Grilling seems like it should be easy. Light your coals on fire, add raw meat, and out comes a delicious meal. But for anybody who's tried it knows that it's not that simple. That's doubly true for anybody who's tried low and slow BBQ.

The Sac Bee recently had a great series where they interviewed great Sacramento chefs on what they do to make a successful BBQ. Here's an excerpt of the interview the Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson did with Tako Korean BBQ chef Yoon Hee Cho.

How would you prepare the meat?

For the short ribs, I buy them at the Korean grocery market. We have two different kinds of short ribs – thin slices and thick. For barbecuing outside, I usually get thin slices. If I get thick, I usually have to trim it. I usually shop at Smile Food Market (2948 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento). I call ahead and order, and they will pre-cut it for me. They also have good sticky rice.

What's the most unconventional item you like to grill?

Sometimes we like to do noodles – the Korean style noodles called japchae. It's a very popular Korean dish. It's noodles made with sweet potatoes. You boil them, then prepare the other ingredients like sliced carrots, onions, egg, garlic and mushrooms.

Do you prefer a charcoal or gas grill?

I like charcoal. It has more flavor, especially charcoal made with wood. It's a little bit harder to control, but the fire is stronger.

Read the entire interview in the Sac Bee.

The Bee also interviewed T&R Taste of Texas chef Rodney Ray and Blackbird Kitchen + Bar chef Carina Lee Lampkin.

Coincidentally, I went to a party on Saturday evening where the food was catered by T&R Taste of Texas. It was absolutely scrumptious. The ribs were tender. The hot links were perfectly spicy, and they had some sort of sweet potato pie tater tots that I can't wait to eat a proper meal at the restaurant.

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Savoring Seasonal Fare at Mulvaney's B&L - You can always count on Mulvaney’s B&L for a prettily composed, fresh-from-the-farm repast. I stopped by the popular midtown restaurant recently for a quick lunch and hit the jackpot with the kitchen’s frisee and arugula salad, whose greens were sourced from West Sacramento’s Del Rio Botanical  – a farm well-respected by both local chefs and Sacramento foodies (it happens to offer one of the most interesting and exciting CSA boxes in the region). Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

It's All About Cheese at The Rind - Other treats we savored at The Rind included a fabulous salad featuring locally-grown greens and beets, enlivened with a dash of lemon zest; and the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever tasted, showcasing Modesto’s Fiscalini “clothbound” cheddar cheese and tangy sourdough bread. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.