KPBS Midday Edition

Baja California's Culinary Boom Reaches Beyond Borders

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Peggy Pico / KPBS Evening Edition Host, Patty Lane / Producer

Contributors: Katie Schoolov / Video Journalist

Published October 14, 2014 at 8:24 AM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

Baja California’s Culinary Boom Reaches Beyond Borders

Baja California's Culinary Boom Reaches Beyond Borders

Baja Cuisine Gains International Fame GUESTS:Chef Martin San Roman, owner, La Terrasse in the Guadalupe Valley Chef Chad White, owner, Comun Kitchen & Tavern in San Diego and La Justina restaurant in Tijuana.

When it comes to food there are no borders — especially with the emergence of the Mediterranean and Asian-influenced Baja California cuisine.

For many of these chefs it's all about fresh and local food. Baja California is in the midst of what's being called a "culinary boom," and it's being experienced on both sides of the border. In the past two years, Baja has inspired new culinary schools, and graduates are opening restaurants in the U.S. and Mexico.

During this week's Tijuana Innovadora, 24 innovative chefs will participate in Batalla Culinaria, a special culinary event on October 18 and 19. It's one of three "Iron-Chef"-style competitions.

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How to Make Baja Clams at Común Kitchen & Tavern

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Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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Peggy Pico

Peggy Pico served as the host of KPBS Evening Edition. Pico originally joined the KPBS newsroom as the science and technology reporter in 2010 after spending two years covering biotechnology and medical news in the Bay Area. Pico was raised in San Diego and has worked as a broadcast journalist in California, Arizona, and Texas. She previously reported for NBC 7/39 where she worked as a medical and science reporter for five years. Pico has won two Emmy’s and numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press, and the San Diego Press Club. She also received the USC Health Reporter Fellowship and is a member of California Chicano News Media Association and the Association of Health Care Journalists.

See stories by Peggy Pico