Read my L.A. Times piece about the Petit Trois opening here.
Tag Archives: Ludo Lefebvre
All-Star Chef Classic 2014
Last weekend Peter and I attended the first-ever All-Star Chef Classic in downtown Los Angeles. It was such a spectacular event for chef fans like us, and even though we only made it to two out of four events (having just returned from Scotland), we both had a super, delicious weekend.
Highlights included meeting out-of-town chefs Paul Qui, Wylie Dufresne and Graham Elliot, and watching L.A. legend Josiah Citrin cooking in the enormous restaurant stadium. 
There were (obviously) so many delicious bites, including Jennifer Jasinski’s Cardamom Brined Pork Belly, Ludo Lefebvre’s Beef and Charred Broccoli, Paul Qui’s Cabbage with Crispy Chicken Skin, and Kuniko Yagi’s Tuna with Sesame Tofu. Many more tasty photos here.
Huge CONGRATULATIONS to the event co-founders, Krissy Lefebvre and Lucy Lean!
We are SO looking forward to making it to ALL the events next year!
All my photos from “Grill and Chill” and “Savor The Season”
Trois Mec
Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Potato Pulp
I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Trois Mec restaurant several times, and before each visit I secretly hope the potato pulp is still on the menu. Ludo serves it with brown butter, bonito, onion soubise and salers cheese. Of course brown butter makes anything taste better, but it’s Ludo‘s brilliant use of bonito flakes (aka katsuobushi) that takes the dish to a whole new level. No wonder Jonathan Gold named it one of his 10 best dishes of 2013!
My new favorite (besides the potato) is the luxurious plate of avocado, citrus and crab. Check out the photos from a recent visit here.
Trois Mec
716 N. Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
There is no phone for Trois Mec.
For ticket inquiries email info@troismec.com
Website
Note: Trois Mec is an incredibly difficult reservation to get, but absolutely worth the trouble. If you’re interested, review the FAQ page here.
Read Jonathan Gold’s L.A. Times Trois Mec review here.
Follow Chef Ludo on twitter @ChefLudo
Ludo’s personal website
Filed under Eating Out, Little Bites
PHOTOS: Chef Ludo’s Confit Pork Belly
Last week I made Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Confit Pork Belly, in celebration of his new cooking show, The Taste (on ABC).
Prepping and cooking the pork was almost a three-day process, but SO worth the time and effort.
Best of all? I got to share it with Ludo, his wife Krissy and a small group of friends, who gathered at the Lefebvre’s home for the premiere. If you haven’t seen The Taste yet, you can view it online here.
I purchased the pork belly at Lindy & Grundy. Erte was kind enough to score the skin for me!
The first step is to make a brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. Chef Ludo’s recipe is on page 228 of his book, LudoBites.
Remove the pork from the brine, then confit in lard in the oven on a low temperature. The lard was also purchased from Lindy & Grundy.
After it’s cooked low and slow, the belly must be cold-pressed in the refrigerator overnight. I used two glass casserole pans and foil-covered bricks to compress the pork.
After cold-pressing the pork belly, gently cut pieces, transfer to a new pan and cook until golden brown and heated through.
Make the Glaze
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of honey
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1/3 cup of reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 teaspoons water
Instructions:
Combine the honey, vinegar, soy sauce and five-spice powder in a heavy small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk the cornstarch mixture, then whisk into the glaze to blend and return the glaze to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
I finished the pork belly at Ludo’s home and was thrilled that he (and all the guests) enjoyed it!
My Pork Belly Confit finished.
The recipe is from LudoBites, available on Amazon or iTunes. I’ve cooked several recipes from the book, and have loved every bite!
Follow Ludo on Twitter
All about The Taste on FaceBook
Follow The Taste on Twitter
Go #TeamLudo!
Chef Ludo’s New Show!
What a lineup! Ludo stars along with two of my long-time culinary heroes… BOURDAIN and NIGELLA!
Four culinary masters get down to what really matters, The Taste! Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre & Brian Malarkey will each coach a team of 4 cooks, consisting of professional chefs and home cooks whom they will hand pick based on a blind taste challenge. Throughout the season, their mentors will prepare them for challenges in creating dishes that will ultimately be judged by the superstar chefs in blind taste tests. One cook will be left standing to take home The Taste trophy along with a new Ford C-Max and $100,000!
Premieres Tuesday, January 22 at 8|7c on ABC!
LudoBitches will be live-tweeting during each episode. Follow us at @LudoBitches!
Follow The Taste on Twitter
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Follow Bourdain on Twitter
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Follow Brian on Twitter
Photos via The Taste
Filed under Little Bites
LudoBites the CookBook
“LudoBites: Recipes and Stories from the Pop-Up Restaurants of Ludo Lefebvre” will be released October 9, 2012. I tested some of the recipes this past week (photos below) and have so enjoyed reliving dishes from his pop-up dinners around Los Angeles.
From the online book description:
The cookbook chronicles of the visionary, charismatic chef Ludo Lefebvre and his cult hit pop-up restaurant, LudoBites, worshiped by critics and foodies alike.
Ludo Lefebvre is a culinary prodigy who worked at his first three-star Michelin restaurant at age fourteen. By twenty-five he was running his own kitchen in Los Angeles—winning accolades for serving the most imaginative, forward-thinking food the city had ever seen. In 2007, he traded fine dining—with its endless pomp and bottomless resources—for the freedom to cook outside the box, even if it meant sacrificing his skilled kitchen brigade and drafting an eight-year-old to clean green beans and separate eggs. (Amazon)
Note: Ludo (and his wife Krissy) are dear friends. But that doesn’t stop me from being a HUGE fan of Ludo’s cooking or LudoBites the cookbook! I’ll continue to try out recipes and share the photos on twitter.
A few recipes I’ve tried so far:
Vietnamese Vinaigrette (page 261). I spooned it over pan-fried tilapia and rice.
Brocamole (page 22). Broccoli instead of avocado. We ate it with pita chips.
Époisses (my favorite stinky cheese) Risotto w Egg Yolk (page 340). Ludo made this for dinner a few days before I had the cookbook. I’m happy to say that mine tasted just as good! We used leftovers for baked risotto balls the next day.
Ludo’s upcoming (Oct 2012) appearances
Watch Ludo on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Burgundy (video recap). You get to see his charming side and meet his grandma!
Ludo Bites America on the Sundance Channel (available on iTunes)
Follow Ludo on Twitter
Filed under Little Bites, Recipes
Un Petit Porc
Chef Ludo PLUS Pork, for one night only? No chance I was going to miss this dinner!
Photos from Chef Ludo’s “Un Petit Porc” (read about here)
Menu (each table was given all four sides, served family style)
Ludo’s porchetta… just out of the oven!
Ludo’s Porchetta
Burnt Potatoes
Porchetta Sandwich at our table
Greens: Broccolini, Kale, Garlic Confit & Red Chili Flakes
White Beans
Cheesy Polenta
Pork Jus
Roasted Apple & Vanilla Ice Cream
Wine (Thanks Lisa & Dave!)
We loved it… we really, really LOVED it!
Mike (Gram & Papas owner) & Ludo
Obviously… so worth the wait!
front window
Event Date: 12/19/11
Read about the event on Eater L.A.
Chef Ludo Lefebvre
Ludo’s website
follow @ChefLudo on twitter (for info on upcoming events, dinners)
Location: Gram and Papas
227 E 9th St Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 624-7272
follow @gramandpapas on twitter
website
How to make porchetta by Serious Eats (slideshow)
Filed under Eating Out
Cheeky Coq!
LudoBites 5.0
Last July (09), after enjoying yet another fantastic meal at Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s pop-up restaurant, I wrote: “To me, chefs ARE ROCK STARS, and the restaurants (at least the ones with open kitchens) are my favorite type of THEATER.”
A year later, after dinner at the latest LudoBites arena, with it’s open kitchen, sold out “venue” and lovestruck groupies (including myself), it’s clear to me that Ludo is still the greatest rock star chef EVER.
If you’ve only experienced chef Ludo on Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters, then you probably think he’s just another cocky, French chef with a bad attitude. Let me note, that on occasion, I’ve had a front-row ticket to his “immense annoyance” (he’s a perfectionist) and it was a bit frightening. But luckily for me, since we’re also good friends outside of the restaurant world, I often get to see the sweet, charming and generous side of Ludo.
Tattoos are a MUST for any serious rock star (be it musician or cook), and Ludo’s inked flesh has been well-documented. We both share a love for Mötley Crüe, so my favorite design is definitely the Crüe album cover art on his forearm, but I definitely dig the LudoBites Coq tattoo he added a few months ago.
Grub Street asked about the new tattoo and Ludo said, “The rooster is the national emblem of France and he inspires me because the rooster wakes up every morning singing, even though he is standing in shit. It does not matter how tough things were the night before. I just have to wake and keep singing…and cooking.”
Ludo’s food is so creative (and amazing) that I actually think he deserves to be a bit cocky about it… and maybe even a bit cheeky. Sort of makes me think he deserves a fan club or something…
Grilled Squid, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Black Rice, Yuzu Red Onions, Umami Broth & Seaweed Tartare
Vadouvan Naan Bread, Salted Coconut Butter
Cheese Cupcake, Chicken Liver Mousse, Kumquats, Cornichon
Raw Wagyu Beef, Dried Miso, Somen Noodle, Peanut Vinaigrette, Candied Watermelon, Mint
Goat Cheese Soup, Bacon, Lardo, Tofu, Green Apple, Frisee Salad
Poached Egg, Potato Mousseline, Chorizo Condiment by Chef Ludo Lefebvre
Top: Grilled Octopus, Oregano, Grilled Hazelnut Polenta, Pineapple Aioli, Piment D’Espelette Gelee
Bottom: Hot Foie Gras, Chinese Barbeque Sauce, Miso Eggplant Terrine
Wild Striped Bass, Cauliflower, Black Garlic, Yellow Panna Cotta
Confit Pork Belly, Raw Choucroute Thai Style, Mustard Sorbet
Steamed Duck, Lemon Verbena, Crispy Skin Puree, White Peach, Radish, Balsamic
Cheese Plate of:
Goat Gouda with Pear Kimchi Chutney.
Epoisse with Whole Grain Mustard, Honey comb.
Bleu de Causses with Apricots-Lavender.
Bottom: Caramel Souffle, Blanco Grapefruit, Fleur de sel Ice Cream
Campfire Smoked S’mores, Guacamole Sorbet
LudoBites 5.0
Gram & Papas
227 East 9th Street
Los Angeles 90015
(213) 624-7272
7/28/10
Dinner shared with @JulieWolfson@LadyShark66@WithLoveSirine Peter & Melissa.
All my Ludo photos on Flickr
Follow @ChefLudo on twitter
Follow @FrenchChefWife on twitter
Follow @LudoBitches on twitter
Follow @GramAndPapas on twitter
Filed under Eating Out, Hot Chefs
L.A. Street Food (aka Ludo) Fest
Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s fried chicken is simply the best. I first fell in love with it during LudoBites at RoyalT Cafe in December, and was thrilled (like many) that Ludo was bringing it back… in a FOOD TRUCK! This special event was for one day only, at the first ever L.A. Street Food Festival.
Peter and I, along with our friend Hanh, showed up almost an hour early and got in line. Happily, we were in direct view of Ludo’s spanking new “Mobi Munch” food truck.
There, we met up with my sister Janet, foodie friends, and lots of other Ludo Lovers. It was an unofficial LUDO FRIED CHICKEN (LFC) munch fest in downtown L.A.!
The event entry fee was only $5, and vendors were selling food at $1 to $5 for each dish. Two pieces of Ludo’s giant deep-fried, rosemary-crusted chicken balls for only five bucks! I was in full “happy dance” mode for the rest of the day.
Although the lines for ALL food trucks were long, the Ludo Fried Chicken queue seemed like it went on forever (some people waited HOURS). I’m just so grateful we went early, and was sad to learn that thousands of folks were turned away because of over capacity. Honestly, I DREAM about LFC. It’s THAT good.
After camping at Ludo’s truck for the first hour, I only managed to try two other vendor’s treats. It’s quite obvious that the event was a huge success, but I kept wondering if the entry price was just too low. Maybe next year (hopefully there WILL BE a next year) the entry fee should be increased to $10 or $15 per person? As my sister Janet noted, “it should be about the same price as a movie ticket.”
In any case, I’ll definitely be back… hopefully Ludo (and his chicken) will be there too!
Click here to view all my photos from the Street Food Fest
More about Ludo Lefebvre and LudoBites
About Ludo & Mobi Munch by FoodGPS
LudoBites at RoyalT Cafe
Filed under Food Events (festivals, classes, etc.)
LudoBites Forever
I tend to fall a little bit in love with my favorite chefs, and subsequently fall a whole LOT in love with their food.
Like meeting a favorite actor or musician, I almost regress into my 13-year old obsessive self. If I could get away with covering my bedroom walls (and ceiling) with giant posters and framed Tiger Beat-ish (Food & Wine) glossies, I would. My husband Peter has nixed that idea of course, so I pin up snapshots around my kitchen pantry instead.
As a teenager I dreamt of being David Bowie’s “China Girl” and even threw birthday parties in his honor every year, hoping the thin white duke would be my “Modern Love” someday. I still have EVERY Bowie album (on vinyl) from my youth, tucked away on shelf in the closet. By the way, Happy Birthday David. I’ll be thinking of you on January 7th.
Peter and I recently took my family to LudoBites @RoyalT Cafe for a pre-Christmas holiday dinner. This most recent pop-up event (aka “3.0”) was for thirteen days only, a very limited engagement that made it feel like LudoBites was a rock band on tour.
I attended five LudoBites evenings in December, and shared incredible meals with fellow food lovers and friends including Bob, Andrew, Lisa, Dave, Katrina, Phil, Julian and of course, Peter.
The night I brought my good friend Jazz (Jitlada Thai Restaurant owner) was quite a treat. Mostly because she never actually takes time off to “eat out” during business hours. As she walked into the dining room, I saw heads turn to greet her. One person wrote on Twitter the next day, that seeing Jazz was like “spotting the queen” in the house. So true!
Family night was extra special of course, and everyone was blown away by the food and also the shopping! RoyalT Cafe houses a dangerous Hello Kitty collection, and I’m embarrassed to admit how much I spent during several visits. Let’s just say, that Peter won’t be buying me any valentines or birthday presents in 2010!
Dining out with my niece and nephews is always fun, but I especially got a kick out of watching the twins (Chace and Kindal, 13) react to Ludo as though he were a bona fide rock star. The whole family is enamored with both Ludo and Krissy (his beautiful wife and brilliant business partner). They all first met at one of our garden parties over the summer, and my 20-year old nephew Cody had been with us to LudoBites 2.0 @BreadBar in July.
My own love affair with LudoBites started with the Foie Gras Croque Monsieur (also during 2.0). This masterpiece starts with terrine of duck foie gras, ham and cheese grilled between two pieces of pain de mie (bread) with black squid ink, and a cherry-amaretto compote on the side. It was the first thing we ordered (if it was on the menu) during seven stellar evenings on the summer tour.
When LudoBites 3.0 was announced, Ludo stated that he would NOT repeat any previous dishes, including the beloved croque. That was a shot to my heart (and belly), and felt like when Bowie announced that he would never again sing “Changes” live in concert. Absolute heart ache.
Recently, Krissy hinted (via Twitter) that the next LudoBites (4.0) may include “Greatest Hits”, so I’m hopeful that chef Ludo reissues the classic croque.
Weeks before our family LudoBites dinner, the twins were both on FaceBook posting how excited they were to finally eat at LudoBites. None of their friends knew who Ludo was, but they were quickly educated on the awesomeness of Ludovic Lefebvre. If he and Krissy ever decide to do a pop-up restaurant in Glendora or San Dimas, they’ll have plenty of junior high school kids waiting in line!
Ludo changes his menu daily, so you never know what to expect. I was absolutely thrilled to see his (now legendary) Ludo’s Fried Chicken (aka LFC) available for our family night. Imagine a large, boneless chicken nugget, extremely juicy (not greasy), seasoned perfectly, way better than KFC!
I promptly ordered LFC for each of us (eight plates total), and we spent the next few hours sharing and tasting the entire menu. At the end of the night, Ludo came out to say hello (not just to our table), and I watched my niece’s face almost explode with joy. I knew that familiar look… a shy smile, rosy cheeks and an inability to stay still in her seat. Of course, Kindal was crushing on Ludo! Don’t we all?
Then it struck me… Ludo is HER Bowie. I thought about how I would’ve reacted if I met my crush at thirteen. Mostly likely, I would have screamed and probably hidden. But Kindal is so much more confident than I was back in 1977 (her brother Chace is too). She even brought chef Ludo a plate of her home made “Kindal’s Christmas Krackle”. That would be akin to me writing a song, recording it onto a cassette and mailing it to Ziggy Stardust himself.
There have been plenty of other chef crushes in 2009. Just take a look at my “Chef Photos” for evidence. But I have to say, the pure enjoyment of LudoBites has been my biggest crush of all. I wish there was some sort of foodie yearbook that I could sign… “Have a Gr8 New Year Ludo and Krissy. U guys r the coolest. LudoBites 4Ever!”
Just a FEW of my favorite dishes from LudoBites @RoyalT Cafe:
Ludo’s Famous Fried Chicken, Cantal Polenta, Baby Corn, Mole Sauce
Tuna Sashimi, Sushi Rice Ice Cream, Soy Sauce Gelee, Smoked Ginger Oil
Marinated Hanger Steak, Crunchy Escargot, Baby Corn, Bok Choy & Black Olive Mole
Crispy Confit Pork Belly, Burnt Eggplant Puree, Plantain, Coconutt, Thai Chili Emulsion
Striped Bass Teriyaki, Mashed Potatoes, Picked Garlic, Lemon-Miso
Foie Gras Beignet, Saffron-Dried Apricots
Fourme d’ Ambert Tourte, Red Pears, Honey-Balsamic
Chocolate Mousse (SPICY!!) , Lichis, and Sesame Paste
Many, many more LudoBites friends & food photos on Flickr!
Dates: (LudoBites 3.0)12/2, 12/10, 12/15, 12/20, 12/22
Check out this awesome LudoBites piece by MyLifeAsAFoodie
ALL my Ludo photos on Flickr
Happy New Year Everyone!! Here’s to more fun and tasty bites in 2010!!
Filed under Eating Out, Food Events (festivals, classes, etc.), Hot Chefs
my last bite... 