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TORI SPELLING – DISHES HER TASTY TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN ENTERTAINING

To celebrate and inspire viewers - mom, TV personality and entertaining guru, Tori Spelling, has partnered with Starburst® Candy Corn to bring an exciting new twist to tasty Halloween crafts. During this interview, Tori will provide tips on how to liven up Halloween by using the bright, juicy flavors and colors of candy corn to make tasty treats and festive decorations.  Tori Spelling is an actress, producer, crafting and entertaining enthusiast, as well as the best-selling author of celebraTORI, which teaches readers how to unleash their inner party planner. Her new book, Spelling It Like It Is (to be released in October), gives a behind the scenes look at one of Hollywood’s favorite moms as she juggles life, love, style and family.


CRISTINA FERRARE –AUTHOR, TV PERSONALITY - HALLMARK CHANNEL’S SERIES “HOME AND FAMILY”

At the early age of sixteen, Cristina started a career in modeling with the Ford modeling agency in New York. Her career as a super model spanned over twenty-five years. Max Factor put her under contract as their spokesperson while still a teenager.  During that time her career took off as she graced the covers and pages of every major fashion magazine including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home journal and traveled the world as a sought after international cover girl. During this time she soon became a trusted spokesperson and endorsed numerous commercial products.

In the early 80’s, Cristina co-hosted “AM Los Angeles,” which was the #1 rated morning television show during her five year tenure.  Between many TV appearances, she has hosted her own shows:  “Cristina and Friends” and a two hour live show from Universal Studios’ “Home and Family”. She was a substitute co-host on “Good Morning America” and co-hosted numerous times with Regis Philbin on “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.” Her primetime series for CBS, “Shame on You,” was one of the first magazine format shows that featured consumer fraud and awareness. It set the stage for other prime time magazine formats that followed. For NBC, she co-hosted “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” with Dr. Drew Pinsky. At one time, Cristina had three shows on the air at the same time: the afore mentioned live morning talk show, “AM Los Angeles,” “The Home Show,” and the primetime series “Incredible Sunday” all for ABC. In feature films, she starred opposite David Niven in “The Impossible Years” and the critically acclaimed “J.W. Coop” with Oscar winner, Cliff Robertson. Cristina is an accomplished author, with her New York Times bestseller, Okay, So I Don’t Have a Headache, and bestseller Cristina Ferrare’s Family Entertainment, Cristina Ferrare Style and Realistically Ever After, a humorous view of finding happiness when he’s not Prince Charming, you’re not Snow White and life is not a fairy tale

Her fifth and most recent cookbook, A Big Bowl of Love was released on Mother’s Day 2011 and has been widely accepted and has received raving reviews from bloggers across the country. She is already hard at work on her next cookbook! The success of her books attests to her expertise in the areas of women’s health, wellbeing, culinary arts, stylistic design, as well as her great zest for life and her humor.

Cristina completed 28 shows that air on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) that debuted on January 3rd, 2011. Cristina’s show, “A Big Bowl of Love” featured celebrity guests along with members of her family and friends serving up great ideas for all kinds of situations that happen in real life!

She has been hosting a series of web episodes for “Oprah.com” that includes cooking classes with the emphasis on how to prepare delicious meals for families, who are struggling with money, time and idea issues. She is writing weekly blogs for Oprah.com that include recipes and answers to questions from fans.

Cristina completed Kellogg commercials for OWN and appeared with her Kellogg recipes on over 20 million Kellogg cereal boxes.

In addition to her complete and extensive web site www.CristinaFerrareCooks.com. Cristina has become a curator on the new and exciting shopping web site www.OpenSky.com as well a key taste maker on the new and fastest growing recipe web site www.Foodily.com


CYTHIA PECK – ANGELO’S & VINCIS - NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH

Forty-one years ago, our restaurant was built with tradition and has since continued with tradition. At our home in the old marketplace, we tribute our ancestors who came to America in the late 1800’s – their spirit and their recipes!
A little about this old building…

Originally built as an L-shaped marketplace in the days when Fullerton was an orchard (early 1900’s), the local farmers would bring their produce in from the fields by horse and wagon to sell to the townspeople. The original wood trusses of the old roof system may still be seen in the Venetian Room. Approximately twenty years later, renovation of the building changed it from its original L-shape to a square. This was accomplished by the large wood barrel trusses (an unusual truss!), which can be seen in the Sicilian Room and the Piazza Fantasia. During our renovation in 1992, the old wood, terra cotta tiles and brick was salvaged and re-used to keep alive the feeling and memories of those days long ago.

About our décor…
Be prepared when you walk into Angelo’s and Vinci’s Ristorante to be overwhelmed! With surprises in every corner, you won’t know where to look first! You will sit amidst the art of the great masters, in an Italian town square complete with the storefronts of old Italian butcher and cheese mongers, fruit and wine vendors, seamstresses showing their wares, and more. Fairy lights abound under cathedral ceilings as our ancestors smile down at you from the Family Love Altar. Explore and you will be surrounded by colorful Sicilian puppets, the carnival masks and canals of Venice, and the romance of Romeo & Juliet. Find our mystical Room of the Moon…and don’t forget King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, witches, ghosts and who-knows-what that await you in the Monster Wine Cellar!

And, as for Hollywood…
Founder, Steven Peck, renowned Hollywood dancer, choreographer and veteran actor of over 100 movies and television performances, has delightful photographs of over 40 years of famous stars, directors and dancers. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Gary Cooper, Robert Taylor, Broderick Crawford, Kirk Douglas, Walter Winchell, Sam Wanamaker, Vincent Minnelli, Sylvester Stallone, Ted Danson, David Hasselhof, Ray Sharkey, Shirley MacLaine, Cyd Charisse, Dolly Parton, Joan Collins, Raquel Welch, Olympia Dukakis, Shelly Winters and so many more. Films from Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., MGM, Desilu, United Artists, Universal Studios, to name

MORGEN MCLAUGHLIN - EXEC DIRECTOR,  SANTA BARBARA COUNTY VINTNERS

Morgen McLaughlin is the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association a nonprofit membership organization representing over one hundred wineries in Santa Barbara County, California.  Previously she was the president and CEO of Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association, a regional tourism marketing association in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and owned and managed a small vineyard and winery in Connecticut.  Morgen has undergraduate degrees in English and Secondary Education from Boston College and is completing her Wine Business Management Certificate from Sonoma State University.  In her free time Morgen enjoys hiking, cooking, traveling, wine and spending time with her husband and three sons.

California Wine Month in September celebrates one of our signature industries and all that vintners and growers bring to the economy, culture and lifestyle of the Golden State.Wineries and regions throughout the state mark the month with special tastings, events and offers.

sbcountywines.com


FRANK PELLEGRINO – CO-OWNER, RAO’S RESTAURANT’S

The West Hollywood Rao’s location opens on September 17th at 1006 Seward Avenue, Los Angeles, CA.

Rao's is a Southern Italian restaurant founded in 1896 and located at 455 East 114th Street (at Pleasant Avenue) in East Harlem, New York City, with a sister restaurant in Las Vegas, NV.

The restaurant was started in 1896 by Charles Rao, who moved with his parents from Italy to the United States. He bought a small shop in Italian Harlem, once a very large Italian-American community, and ran the restaurant until his death in 1909. Louis Rao took over the business. He was seen by many as a very suave man. He had his hair cut at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and wore many fancy suits. Current co-owner Frank Pellegrino describes those days as "the days of big Cadillacs and usually convertibles." He was much more conservative in behavior and looks and refined the menu into a more simple Italian menu, with the help of "Aunt Jake." After Vincent Rao's death in 1999, it was taken over by Frank Pellegrino, Anna Pellegrino Rao's nephew, and Ronald Straci, another close relative. Anna Pellegrino-Rao refined the menu even more with the help of Vincent and she is the source of the menu's identity today.

On December 6, 2006, Rao's opened a second restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada, under executive chef Carla Pellegrino, with two ten-table rooms and additional seating available on an outdoor garden patio.

In early 2009, Rao's in Las Vegas opened a bocce bar outside and began offering bocce lessons and cocktails there.  Rao's now sells products in gourmet markets and supermarkets. Products include pasta products and sauce as well as olive oil.

www.RAOS.com    

Rick Maynard  DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, KFC 

It’s no secret that Americans are increasingly on the move. And recent IRI research found that Americans are becoming ‘opportunistic’ eaters that graze on food all day long, rather than eating three separate meals. KFC has an answer for this behavior -- a pretty neat product line that provides taste, value and portability for on-the-go consumers - the KFC Go Cup. It’s launching today and we’d love to give you the inside scoop.

58 percent of Americans say that time spent driving has forced them to skip a meal. To combat this, Americans are eating in their cars and on-the-go more often.

42 percent of Americans would be more likely to eat in their cars if the food container could fit in their cup holder. The KFC Go Cup is the perfect solution – it includes a choice of the brand’s signature chicken along with Seasoned Potato Wedges, all in the convenience of sitting right in your cup holder for just $2.49.


Connie Britton - ACTRESS, "NASHVILLE"

Four times Emmy nominated, Connie Britton, is an actress who continually receives accolades for her work in television and film.  After stand-out roles on series such as “Spin City,” “24,” and “The West Wing,” she starred in one of the best reviewed shows on television, NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” created by Peter Berg, for which she received an Emmy nomination in 2010 and then again in 2011.

Britton returned to the small screen this past fall starring in ABC’s highly anticipated drama, “Nashville,” in which she plays Rayna James, a legendary country music superstar, earning Britton her first Golden Globe nomination and fourth Emmy nomination.  Britton most recently starred as the female lead in “American Horror Story,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s Golden Globe and Emmy nominated series for FX for which she received her third Emmy Nomination. She will next be seen in the film, “The To Do List,” alongside Aubrey Plaza and Andy Samberg. She also appeared last summer’s “Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World” with Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley.

Michael Jokovich - Grand Hyatt San Francisco   

Step into sophistication on a grand level. The newly transformed Grand Hyatt San Francisco has redefined luxury on Union Square as a AAA Four Diamond hotel.

Revel in completely redesigned guestrooms and suites featuring innovative & residential style amenities. Host high level meetings or impressive conferences in newly renovated event space enhanced with rich materials, unique architectural features, maximum flexibility and technological upgrades. Discover a unique dining experience at OneUP Restaurant and enjoy casual luxury in a chic atmosphere.

All the sights and sounds of San Francisco beckon just outside the doors of this ideally located San Francisco hotel on Union Square. Enjoy unequalled access to world-class shopping, attractions, museums, theaters and the famous landmarks of this vibrant city, including Moscone Convention Center, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and AT &T Ballpark. Experience the ultimate in discriminating style and hospitality at this luxurious urban hotel on San Francisco’s Union Square.

View our Hyatt Destinations San Francisco city guide for insider information on local culture, attractions, restaurants, shopping, and upcoming events.


Allen Salkin - New York Times reporter - "FROM SCRATCH INSIDE THE FOOD NETWORK"

20  years after it began as a little-noticed start-up, the Food Network is in 100 million homes, generates over ½ a billion dollars in profit annually, and has spawned a constellation of stars who have become household names, including Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, Jamie Oliver, Sandra Lee, and Giada De Laurentiis, to name just a few!! Now, prominent journalist Allen Salkin serves up the 1st book yet written about this colorful world of big appetites, big money, and big drama in “FROM SCRATCH: Inside the Food Network.” The book also contains exclusive material on what really happened behind the scenes of the Paula Deen controversy!!!


Pamela Skidmore – Director of Sales & Event Marketing, Sonoma Meetings  - Healdsburg Auction

Attention Wine and Food Enthusiasts! The date is set and preparations are already underway for the First Annual Healdsburg Wine Auction benefitting Healdsburg schools and community. A Farm To Fork event featuring collector wines, gourmet food and unique live auction items. Don’t you dare plan anything else for October 5, 2013, and we can’t wait to see you at the Auction at Soda Rock Winery.

www.healdsburgwineauction.com




STEVE EVANS   "THE MOVIE GUY"

GREAT MOVIES OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS AND HOPES. FIND OUT WHAT MOVIES ARE WORTH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. GET SET FOR THE WEEKEND.

Father Joseph Shea - 4th Annual Simi Valley Dream Cuisine "Polynesian Paradise"  

The Simi Valley Dream Cuisine, Polynesian Paradise, a festive evening of great food, wine and beer from the area’s finest restaurants, wineries and breweries, will take place 4-9 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 13 on the spacious grounds of St. Rose of Lima Church, 1305 Royal Ave. in Simi Valley.  Rev. Joseph Shea will host the evening, which will honor Norberto Lara, SFC, U.S. Army (ret.) representing the “THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT”.  Featured performers will include feature a Master Choral singing a medley of patriotic songs, The Unforgettables Big Band and the Na Ho Aloha O Polynesian Dancers.  Also planned are a silent auction and opportunity drawing.

“The Simi Valley Dream Cuisine is quickly becoming the premiere wine & food festival in Ventura County.  Where else can you eat and drink to your heart’s content, plus enjoy entertainment, a silent auction and raffle drawing, all for one low price?” Father Shea said. “Please join us as we honor and hear the story of Norberto Lara of the Wounded Warrior Project.”

A reception for sponsors and other VIPs will be hosted from 4 to 4:45pm. Other guests with reserved tables will be admitted at 4:45pm, and general admission will be at 5:15pm. 

Dinner tickets are $60 per person or $100 per couple, while a reserved table for 10 is $600. Opportunities are available for sponsorship and advertising in the full-color program.

Raffle tickets are $5 each. A book of five tickets is available for $25.  Purchase two books and a third is provided free of charge.  First prize in the raffle is a choice of $20,000 or a 2013 Mini Cooper hardtop, Fiat convertible, Toyota Camry, Nissan King cab truck or FLTRU Road Glide Ultra Harley Davidson.  The second prize is a seven-day trip for two to Hawaii and the third prize is a 50” flat-screen television.

A free shuttle service will connect satellite parking at Royal High School and Sinaloa Middle School to the festival all day.  A special hotel package featuring tickets to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is available at the Posada Royale Hotel (805-584-6300).

All proceeds from the annual Simi Valley Dream Cuisine event benefits Serving Those In Need, Inc., St. Rose of Lima Christian Service, St. Rose of Lima Parish and its grade school. Please visit our website:  www.SimiValleyDreamCuisine.com.


Author John Holl  - "The American Craft Beer Cookbook"

About the author: Author John Holl has visited more than 900 breweries around the world, conducting research for his beer-and-travel books as well as articles for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Beer Connoisseur, Beverage World, and many other publications. He has judged beer competitions, regularly lectures on craft beer, and appears often on NBC’s Weekend Today in New York. He is the editor of All About Beer magazine and is the host of the Beer Briefing on iHeartRadio. He lives in New Jersey.

        It’s no longer only about chips or burgers or wings (though they do taste great with beer!) — chefs are now taking meals to a whole new level using the complex and intricate flavors imparted by different varieties of malts, hops, and yeasts to realize the full taste potential of dishes ranging from salads to choice cuts of meat and fresh seafood.

            In his new book, The American Craft Beer Cookbook, beer journalist John Holl — who firmly believes that beer pairs better than wine with a fine meal — has traveled the country and collected more than 150 recipes from breweries, brewpubs, chefs, and beer-centric restaurants that illustrate the delicious intersection on the culinary road where food and beer meet. In some cases beer is used as an ingredient, and every recipe discusses how to find that perfect pint to bring the meal to a crescendo where the complexity, depth, and breadth of a craft beer beautifully complements, contrasts with, or enhances the flavors on the plate.

            From Southern Tier Brewery’s Free Range Super Pancakes to Uncommon Brewer’s Lemongrass Chicken, Trinity Brewing’s Watermelon Salad, and Harpoon Brewery’s Winter Warmer Pumpkin Pie, the recipes highlighted cover breakfast through dessert, and the breweries profiled showcase local favorites from Hawaii to Maine. The American Craft Beer Cookbook will inspire home chefs to create the perfect, melt-in-your mouth celebration of food and beer.


ROSSI RALENKOTTER - President/CEO,  Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

“WHAT HAPPENS HERE, STAYS HERE” 

Learn the Story Behind One of the Most Iconic Ad Campaigns in History
from the Men Who Created It  - PLUS: Get a Look at the Ads Premiering this Fall for the 10th Anniversary Re-Launch of One of the Most Successful Campaigns of All Time .

In 2002, two young copywriters from R&R Partners developed the tag line “What Happens Here, Stays Here” for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), creating what was to become one of the most iconic marketing and ad campaigns in history. The first television spots ran in January of 2003, and over the past 10 years, WHHSH has earned a spot in the American pop culture lexicon.

The campaign was inducted into the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame and named one of the top 10 best destination marketing campaigns ever by Forbes. The line was the genesis for the popular “Hangover” movies, has been used in multiple sitcoms and even uttered by First Lady Laura Bush to Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. Vegas is now synonymous with “adult freedom” and in 2012, the destination hit a record high of 39.7 million visitors.


JOEL GOTT - "GOTT WINES"     

While running Palisades Market in Calistoga in the early 1990s, Joel Gott noticed a growing need for quality, value wines. Having worked at Kenwood Winery in Sonoma County, and with a family history in the business, Joel felt sure he could fill this void in the marketplace.

In 1996, Joel purchased a few tons of Zinfandel from family friend and grape grower Tom Dillian. With the help of then-girlfriend—and winemaker at Joseph Phelps—Sarah, Joel produced his first vintage of Dillian Ranch Amador County Zinfandel. The wine received praise from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator, which was all the encouragement Joel needed to produce additional varietals.
A Sauvignon Blanc followed in 1998, and the year after he and Sarah produced California appellation Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon by shopping the entire state for the best fruit, creating a wine shaped by various regions instead of a single estate. This style and commitment to quality wines blended from hand-selected vineyards helped guide the direction of Joel Gott Wines.

In 2003, 815 was added to the California Cabernet Sauvignon label to celebrate the birth of Joel and his wife Sarah’s first daughter Lucy on August 15th. That same year, Alisa Jacobson was hired as the assistant winemaker, and the following year Sarah left her position as winemaker at Quintessa to focus on a growing family and winemaking at Joel Gott Wines

LARRY LIPSON - Costa Rica      

For fifty years Larry Lipson was the food critic for the Los Angeles Daily News and now reports from Costa Rica weekly with his thoughts and favorite picks for Food & Wine.  His lovely Wife Lillian is also on hand at the Lipson Institute for advanced wine studies. 



SPENCER GRAMMER - IRONSIDE ON NBC

Spencer Grammer stars as Holly, the strong feisty detective who loves the rush of being undercover and the danger that goes with the job.

Grammer shined in her role as Casey, star of ABC Family’s hit series “Greek.”  Previously, she starred in “As the World Turns,” playing the role of Lucy Montgomery for close to 100 episodes. Other television credits include NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU,” “CSI: NY,” “The Bedford Diaries,” “Third Watch” and “Clubhouse.” On the big screen, her feature credits include “Missing William,” “Beautiful Ohio,” and  “Descent.” In addition, she has three upcoming independent features that will be released in 2014: “2BR/1BA,” “Beyond Paradise” and “In Lieu of Flowers,” which premiered at the 2013 Newport Beach International Film Festival.  Grammer majored in theater at Marymount Manhattan College and currently resides in Los Angeles.
 IRONSIDE - Wednesdays, 10 p.m. ET  ON NBC


CHEF MALIKA AMEEN - PASTRY CHEF

Malika Ameen is a nationally-known Chicago-based pastry chef/restaurateur and entrepreneur whose love of unique flavor combinations and fascination with spices and attention to detail began in a food-focused home where family dinners were prepared from scratch each day. In 2010, Malika was chosen as a featured ‘cheftestant’ on Bravo’s premiere season on “Top Chef: Just Desserts.” Soon after appearing on the show, Malika launched her own pastry business, ByMDesserts, which specializes in cookies made with the highest quality ingredients and unique flavor combinations. As a single mom to three young boys (ages 3, 6 and 8), she’s always incorporating her “chef thinking” into the foods she cooks daily at home for her children in order to make food as exciting (and fair) for them as it is for her; thus the concept the Modern Spice Pantry was born at home.

Adam Harris - National Bourbon Ambassador, Knob Creek

Knob Creek Smoked Maple will be hitting shelves nationally. Adam Harris, long-standing member of the Beam Inc. family, has been promoted to the position of Bourbon Ambassador, North America. In his new role, Harris will travelthroughout the U.S. as an ambassador for Beam’s many premium and super-premium bourbons, including Jim Beam Black®, Knob Creek®, Basil Hayden’s®, Red Stag by Jim Beam®, Devil’s Cut® and Maker’s Mark®. Most recently, Harris served as Beam’s Distillery Specialist in Austin, Texas, supporting the company’s super-premium spirits portfolio. Prior to that role, he held the position of Maker’s Mark Distillery Diplomat in both Texas and New York. Harris has received extensive training at both the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Ky., and the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Ky. Harris has also spent quality time pouring and developing bourbon cocktails, having worked behind the bar as a mixologist at multiple on-premise venues in New York. “I’ve spent years crafting my knowledge of bourbon and of Beam’s unmatched bourbon portfolio, and I am now both honored and ecstatic to become Beam’s newest national bourbon ambassador,” said Harris. “Beam has a few hundred years of bourbon excellence under its belt, and I plan to add my own notch as I work to continue educating and promoting ‘America’s Native Spirit’ across this great country to anyone who will listen.” As National Bourbon Ambassador, Harris will take his bourbon mastery to the next level, helping to educate and showcase the care and handcrafted attention that goes into every drop of Beam’s premium and super-premium bourbons. He will spend time working at the Jim Beam Distillery, learning first-hand from seventh-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe. Harris joins Beam’s team of industry-leading and award-winnings ambassadors including Dan Tullio, Master Ambassador of Canadian Whisky; Simon Brooking, Master Ambassador of Scotch; Kieran Folliard, Chief Ambassador of Kilbeggan Distilling Co.™; and Bobby Gleason, Master Mixologist. “We’ve seen the passion, knowledge and charisma that Adam has brought to our super-premium spirits portfolio as Distillery Specialist, and we are thrilled to have him join the bourbon family,” said Chris Bauder, Beam’s General Manager, Whiskey. “As we continue to build on the traditions first set by Jacob Beam in 1795 and now strengthened by Fred Noe, our seventh-generation Master Distiller, we look to Adam to help further reinforce Beam’s position as the world’s #1 bourbon producer.”


Kip Snider, Yard House’s Beverage Director

Kip Snider, Beverage Director for Yard House Restaurants, has been with the restaurant since 1998. Kip plays a pivotal role in the decision making and selection of the brands and styles of beer found at all of their locations. Additionally he spearheads the selection of spirits, wine, and development of unique Yard House cocktails. His hard work and reputation in the industry has granted him a seat on the Advisory Board for Cheers and Vibe beverage conferences. Kip currently resides in Orange County, CA with his wife Michelle and their two sons, Dallas and Nathan. Yard House’s Beverage Director Kip Snider will be available to give you a crash course in Beer 101. He can discuss how to distinguish between the different categories of beers, which types of beers go well with certain foods, and also the hot trends in beer like craft beer and seasonal flavors.


Judith Choate - "An American Family Cooks"   

As a chef and James Beard Award-winning author who's  written over 100 cookbooks–including a slew by celebrity chefs including Charlie Palmer, David Burke, Jacques Torres and Patti Labelle, Judie is fascinating conversation about how shopping, home cooking and eating has changed over her 50 years in food.