Chef Wolfgang Puck serves signature dishes in Newport Beach
Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck spent the weekend cooking for locals at the third-annual Noble Wine & Dine Weekend at the Pendry Newport Beach. Co-hosted by Puck and Nobleman Magazine founders Doug and Lydia McLaughlin, the two-day event honored Puck as the magazine's Chef of the Year.
Puck is best known for popularizing California cuisine, which focuses on seasonality and sustainability while showcasing the state's local bounty. The Austrian-born chef is also credited with creating several signature dishes that have become the inspiration for staple dish on menus all over the world, including Chinois chicken salad and smoked salmon pizza; the latter of which has been on the menu at at his Beverly Hills restaurant, Spago, since 1982. Both dishes were served at Sunday's 'Ultimate Sunday Brunch' grand tasting event.
The lineup for the culinary weekend also included other renowned chefs from around Orange County, including Riley Huddleston of the Mayor's Table in Newport Beach, Michael Reed of Poppy & Seed in Anaheim, Ross Pangilinan of South Coast Plaza's Terrace by Mix Mix, Erik de Marchi of Osteria in Laguna Beach, Noah Von Blöm of Costa Mesa's Arc, Rich Mead of Newport Beach's Farmhouse at Roger's Gardens and Jessica Roy from the Sherman Library and Gardens restaurant, 608 Dahlia.
Ben Martinek, culinary director of Pendry Newport Beach, as well as chef JoJo Ruiz from the hotel's SET Steak & Sushi restaurant were also on hand serving bites as well.
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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ridin' with Cuco at Dodger Stadium
By the time Cuco arrived at Dodger Stadium on a recent Tuesday evening, thousands of fans were already lined up outside the venue's gates, waiting to be let in. Though the matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks wouldn't begin for another two hours, these Doyer diehards made their way to Chavez Ravine early to catch the pre-game festivities. It was Mexican Heritage Night, and the team had plenty of entertainment planned for the fanbase that Fernando Valenzuela built: a mini-concert by the legendary La Original Banda el Limón de Salvador Lizárraga; a lucha libre exhibition; and the throwing of the ceremonial first pitch by Chavo Guerrero Jr., scion of the storied Mexican American Guerrero wrestling clan. To complete this hodgepodge of a cultural celebration, the Dodgers also asked Cuco to sing the national anthem, a fitting invitation given that the 26-year-old Inglewood-born and Hawthorne-raised artist, whose real name is Omar Banos, had just put out 'Ridin'' (released May 9 via Interscope Records). The LP, his third, is an 11-track gem of L.A. Mexican Americana dripping with the ageless sounds of Chicano soul. Donning a team cap, a long white tee, black shorts, Dodger blue Nike SB Dunk Lows and his trademark glasses, Cuco walked into the stadium entrance reserved for suite-level ticketholders accompanied by his manager and a social content creator. Despite a heat wave that raised that day's temperatures into the high 80s, a black Dodgers windbreaker that he planned to wear later in the evening hung around his neck. Pinned to it was a button that contained a portrait of Jaime Mendoza, his late maternal grandfather. 'My grandpa was big on the Dodgers,' Cuco said, noting that it was because of him that his whole family rooted for the Boys in Blue. As Cuco is escorted through the concrete bowels of Dodger Stadium by a pair of team publicists taking him to sound check, fans spot him and excitedly call out his name. Some even approach him for a selfie. When asked if he often gets recognized in public, the singer-songwriter chuckled. 'Yeah, if there's a lot of Latinos around,' he quipped. 'I'm always going to say yes to a photo. I'm never going to turn them down.' It's cliché for any artist to say that they'd be nothing without their fans, but this adage rings particularly true when it comes to Cuco. His loyal supporters, dubbed the "Cuco Puffs," turned a former precocious marching band geek into a bonafide indie pop star. He began his career in the mid-2010s by uploading Spanglish lo-fi love songs recorded in his childhood bedroom to Soundcloud and Bandcamp. Dreamy, synth-heavy ballads like "Lover Is a Day" (off of his first mixtape, 2016's "Wannabewithu") and "Lo Que Siento" (released as a single in 2017) quickly connected with countless bicultural, Gen Z Latinos, racking up millions of streams in the process. By the time Cuco started performing at backyard shows, he had packed crowds singing every lyric back at him. Such was the hype around him that several labels got into a two-year bidding war to sign the unlikely teen idol with a ready-made fan base. 'I don't need a label. The labels mostly need me,' Cuco told The Times in 2017. 'Like, in no cocky way, the reality of it is labels stay up because of the artists.' When Interscope finally won out in 2019, it was on the artist's terms — Cuco inked a seven-figure deal that allowed him to retain ownership of his music and gave him the creative freedom to do what he wanted. He was 20 at the time. That summer, he released his debut album, "Para Mi," a notable first effort that paired a blissful sound — inspired by a slew of genres, including psychedelic rock, bossa nova, pop and quiet storm R&B — with lyrics that touched on loneliness and substance abuse ("Take this and fly away till the substance numbs the pain," he sings in "Ego Death in Thailand"). The album's first single, "Hydrocodone," is a nod to the pain medication he was on after being involved in a near-fatal car crash while out on tour in 2018. This March, Cuco celebrated three years of sobriety. The year 2022 saw the release of "Fantasy Gateway," an ambitious concept album heavily inspired by psych rockers Tame Impala that takes the listener to another dimension, featuring notable collaborations with artists like Mexico's indie darling Bratty and fellow sadboi romántico DannyLux. "Sitting in the Corner," recorded with música Mexicana crooner Adriel Favela and country singer Kacey Musgraves, is a space pop ranchera that yearns for a lover who has left. "It's the vibe, man," he says of the musicians he chooses to work with. "It's not really about artists being big or not. It's just if I get along with them and they have cool ideas and it aligns with my personality." With 'Ridin',' Cuco delivers his most mature album to date. Produced by Thomas Brenneck (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse), the record is a neo-Chicano soul instant classic that pays tribute to the likes of Brenton Wood, Al Green and Smokey Robinson — soul and R&B artists from the '60s and '70s whose music has been adopted by lowrider and Chicano culture — all while maintaining that distinct Cuco sound, a perfect marriage between the old and the new. The album's opener, "ICNBYH" (an abbrevation of "I Could Never Break Your Heart"), would be at home in an "East Side Story" mixtape compilation. Cuco's psychedelia roots are most apparent in songs like "Ridin'," a track that feels like you're cruising on a spaceship down Whittier Boulevard. 'I couldn't really try to make something that sounded exactly like [Chicano soul]. I was hoping to embody that timelessness, but I had to work in the most authentic way possible so that it felt that way,' he said. "I wanted to go for more natural sounds with the soul sound, but I think it's just inevitable for me sometimes. I'm just going to end up doing some psychedelic parts with the music because that's what I've always been." "Ridin'" is an album of the summer contender for anyone whose idea of summer means hanging out at the beach with all your friends — this exact scenario describes the music video for the album's first single, "My 45," which stars Mexican American actress Xochitl Gomez as a femme fatale. And while the LP is teeming with enough vehicular references to make Bruce Springsteen jealous (the cover shows Cuco sitting on top of his 1989 Toyota Supra), Cuco says "Ridin'" isn't strictly meant for the car. 'I'm hoping that ["Ridin'"] is something that's interpreted however the listener chooses to interpret it, whether they're ridin' in your car, ridin' for somebody or just ridin' through life,' he says. After sound check, Cuco made his way back to the suite level to wait for the rest of his party to arrive, which included his parents, Adolfo Banos and Irma Mendoza. The only child of immigrants, the artist has made it a point to share his success with them. Forgoing wearing anything in Dodger blue, the elder Banos donned a hoodie from his son's latest tour. Mendoza showed up wearing a team hat and a striped shirt. Affixed to it was a button identical to her son's. It was her idea; she had made them the night before. As it got closer to game time, the singer was ushered down to the field once again. It was showtime. 'Please stand and remove your hats for the singing of the national anthem,' the stadium announcer said over the P.A. system. 'Joining us today is Cuco, indie pop star from Hawthorne!' Cuco took a beat before singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in his patented soft and mellow voice. His parents stood approximately 20 feet away, beaming with pride. After it was all over, the singer quickly made his way to them, and was met with smiles and hugs. A minute later, a production assistant grabs Cuco for his final obligation of the night. He's handed a microphone and is escorted back to where he performed the national anthem. He's met by a congregation of luchadores who will act as a chorus as he delivers the phrase popularized by the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully — "It's time for Dodger baseball!" In the fall, Cuco will go on a nationwide tour to promote the album — he'll be performing at the Greek Theatre on Sept. 15. But right now it's summer and he's ridin' with his loved ones, about to watch a game the Dodgers will end up winning 4-3 in extra innings. Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Rock icon Fito Páez isn't looking at legacy yet: 'I still have many things left to do'
Rock icon Fito Páez isn't looking at legacy yet: 'I still have many things left to do' Don't give Fito Páez his flowers yet. He's still planting new seeds. The Argentina-born singer-songwriter and film director, whose landmark 1992 album "El Amor Después del Amor" celebrated its 33rd anniversary June 1, continues his tradition of avant-Latin rock on his latest album "Novela." Páez, 62, became "The Troubadour of Argentine Rock" by waxing poetic with his heady, romantic lyrics and free-spirit flamboyance. On "Novela," an ambitious 25-track record Páez had been working on since 1988, the Grammy-winning rocker explores the inner workings of true love through the tale of Maldivina and Turbialuz, a pair of young witches tasked with creating the "perfect romance." "I don't compose music for albums. My connection to music, to writing or to film is permanent. I'm not thinking, 'Now I'm going to do this or that,'" Páez tells USA TODAY in Spanish. "It's almost like breathing." Something that comes just as naturally to Páez is writing about the primal magic of human connection. "There's nothing more important than love," he says. Fito Páez preaches the importance of artistic independence For Páez, there's nothing more vital than marching to the beat of your own drum. The acclaimed rocker, who's released nearly 30 albums since his 1984 debut "Del 63," shares his concern about today's music landscape, which he views as valuing conformity over originality. "The world has changed so much," he reflects. "In the last century, to be different (as an artist) was a virtue. Today, virtue is being like everybody else." Despite his lower middle-class upbringing in Rosario, Argentina, Páez was fed a rich musical diet, consisting of the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles. He says these trailblazers informed the experimental rock style he's now known for. So, Páez's advice for younger artists? Embrace the uncertainty of carving out their own path. "Music is like the sea. It's deep and warm and at the same time, full of storms," Páez says. "This is much more fun than repeating a beat and four lyrics for five minutes." Karol G interview: Singer talks vulnerable new documentary, love life and upcoming 'dream' album Fito Páez's proudest achievement may surprise you Over the years, Páez has been lauded for his artistic contributions, including 11 Latin Grammy Awards. In 2021, the Latin Recording Academy recognized Páez with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Páez's music has been equally championed by la gente. His beloved eighth album, "El Amor Después del Amor," is reportedly the best-selling album in the history of Argentine rock. "I don't want a legacy yet. I still have many things left to do," Páez says with a laugh. "In the end, that's the beauty of the spread of music, that it's not the process of one era, of one song, of your vanity or of your brand, but it's a journey through time. And when it happens for real, it's very beautiful." Natalia Lafourcade interview: Mexican singer on alter ego in 'Cancionera,' significance of touring in her 40s The greatest accolade for Páez lies in his continued ability to create. "I really love that 12-year-old boy who listened to music with his parents, and something was awoken there that is still alive, and that boy never said never," Páez says. "So, I'm really proud of that little boy."
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Ridin' with Cuco at Dodger Stadium
By the time Cuco arrived at Dodger Stadium on a recent Tuesday evening, thousands of fans were already lined up outside the venue's gates, waiting to be let in. Though the matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks wouldn't begin for another two hours, these Doyer diehards made their way to Chavez Ravine early to catch the pre-game festivities. It was Mexican Heritage Night, and the team had plenty of entertainment planned for the fanbase that Fernando Valenzuela built: a mini-concert by the legendary La Original Banda el Limón de Salvador Lizárraga; a lucha libre exhibition; and the throwing of the ceremonial first pitch by Chavo Guerrero Jr., scion of the storied Mexican American Guerrero wrestling clan. To complete this hodgepodge of a cultural celebration, the Dodgers also asked Cuco to sing the national anthem, a fitting invitation given that the 26-year-old Inglewood-born and Hawthorne-raised artist, whose real name is Omar Banos, had just put out 'Ridin'' (released May 9 via Interscope Records). The LP, his third, is an 11-track gem of L.A. Mexican Americana dripping with the ageless sounds of Chicano soul. Donning a team cap, a long white tee, black shorts, Dodger blue Nike SB Dunk Lows and his trademark glasses, Cuco walked into the stadium entrance reserved for suite-level ticketholders accompanied by his manager and a social content creator. Despite a heat wave that raised that day's temperatures into the high 80s, a black Dodgers windbreaker that he planned to wear later in the evening hung around his neck. Pinned to it was a button that contained a portrait of Jaime Mendoza, his late maternal grandfather. 'My grandpa was big on the Dodgers,' Cuco said, noting that it was because of him that his whole family rooted for the Boys in Blue. As Cuco is escorted through the concrete bowels of Dodger Stadium by a pair of team publicists taking him to sound check, fans spot him and excitedly call out his name. Some even approach him for a selfie. When asked if he often gets recognized in public, the singer-songwriter chuckled. 'Yeah, if there's a lot of Latinos around,' he quipped. 'I'm always going to say yes to a photo. I'm never going to turn them down.' It's cliché for any artist to say that they'd be nothing without their fans, but this adage rings particularly true when it comes to Cuco. His loyal supporters, dubbed the 'Cuco Puffs,' turned a former precocious marching band geek into a bonafide indie pop star. He began his career in the mid-2010s by uploading Spanglish lo-fi love songs recorded in his childhood bedroom to Soundcloud and Bandcamp. Dreamy, synth-heavy ballads like 'Lover Is a Day' (off of his first mixtape, 2016's 'Wannabewithu') and 'Lo Que Siento' (released as a single in 2017) quickly connected with countless bicultural, Gen Z Latinos, racking up millions of streams in the process. By the time Cuco started performing at backyard shows, he had packed crowds singing every lyric back at him. Such was the hype around him that several labels got into a two-year bidding war to sign the unlikely teen idol with a ready-made fan base. 'I don't need a label. The labels mostly need me,' Cuco told The Times in 2017. 'Like, in no cocky way, the reality of it is labels stay up because of the artists.' When Interscope finally won out in 2019, it was on the artist's terms — Cuco inked a seven-figure deal that allowed him to retain ownership of his music and gave him the creative freedom to do what he wanted. He was 20 at the time. That summer, he released his debut album, 'Para Mi,' a notable first effort that paired a blissful sound — inspired by a slew of genres, including psychedelic rock, bossa nova, pop and quiet storm R&B — with lyrics that touched on loneliness and substance abuse ('Take this and fly away till the substance numbs the pain,' he sings in 'Ego Death in Thailand'). The album's first single, 'Hydrocodone,' is a nod to the pain medication he was on after being involved in a near-fatal car crash while out on tour in 2018. This March, Cuco celebrated three years of sobriety. The year 2022 saw the release of 'Fantasy Gateway,' an ambitious concept album heavily inspired by psych rockers Tame Impala that takes the listener to another dimension, featuring notable collaborations with artists like Mexico's indie darling Bratty and fellow sadboi romántico DannyLux. 'Sitting in the Corner,' recorded with música Mexicana crooner Adriel Favela and country singer Kacey Musgraves, is a space pop ranchera that yearns for a lover who has left. 'It's the vibe, man,' he says of the musicians he chooses to work with. 'It's not really about artists being big or not. It's just if I get along with them and they have cool ideas and it aligns with my personality.' With 'Ridin',' Cuco delivers his most mature album to date. Produced by Thomas Brenneck (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse), the record is a neo-Chicano soul instant classic that pays tribute to the likes of Brenton Wood, Al Green and Smokey Robinson — soul and R&B artists from the '60s and '70s whose music has been adopted by lowrider and Chicano culture — all while maintaining that distinct Cuco sound, a perfect marriage between the old and the new. The album's opener, 'ICNBYH' (an abbrevation of 'I Could Never Break Your Heart'), would be at home in an 'East Side Story' mixtape compilation. Cuco's psychedelia roots are most apparent in songs like 'Ridin',' a track that feels like you're cruising on a spaceship down Whittier Boulevard. 'I couldn't really try to make something that sounded exactly like [Chicano soul]. I was hoping to embody that timelessness, but I had to work in the most authentic way possible so that it felt that way,' he said. 'I wanted to go for more natural sounds with the soul sound, but I think it's just inevitable for me sometimes. I'm just going to end up doing some psychedelic parts with the music because that's what I've always been.' 'Ridin'' is an album of the summer contender for anyone whose idea of summer means hanging out at the beach with all your friends — this exact scenario describes the music video for the album's first single, 'My 45,' which stars Mexican American actress Xochitl Gomez as a femme fatale. And while the LP is teeming with enough vehicular references to make Bruce Springsteen jealous (the cover shows Cuco sitting on top of his 1989 Toyota Supra), Cuco says 'Ridin'' isn't strictly meant for the car. 'I'm hoping that ['Ridin''] is something that's interpreted however the listener chooses to interpret it, whether they're ridin' in your car, ridin' for somebody or just ridin' through life,' he says. After sound check, Cuco made his way back to the suite level to wait for the rest of his party to arrive, which included his parents, Adolfo Banos and Irma Mendoza. The only child of immigrants, the artist has made it a point to share his success with them. Forgoing wearing anything in Dodger blue, the elder Banos donned a hoodie from his son's latest tour. Mendoza showed up wearing a team hat and a striped shirt. Affixed to it was a button identical to her son's. It was her idea; she had made them the night before. As it got closer to game time, the singer was ushered down to the field once again. It was showtime. 'Please stand and remove your hats for the singing of the national anthem,' the stadium announcer said over the P.A. system. 'Joining us today is Cuco, indie pop star from Hawthorne!' Cuco took a beat before singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in his patented soft and mellow voice. His parents stood approximately 20 feet away, beaming with pride. After it was all over, the singer quickly made his way to them, and was met with smiles and hugs. A minute later, a production assistant grabs Cuco for his final obligation of the night. He's handed a microphone and is escorted back to where he performed the national anthem. He's met by a congregation of luchadores who will act as a chorus as he delivers the phrase popularized by the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully — 'It's time for Dodger baseball!' In the fall, Cuco will go on a nationwide tour to promote the album — he'll be performing at the Greek Theatre on Sept. 15. But right now it's summer and he's ridin' with his loved ones, about to watch a game the Dodgers will end up winning 4-3 in extra innings.
