Anne Marie Panoringan is Culture OC’s well-informed food columnist. She reports industry news, current events and trends. Anne Marie also contributes regularly to Eater Los Angeles, LAist, TASTE and a host of other well-respected and noteworthy publications. Anne Marie joins us in-studio for her final visit of 2025 to discuss her work as Food Columnist for Culture OC and highlight her current columns. Of course, more tasty Orange County morsels will be part of the conversation including a recent column (November 26, 2025) highlighting her favorite spots in the OC for fried chicken. There are a few surprises…Anne Marie earlier in the Month was on a cruise of the Mexican River aboard the Royal Princess. She will talk about that experience.

“Former aspiring professional surfer-turned-chef Craig Hopson (an Aussie native) is behind this California-kissed French-Australian neighborhood bistro in Mar Vista, Electric Bleu, for special nights and every night. The menu changes frequently. After working at storied kitchens around the world including Guy Savoy and Le Cirque, Hopson flexes his French training in dishes like steak au poivre with green peppercorn cognac sauce while also nodding to his Perth hometown in sides like electric fries with chicken salt (a favorite Aussie condiment).” There’s also a $59 four-course tasting menu option available with a premium wine or sake pairing. In an accommodation to the neighborhood’s 4-legged guests there is a dog-friendly patio on the Woodgreen St. side of Electric Bleu. Craig Hopson takes a break from his busy dinner prep to join us.

For our concluding segment, our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. Chef Andrew looks back on the many concerns of restaurants this year and then looks ahead to the future challenges of 2026. Is there reason for optimism?