Highlights Local and Nationally Known Artists

Radio Announcer John Phillips To Be Honored 

GospeLive, the annual concert hosted by the Los Angeles Black Business Expo and Trade Show, will once again showcase some of the best local and national gospel talent at its 19^th  Expo on Sunday, September 23, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the L.A. Convention Center.

The event, presented by OneUnited Bank and Farmers, is part of a weekend of activities for persons of all ages, beginning Friday, September 21.

According to Harold Hambrick, BBX President and GospeLive producer, this year’s event will be emceed by KJLH’s Aundre Russell and singer and actress Telma Hopkins. Featured acts, performing both contemporary and traditional music, include individual vocalists, choirs and praise dancers. National recording artists Beau Williams, whose praise and spirit-filled songs brought down the house last year, and Elaine Norwood will perform.  Also included in the partial line-up: The Heritage Music Foundation Choir, organized by last year’s Mahalia Jackson Gospel Legend Awardee, internationally acclaimed gospel music writer, arranger and composer, Dr. Margaret Douroux; last year’s BBX “Urban Idol” winner, Jackie Thomas; Antone & God’s Team; God’s Way; Dave & Crystal McClendon; The Starlights; Holy Boy; Hilgra Hatcher; Long Beach Children of Christ; Dornell & Hope Carr; and Hush Evolution.

“It is our belief that we must keep God at the center of our activities,” said Hambrick.  “This concert is a way for us to showcase the fantastic talent we have on the West Coast and praise God at the same time.”

In addition to performances, artifacts and memorabilia, reflecting the history of gospel music, will once again be on display at the Heritage Music Foundation’s booth.

In a separate ceremony, legendary gospel radio announcer John Phillips, will receive the Mahalia Jackson Gospel Legend’s Award on Saturday during the Black Music Festival.  An announcer for more than 52 years, his talents have been showcased on KTYM, KKGO, and KFOX.   A member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Phillips was inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame Museum in 2000.  He will be honored once again in November, when he is inducted into the Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio.

Other BBX activities include The Tom Bradley Business Institute, the West Coast Black Music Festival, (featuring the ‘70s sound), Tastin’ Black Culture Food Court, The New Celebrity Lounge (with autograph signings), “Coolture” Fashion Show, Health, Fitness and Sports Pavilion; Kids World, Fantasy Hair Explosion, Black Writers on Tour, Autoland and more.

Tickets are $5 for persons 12 and over.  BBX hours are Friday and Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.  For more information, go to www.blackbusinessexpo.com.   

BBX Food Festival to Feature

Fine Restaurateurs and Caterers

Three L.A. Based business owners share their stories

by F. Finley McRae           

For much of the nation, the extraordinary touch and taste of black Americans in the culinary arts has long been widely known.   However, when fine food is discussed, many Americans automatically speak or think of chefs who are French or Northern Italian.  The names of African Americans or their traditions seldom crease their lips.     

            Yet for nearly 400 years, in cuisines from soul to Creole and Caribbean to continental, blacks have stamped their signatures on a dazzling array of recipes, written and unwritten. 

            To catch a glimpse of one day in their world, The Los Angeles Black Business Expo (BBX) decided to highlight three outstanding African American restaurateurs and caterers.  They will be among those serving up the soul in the Tastin’ Black Culture Food Court, sponsored by Lawry’s, Ralphs and Food4Less, at the 19^th Annual BBX, September 21 – 23, Los Angeles Convention Center. 

The three, Derrick Angus, Greg Dulan and Desiree E. Edwards, have acquired excellent reputations for reliability and timely service throughout southern California.

Angus, who was born in Jamaica, owns Derrick’s Jamaican Cuisine on La Tijera Boulevard in Ladera Heights.  With 15 years of catering under his belt, he began as a small food vendor at several annual and seasonal community events, including the highly popular African Market Place.   "I sold jerk chicken, beans and rice," he said, when recalling his humble beginning.

Now, with a thriving catering concern and a busy restaurant, Angus's name often appears when there's a demand for Caribbean cuisine.

Featured on the Food Channel in January, he was also profiled in Black Enterprise Magazine in 2003.  Riding the waves of that media attention and his solid reputation built over the last two decades, Angus caters "for the University of Southern California (USC), football games and for Telemundo, Univision and major entertainment industry studios," he said.

His success, Angus maintains, is built on "my love of people."  He believes that "its really not hard to love, its easy.  All you have to remember is that without human contact and companionship, you'll be lonely and miserable and that we need people to survive."

Promoting “a healthy diet and an equally healthy lifestyle" is Angus’ passion.  In catering and at the restaurant, the menus "offer healthy choice sections," he said, "and all meat entrees are drained to eliminate fat."  On his menus, "small, red-colored hearts symbolize suggestions for healthy lifestyle choices.    

Angus recently partnered with Jacquie Stevens, the KJLH Public Affairs director, to discuss Alzheimer's and, additionally, has done so with the Alzheimer's Association to inform the public that it can avoid and delay the disease by building health consciousness and stimulating awareness.

A native of El Paso, Texas and a Howard University graduate, Dulan, whose parents established the legendary Aunt Kizzie’s Back Porch in Marina Del Rey, said his father "gave me my first opportunity to develop my skills and also turned the catering business over to me, which gave me my start." 

Dulan admits that initially, he didn't know what he was doing. At his first catering event, a dinner for the Los Angeles Raiders, “I learned the hard way that football players eat twice as much and sometimes three times as much as other people."

"I had only prepared two cobblers, so when Howie Long grabbed a serving spoon and scooped up portions, in fifths, we suddenly were almost out of cobbler.  After yelling, 'hey, what are you doing,' and yanking the spoon from his hand, I could only give the other players very small portions.  That taught me a lesson: always be prepared," he said.

That's all behind Dulan now.  Currently a member of the board of the Southern California Restaurant Association, he not only caters for a number of events, but "has a part of the LAUSD School Lunch contract at several schools."

 At one of the annual events at which he's become a fixture, the block party in his View Park neighborhood, several residents spoke highly of Dulan, his recipes and community commitment.  "His food and presentation draw a lot of people to the block party every year," said Melanie who, with her friend and neighbor, Opal, hosted a summer event.

"Yes, he's one of the best caterers in all of Los Angeles and southern California," said Opal.  "For the residents here," she said," it's not just about his food; its about his community commitment and the rapport he has with everyone."

Edwards, a caterer since 1992 and owner of the Watts Coffee House on 103^rd Street, since 1994, works all day and attends classes five nights each week at the prestigious Kitchen Academy in Hollywood, where she's studying to become a certified chef in an accelerated program.

"The training there is intense, it is grueling and goes from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., five days a week, for 30 weeks--and there are no breaks," she explained.

One of 18 of the original 32 students in her class, Edwards is expected to receive her chef’s credentials in December.    

She believes her chef's training will offer other benefits as well.  "Learning in a French-based environment provides an education in their definition of cooking."  In addition, Edwards said, she'll "also be able to do Suishi" and enhance her menu at the Coffee House.  "It's diverse now, but it'll become even more so in the future," she said

Somehow, Edwards says, she finds time to cater too.  "I do a lot and it’s corporate or for entertainers," she told BBX, while preparing for one of her weekly classes.  "Pete Carroll, USC's head football coach, swears I serve the best whole brisket, grits and biscuits in the whole world!"

Edwards' other clients include Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Def Jam, Robin and Alan Thicke and Steve Harvey.

Coley's Caribbean-American Cuisine, Shabazz Seafood Restaurant and Burbon Street Fish will also offer tasty dishes in the food court. 

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