LuckyRice LA
Getting Personal with 4 Los Angeles Chefs
[dropcap letter=”A”]s this year’s LuckyRice Event takes over Vibiana in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, I reached out to some of my friends that are incredible LA’s Chefs to find out what they were cooking up, what reminds them of childhood, crazy ingredients they’ve ever cooked with, and of course what’s their guilty pleasure. Tonight’s feast brings Asian culture together through cuisine that extends into every region, with influences of tradition and the intrigue of modern cuisine. There are also several paired cocktails being crafted throughout the evening by the event’s premier sponsor, Bombay Sapphire.
Chef Shirley Cheung (Twenty-Eight)
What inspired your dish for LuckyRice this year?
Right now is peak season for California peaches. Pork and Peach is perfect pairing, the sweetness and the floral note of the peach echos well with the Chinese five spice I use to braise the pork belly. All of these bold flavors pair well with the spicy botanicals of Bombay Sapphire East.
What are some of the most unusual ingredients you’ve ever used?
One of the most unusual ingredients I had to use recently was guanabana, sour sop. The black pepper and lemon grass in the Bombay Sapphire East balance the richness of guanabana, adds spice and savory.
What part of your heritage do you continue to incorporate into the cuisine you create?
My Chinese American heritage. Modern American cuisine with a Chinese soul.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Tacos!!!! Especially Cochinita Pibil Taco.
What is an ingredient that makes you nostalgic about your youth?
Chocolate. Growing up in Beijing, my grandma always had a jar of chocolate hid next to her bed. She would give me one chocolate a day behind my mom’s back.
Chef Erwin Tjahyadi (Komodo)
What inspired your dish for LuckyRice this year?
I turned to my roots in fine dining to create Komodo’s Ahi Tuna & Beets Tar Tar dish. In true Komodo fashion, Chef uses an unexpected pairing of crunchy red apple to enhance the sweetness of the tuna and ruby beets to impart an earthiness not usually found in tar tar dishes.
Pairing the Ahi Tuna Tar Tar with the Bombay Sapphire EAST Silk Journey cocktail is the perfect complement to keeping the flavor profiles light and fresh. The acidity of the lime juice freshens the palate while the tart pomegranate and tea notes provide balance to the natural sweetness of the tuna and apple.
What are some of the most unusual ingredients you’ve ever used?
From my time working under Wolfgang Puck to my recent years at Komodo, I’ve seen a lot of interesting ingredients. Believe it or not, two unusual ingredients that come to mind are fish sperm and squirrel. Fish sperm, most commonly used in pasta dishes, has a strong flavor profile which needs a bold cocktail like The Divine Grove to cut through the saltiness with its spice and citrus elements.
Squirrel on the other hand, has a subtle flavor but can withstand bold accompaniments. Pairing this particular meat with The Pestle cocktail would allow the floral notes of the hibiscus and lemon to shine while enhancing the golden melon.
What part of your heritage do you continue to incorporate into the cuisine you create?
Chef Tjahyadi’s Eastern Java (Indonesian) heritage is infused throughout the menu at Komodo. Our fan favorites, Nasi Goreng and Java Pork, were inspired by his love of Indonesian flavors and memories of his childhood.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Being a fitness buff, I’m pretty particular about my diet and try to stick to healthy foods most of the time. However, when those cheat days come up, a homemade Kobe beef burger with melted brie cheese and foie gras, thick cut bacon and a drizzle of truffle oil sandwiched in a brioche bun hits the spot.
What is an ingredient that makes you nostalgic about your youth?
One of my most vivid food memories is my mom would make us Oxtail and Chinese BBQ Pork when we were growing up. These were some of her go-to meals giving me the opportunity to develop my palate and experience bold flavors at a very young age. When I was younger my curiosity of food led me to visit the morning markets with my dad and sneaking in tofu pudding for breakfast. Being exposed to the food culture and variety of fresh ingredients in Indonesia really sparked my passion for food at a very young age.
Chef Chris Oh (Hanjip)
What inspired your dish for LuckyRice this year?
Any local Chinese Delivery Spot.
What are some of the most unusual ingredients you’ve ever used?
Pigs blood, black chicken.
What part of your heritage do you continue to incorporate into the cuisine you create?
My Korean heritage and my hungover heritage.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Nachos.
What is an ingredient that makes you nostalgic about your youth
String Cheese
Chef Tin (Little Sister DTLA)
What inspired your dish for LuckyRice this year?
The dish for the event is our version of a classic dumpling. A staple food eaten throughout China and the rest of the world in different variations.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT
7th Annual LA LUCKYRICE Grand Feast hosted by Bombay Sapphire EAST
WHEN
Friday, July 29th | VIP 7PM – 10PM, GA 8PM – 10PM
WHERE
Vibiana, 214 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
TICKET INFO
www.luckyrice.com | VIP (Early Entry): $150 | GA: $88
After six years of increasing hype and (sold-out) popularity in NY, SF, Miami and Houston (for the very first-time this year), the nation’s preeminent celebration of Asian epicurean culture is hosting one Grand Feast in Los Angeles! This one-night extravaganza will bring together the most popular Asian-inspired dinner concepts with local culinary and bartending talent from across the country. From kimchi and ramen to newer innovations and specialty pre-dinner cocktails, this year’s Festival will celebrate authentic culture and culinary fusions that have transformed the U.S. into a major Asian cuisine expert.
SIGNATURE YEAR OF THE FIRE MONKEY COCKTAIL FOR 2016
“Each ingredient from the “Silk Journey” is inspired by Asian Culture with a bold red color. This signature drink combines ingredients with great significance in Chinese culture while integrating popular ingredients in Western culture such as ginger beer. Pomegranates symbolize large families and health while mandarins are one of the luckiest fruits for the year. Lastly, Oolong Tea is a New Year’s Day staple for well wishes passed on by generation to generation. It’s drank by the eldest family member first, then onto the next eldest, and so forth.” – Bombay Sapphire North American Brand Ambassador Gary Hayward
Signature Bombay Sapphire EAST cocktails – like the exotic “Silk Journey” elixir, which was created to honor the Year of the Fire Monkey – will be served throughout the evening (recipe below). Top LA mixologists will create their own specialty drinks from craft cocktail hotspots such as Birch, General Lee’s, Upstairs at the Ace Hotel and more.
ASIAN BOX
Slow Roasted Pork & Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll, Fresh Herbs, Spicy Fish Sauce
AYARA THAI CUISINE
Spicy Thai Larb Salmon on Betel Leaves
BLING BLING DUMPLING
Chicken & Thai Basil Dumplings
Pastrami Dumplings, Saurkraut, Sriracha, Thousand Island Dressing
BLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR & GRILL
Assorted Hand Rolls
CRÈME CARAMEL LA
Filipino Mini Pavlova: Coconut Meringu, Ube Custard, Graham Cracker, Greek Yogurt Crumble
FLUFF ICE
Coconut Fluff with Lychee Jelly
GENGHIS COHEN
Turkey Minis
HANJIP KOREAN BBQ
Braised Pork Belly Ssam
HINOKI & THE BIRD
Housemade Tofu with Cherry Tomatoes
KATSUYA
Homemade “Tofu Caprese,” Heirloom Tomato, California Olive Oil-marinated Kombu, Shisho Leaves
Soy Milk Panna Cotta, Matcha Green Tea Sauce, Candied Edamame
KOMODO
Ahi Tuna & Beet Tar Tar, Crispy Julienne Carrots
LITTLE SISTER
Braised Oxtail & Tendon Dumpling, Fermented Chili, Yu Choy, Black Vin, Herbs, Sprouts
PARKS BBQ
Parks Short Ribs Wrapped With Rice Paper
PHORAGE
Vietnamese Pork Meatballs, Broken Rice, Fresh Herbs
POK POK LA
Khanom Jiim Naam Phrik
SHOPHO– — USE
Crispy Spring Rolls
Pork and Chicken Meatballs
TWENTY-EIGHT
Red Braised Pork Belly, Creamy Polenta, Summer Peach
