It's one of those hideaway spots that oozes farm-to-table in every sense. Nestled in a part of Hollywood Hills called Beachwood Canyon, Beachwood Café brings to mind the old days of "Hollywoodland", before it was officially dubbed Hollywood, away from all the glam and glitz of the city. And on Wednesday night, chef and owner Patti Peck shut down her restaurant for a special dinner event: To celebrate her win on the latest episode of Food Network's show,
Chopped!
It was not by accident that I was invited here on this particular evening. Not only did I discover a new neighborhood community (after being an L.A. girl for over 30 years), but I'm also a HUGE fan of
Chopped! as well as fresh farm-to-table fare.
Stepping into Beachwood Café, I was immediately transported to what felt like a set from the TV series, "Twin Peaks". Only cozier and more familial. But nonetheless, there's a real rustic, canyon feel to this joint that has a prominent spot in the tiny, quiet town center where you might still see a few locals arriving on horseback. It is most definitely a favorite among the canyon residents, some of whom include top celebrity names.
Families, friends, moms and dads with kids, and grandmas, quickly filled up the space on this night, waiting for the curious menu which featured items like Emu meatballs, and cherry moonshine lamb ribs. Though these are not typical dishes Chef Patti would prepare at Beachwood Café, they were the spontaneous creations from the show just days before, a testament to her quick skills and creative talent she accumulated from her years at San Francisco's Chez Panisse, and more locally, Edendale Grill in Los Feliz. Served buffet style, each course was savory and rich. Comfort food, but elevated.
As part of the evening's event, guests viewed a screening of the May 20th episode, which was cleverly done in 3 parts, each clip preluding the next course that was served from the menu the chef recreated. The cheers and clapping grew louder as Chef Patti inched closer to claiming the grand prize of $10,000.
The dessert course stayed in theme with the episode's "Aussie" twist, where Chef Patti made a puffed pastry presentation, using such ingredients as apricot jam, canned cheddar cheese, and apple moonshine. The final product was simply marvelous and ingenious.
Winning
Chopped! was a big deal for Patti, who grew up on her grandparents' Iowa farm, learning to cook for and feed 50 farmhands everyday. Not only did she win the coveted prize money, but she plans to use that money to start a bread co-op to help at-risk girls. What's more farm-to-table than that? :)
You can view the entire episode of
Chopped! here:
http://watch.foodnetwork.com/Player?sid=CQ&gid=HDFD0068460002182481&nlvid=0218248
Beachwood Café:
http://beachwoodcafe.com/
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