WINEormous Features Chef Cody
by Tom Plant

"Catch The Spirit, Cooking With California Wine" will debut September 5 on Cox 4 in San Diego County. I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a shooting last week at Oak Mountain Winery in Temecula. Owners Steve and Valerie Andrews did a tremendous job hosting the event.

It was a real pleasure meeting Chef Cody James and his wife Linda from Manhattan Catering. Chef Cody prepared canapes of Salmon Mousse, Chicken & Apricot and Cucumber & Dill. He also prepared a grill-baked pizza with fresh and sun dried tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil, lamb chislic skewers in a Cabernet Franc reduction with berries and coconut milk and topped it off with a Pear Tart made with Key Lime Avocado Oil, goat cheese and marscapone filling.

Suffice it to say the food was absolutely delicious; fresh, tasty and unique. Watch for this show. If it’s not on your TV listings, you might find it online. My compliments also to the production crew from Javitz Videography in San Diego.

visit: WINEormous website

Sage Mountain Farm
Certified Organic Produce
Because organic matters


The more we pour the big machines, the fuel, the pesticides, the herbicides, the fertilizer and chemicals into farming, the more we knock out the mechanism that made it all work in the first place.
David R. Brower

Phil gives a tour to Chef Cody James


Chef Cody James (left), his cameraman Steven Javitz and Phil Noble of Sage Mountain check out the herbs growing. There are two types of Thyme planted here. Chef Cody is working on a television show that will be focusing on good food and wine in our area.

Manhattan Catering LLC to Produce TV Show Promoting Local Wines

Manhattan Catering LLC is producing “Catch the Spirit”, a television show that will promote the use of indigenous wines in gourmet cooking. The project is the brainchild of four-star chef Cody James, the Executive Chef of Manhattan Catering LLC. The show will center on how Chef Cody can incorporate the unique flavors of local wines into his cooking to come up with innovative versions of his recipes.

“Catch the Spirit” will have a serial format, with each series divided into episodes featuring certain wines native to the state and are available only from the state's local wineries. Manhattan Catering LLC, now based in the San Diego area in California , will launch the project with the “CATCH THE SPIRIT: COOKING WITH CALIFORNIA WINES” series.

Chef Cody James believes that the unique qualities of local wines offer new and exciting culinary possibilities and that by bringing them to the viewing public's attention, the small wineries can compete a little better in a market dominated by the more popular commercial brands.