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Business & Tech

Two Beverly Hills Chefs Offer Tips to 'Taste' Attendees

The festival's second day highlights the talents of Celestino Drago and Scott Conant.

The Taste food and wine festival continued Saturday with cooking demonstrations by two Beverly Hills restaurant owners in addition to tastings from other area eateries and top winemakers.

Celestino Drago, owner of , and , who opened one of his famed Scarpetta restaurants in in October 2010, shared some of their cooking secrets during the festival event titled “Secrets from the Kitchen and Cellar.”

Drago showed his audience how to make a simple risotto.

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“Risotto was something people are discouraged to make at home,” Drago said. “I wanted them to see that it’s easy to make.” 

Drago mixed shrimp with his risotto, along with fresh red beets that he added as much for their color as for their flavor, he said.

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“With food, presentation is important,” Drago said. “Color is important.” 

After watching Drago’s demonstration, attendee Aaron Kleinman said he believes he may finally be able to prepare the dish.

“I’ve tried making risotto several times and every time it does not come out right,” Kleinman said. “It was very nice to see someone who is a master prepare risotto correctly. Hopefully now I can go home and not burn it or overcook it.”

There was standing room only in Conant’s demonstration, with audience members eager to learn the secrets behind the Food Network star’s signature Italian cooking.

“I think the most important thing for people to be aware of is the approachability of food,” Conant said. “To not be afraid to tweak it a little bit to get the results they want.”

The owners of three vineyards in Paso Robles were also on hand with six wines for tasting and discussion. Matthew Celia has visited vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Santa Barbara, but said next time he’s going to Paso Robles.

“I didn’t realize how diverse the area is and how great the wines that are coming out of there are,” he said. “I thought the wine I tried was off the charts. They’re growing some really fantastic stuff that really blew me away.”

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