It’s no accident that two-thirds of Yotam Ottolenghi’s North American book tour stops are in California.
“There are only two places in the world that have a Mediterranean climate. One of them is the Mediterranean, and the other is California,” he says. “I think one of the reasons why California has such great food is because it’s got this climate, and this climate that kind of creates these wonderful ingredients, and from great ingredients comes great food.”
Ottolenghi is an Israeli-born British chef and author, best known for his writing for The Guardian and The New York Times; cookbooks like Jerusalem, Simple, and Flavour; his innovative approach to cooking vegetables; and his ability to easily break down recipes for even the most amateur home cook. Ottolenghi Comfort is his latest book and the one he’s touring the world to promote.
On Wednesday, October 9, he’ll arrive on stage at the Balboa Theater in San Diego for the tour’s fourth stop, along with host Claudette Zepeda as part of UC San Diego’s ArtPower series.
Zepeda says she hasn’t officially met Ottolenghi in person yet, but “we’ve been in each other’s worlds,” she laughs. The event itself will be “a mixture of food and stand-up comedy,” she says, explaining that the first part of the evening will be a Q&A session between the two chefs, followed by a demo by Ottolenghi, who will prepare a dish from the book and then select an audience member. “They’ll get to create their interpretation of it, and then blindfold-test one other audience member who hasn’t seen what we’ve been doing and have them pick which is their favorite.”
Zepeda says it’s a visual method to show how different the same dish can present itself through the eyes of two different people. Plus, it’s a way to create a more engaging event for her hometown crowd that isn’t the typical book release party. Ottolenghi says it’s a taste of what the audience members can expect, promising more surprises at each stop.
The London-based food star wants people to know that while cooking should be taken seriously, it doesn’t have to be overly precious or scary. “I’m not very fussy when it comes to food,” he promises, eschewing the label of food snob. Ottolenghi Comfort is meant to reflect that, focusing on nostalgic recipes and simple but hearty dishes to feed the heart and soul. Zepeda advises those who plan on attending to come hungry—literally and figuratively.
“I’m just excited to welcome everyone into this part of my life,” she says. “I hope everyone comes out with an open mind and hungry belly.”
Tickets for Yotam Ottolenghi’s Comfort tour stop in San Diego are available here.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
It’s Time For WASTED, A Save the Food Festival
Kitchens for Good (KFG) and Big Table are reuniting for WASTED, a two-night event to raise funds for KFG, raise awareness of how much food gets wasted each day, and show consumers what they can do about it. Wednesday, October 9 is the 21+ WASTED Dinner Experience at Liberty Station’s Building 177, and the official all-ages festival takes place on Sunday, October 13 at Liberty Station’s South Promenade. Guest chefs include Marcus Twilegar (Dockside Fish), William Eick (Matsu), Amanda Palomino (KFG), Christina Ng (Berry Good Food), and many more. Tickets for each event are available here, and both come with guarantees of deliciousness, learning, and what sounds like a lot of fun.
Beth’s Bites
- If you’re like me, you’re anxiously awaiting the Padres’ postseason glory, which will definitely happen, and they definitely won’t blow it. Hopefully, they’re incentivized by Puesto’s buy-one-get-one taco deal (available at various locations the day after a postseason Padres win). Might I recommend Joe Musgrove’s signature adobada taco, just to push the whole theme (and hopefully team) all the way home?
- We promised it would happen, and now it has—Brewjeria Company is officially open at 241 Third Avenue in Chula Vista.
- Little SaigonStroll The Boulevard will take place on Friday, October 11, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will feature food, drink, art, and live entertainment starting at 46th Street and moving to Euclid Avenue. You can find more info here.
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
