. What is your view on the current state of the culinary world?
A. I think it super approachable. A lot of chefs are offering menus that are pretty affordable and would be similar to the type of food that you would get in super high end/super expensive spots.
Also there is a lot of attention on food and the Chefs behind them. Which I guess is good for all of us in the industry.
Q. What is the quality you most like in a chef?
A. Passion. Doing everything with passion, success and everything else will follow.
Q. Which words or phrases do you most overuse in the kitchen?
A. “Heard” & “Behind”.
Q. When are you happiest?
A. When I create a dish and it tastes delicious :).
Q. Which talent would you most like to have?
A. Laser beam organization.
Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A. My son.
Q. Where would you most like to live?
A. San Francisco/Napa, or Philippines.
Q. What is your most treasured ingredient?
A. Salt.
Q. What is your most marked characteristic?
A. Fair.
Through a connection of friends, food and larks –– we meet Chef Jared Ventura. Our first understanding is how much he loves food, but it was not long before we realized he is bursting with ideas and enthusiasm for creating and connecting. We are super stoked to have this opportunity to collaborate with him on lark #34 and we whole heartedly credit Chef Jared’s passion for making it happen. Here’s a bit of Q&A to get to know him better, but of course, he will be front and center on Monday 1/8/18 . Come on a lark with us!
Q. Which living food-related person do you most admire?
A. Thomas Keller will always be a hero of mine.
Q. What is the quality you most like in a chef?
A. Restraint, balance, and creativity.
Q. Where would you most like to live?
A. Anywhere on a farm with great weather.
Q. What early experience(s) lead to you becoming a chef?
A. My grandparents cooking. They were from Sicily and I grew up making and eating fresh pastas, sausages, fresh breads, braised chicken and much more. My dad is also very into food and I grew up with him cooking every night making a lot of French dishes (though he is Sicilian). It was extremely rare for us to go out to eat; going out to eat was going to another family members house.
Q. What is your most treasured ingredient?
A. I love me some good French butter.
Q. Who are your favorite culinary inspirations?
A. Matthew Kirkley formerly of Coi Restaurant where I had one of the best meals of my life.
We had an amazing lark at Maia’s Cottage in Laguna Beach. Unsure of late October weather, we boldly stepped into a misty and windy day and began our prep, which thankfully included a gorgeous and highly functional fire pit designed by our friends at Haskell. Maia’s Cottage calm French Provincial vibe could not have been more perfect – as we flowed through the house with drinks, appetizers, introductions and greetings. As the weather stilled, we gathered under the stars to enjoy a heartfelt menu crafted by Chef Kyle Powers and Sous Chef Nelson who fortunately had the luxury of a gorgeous and functional kitchen.
Where did you grow up?
My father was a Marine and we moved around a lot when I was younger, mainly between California, North Carolina + Connecticut. Once he retired we settle in South Eastern Connecticut where I finished middle school, high school and college.
Where do you live now? On the balboa peninsula in Newport Beach, California
Was food a big part of your childhood? Absolutely! Everything revolved around cooking + eating. Holiday’s, birthdays, you name it. There was always a reason to get the family together and celebrate.
How did you discover your love for cooking-any defining moments?
I don’t think I have any defining moments. Food was always a big part of everyday life. I remember as a kid every Christmas decorating cut out sugar cookies + candy canes with my grandmother, that might have been one of my earliest memories. I started washing dishes + being a prep cook at 15 and have always had my foot in the door of a restaurant in some capacity since.
What do love about the culinary world?
I think my favorite part is feeding people. I feel it to be so nurturing and rewarding and a great way to connect to people.
Did you go to culinary school?
I did not. School of the hard knocks baby!
Any advice for aspiring chefs? A’int nothing to it but to do it. You need to put the work and time in. Find out what works, what doesn’t work and build from there.
What ingredient do you use most? Good olive oil, salt, pepper + fresh herbs.
What is your favorite food/drink pairing?
Grilled hanger steak, chimichurri + an ice cold peroni.
Who do you idolize in the food world?
I don’t think I idolize anybody but am very fond of the mentors + teachers I have learned from along the way. They knew who they are. Oh, and David Chang.
How fortunate we are to create and collaborate people who love their craft! Jack Carlisle and his talented crew created the most beautiful setting for our chef inspired dinner. We dined on picturesque farmhouse tables showcasing gorgeous floral arrangements above and below – a true garden adventure.
This welcoming communal table was surrounded by boundless items of interest, causing one to pause every few steps to comment or share a deep-rooted memory.
Mirroring this engaging environment was our “bloom within” menu carefully crafted by the talented Chef Kyle Powers. Delicious Papusas served with fresh herbs, flavorful Chestnut & Squash soup with floating grilled cheese (do try this at home!), Chicken, Filet & Blue Corn Tamale sharing the same platter – we were loving it!
Our favorite moment came when, during the dinner, Jack shared the history of the building – which was one of the very first Ford dealerships. We learned they often held their own parties (even in the days of prohibition) and could count among their guests Walt Disney himself! While taking this in, we raised our glasses to the idea that we are a part of its story. What a true honor!
A huge thank you to all our guest, you are the ones who make each lark magical. Thank you to the talented Steve Orlick for capturing the moment!
Thank you to all who attended our lark at Sourced Collective a charming old blue a-framed house on Glenneyre Street “where dreamers become doers”. We gathered around the communal table to enjoy the art of conversation, become inspired by design, raise our glasses in unison and enjoy delicious food.
We are grateful for our adventurous guests, Host Michelle Mercado, Chef Kyle Powers, Mike Otto of Tolosa Winery, Wunderland & Co., LetterSparrow and Andrea Luna Reece. We also had the pleasure of meeting @inviscus who brought their good vibes, appetites and curiosity to capture our story:
Thursday 3/24/16 Menu curated by CHEF KYLE POWERS {fork in the road catering}
upon arrival and paired w/chefs choice blackberry pie martini:
lobster roll toast + pickled mushroom flatbread
on the table and paired w/Tolosa Wine:
spicy clam in broth sip
grilled little gem w/picked plum & gorgonzola topped w/plum vinaigrette
7/30/15 Pop-up Dinner Party at J o l i e in Newport Beach, CA
J o l i e {beautiful in French} truly lives up to it’s name. Owner Cherie D’Sa and her crew Nicole and Norma operate with style and grace. We love their light and airy seaside location showcasing amazing collection of curated high-end clothing, shoes, handbags, and home goods.
J o l I e embraced lark and then showed us what the word “hustle” actually looks like. One of the few shops open while Lido Marina Village is under construction, they have managed to build a strong local following and create their own piece of fashion paradise in a short period of time.
To add style upon style, lark was fortunate to collaborate with talented artists Andrea Luna Reece and Stacy & Selavi at Ready Set Make. They added some beautiful handmade ceramic tapas plates and stunning Himmeli sculptures to sit alongside the gorgeous menus created by LetterSparrow.
Everything about J o l I e is perfect, so we decided to set the vibe just outside the doors by creating a hip and fun vignette with fabulous furnishings from 503found (check out those yellow chairs from Paris!).
As you may surmise, our communal dinner table was already bursting with good vibes when Chef Kyle shared all the delicious details of his eponymous menu:
tossed in a burnt tortilla vinaigrette, w/grilled kale, burrata cheese & toasted almonds
shrimp & crab cake
served w/white bean tahini puree, fried soft shell crab + a charred corn & fresno chili salad
*vegetarian option: summer squash cake served / white bean tahini puree, and a charred corn & fresno chili salad
dessert
shortbread biscuit served w/frozen greek yogurt & blueberry sage compote
Bringing this lark to fruition, we discovered this fashionista’s paradise is rooted to the ground with genuine people on every side of the counter.
We are grateful for all who gathered, making this a beautiful summer lark! A gazillion thanks to our guests, @Shop_Jolie, @LetterSparrow, @ReadySetMake, @MySaltySoul, @LunaBirdie, @503found & @ForkInTheRoadCatering. Until we meet again! Xo~l
We will forever revel in our super fun lark at the beautiful 503found. Chef Kyle delivered BIG time on effort and flavor. He crafted his own makeshift kitchen steps away from our communal table and served up a fine menu. Music flowed, wine was poured and friends were made in the midst of the beautiful, eclectic artwork and furnishings.
We had a beautifully styled table thanks to our lark crew, 503found’s offerings, and the hand-lettered menus created by LetterSparrow.
Thank you to all the beautiful people who attended, we are grateful to the good energy and love you brought to this occasion. We hope we inspired you to come on a future lark!
In closing, we are super thankful to Kim J., owner of 503found, for her free spirit, style and inspiration. 503found is housed in a former boathouse sure to be full of good times and stories – and we are proud to have added to them.
Special thanks to Photographer Brian Tropiano, Marisa Powers, & Lark stylists: Ginger Wallace, Monique Schulfer & Catherine Rex.