DineLA: Foie Gras: Get It While You Can - discoverLosAngeles.com

Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 by Mona Shah

Foie Gras Cheesecake | Photo by Tara de Lis
Featured on DineLA: Foie Gras: Get It While You Can - discoverLosAngeles.com
Along the same lines, some of the most ingenious experiments are often of born of “so-crazy-it-could-actually-work” scenarios. Such is the case with the foie gras cheesecake at happening Pasadena gastropub Haven, where it’s served with a hibiscus gelee and vanilla crumble, and offers the light sweetness of a dessert without losing the foie flavor. According to executive chef Greg Daniels, its origin began when he was looking for a seasonal fall fruit to serve with cheesecake, and accidentally ended up on the foie gras page. Thinking out loud, he said, “We could do a foie gras cheesecake,” never intending it to become a reality. A series of trial-and-error endeavors followed, replacing the cake’s usual fat with foie, and finding the right balance so that it wasn’t too sweet or too savory. The original recipe called for kumquat marmalade and a pecan crust, but pastry chef Santanna Salas evolved the concept and made it her own in its current incarnation.

O.C. CHEFS FIGHT FOR FOIE | Monday, May 14th

Posted Tuesday, May 08, 2012 by Mona Shah

On Monday, May 14th, Haven Gastropub Executive Chef/Partner Greg Daniels will join forces with prominent Orange County chefs to host a prix-fixe dinner to support humane and ethical farming. To present the seven-course menu, which is priced at $80++, Chef Daniels will work side-by-side with Chef Pascal Olhats (Pascal Restaurant, Lé Brasserie), Chef Yvon Goetz (The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar), Chef John Cuevas (The Crow Bar and Kitchen), Chef Tony Alcazar (The Bottle Room), Chef Ryan Carson ('Pri-vē), and Pastry Chef Santanna Salas (Haven Gastropub). The indulgent degustation menu will provide diners with an opportunity to enjoy special preparations of foie gras featuring each chef’s unique style.  All of the proceeds from the dinner will benefit The Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (C.H.E.F.S.) with participating sponsor, Daniels Western Meatpackers.

O.C. Chefs Fight For Foie
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Haven Gastropub – 190 S. Glassell Street in Old Towne Orange

O.C. Chefs Fight For Foie
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Haven Gastropub – 190 S. Glassell Street in Old Towne Orange


Amuse

Foie Gras Parfait
pineapple “jell-o” and caramelized onions
Tony Alcazar, The Bottle Room

Pan Seared Foie Gras
homemade oatmeal cookies, first of season cherries, white chocolate syrup
John Cuevas, The Crow Bar and Kitchen

Broth of Late Harvest Wine & Duck Confit
sautéed foie gras de canard
Pascal Olhats, Pascal Restaurant, Brasserie Pascal

Duck, Duck... Goose
watermelon, thai basil, kaffir lime, vanilla pickles, black garlic
Ryan Carson, 'Pri-vē

Intermezzo

Santa Barbara Spot Prawns
fennel, kumquat, pancetta, foie gras foam
Greg Daniels, Haven Gastropub

Duo of Squab & Foie
crispy porcini and baby leek polenta, pinot noir-ginger essence
Yvon Goetz, The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar

Foie Gras Cheesecake & Foie Bon Bon
vanilla crumble, hibiscus gel, micro tangerine lace
Santanna Salas, Pastry Chef, Haven Gastropub

Mignardise

 

This dinner is priced at per guest of $80, and does not include tax, gratuity or beverages. With more than 150 varietals of beer and wine, Haven Gastropub will offer beer, wine, and cocktail pairings to the Foie Gras dinner menu for an additional $30 per person. Space is limited for the event and reservations can be made by calling 714-221-0680. No splitting or substitutions will be permitted. The restaurant will not be open for regular dinner service on Monday, May 14th.

More about Haven Gastropub’s Fight For Foie:
This dinner will mark the second fundraiser for C.H.E.F.S., you can view photos and a video from the first dinner earlier this year at Haven Gastropub +Brewery in Pasadena HERE.

Read an open letter from Chef Daniels following his May 1st visit to see our legislative leaders in Sacramento HERE.

Our Fight For Foie [Open Letter From Chef Greg Daniels]

Posted Friday, May 04, 2012 by Mona Shah

Fellow Chefs, Restaurateurs, and Industry Professionals,

I am writing you this letter to hopefully garner support for our fight against the ban on foie gras that goes into effect this July 1.  When enacted, this law will make producing, selling, or serving any product that is the result of force-feeding an animal in order to increase the size of its liver illegal.  This will be the first law worldwide banning the sale of foie gras.  Along with foie gras, other products such as duck fat, legs, breasts, and even feathers used for pillows and comforters will be illegal in California.  The price of these products that can be found elsewhere will be affected drastically, just based on supply and demand.  Can you imagine how many bistros will be looking for duck fat for confit?

I made the trip to Sacramento this week to approach our lawmakers with the group C.H.E.F.S. (Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards).  Instead of fighting to repeal the upcoming ban, we went with the agenda of proposing new legislation to hold our farms accountable for their practices, setting new standards for humane and ethical farming of foie gras.  With this new legislation, we can effectively change the farming practices around the world; any farm that wanted to sell its product to consumers in California would have to abide by the standards set by our state government.

There is so much work to be done.  The majority of our Republican representatives are on our side, with the exception of 2-3 members of the Senate and the State Assembly.  The more difficult converts will come from the Democratic Party.  Their former State colleague is now the Chair of the Democratic Party, and the author of Senate Bill 1520 – the exact bill that we are fighting so hard to overcome.

John Burton wrote the law in 2004, and with the influence of organizations such as PETA and APRL, animal rights activists have been given a voice.  The rampant spread of misinformation has been difficult to deter; lies have been told so many times, even the activists believe the stories now.

They’ll tell you that ducks are being tortured and mistreated.  They’ll tell you that they have evidence of wrongdoing.  They’ll tell you that foie gras is diseased.  They’ll tell you that we’ve had 7 years to fight this, and ask, “Why now?”  As chefs, we’re busy.  As chefs, we’ve assumed that such a nonsense law would never be enforced.  As chefs, we just want to serve great food.  Any good chef is looking for only the best products to put on the plate, and foie gras is no different.  If these animals were treated poorly, their livers wouldn’t taste good, and we wouldn’t want to serve them.

I am urging you to stand beside us.  We’re about 100 strong right now, but as we all know, the animal rights activists are a much larger group – a group that doesn’t have a problem threatening and bullying chefs, restaurateurs, and even Senators.

Next week, C.H.E.F.S. will continue lobbying for support, and I hope that some of you will be able to make the trip up there to help out.

Flights aren’t horribly expensive, and you’ll be welcomed into our state’s Capitol with open arms.  You’ll have the unique opportunity to see our government at work; believe me, that was worth the trip alone.

I have attached information for you as to whom to contact before you go, links that show how foie gras is humanely raised, and what the agenda of C.H.E.F.S. clearly is.

If you can get away from your post for just one day, you can help make a difference.  We need to show that this really does matter to us, and that we're willing to stand up for ourselves.  The other side calls and sends faxes, sometimes to the point of breaking the fax machines in the offices of our Senators and State Assembly members. We need to show that we believe in our side as much as they do.

If you can't get away, it's understandable.  All we ask is that you reach out to your local representative and urge them to support our efforts.  You can help all of us reserve the right to serve foie gras, and establish California as a leader in humane and ethical farming standards.

IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY, AND YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE, please pass along all of this information.

Thank you for considering making the trip.  Fight For Foie!

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-18/news/is-foie-gras-torture/

http://www.news10.net/video/1617881031001/1/Foie-Gras-debate

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/us/california-chefs-fight-states-foie-gras-ban.html?_r=1

www.chefstandards.org (C.H.E.F.S.)

Contact:
Cathy Kennedy
C.H.E.F.S.
530-204-8270
mscathyk@gmail.com


Warmest regards,

Greg Daniels
Executive Chef/Partner
haven collective
greg@havencollective.com

Haven Gastropub
www.havengastropub.com
714.221.0680 orange
626-768-9555 pasadena

taco asylum
www.tacoasylum.com
714.922.6010 costa mesa

Chef Greg Daniels Takes The FIGHT FOR FOIE To Sacramento

Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 by Mona Shah

Chef Greg Daniels has joined California’s top chefs to start a coalition to fight the foie gras ban – set to take effect on July 1 – and instead enact new, strict laws to regulate its production.

The group is C.H.E.F.S. (Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards), and it's going to Sacramento to push for a repeal on SENATE BILL No. 1520, the ban on foie gras. Chef Greg Daniels will be in Sacramento on Tuesday, May 1st to represent chefs and restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange County and Long Beach fighting overturn this legislation.

More than 100 top chefs part of the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standardshave signed on to a charter for hand feeding of ducks and geese.
 
The goal is to create a humane market, not a black market, by introducing a the “Humane and Ethical Foie Gras Act."

Instead of a ban, chefs are urging lawmakers to pass new, strict regulations that will require humane and ethical production of foie gras and serve as an example to the rest of the world.
 
The “Humane and Ethical Foie Gras Act” would require:
 
·      Regular audits by certified animal welfare experts
·      Cage-free birds
·      Trained caretakers
·      Hand feeding
·      Reasonable limits on fattening, and
·      Feeding methods that do not impair breathing or harm the animal in any way.

Chef Daniels agrees that a total ban on foie gras will only lead to the widespread production and sale of black-market foie gras, which would be dangerous to animal welfare, because smugglers and bootleggers willing to risk criminal prosecution are a far cry from farmers trained in humane and ethical production techniques.

It’s time for humane and ethical farming standards.

ABOUT C.H.E.F.S.
The Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards is an organization of California chefs, culinary professionals and supporters of sustainable and humane farming standards. We oppose the ban on foie gras, but support a broader standard for ethical treatment of animals and humane farming practices.

Their principles:
All animals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
We have a responsibility to make sure that the food we serve is raised ethically and humanely.
The best food comes from using the best ingredients, and that the best ingredients come from humane, ethical, and sustainable farming practices.

If you want to learn more, visit:  http://chefstandards.com/

Contact our State Representatives to support the "Humane and Ethical Foie Gras Act" and Repeal of Senate Bill No.1520. Follow the "Contact Us" Button on this site for our State Rep: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

5 Questions for Greg Daniels | L.A. Times

Posted Monday, March 19, 2012 by Mona Shah

Greg Daniels is executive chef of Pasadena's Haven Gastropub & Brewery. The Southern California native and graduate of the California School of Culinary Arts creates dishes that pair with the restaurant's craft beer and cocktails. Today, in particular, that's foie gras. Haven Gastropub & Brewery is hosting a seven-course prix-fixe dinner, along with chefs such as Brendan Collins of Waterloo & City and Jordan Toft of Eveleigh. See Haven's blog for more information.

What’s coming up next on your menu? Bone marrow, rabbit, sustainable bluefin tuna, pig's ears, beef tendon and blood biscuits. The biscuits have been fun -- we added pork fat and blood, and we'll be serving them with bone marrow butter, and a Hatch chile jam.

Latest ingredient obsession? Fat. Duck, pork, goose, foie gras, bacon fat. We've found that animal fats just add that certain something you can't get from oils. I bathe daily in beef tallow -- it really makes your skin glow.

What restaurant do you find yourself going to again and again? Puffy Taco in Whittier. I grew up around the corner from it, and every time I'm out that way, I have to stop and eat two puffy tacos (ground beef and potato, in a fried masa shell, with all the gringo fixings), strips Texanos (chips with cheese, avocado sauce and salsa) and a fresh lemonade. Honestly, I could eat these every day, and it would never get old. It helps that the same family is still running the joint after all these years, and they're just awesome people.

What’s the last non-food-related book you read? "The Idiot's Guide to Fatherhood." That was the book my wife gave me to let me know she was pregnant with my daughter. It was an awesome way to find out. Madeleine is 3 months old now, and I still consult the book for advice!

Favorite kitchen soundtrack? Social Distortion, Mariachi el Bronx, Ryan Adams, Jay-Z. We really like to mix it up in the kitchen. Everyone has a different taste in music, and we can go from alt-country to hip-hop without skipping a beat.

Haven Gastropub & Brewery, 42 De Lacey Ave., Pasadena, (626) 768-9555, www.havengastropub.com. 

Read the full entry online at LATimes.com HERE.

Burger of the Week: Haven Gastropub | Food Republic

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 by Mona Shah

Life is a game of percentages. I don’t know who said that, it was probably an actuary or someone who did really well on the math section of the SATs. Either way, the Haven Burger is part of that game, too. Found at the brand new Haven Gastropub in Pasadena, CA (as well as their original location in Orange County), this burger is a lesson in the mathematics of meat.

The 9-ounce patty is hand-formed and custom ground to the exact specifications of Chef Greg Daniels. That means you’re getting a blend that’s 65% chuck, 15% short rib, and 20% pork fat. Why pork fat? First, it makes the burger taste damn good. More importantly, though, it gives the meat some added moisture so even if you order it *gasp* well-done, it’s still going to be a juicy burger. But please, don’t order it well-done. Respect your meats, people.

The appeal of the Haven Burger doesn’t just end with a well-proportioned patty, however. The toppings make this an equation I’d be happy to complete any time and they’re selected specifically to appeal to all five tastes. St. Agur bleu cheese gives you salty + umami, jay leaf wild arugula kicks in with pleasant bitterness, bell peppers balance it out with a little sweetness, and a mound of pickled red onions contribute the requisite sourness. Everything gets piled on top of a brioche bun smeared with garlic aioli and when you add it all together, you get a burger that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

To make your meal complete, order some of Haven’s truly awesome pomme frites, then spend some time figuring how you’re going to conquer their massive beer list. With 40 brews on tap selected by beverage director Wil Dee (no relation to Sandra), you’ll probably have to divide and conquer (math pun). When you’re all done, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be 100% satisfied.

Read Haven Gastropub's Burger: A mathematical formula for the perfect burger by JASON KESSLER online HERE.

 

Foie-Gras Cheesecake: America’s Most Crazy-Awesome New Desserts | Grub Street

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 by Mona Shah

NY Magazine's food-obsessed blog, Grub Street, recently published its list of the 101 most "crazy-awesome new desserts" across the country and we're proud to have landed a spot on that list (one the top two-thirds, we might add)! Here's what they had to say:

Foie-Gras Cheesecake
Haven Gastropub +Brewery
42 South De Lacey Avenue, Pasadena; 626-768-9555

Smacking of a straight stick of butter, Haven's cheesecake may be even more decadent: a core of sous-vide foie gras is emulsified with cream cheese, baked, then paired with hibiscus gelée and vanilla crumble. Greg Daniels long toyed with the concept, but chose to ballast his commitment to the dessert in the face of California's looming foie gras ban. He credits pastry chef Santanna Salas for making it "look much more beautiful than I could make it."

Photo: Tatiana Arbogast

READ IT ONLINE: HERE

Haven Gastropub on FOX Good Day LA

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 by Mona Shah

As folks across the country get ready for Super Bowl Sunday, our Executive Chef Greg Daniels shares some Haven Gastropub menu favorites that could serve as inspiration for the home cook! 

WATCH THE CLIP HERE!
(Sorry for the poor quality, but we'll replace it as soon as we can get a better version!)

Dishes seen on the show:

- Pig Skin Salad -mizuna, goat cheese, twice-smoked bacon lardons, and spicy bacon fat dressing (a special item created for the segment - not on our menu... yet!) 

- Buffalo Jidori Wings -housemade cayenne sauce, bleu cheese mousse, micro celery greens 

- Charcuterie Plate -assorted salumi, paté maison, house pickle, artisan bread 

- The Haven Burger -pickled red onions, roasted red bell peppers, wild arugula, st agur cheese 

- Jumbo Prawns -wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar cheese grits, rustic tomato salsa, cilantro oil

Haven Gastropub is located in Orange and Haven Gastropub +Brewery is located in Old Pasadena! Menus, beer/wine lists, address and hours can be found online at http://havengastropub.com/.

A luscious lunch at Haven Gastropub, Old Towne Orange | Cathy Thomas Cooks

Posted Sunday, January 29, 2012 by Mona Shah

Our friend Cathy Thomas, Food Columnist at The Orange County Register, paid a lunchtime visit to Haven Gastropub in Orange and we are so grateful to have been featured among her picks for favorite eats! Read about her "luscious lunch" here and be sure to check out her blog online HERE.

Chef de Cuisine, Matthew Roman with Haven’s Goose Pastrami Sandwich!

Coleslaw, Russian dressing, house-made coarse-grain mustard, oh-so-perfect artisan rye bread, with pickled vegetables and potato chips (I ordered mine with a frisee salad instead of the potato chips, so that I could have two desserts).

Pastry Chef ~ Santanna Salas’ Butterscotch Pots de Creme

Oh, I think Santanna is such a masterful pastry chef. She pairs tried-and-true themes with such provacative twists.

Here she teamed super-luscious butterscotch pots de creme with chunks of pumpkin spice cake, candied squash, and crisp pumpkin seeds. 

Cover Story: Chef Greg Daniels | Great Taste Magazine

Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 by Mona Shah

In a town where the trees sway with cool, winter breezes, and the community shops, chats and eats along historic sidewalks, the perfectly situated Haven Gastropub fits right in. Like its home in Old Towne Orange, Haven settles right into the fabric of old-world coziness with a modern flair, like it was supposed to be there all along. Inside, with its stone and vintage wood interior, Haven is just as inviting as its address. Locals agree, with regulars coming in three to four times a week. Chef and partner Greg Daniels’ hard work and passion for life are two things that ring true for one of the hardest working men in Orange County.

Chef Daniels’ steadfast belief in quality of product and service shows in his simple yet fresh interpretations of how pub food should be represented. Daniels and his team have helped the public gradually understand what the term of gastropub truly means. “It’s a casual space with good, freshly cooked food and a good selection of beer, wine, and spirits. A good place for anyone to hang. It’s not just a bar,” Daniels said. It’s a welcoming perspective that reflects his personality and life’s work.

To read the entire cover story by Suzanna Hoang in Great Taste Magazine, CLICK HERE.