Regina Varolli

LUCKYRICE Festival Brings the Asian Cuisine Scene to NYC in May

2013-04-11T09:33:13-04:00

Kicking off on April 29 with a Dumpling Party where guests learn to make dumplings as they sip cocktails, the week-long LUCKYRICE Festival returns to NYC. Hailed by thousands of attendees as one of the best food festivals in NYC, LUCKYRICE is also bringing its special spin on Asian culture through cuisine to Los Angels, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Miami. Still the biggest jewel in the crown of LUCKYRICE Festivals, the New York City festival boasts 11 different events spanning seven days and nights.

LUCKYRICE San Francisco 2012 (Richard Patterson, Courtesy LUCKYRICE)

Every year LUCKYRICE opens with a cocktail party, only this year cocktails will be paired with a plethora of dumplings, and include dumpling-making lessons. A tradition found all over China, attendees will make like family as they create and consume all kinds of dumplings at the LUCKYRICE Parlor on Bowery. For addicts of Chinese dumplings, this event is a must.

Opening Night Cocktails 2012 (Richard Patterson, Courtesy LUCKYRICE)

On April 30, SlurpFest: A Ramen Dinner takes over the LUCKYRICE Parlor with chefs from Yuji Ramen, Ramen Lab, Chuko, and Ivan Ramen NY. Featuring regional ramens like tonkotsu of Kyushu and miso ramen of Hokkaido, chefs will add their own modern, creative spin on the traditional noodles of Japan.

James Beard Award winner for Best Chef, Saipin Chutima of Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas comes to NYC for Saipin's Siam Supper on May 1st. Lauded as one of the best Thai chefs in North America, Saipan Chutima cooks modern Thai cuisine using traditional Thai spices and chilies, creating dishes that won her restaurant the title of Best Thai in America by Gourmet Magazine.

Three different dinners at three venues on May 2nd offer LUCKYRICE goers a choice that isn't so easy to make. Cocktail Feast: A Journey East, hosted by Chef Masaharu Morimoto brings chefs out of the kitchen and places them behind the bar. Chefs José Andrès, Andy Ricker and Angelo Sosa join Morimoto at The Bowery Hotel where they morph into mixologists and show the crowd what a talented chef can do when you give them some Bombay Sapphire EAST and a shaker. Also on the second are a Filipino Feast at the James Beard House and Rasta! A Chinese-Jamaican Dinner at LUCKYRICE Parlor.

Again offering Asian food enthusiasts a choice, on May 3rd LUCKYRICE brings back its Grand Feast to the Grand Ballroom at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel while hosting This Stinks! Fermented Food Favorites from Asia at LUCKYRICE Parlor.

Along with its Night Market on May 4, the LUCKYRICE Grand Feast is one of the two most popular events. The Grand Feast offers a cornucopia of cuisines spanning the wide spectrum of Asian and Asian fusion foods. Chefs Jehangir Mehta of Mehtaphor, Brad Farmerie of Public, and Cedric Vongerichten of Perry Street, join Morimoto and a couple dozen other top chefs from across the city, country and globe to give guests a walk-around tasting that's virtually second to none on the festival circuit. As no Grand Feast is complete without drinks, and LUCKYRICE isn't one to curb your craving for cocktails, guests can liquor-up on limitless libations.

Grand Feast 2012 (Richard Patterson, Courtesy LUCKYRICE)

This Stinks! isn't for the faint of stomach, or nose. With dishes like Fermented Tea Leaf Salad, Fried Stinky Tofu with Pickles, and Braised Beef Rib with Fermented Pan Chan, one can only imagine what the venue will smell like by the middle of the meal. But if you've ever wanted to make like Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern and take a walk on the wild side, this dinner is for you!

Moving from its previous venue under the Archway in DUMBO, this year the Night Market will take over the North Cabana at Meatpacking's Maritime Hotel on May 4th. Again emulating the experience of an authentic Asian night market, LUCKYRICE brings together chefs from Pok Pok NY, QI Thai Grill, Toki Underground and more, for an all-you-can eat event that's just a bit more posh than the experience one has at an actual night market. But it's not the glitz of the Grand Feats that one wants to experience at a night market; it's the hustle and bustle of late night street food that makes a night market such a unique experience.

Night Market 2012 (Richard Patterson, Courtesy LUCKYRICE)

Also on the 4th, A Nice Rice Dinner, hosted by Jonathan Wu of Wu Pops Up, celebrates the fundamental food staple of Asia. Sticky rice, rice crêpes, steamed rice rolls and rice congee are just a few of the rice dishes that highlight the diversity of rice in all of its culinary manifestations across Asia. Hardly a boring prospect, LUCKYRICE proves that having rice for dinner can be a gastronomic adventure.

Saving what could be the best for last, on May 5th Chef Susur Lee of Lee in Toronto hosts a Dim Sum Mahjong Bloody Mary Brunch. Adding the American twist of the brunch-lovers Bloody Mary to the Cantonese tradition of Dim Sum, LUCKYRICE offers guests the opportunity to mix up their own Bloody Mary using Asian specialty ingredients like yuzu, lemongrass and wasabi. Not to miss will be Chef Lee's Char Siu Bau -- steamed roast pork buns -- a humble yet favorite Dim Sum dish that paved the way for the pork bun craze that hit NYC.

With so many different events celebrating the vastly diverse cuisines of Asia, LUCKYRICE will no doubt again prove a hit among food and fun-loving New Yorkers. But don't let the panoply of parties fool you into thinking you can nab tickets last minute. Every year LUCKYRICE sells out fast, so if you have a hankering for the best Asian food this side of Hong Kong, visit the LUCKYRICE website.

Celebrity Chefs Step up to Plate for C-CAP's March 4 NYC Gala Benefit

2013-02-20T12:03:50-05:00

Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), a pioneering organization that has awarded $37 million in scholarships for students attending culinary/hospitality programs across the U.S., will be holding its annual Gala Benefit on Monday, March 4, at Pier Sixty/Chelsea Piers in NYC. Open to the general public, every year this event wows attendees with more food from more chefs than any one human could possibly consume (though we can try)... and all for a great cause.

Restaurant Daniel / Daniel Boulud & Sandro Micheli: Pistachio Dacquoise with fresh raspberries and vanilla cream (Jerry Ruotolo, Courtesy C-CAP)

C-CAP not only awards scholarships to culinary and hospitality students, it operates high school culinary programs in underserved districts as a means to break the cycle of poverty through meaningful careers in the culinary and hospitality industry. Founded in 1990 by Richard Grausman, a life-long educator and cookbook author, C-CAP has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of inner-city kids. Donating millions in equipment, supplies, and training hours, as well as connecting budding chefs with established chef-mentors, internships and jobs, C-CAP is the only nonprofit of its kind, and its impact is quite frankly beyond measure.

The annual Gala Benefit raises a healthy portion of the funds that go towards C-CAP programs, so as attendees mill about the grand tasting, they do more than enjoy the stellar food and rub elbows with the culinary elite, they also do their bit to provide solid futures for kids who might otherwise have little options. Eating well and doing good, my favorite kind of culinary event indeed.

Extra Virgin / Joseph Fortunato: Tuna Tartar Cones with avocado mousse and pomegranate (Jerry Ruotolo, Courtesy C-CAP)

The list of participating chefs at this premier event reads like a who's who of the culinary industry, and includes C-CAP Board Member Marcus Samuelsson, Top Chef Host Tom Colicchio, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Top Chef Masters' Jonathan Waxman, the eclectic Wylie Dufresne of wd~50, and renowned Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki of Gotham Bar & Grill. C-CAP alums Thiago Silva, Sean Quinn, Alfred Stephens, and Kelvin Fernandez, all of whom have risen high in their careers, will also be participating this year.

Chef Matt Hoyle of Nobu 57, another participating chef as well as one who hires C-CAP students and alum, told me why chefs like himself and others make time for C-CAP. "There isn't any other organization that does what C-CAP does. I have these kids working in my kitchen, and even with the hard cases, my mentoring them and giving them a chance is what makes a huge difference in their lives. That just wouldn't happen without C-CAP."

Kibo / Ayumu Matsuda: Lobster Salad with black quinoa, celery root and preserved lemon (Jerry Ruotolo, Courtesy C-CAP)

Nearly as remarkable as the food is this year's silent auction. On the block are a first class trip to Positano to stay at Tre Ville (where celebs like Elizabeth Taylor and Liza Minelli vacation), a week-long stay (including air fare) at J.K. Place on the island of Capri, a jaunt through Rome, Florence and Capri, and a feast for 16 people cooked by Marcus Samuelsson in your home or in the private dining room at Ginny's Supper Club.

Colicchio & Sons / Tom Colicchio: Potato Bavarois, Hackleback caviar and vodka cream (Jerry Ruotolo, Courtesy C-CAP)

By far not the complete list, here's a small sample of the chefs and the dishes they'll be offering at this year's C-CAP Gala Benefit:

Chef Toni Robertson of Asiate at Mandarin Oriental: Soba Noodles, Trout Roe and Uni Cream

Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto: Gnocchi with Walnut Pesto and Budino

Pastry Chef Ashley Brauze of DB Bistro Moderne: Grapefruit-Chocolate Terrine, layered with grapefruit vanilla diplomat, dark chocolate cremeux, chocolate pain de genes, and Campari-poached grapefruit

Matt Hoyle of Nobu 57: sautéed Nantucket bay scallops on a salad of baby spinach, yuzu, parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and dried miso

Pastry Chef Alexandra Ray of North End Grill: Key Lime Cheesecake with sour cream gelée, blood orange and coconut-lime fluid gels, macadamia toffee powder and shards

Matteo Bergamini of SD26: Soft Quail Egg-filled Raviolo with truffled butter and Parmigiano Reggiano

Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi of Torrisi Italian Specialties: Duck Terrine with mulberry mustard

Regina Varolli is the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Going To Culinary School," endorsed by Bobby Flay and Johnny Iuzzini, among many others, as a "must read" for anyone considering going to culinary school.

NY Chefs' Letters Against Fracking Delivered to Governor Cuomo

2013-02-15T09:58:34-05:00

Anti-fracking letters from more than 150 prominent New York chefs -- including Mario Batali -- were delivered to the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The chefs and other food professionals, in collaboration with Chefs for The Marcellus, have come out in opposition to Cuomo's consideration to open lands in upstate New York to fracking. Chefs, culinary professionals, and wine-makers alike, feel the dangers to the land and water from fracking greatly outweigh the benefits.

"As a chef who uses natural gas every day to cook food for my patrons, I'm fired up about making sure that drilling for that gas isn't causing permanent damage to the water supply," wrote Chef Peter Hoffman.

As I outlined in my article here on Huffington Post in July 2012, many New York chefs have taken this threat to heart, become vocal on the topic, and now, have delivered letters urging Cuomo not to open fragile farm and vineyard lands to fracking, citing threats that extend beyond the kitchen.

NYC chef Bill Telepan urged, "This goes beyond affecting chefs, it could have a huge impact on those who live in upstate New York. The drinking water, and the land, and the food upstate will be affected -- and then all of us will be affected."

PRINT Executive Pastry Chef Heather Carlucci wrote:

We are at a crucial time in New York State history where we must take responsibility as business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals to support those that feel they've no choice but to lease. We are late in changing how we've treated farmers but not late to take a stand and let our governor know that the way the drilling companies treat our land, air and water is not good enough for us. We are ready to stand behind agricultural businesses and invest in our future.

Chef Mary Cleaver, known for being a champion of sustainability, added:

Governor Cuomo must ban fracking in New York. It is imperative that we protect our non-renewable natural resources and shift our focus to renewable energy sources. Many chefs are dependent on natural gas, but it can't be at the expense of our food and watershed.

Other prominent chefs taking a stand against fracking include Elizabeth Falkner, Gramercy Tavern's Michael Anthony, Chopped judges Maneet Chauhan and Amanda Freitag, Michael Laiskonis, Anita Lo, and Aldea's George Mendez.

The chefs and other food professionals working with Chefs for the Marcellus urge the people of New York to contact Governor Cuomo's office, to call or write a letter, coming out against fracking.

About the power of writing letters to Governor Cuomo, Will Blunt, managing editor of StarChefs.com, wrote:

Fracking is an existential threat to chefs whose businesses (and employees) rely upon the health of the New York State food system -- and these letters are an unmistakable statement to Governor Cuomo about where the chef community stands on fracking.

Regina Varolli is the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Going To Culinary School," endorsed by Bobby Flay, Johnny Iuzzini and many others as a "must-read" before even considering going to culinary school.

Bobby Flay Wants You Fit... For Life

2013-01-25T14:13:52-05:00

Four years ago, Bobby Flay was dressing for a dinner out with his wife when he had an epiphany, "I just looked in the mirror and thought: "Man, I don't like that. I don't like the way that looks." Thus began his journey to a fit lifestyle, providing the impetus for his first-ever web series on FoodNetwork.com, Bobby Flay Fit: One Week, Small Steps, Big Changes.

The web series, comprised of seven episodes just three minutes each, is, as Flay put it, "Something I've been more excited about than other things I've been doing in a really long time. And you can watch the whole series in 21 minutes."

Not a quick fix or crash diet, which Flay says just don't work in the long run, Bobby Flay Fit is meant to motivate people to "make exercise and eating right a part of their daily routine. That's it. It's not some magic bullet or new formula."

Bobby mixing up workouts with Soul Cycle (Photo Courtesy Food Network)

Being a proponent of the philosophy that if you make exercise and eating right a part of your lifestyle you'll not only look better, you'll feel better too, Bobby doesn't abide by America's obsession with diets. "I don't even like the word 'diet.' They don't work, they're unhealthy, and ultimately you can't live your life like that." One diet in particular that bugs Bobby is the no-carb approach. "I couldn't imagine not eating things like bread or pasta or pizza, but that doesn't mean you need to eat a pound of pasta at a time."

After that moment of truth staring down his less-than-fit self in the mirror, Flay said he didn't try lose 15 pounds in three weeks. He simply put on his gym shoes and started to go running every day. He also changed his eating habits. "Ice cream is my thing, but I don't sit down and eat a whole pint watching a football game anymore. I'll have a couple scoops a couple times a week. I don't just take things and throw them out of my diet. It's more about portion control than denying yourself."

As a chef, Bobby is surrounded by food way more than the average person, so he says if he can change his eating habits, anyone can. When he did, Bobby laughed as he explained, "People started asking me every day how I stayed in shape. They'd say 'You're a chef, you're supposed to be overweight.' You know, that whole things about don't trust a skinny chef!" But Bobby defies the stereotype, quite proudly, and that's another reason why he wanted to create the web series, which he produced himself. He wanted to inspire people by showing them that if he -- a chef -- can do it, then so can you.

Flay in the kitchen at his NYC restaurant Bar American (Photo Courtesy Food Network)

Just try to change your habits for a week," suggests Flay. "Take it one day at a time until it's part of your routine. A little progress at a time is a lot more satisfying, and ultimately, it's more healthy.

It's always been a mystery to me when I hear people say they don't have time to exercise, and Flay shares my dismay. After all, the man is a lot busier than most of us, yet he finds time to go for a run or hit the gym pretty much every day. When I asked him what he'd say to people who say they're too busy to exercise, he laughed and replied, "It's total bullshit. It's you. It's your body. You have to make a very small commitment, just 45 minutes four or five times a week. It'll change the way you feel, you'll actually be more productive.

Bobby Flay with trainer Harold Raschke-Robinson (Photo Courtesy Food Network)

Not making excuses himself, Flay will get up as early as five in the morning to make time for a run or a workout. "I just know that if I don't get in some kind of exercise then I feel differently all day." He emphasized the obvious, that when you look and feel good, you feel better about your life in general, and your whole outlook changes. "When people feel better about themselves, everything seems to fall in place in terms of how they feel about their lives."

In his typical charismatic and infectious fashion, Bobby's web series even motivated the people who worked with him in production. "The crew, camera, audio, producers, everybody got inspired. That's all I want to do, get people to motivate and think about these things differently."

Wrapping up our conversation about Bobby Flay Fit -- and about being fit in general -- he said,

My goal is for people not to just do this for a week or two, or even three months. It's for them to make common sense decisions for a healthier lifestyle. At some point they won't have to think about it anymore, it'll just be who they are.

The Big Picture Behind Melissa d'Arabian's Ten Dollar Dinners

2012-12-10T18:48:28-05:00

The cooking of Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian is about more than Ten Dollar Dinners that are both easy and delicious; her brand of cooking is an extension of her life experiences and her philosophy about living well.

New York Times bestseller Ten Dollar Dinners (Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.)

Raised by a single mom who put herself though medical school when Melissa was just a child, d'Arabian learned the hard way that the seemingly simple everyday act of feeding your children isn't so easy for everyone, and there's some days when it's downright impossible. In grade school, Melissa's mom often had to send her to school without lunch, or lunch money. So Melissa took advantage of the school's pay-back program: she would tell the principal that she "forgot" her lunch, and she would get a meal ticket -- and an IOU -- for the forty-five cent lunch.

"I did this for a while," recounted Melissa, "until the IOUs piled up and my mom was notified. My mom told me there was no way she could pay all this money back, and that she just couldn't afford even forty-five cents for lunch."

Then the receptionist at her school caught on to the fact that Melissa often "forgot" her lunch, and she knew that Melissa didn't live in the best part of town. The receptionist put two-and-two together and connected Melissa to a program whereby she could earn a "free" lunch. "I would serve lunch to the other kids during the lunch recess," explained Melissa. "Then when they went out to play I could sit down and eat for free. That small action on the part of the receptionist had a huge impact on the trajectory of my life."

Melissa's self-proclaimed personal life ambition is "To partner with women and help them to achieve whatever is their life ambition -- which really, whatever it is, is a life well-lived."

Starting with her mother and the kind receptionist, Melissa's life has centered around women and how they can have a positive impact on each others lives. "I didn't get married until my thirties, and my mother died by suicide when I was in college. So up until my mid-thirties, my girlfriends were my family, we were each other's support. I love women, and I'll always try to help any woman achieve her goals!"

After earning her MBA from Georgetown University, Melissa found herself living in France, working for Disney in finance and strategy. There she met her husband Philippe, who had yet to go to business school himself. When he did want to go, it was Melissa's income and savings that helped him attend.

Melissa and Philippe tie the knot (Photo courtesy Melissa d'Arabian)

Since winning The Next Food Network Star and launching her show Ten Dollar Dinners, I had read some criticisms about why d'Arabian would even need to think about budgeting her meals, that her "rich husband" made it such that she didn't need to concern herself with penny-pinching. Not so, not in the slightest.

"Besides the experiences of my childhood, when I decided to have children myself and stay at home to raise them, I was the one earning the bigger paycheck, not Philippe, and I gave that up to raise my kids," explained Melissa. "The idea of some wealthy husband bankrolling anything I do is really, well, kind of a joke! My husband and I have laughed over what we've read about me, that I'm a 'trophy wife' -- I said to Philippe, who is six years younger than me, 'Am I pretty enough to be a trophy wife?? I thought I was the ugly old one!'"

Taking hits in stride, and striving to create a life well-lived for herself and her four daughters is part of the motivation behind both her TV show and her first cookbook, the New York Times best-seller Ten Dollar Dinners. The other part of Melissa's motivation tied in with her real need to budget for a family of six adjusting to living on one income, while not sacrificing eating healthy and well, and while juggling the 24/7 job of being a stay-at-home mom.

Right after winning The Next Food Network Star in 2009 (Photo courtesy Melissa d'Arabian)

"It's not always easy to put a good -- and good for you -- dinner on the table every night. I sympathize with women who think they just can't find the time, whether you work outside the home or not. No woman should feel bad about herself!"

Melissa's "Ten Dollar Dinners" are about economizing both time and money, and about steering away from the unhealthy habit of fast food on a regular basis. "There are faster and healthier ways to feed your family," emphasized Melissa. "So fast food should be a treat. In my house we do 'movie night' and while I can make a pizza from scratch in no time, sometimes the kids want what they call 'doorbell pizza' and so we have it, it's a treat!"

For families struggling with both tight budgets and time, Melissa advises, "Start slow. One night a week, make a dinner from my book, then two nights... then three. Pretty soon you'll find that it's not only cheaper, it's quicker, and you've developed a habit of wanting to cook."

Melissa on the set of Ten Dollar Dinners with daughters Charlotte age six, Valentine age seven, and twins Margaux and Océane age five (Photo courtesy of Food Network)

The recipes in Ten Dollar Dinners are super simple, yummy, and yes, inexpensive. Beyond that, the book offers advice on how to shop, save, and spend. Facing occasional criticism that her meals aren't in fact just $10, Melissa explained, "I talk about price points in my TV show, and I bring the idea into my book. I share how to shop, how to stretch your dollars and where to save. And, yes, my dinners don't cost more than $10, give or take twenty-five cents."

Some of the ingredients used in her recipes are a bit more expensive, take Gruyère cheese, but, as Melissa explained, "You can always take the large pre-cut piece up to the cheese counter and ask them to cut it into a smaller piece so you only use what you need for one meal. Get to know your butcher, your fish guy, they'll be happy to cut things down in size for you! And of course, stock up on sale items and freeze them for later use."

Now that Melissa is juggling work and family, she says she has developed a new appreciation for the challenges that face all women, both stay-at-home moms and career moms. "I had to learn how to balance my life. My family is my first priority, and I do everything I can to be flexible, it is a challenge, but I make it work for all of us!" One of the things Melissa does is include her daughters in her work. When writing Ten Dollar Dinners her girls helped in the kitchen, and they even sat in on photo shoots.

Daughter Margaux with Ten Dollar Dinners photographer Ben Fink (Photo courtesy Melissa d'Arabian)

Seeing cooking as a means to a life well-lived, Melissa told me she also views cooking as "a way to connect with the Earth through fresh ingredients and a way to connect with family and friends by bringing them around the table to share in a good meal." Then she smiled and proclaimed, "That's the big picture behind why I'm doing what I'm doing, why I have this TV show, and why I wrote this book!"

To learn more about Melissa, her book, TV shows, and recipes, visit www.melissadarabian.net. Melissa loves to stay connected with her fans on Facebook and Twitter!

Regina Varolli is the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Going To Culinary School." Praised as a must-read by Bobby Flay, Johnny Iuzzini and many others, the book is available on Amazon.com

Wines of the Southern Hemisphere Wins Gourmand's 'Best Wine Book' 2012

2012-11-30T16:00:45-05:00

The World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, have done something nobody has ever done before: They've written a book dedicated 100 percent to "Wines of the Southern Hemisphere." Earning them the Gourmand World Cookbook Award "Best Wine Book, USA" in 2012, Wines of the Southern Hemisphere is both an homage to the plethora of fine wines from below the equator, and an encyclopedic source of information on the wine-producing countries and regions of the Southern Hemisphere, the wines themselves, and the people who make them.

"Wines of the Southern Hemisphere" by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

"We have all of these Southern Hemisphere wines on the market but people just don't know about them," said Mike DeSimone over a dinner they cooked that was paired with all Southern Hemisphere wines. "It kind of makes us want to say, 'Wake up people! Get adventurous with your wine because there's a big world out there!'"

"These are wines to be reckoned with," added Jeff Jenssen. "They're wines that can compete with any French or Italian wines, and they're ready to compete today."

That desire to introduce -- and familiarize -- people with the wines of the Southern Hemisphere was the motivation behind writing the nearly 600-page tome. Mike and Jeff have traveled to each and every wine-producing region in the Southern Hemisphere, and in their travels, said Jeff, "We discovered that there really are wonderful wines coming out of the regions, and we want people to know that."

Barrel-aging Chilean wines (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

Some people, even great chefs, already know this. Recently in NYC, Michelin three-star chef Daniel Boulud collaborated with Michelin two-star chef Mauro Colagreco to create a stunning meal paired with wines from Argentine winemaker Rutini. Colagreco, a second-generation Italian transplant who grew up in Argentina and now lives in Cote D'Azur where he owns restaurant Mirazur, praised the wines of his native Argentina. Boulud, French to the bone, was so impressed by the wines of Rutini that he offered up his talent and his restaurant Daniel, and had enough confidence in Rutini that he was pairing stunning courses with $10.99 Trumpeter Torrontes (2011) and $17.00 Rutini Chardonnay (2008).

Rutini Wine Lunch at Restaurant Daniel, NYC. Left to right: Mauro Colagreco, Daniel Boulud, and Ariel Menniti, Brand Ambassador for Rutini Wines. (Regina Varolli)

Another reason Americans should seek Southern Hemisphere wines is, as Mike and Jeff put it, because they have more bang for the buck. "You're going to find some great wines in the under $30 category from the Southern Hemisphere that are just as good as their more expensive Northern counterparts," proclaimed DeSimone.

While not old-world wines in the sense of European regions that have been producing for 800-1,200 years, wines of the Southern Hemisphere are hardly new-world in the sense of California or Oregon wines. Many regions in the Southern Hemisphere have been producing wine for roughly 300-500 years.

Rolling Brazilian vineyards (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

In Wines of the Southern Hemisphere DeSimone and Jenssen write about not only the broader history of wines from down under, they go into detail on the history of each country and region, and even every winemaker covered in the book. In a very accessible voice and readable style, Mike and Jeff make learning about Southern Hemisphere wines a simple pleasure. Their enthusiasm for Southern Hemisphere wines comes through in their book, and is downright contagious.

Jeff Jenssen fills bottles at Renacier in Argentina (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

Complete with images of all the winemakers' labels, so you can spot them easily at your local wine store, DeSimone and Jenssen have also included recipes to go with the wines, as well as interviews with many of the winemakers, of whom Mike said, "The winemakers are real pioneers. In Europe they're bound by tradition, in the Southern Hemisphere everything is in flux. There's a sense of adventure in everything they do, even in looking for new terroirs."

Jeff added, "I feel like the Southern Hemisphere winemakers try harder. They don't have 800 years of tradition like they do in Europe, none of them are resting on their laurels!"

One particular winemaker they profile is Chester Osborn of d'Arenberg Winery in McLaren Vale, Australia (from whose restaurant the book includes a recipe). Jenssen calls Osborn "a total wild man when it comes to winemaking, he'll crush the grapes with his feet! Chester was a real eye-opener for me. He's totally flamboyant with crazy curly blond hair. He's one of those personalities that made me think 'Wow, winemaking can be really fun!'"

Chester Osborn munching on some grapes (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

But it's not just the people of the Southern Hemisphere wine scene that made the World Wine Guys realize that winemaking down under is a huge adventure, it was some crazy experiences they had traveling to all these regions. Mike described a particularly surprising time they had with Adam Mason, formerly the wine-maker at Klein Constantia in South Africa. "Adam Mason is a very proper guy, British, very professional. There we were with him giving us a tour of the vineyard when all of a sudden dozens of baboons came over the hill screaming. Baboons like to eat the vines, and in one split second, Adam became a wild man! He just started screaming back at the baboons to scare them off! You'd never see that in Europe or California!"

In addition to all the differences between Southern and Northern Hemisphere wines and winemakers, there's a lot of similarities. "They do have the same seasons as we have in the North, just at opposite times of course," said Jeff. "And there's an amazing interchange of ideas, technology, and techniques between the North and South because wine-makers will work the alternating seasons in both the North and South," added Mike.

Mike DeSimone takes a ride through the vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina (Photo courtesy Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen)

Being someone myself who always thinks "Argentina" when I go for a Malbec (especially Rutini Malbec and Rutini's Apartado Gran Malbec), I asked the boys what wines by country they could recommend for Southern Hemisphere neophytes. They had quite a few suggestions to make. So in addition to getting their book and venturing into the Southern Hemisphere for your wine, here's some of their suggestions:

• Riesling from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia
• Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenere from Chile
• Chenin Blanc and Merlot from South Africa
• Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer from New Zealand
• Shiraz from Australia

When they were talking about their recommendations, their pure love of Southern Hemisphere wines shone through in their faces. With each wine they named, Mike and Jeff beamed proudly and spoke highly of these often undiscovered gems. Having consumed a copious quantity of Southern Hemisphere wines by the end of our evening together, Jeff declared: "You're going to see these wines really kicking Europe's ass, and you can quote me on that!"

François Payard Returns to NYC's Upper East Side

2012-10-24T16:20:48-04:00

At long last, New York's Upper East Side welcomes back Pâtisserie François Payard. After losing a lease on his old location, then finding a new location that ended up not working out, Payard is now happily settled into a beautiful new space on 3rd Avenue at 74th Street. The shop opens to the public on October 29.

Of his return, Payard told me "I'm so very happy to be back. But I know that everybody expects so much so I have to try to live up to their expectations. It's much more difficult to go back than to open the first one!"

Payard's line of petits gâteaux

Having soaked up the ambiance and sampled so much of what Payard is offering at the new shop, it would be hard to imagine anyone being disappointed. The stylish new location is modern and elegant, and it boasts a new line of pastries that prove Payard still has it. "I have only four cakes from the old shop," explained Payard, "because customers really wanted them. But the rest is all new. This place is all about bringing a new 'Payard' and that was the challenge."

Payard's macarons

"Tarte aux Fraises Revisitée" -- Crispy almond tarte shell with fresh lemon verbena cream, raspberry macarons and market strawberries

At the pre-opening party on October 22, Payard welcomed an excited crowd of new customers, and old friends came out to celebrate the long-awaited return. One of the best moments was when Jacques Torres congratulated Payard and the two legends looked more like children in a playground than the serious, accomplished pastry chefs that they are.

Old friends at play, Jacques Torres (left) and François Payard (right) share a moment of sheer joy

When I asked Payard how it felt to wait so long to finally "come home" to the Upper East Side, overcoming the challenges he faced along the way, he replied, "Never give up! I love to push myself and I love to push everybody else. It's what makes some people different."

The new Pâtisserie François Payard boasts not only a beautiful space, but a full line of chocolate bonbons, sweet and savory macarons (in flavors like Squid Ink with Cream Cheese and Olive Tapenade), and pretty petits gâteaux, and the café will serve light savory fare. "We worked on the line for a long time, since a year ago. And I designed the shop myself. It's all about elegance and beauty. A pastry chef is more than a chef, we're very artistic people."

Payard's right hand men: Pastry Chef Simon Veauvy (right) and Pastry Sous Chef Ignacio Garcia (left)

Payard's chocolate bonbons

Having moved to New York City in 1989, I told Payard he was a real New Yorker now. He laughed, "Yes, I am, but a New Yorker with a bad accent!"

The new Pâtisserie François Payard is located at 1293 3rd Avenue, at the east corner of 74th Street.

Check out this slideshow of the Payard's pre-opening party:

Highlights From the Sweet Side of the International Chefs Congress

2012-10-15T15:26:59-04:00

Pastry buff that I am, I was well pleased with what the peeps at StarChefs.com had in store at The International Chefs Congress. From the International Pastry Competition, pastry pop-up restaurants by Michael Laiskonis and Dominique Ansel, and sweet food carts from Damien Herrgott and Katzie Guy-Hamilton, to a heated panel discussion on The State of the Pastry Industry Today and a demo from Michelin three-star pastry chef Angela Pinkerton, no sweet tooth could have possibly gone unsatisfied.

For his pop-up restaurant, Michael Laiskonis took to the Pre-Gel booth and cranked out desserts that were as beautiful as they were delicious. The ever-serious Laiskonis remains nevertheless playful in his flavors and plating, putting out a Crunchy Choux with Elderflower and Apricot, a Milk Chocolate-Sesame Gianduia, Cherry, Mandarin Sorbet and Crêpe Dentelle, and a Chocolate Crémeux, Soft Caramel and Maldon Salt.

Michael Laiskonis at the counter of his pastry pop-up restaurant (Regina Varolli)

Milk Chocolate-Sesame Gianduia, Brandied Cherry, Mandarin Sorbet and Crêpe Dentelle by Michael Laiskonis (Regina Varolli)

Sprinting straight from his workshop on mastering laminated dough (where I managed to pinch one of his uber-yummy Kouign Amann), Dominique Ansel arrived at the counter of his pastry pop-up restaurant. Showcasing offerings from his Dominique Ansel Bakery in Soho, Ansel plated his Paris-NY, his Cotton-Soft Cheesecake, and his Mini-Me Chocolate Cake (a wild looking cake that reminds me of a porcupine).

Dominique Ansel plating the desserts for his pasty pop-up restaurant (Regina Varolli)

Dominique Ansel's Mini-Me Chocolate Cake (Regina Varolli)

Pastry Chef Damien Herrgott (Bosie NYC) pleased with his food cart full of perfect Parisian Macarons in flavors like Vanilla-Cheesecake, Peanut-Butter and Jelly, and a single-origin, Premier Cru de Plantation chocolate from Sao Tomé (Michel Cluizel). But his show-stopper was the "S'mores Macaron" that Chef Herrgott said he developed just for the ICC. With a chocolate center sandwiched between two pieces of chef-made graham cracker, and a marshmallow edge, Herrgott spent the day with torch in hand, charring the exterior marshmallow, the heat from which melted the inner chocolate center to a soft consistency.

Damien Herrgott puts the flame to his S'mores Macaron (Regina Varolli)

Katzie Guy-Hamilton made pure pastry magic with her Coconut Layer Cake. A soft, dreamy Coconut Cake studded with pineapple, Meyer lemon cream and cream cheese frosting with a toasted lime meringue and drops of punchy concord grape, the cake was cool in temperature and smooth in consistency. While rich in flavor, it was so light that a second helping was almost mandatory. Thankfully Katzie made plenty of pieces to appease the crowd of hungry chefs.

Katzie Guy-Hamilton and her Coconut Layer Cake food cart (Regina Varolli)

Hailing from the Michelin three-star Eleven Madison Park, Pastry Chef Angel Pinkerton held a hands-on workshop that pushed the envelope on plated desserts. Allowing participants to share in the experience of making a dessert fit for the plate of a three-star restaurant, she nimbly worked with ingredients while filling participants heads with cutting-edge advice, techniques and ideas. The tiny Pinkerton defies the largess of her pastry talent.

11 Madison Park's Angela Pinkerton (Regina Varolli)

Surprisingly, controversy and a heated debate arose when five pastry giants took to a panel moderated by StarChefs.com Editor-in-Chief Antoinette Bruno. Sam Mason, Johnny Iuzzini, Michael Laiskonis, Alex Stupak and Jordan Kahn have each in their own ways broken the mold of a traditional pastry chef. Kahn (Red Medicine, Beverly Hills) and Stupak (Empellon, NYC) have opened restaurants and shifted to cooking savory, about which Khan said, "I wanted to switch to savory forever."

Mason also opened a restaurant, but has since left that venture and started Empire Mayonnaise Co., and Laiskonis has taken over creative direction of the Institute of Culinary Education. Iuzzini stepped away from Michelin three-star restaurants, saying that "It's not so much of a ceiling you hit as a pastry chef, it's a wall." Adding that, "We're the first generation of pastry chefs to really do our own thing."

Pastry Panel (left to right): Alex Stupak, Sam Mason, Antoinette Bruno, Michael Laiskonis, Johnny Iuzzini, Jordan Kahn (Photo courtesy StarChefs.com)

Antoinette Bruno made the point that when StarChefs.com travels the country doing tastings, only about 27 out of 600 tastings are with pastry chefs. Sam Mason interjected, saying that "Schools are pumping out thousands of these people every year, I don't know where they're going." Then a debate started about culinary school, and Johnny Iuzzini said he thought that today's graduates are just getting lazy, they don't want to work years in the trenches before they "make it." Bruno countered that today these kids graduate with a lot of debt from student loans, but then Keegan Gerhard, a member of the audience, piped up in agreement with Iuzzini, "I had debt too. So hate us if you want to, they're being lazy."

Keegan Gerhard listens intently at the pastry panel discussion (Photo Courtesy StarChefs.com)

The temperature of the debate rose even higher when Bruno posed the question: "All of you have left the pastry kitchen, so who is going to inspire the next generation of pastry chefs?" From the back of the room, Wiley Dufresne (wd~50) challenged Bruno, rather forcefully, saying it was unfair to say that the panel were no longer able to inspire the next generation just because they've taken on non-traditional roles in the pastry industry. Johnny joined in the challenge, saying, "None of us have really left the industry, we've just branched out and opened new doors."

A full house at the pastry panel discussion (Photo Courtesy StarChefs.com)

On the final day of the ICC, there remained three competitors out of 20 for the StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition. With serious bragging rights and a $5,000 check from PreGel up for grabs, for Salvatore Martone, Aya Fukai and Jennifer Yee, the heat was as scorching as smoking caramel. As cameras rolled, judges hovered and hundreds of spectators looked on, the final three created their showpieces, entremets and bonbons, and even had to create a cocktail at the last minute. But the intensity of the situation was met by the concentration of the competitors, none of whom appeared visibly distracted.

Jennifer Yee works on her "Twiggy" Sugar-Chocolate Sculpture (Regina Varolli)

Salvatore Martone works on his "Half Heart" Sugar Sculpture (Regina Varolli)

Head Judge Johnny Iuzzini presided over a panel that included MOF Pâtissier Stephane Treand (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), Michael Laiskonis, Ken Oringer, Jeffrey Steingarten, Elizabeth Falkner and last year's winner Ramon Perez. Plates of sliced entremets (the cleanliness of the cut counting towards the score) were passed to the judges, along with bonbons and cocktails. Each judge tasted, scrutinized, conferred with fellow judges, and sipped their cocktails before noting their scores on paper. The blind tasting lasted about an hour before the judges left their seats and inspected each of the showpieces, two of which didn't meet the height requirement, losing precious points for Jennifer Yee and Aya Fukai.

Aya Fukai's Forest Entremet with Chestnut, Cherry, Almond, and Vanilla (Regina Varolli)

Jennifer Yee's Strawberry Bubble Entremet (Regina Varolli)

At the end of the day, Salvatore Martone took the prize. His beautiful showpiece scored major points, and the flavors of his desserts and cocktail on the final day helped push him over the top.

Pastry Competition Finalists (left to right): Aya Fukai, Jennifer Yee, Salvatore Martone (Regina Varolli)

Antoinette Bruno, Johnny Iuzzini, Frederic Monti and Jillian Hillard of PreGel America, and Will Blunt present Salvatore Martone (center) with the winning check from PreGel America (Regina Varolli)

When I asked several of the officials what they thought of this year's competition, each one noted that the level of the competitors has increased every year, to the point where this year's competitors were from some of the best establishments around. Emcee Keegan Gerhard noted that "If the level isn't high and the there's no interest in the competition, then people don't have respect for it. We have the level and the interest here, and that's what makes a great competition." About the judges themselves, he went on to say, "I look at judging almost more than the competitors. But Antoinette and Will really use their position to bring in the best judges." When I asked Keegan if he'd like to come back for a forth year to emcee, he smiled, "Of course! If they'll have me. I love being the emcee! And kudos to the competitors for participating in a competition that demands so much of them."

No stranger to competition, MOF Pâtissier Stephane Treand also spoke of the demands put on the competitors. "This is a short but tough competition. There's a lot of pressure and they always get a surprise thrown at them. It's not easy, they have to work with pastry, chocolate, sugar, plated desserts, even a dessert-inspired cocktail this year. It pushes them out of their comfort zone and they try to be original."

Head Judge Johnny Iuzzini inspects Salvatore Martone's sugar showpiece (Regina Varolli)

Johnny Iuzzini spoke with me about his involvement in the competition since its inception, saying, "I've always been involved with the ICC and I always wanted to help StarChefs.com do more with pastry chefs. So I was very supportive of the competition from the beginning. Every year we're seeing more experienced pastry chefs, so every year the competition gets harder and harder." When I asked him if he wants to continue his involvement he laughed, "I'll do this every year! It's my baby!"

Highlights From the Savory Side of the International Chefs Congress

2012-10-12T12:29:16-04:00

The StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress wrapped up with a panel discussion that headlined with Mario Batali. Probably the best quote of the high-energy, three-day Congress was when Batali said, "The first day that a chef thinks he knows everything is the first day he becomes an asshole for the rest of his life."

Mario Batali, Melissa Clark, and Italy's indomitable Davide Scabin of Combal.Zero (Regina Varolli)

Returning to the ICC for a command performance on the main stage was Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Rolling out a 235 pound farm-raised Kindai Bluefin Tuna, Morimoto carved it up expertly, while discussing the topic of sustainable seafood. Talking simultaneously with a Japanese fish monger while he carved the fish, Morimoto spoke of how 10 years ago, the Japanese resisted buying farmed tuna, but today they have come to appreciate that its flavor and texture are equal, and now they no longer shun the sustainable version. Indeed, the price has grown to be equivalent, although Morimoto himself was visibly and audibly surprised when the fish monger told the audience that the specimen he was carving (that Morimoto buys for his restaurant), costs $23,000.

Masaharu Morimoto deftly carves up a 235 pound farm-raised Kindai Bluefin Tuna (Regina Varolli)

Masaharu Morimoto tells the audience which parts of the (giant) fish head are edible and tasty - he likes the eyeballs! (Regina Varolli)

New to the ICC this year was EAT@ICC, where chefs manned food carts and pop-up restaurants. The choices were plentiful and delicious, but as I roamed and grazed for three days, tasting each and every dish, I came away with clear favorites on the savory side. Ken Oringer of Cleo in Boston and Toro in NYC created a complex Tripe Chili that melted in your mouth and could convince anyone that offal certainly is not awful. The John Dory Oyster Bar took the lobster roll to new heights when they not only used super fresh meat, but a freshly-baked roll that was toasted and doused in melted butter.

Ken Oringer presides over his Tripe Chili food cart (Regina Varolli)

The John Dory Oyster Bar's luscious Lobster Roll (Regina Varolli)

Unified Brands paired up with three-time James Beard Nominee for Best Chef in the South, Derek Emerson of Walker's Drive-In in Jackson, Mississippi, to create a refreshing and flavorful Spiced Butter-Poached Lobster Salad with Citrus and Mango. The spicy-sweet salad had just enough heat to balance out the sweetness, and the citrus provided a nice tang on the tongue. Meat & Livestock Australia produced a mouth-watering sous-vide Australian lamb that was just about the most tender lamb I've ever had the pleasure to taste.

Chef Derek Emerson of Mississippi's Walker's Drive-In and Michael Williams of Unified Brands prepare a spicy-sweet and buttery Lobster Salad (Regina Varolli)

Australian Sous-Vide Lamb with Couscous (Regina Varolli)

New to ICC this year were savory samples from Peru: Aji de Gallina Tartelettes, Northwest style Seco de Short Ribs, Aroz con Pato, and a Sweet Potato-Squash Doughnut with Chanaca Syrup. The flavors unique to Peru were a pleasure to discover, and for three days the Peru booth consistently educated participants on the complex and diverse culinary landscape of their country. ProChile also gave our senses a run for the money with a King Crab and Avocado Soup, Salmon Sliders and a Manjar Meringue Pastry. Like Peru, the people representing Chili informed chefs and participants about the unique history and flavor/ingredient landscape of Chilean gastronomy.

ProChile's King Crab and Avocado Soup (Regina Varolli)

Scallop Tiradito with Scallop Roe, Amaranth Flowers, Onion Flowers, Roasted Corn, and Maca Root from Peruvian Chef Virgilio Martínez (Photo courtesy StarChefs.com)

Admittedly, again this year, I was drawn repeatedly to the Spanish importers of Jamón Ibérico, also knows as Pata Negra for the black feet of the wild pigs that make Jamón Ibérico so special (rather more like boars in their size and build). Raúl Martín, the grandson of Fermin Ibérico's founder, showed me images of pigs so large and so fat (and so happy roaming their native forest), that one can clearly see why these wild, acorn-fed animals produce such a ridiculously well-marbled and flavorful Jamón. I must be guilty of consuming at least a pound of Fermin Ibérico in all its forms: a four-year cured Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, Ibérico Chorizo, Ibérico Salchichon and Smoked Ibérico de Bellota Bacon. So I sincerely hope to find Fermin Ibérico in any shop where I would find my old favorite Prosciutto di Parma, or I'm going to start going through withdrawl. They're clear rivals for my taste buds, although the soft, sweet subtlety of Prosciutto di Parma and the hard, savory boldness of Fermin Jamón Ibérico can't really be compared. Literally, they're two different animals entirely.

Fermin Ibérico's Raúl Martín slices Jamón Ibérico de Bellota with a proper carving technique that must be taught and mastered (Regina Varolli)

This year's ICC brought up the South. New Orleans Chef John Besh took to the main stage to talk about and cook with seafood from Louisiana and the Gulf. Speaking of the tragedy of the BP oil spill, the struggles of the fishermen and chefs, and the long process of cleaning up the Gulf, he confidently assured everyone that seafood from the Gulf region's waters are again as good as they ever were. His passion, and compassion, for New Orleans and all the cities and towns along the Gulf shone like a beacon and will hopefully guide more chefs to turn to Gulf seafood once again.

Chef John Besh cooks up Louisiana seafood on the ICC Main Stage (Regina Varolli)

Hailing from the newly anointed culinary cutting edge of the globe, Mathias Dahlgren of Stockholm spoke of his part of the world now being in the spotlight. "It used to be Spain," said Dahlgren, "now it's the Nordic countries and it won't last forever. But it has brought attention to our cuisine and what we're doing up here." Dahlgren, who won the Bocuse d'Or at the young age of 27 -- who said of the experience that he didn't go there to win, he went to "not lose" -- commented that as a chef who owns his own restaurant, "The worst thing that can happen to a restaurant is that you, the chef, feels blasé about what you're doing." Full of energy and excitement for his work, Dahlgren told his fellow chefs, "If you do something that's different, you're going to get questioned over and over again. But you stand there and defend what you're doing over and over again. You keep your ideas. Eventually you win."

Mathias Dahlgren of Stockholm, Sweden (Photo courtesy StarChefs.com)

The savory side of the StarChefs.com ICC wouldn't be complete without Cocktails, and lots of them. Shaking it up during the Congress Cocktail were mixologists from NY and around the country. Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Portland, Oregon concocted a dizzying "Dickle Punch" made of George Dickle Tennessee Whisky, Crème de Cassis, Sparkling Wine, Soda and Lemon. Eric Morales ran the gamut of cocktails, featuring Rums of Puerto Rico, and Neal Bodenheimer and Kirk Estopinal of Bellocq in New Orleans pleased the crowds with their unique and beautiful "Cognac Cobbler" made of Cognac, Pineau de Charentes, Lemon Juice, Superfine Sugar, Bittermens Boston Bittahs, Fresh Lemon, Strawberry, Mint and Hibiscus.

Neal Bodenheimer and Kirk Estopinal's "Bellocq Cognac Cobbler" (Regina Varolli)

For me, perhaps the best moment came when I spotted the young C-CAP students who had the chance to volunteer at the ICC. These high school kids were full of enthusiasm and excitement, and the exposure they got to everything the ICC has to offer, thanks to C-CAP and StarChefs.com, was nothing short of the opportunity of a lifetime. C-CAP students represent the future, and judging by their dedication and desire to learn, I think we can look forward to an increasingly exciting industry... and an ICC that mirrors that excitement.

C-CAP Students / ICC Volunteers (Left to right): Emily Rojas and Wendi Velazquez of Long Island City HS, and Oskana La Rode of Monroe College (Regina Varolli)

The StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress continues to educate, inspire, satisfy and push the boundaries of an industry known for its distaste of boundaries. The unexpected is what all have come to expect from the ICC, and fortunately, it's what we still get even in year seven. And, for the first time ever, StarChefs.com produced a live stream of all main stage demonstrations. Available on the StarChefs.com website, you can still catch all the action online!

International Chefs Congress Returns to NYC

2012-09-17T19:50:51-04:00

The always innovative StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress (ICC) is returning to New York City for the seventh year on September 30 until October 2, bringing with it some of the most talented chefs, coolest kitchen equipment and tastiest products from across the globe. Running concurrently with the ICC is the third annual International Pastry Competition hosted by Johnny Iuzzini, and the third annual "Somm Slam," a wine-tasting competition hosted by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer.

2011 Pastry Competition Winner Ramon Perez, Perez will be a judge at the 2012 Competition (Courtesy StarChefs.com)

New to the ICC this year is EAT@ICC, a collection of food carts from top chefs as well as three pop-up restaurants. Chefs Katsuya Fukushima, Jordan Kahn and Matt Lightner team up with Jade Range and Meat & Livestock Australia to bring a savory pop-up offering three courses, and Chefs Dominique Ansel and Michael Laiskonis will each have a pastry pop-up.

Chefs with food carts include Ken Oringer, Alex Stupak, Andy Ricker, Angelo Sosa, Sara Jenkins, Hillary Sterling, Paul Qui, Damien Herrgott (recently named one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America), Iacopo Falai and Jeremiah Bullfrog. But the list goes on, and the dishes the chefs are offering can be found on the StarChefs.com ICC event schedule.

Chef Ken Oringer's White Orchid Root Gazpacho. Oringer returns to the ICC this year for EAT@ICC. (Courtesy StarChefs.com)

Of the new EAT@ICC, StarChefs.com Editor-in-Chief Antoinette Bruno told me:

"EAT@ICC is our way of bringing trends in the restaurant industry to life -- not just the format of food truck or pop-up, though both are increasingly important vehicles for experimentation. It's about having so many influential styles in one space: the quick-serve hyper-culinary Meatball Shop, that atelier-style hyper-seasonality from Matt Lightner, Andy Ricker and Alex Stupak's culinary explorations, even Jeff McInnis's southern comfort food at Yardbird. It's all there-and more. One spot. Three days!"

Returning to the ICC this year is the legendary Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who will give a presentation on "The Legacy of Japanese Cuisine" on the main stage. Morimoto has a way with demos, his mix of encyclopedic knowledge and quick-witted humor always make him a favorite. This year, Elizabeth Falkner takes to the main stage with a savory demo titled "Urban Gothic: Exploring Cuisine through the Cityscape."

Pastry Chef Elizabeth Falkner prepared ice cream with the Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Table she developed with Unified Brands in 2011. This year Falkner, recently transplanted to Brooklyn to open Krescnedo, will do a savory demo. (Courtesy StarChefs.com)

Keeping to the tradition of a truly international event, the people at StarChefs.com are bringing in Josean Martínez Alija of Nerua at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, who will present Nerua and Nature at Its Core. From London comes Chef Virgilio Martínez and his demo Exporting Flavor: Modern Peruvian Cuisine. Italian Chef Davide Scabin of Combal.Zero in Piemonte presents Italian Pasta Reloaded, and French Chef Alexandre Gauthier of La Grenouillère in Madelaine-sous-Montreuil presents The New French Guard.

American chefs Marcus Samuelsson, John Besh, and Mario Batali will also take to the ICC main stage. Samuelsson of Harlem's Red Rooster will present alongside Swedish Chef Mathias Dahlgren on Natural Cuisine and Freedom of Expression. Besh joins fellow New Orleans Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona for a presentation entitled Guts, Glory, and the Gulf. And Mario Batali will join Davide Scabin and Mario Carbone of Parm for a panel discussion on The Changing Role of the Italian Chef.

Italian Chef Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena sliced Proscitto di Parma on a Berkel slicer at the ICC's 2011 Products Fair (Courtesy StarChefs.com)

Off the main stage, the ICC has some sweet workshops and panels lined up for 2012. Angela Pinkerton of 11 Madison Park, also one of this year's Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America, will hold a workshop on turning classic pastry concepts on their head with avant-garde sensibilities. Johnny Iuzzini joins Michael Laiskonis, Jordan Kahn, Sam Mason and Alex Stupak (both former pastry chefs at the famed wd~50) to discuss the continuously evolving role of pastry chefs. And Dominique Ansel holds a workshop on mastering laminated dough (anyone who has tasted his heavenly Kouign Amann will appreciate his talent in this area).

Pierre Hermé's 2011 ICC Macaron Workshop. No PH this year, but his protégé Damien Herrgott will be peddling Hermé-style macarons in modern flavors at this year's EAT@ICC (Courtesy StarChefs.com)

On the savory workshop side, the ICC presents Masaharu Morimoto on the fundamentals of sushi, Pok-Pok's Andy Ricker's workshop will explore the ancient secrets of Thai cuisine, Chef Missy Robbins of A Voce will hold a workshop on fresh pasta, and Chicago Chef Chris Nugent (Goosefoot) will explore the power of edible visuals. Nordic Chef Mathias Dahlgren of Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren in Sweden will hold a workshop on exploring cuisine as a moment in time.

There's also an overflowing array of mixology and wine workshops, featuring the best talent at the forefront of tipsy trends. And all of this is just the tip of the ICC workshop iceberg.

Being of the opinion that chefs should be involved in their communities, and having recently done a story here on HuffPost about the non-profit organization Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), I'm happy to see that this year's charity partner of the ICC is C-CAP. In addition to the proceeds of EAT@ICC going to C-CAP, its founder Richard Grausman will speak in an ICC business seminar with Chefs Marcus Samuelson (C-CAP Board member), John Besh, and Sat Bains in a discussion on the role of the chef in community building.

When I asked Will Blunt, managing editor of StarChefs.com, why they are supporting C-CAP this year, he replied:

"Supporting C-CAP is no-brainer for StarChefs.com. Through our online content, APPs, the Rising Stars Awards program, and, of course the ICC, we strive to be a catalyst for success in the restaurant industry. And Richard Grausman is one of the ultimate pioneers in this regard. C-CAP has been giving underserved high school students the tools they need to make it in our industry since 1990. I can't wait to see the C-CAP students onsite at ICC working with some of the world's top chefs in the pop-up restaurants -- it will no doubt be inspiring for the students and chefs alike."

There's so much going on at the StarChefs.com ICC that there's no way I could include everything in one article (and I didn't even get to all the products to sample, or the blow-out parties and after-parties!). And, like every year before this one, tickets to the event are coveted and sell out fast. But lucky for all your industry peeps who want to keep on the cutting edge of your craft, they haven't sold out yet.

Regina Varolli is the author of the Amazon best-selling book "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Going To Culinary School." Available online and at booksellers everywhere.

C-CAP Awards Over $3 Million in Culinary Scholarships in 2012

2012-09-06T17:43:42-04:00

Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) marked a record year in 2012, handing out over $3 million in scholarships to disadvantaged high schools kids. C-CAP, whose mission is breaking the cycle of poverty through the culinary arts, runs programs in high schools throughout America, donating supplies, offering mentorships, and connecting kids to internships and jobs who might otherwise struggle with their futures. Bottom line, C-CAP gives their kids a means to nurture their passion and change their lives, and since its beginnings it's awarded $37 million in scholarships.

Founded in 1990 by author and educator Richard Grausman (French Classics Made Easy), today C-CAP has reached its ever-growing tentacles into kitchens across America, and it's alumni can claim some serious bragging rights. Lester Walker was a Chopped Champion, Kelvin Fernandez a Chopped Finalist, Lasheeda Perry won her episode of Sweet Genius, and Yvan Lemoine was a finalist on The Next Food Network Star. More than the emerging star-power of their alumni, C-CAP also boasts heavy involvement by star chef and Board Member Marcus Samuelsson, who recently won $50,000 for C-CAP on Chopped All-Stars.

But C-CAP isn't just about grooming tomorrow's star chefs, it's about giving kids with very few options career goals and a brighter future, and giving the industry a veritable army of 18,000 well-trained, highly-motivated alumni who are serious about their passion. Although, in the very beginning, the idea was just about Grausman doing something to change the palate of the American people.

"When I went on my first book tour I realized that all across the country people were stuck eating things like burgers and pizza," said Grausman in an interview at C-CAP headquarters in New York City. "I wanted to change that. Then one day the light bulb came on in my head and the answer was to get into the schools. If I was to change the American palate I'd have to start early."

So Joyce Appelman, C-CAP's National Communications Director, who had been working with Grausman on some product promotions during his book tour, asked Richard if he'd like to come and teach the students at her local high school in Great Neck, NY. Six months later Richard and his wife Susan Grausman, a public school teacher, approached the NY Public School system and explained that he wanted to teach the teachers some recipes so they could then teach the recipes to their students.

Upon meeting his first teacher, Grausman was shocked at how under-supplied his classroom was. "When I looked in all his cupboards, they were empty!" So Richard asked what he could do to help, and the teacher laughed, saying 'I use my own money to buy flour to make bread with my students!"

Grausman then went home and called all his contacts at companies like CuisinArt, J.A. Henckel, and Wusthof, told them what he wanted to do, and asked if they'd help. Everyone came back with a resounding 'yes!'

Grausman said that when he set up a day to teach the teachers, he gave them all care packages full of supplies and equipment for their classrooms. "The teachers couldn't believe it. Nobody had ever promised them anything and then delivered." Grausman emphasized that even today, C-CAP couldn't do what it does without the help of sponsors like Guittard Chocolate, MOZO Shoes, Filippo Berio, Blue Diamond, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Uhlmann Co., and Best Manufacturers, all of whom give generously to supply classrooms and students.

What struck me as so impressive about C-CAP is that in such difficult economic times, when so many charities have had to cut back due to a lack of funding, C-CAP has had its most successful year ever. Of this, Susan Robbins, President of C-CAP, told me, "We've been very successful this year with rejuvenating our benefit events, getting more chefs involved and offering an evening that's selling out tickets. Plus the exposure we've had on Food Network through Marcus Samuelsson and our alumni has really helped spread the word about C-CAP and increase donations through Network for Good."

With over $3 million in scholarships in 2012, I was curious how C-CAP awards the money. It turns out the scholarships are a combination of merit-based (kids with excellent GPAs) and competition-based. C-CAP holds culinary competitions for its schools, where the kids have to prepare a main course and a dessert, and they're judged by area chefs, including C-CAP alumni.

Nick Pace of Port Richmond High School at the C-CAP student competition. Pace received a total of $14,400 in C-CAP and in-kind scholarships for the Culinary Institute of America. (Regina Varolli)

This year in NYC, the competition was held at the Institute of Culinary Education, and C-CAP alum Thiago Silva, Executive Pastry Chef at Catch restaurant, was one of the judges. Over a sampling of his delicious desserts at Catch (where he's hired several C-CAP alumni), I asked Chef Silva what it was like to be a judge rather than a competitor. "It was very different, a good different. I know how they felt that day, how nervous and excited they were, all the pressure they felt. So I took that into account, but because I was there once, I was also hard on them because that's what competition and learning is about. You've got to give and take constructive criticism."

Students showing off their dishes at the C-CAP student competition. Left to right: Louis Lopez, Tianna Ottley, Shania Thomas. Tianna Ottley received the NY area's largest scholarship totaling $104,448 for 4 year's full tuition at Johnson & Wales (Regina Varolli)

Silva, a native of Brazil, was in the C-CAP program at Long Island City High School. He joined the program after discovering his talent for pastry when his mother started taking cake-decorating classes at New York Cake & Bake. "When I was 13 my mom asked me to come along because the instructor had a thick British accent and she wanted me to help translate. I ended up helping her with the decorating and it turned out I was really good at it. So she just enrolled me in the class."

C-CAP student competition judges. Left to right: Thiago Silva, Executive Pastry Chef Catch and C-CAP Alum, Executive Pastry Chef Marc Aumont of The Modern, Kevin Lasko, Executive Chef Park Avenue Summer, Matt Hoyle, Executive Chef Nobu 57 (Regina Varolli)

Silva was also in attendance at the C-CAP Awards Breakfast in NYC, when they handed out the scholarships to the program's alumni. "I remember how happy I was when I got my scholarship. So it was great to be there this year and see the reactions of the winners."

Silva, who credits his teacher Mr. Terry Matsis for his success, didn't qualify for any of the large scholarships that pay full tuition. "I wasn't a straight-A student, but C-CAP still got me an internship at Todd English's Olives and a cash scholarship to help with expenses. They also got me in with cake decorator Elissa Strauss because I knew I could learn so much from her."

C-CAP's Joyce Appelman told me, "We spotted Thiago's talent but we couldn't get him the school tuition scholarships because of his grades. So we got him the apprenticeships and helped with his expenses through a cash scholarship. C-CAP is about more than just school scholarships, and Thiago's classroom became the kitchens where he worked."

One student who did win a full-tuition scholarship this year, for four years at The Culinary Institute of America, was Karla Vargas of Food and Finance High School. With a 4.0 GPA and a stellar showing at the cooking competition, Vargas told me what got her to do so well in school and work so hard at cooking: "I found C-CAP! And I had a great teacher, Mr. Michael Lynch, who really cared." Speaking of how she felt at the Awards Breakfast, Vargas said, "I was really scared and nervous, I didn't know what I was going to get. I knew I wanted to go to CIA, but I really didn't expect to get that scholarship. Then when they were calling out all these other names and I was just sitting there, I thought Oh no, I didn't get anything! It was really emotional! I ended up being that last scholarship they announced!"

Carla Vargas receiving her scholarship at the New York C-CAP Awards Breakfast. Left to right: Kate Gromatsky from CIA Admissions, Richard Grausman, Carla Vargas, Susan Robbins. (Jerry Ruotolo, Photo courtesy C-CAP)

Having been in attendance myself at both the cooking competition and the Awards Breakfast, I can say that both events were among the most moving and inspirational I've ever attended. To see these kids with such difficult backgrounds working so hard, full of such determination and passion, and big dreams, gave me a great appreciation for the impact C-CAP has on the lives of everyone it touches.

All the C-CAP students at the NYC competition presenting their dishes. Center is Susan Robbins (not in chef's whites), to her left is Richard Grausman (Regina Varolli)

After witnessing such a display of hope, I asked C-CAP Founder and Chair Richard Grausman how it feels today to see the fruits of his labors. His face lit up. "It feels wonderful! I had this desire and ability to help, this unique combination of my skills, passions, and connections, to make it happen. And, well, thanks to our teachers, donors, volunteer chefs, and sponsors, it's really happened in a big way!" he said.

Regina Varolli is the author of the best-selling book 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Going To Culinary School, available on Amazon.com.

Correction: This post was updated to reflect that Joyce Appelman did not work on the book tour and it was Susan Grosman who went with Richard to the school system, not Appelman.

The Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

2012-08-09T13:37:27-04:00

The August issue of Dessert Professional features the magazine's picks for the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America. The prestigious list, now in its 19th year, has named such pastry luminaries as Johnny Iuzzini, Michael Laiskonis, Dominique Ansel and Ron Paprocki. In this year's Top Ten are pastry chefs Damien Herrgott, Nathaniel Reid, Angela Pinkerton, Chris Hammer and Sally Camacho (both alums of Top Chef Just Desserts), Christina Tosi, Jean-Marie Auboine, Marc Aumont, Craig Harzewski and Sandro Micheli.

Restaurant Daniel's Executive Pastry Chef Sandro Micheli, a Michelin 3-star pastry chef, presenting his refined dessert of almond dacquoise, milk chocolate parfait, and salted caramel tuille (Paparaji for Dessert Professional, Photo courtesy Dessert Professional Magazine)

Top Chef Just Desserts Season Two winner and founder of The School of Pastry Design in Las Vegas, Chris Hammer working on his dessert (Regina Varolli)

At the Dessert Professional awards, all ten pastry chefs gathered for a crowd of roughly 300 food media and fellow industry professionals, for a dessert tasting that even the most die-hard dessert-aholic would have found overwhelming. Having tasted my way around the Institute of Culinary Education, where the event was held, I was incredibly impressed by all the pastry chefs' offerings. But still, I had my three personal favorites: Angela Pinkerton of 11 Madison Park, Nathaniel Reid of Norman Love Confections, and Damien Herrgott of Bosie Tea Parlor.

Nathaniel Reid not only wowed with his selection of desserts, he also went all out on his display, creating a beautiful sugar showpiece. Reid explained his over-the-top approach, "For me, coming from a smaller town in Florida, I really wanted to show all these people I look up to and respect just what I can do. So I took the opportunity and ran with it. It's the Top Ten of Pastry, you've got to make something that's equal to that title!"

Nathaniel Reid posing with his sugar showpiece (Regina Varolli)

Reid came to pasty in college, quite unexpectedly as he was a biology major and had always wanted to be a biologist. After a disappointing internship, he changed his mind and didn't know what to do. It was actually his mom who suggested he be a chef, telling him that he had always loved to cook and that he was really good at it. So he switched his major to Hospitality & Restaurant Management, and after graduation headed off to Paris to study at Le Cordon Bleu.

"Going to Paris was an amazing experience. I had maybe $1,000 to live for a year and a half, but I wanted to do it so badly. I didn't know how I'd make it work, but I just put myself in the situation and hoped it worked out!"

Famed cookbook author Rose Levy-Beranbaum photographs Nathaniel Reid's display as Reid sets out his petit pastries (Regina Varolli)

Well, it did work out. Reid spent a couple of months on a friend's couch, taking food home from school to eat (even the food of his fellow students who were happy to share). Then he landed a private chef position (quite a statement of his talent, a Parisian family hiring an American cook), which came with room and board. "But," said Reid, "I had applied for so many scholarships before I left, and every time I was down to my last dollar, a check would arrive in the mail!"

Reid's pastry career really took off when he joined the opening team at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, from there, his talent and experience only grew. Matthew Stevens, Editor of Dessert Professional who, along with co-editor Tish Boyle decides who makes the list, said of Reid, "Nathaniel had always been on our radar because he's a highly accomplished pastry chef. But any pastry chef that Norman Love would trust to basically run his day-to-day operations is about as great of a seal of approval as you're going to get in this business."

Nathaniel Reid's Passion Fruit Tarte (Paparaji for Dessert Professional, Photo courtesy Dessert Professional Magazine)

Another favorite that blew me away was the unassuming and uber-talented Damien Herrgott of Bosie Tea Parlor in NYC. When I asked Matthew Stevens why Herrgott made the list, he explained, "The first time I went to Bosie I saw they had these amazing teas. So I made a comment to Damien that it would be great to see more of his desserts incorporating the teas. Then, six weeks later, he had reworked his desserts and in such a little time he came up with the best tea desserts I've ever tried! Damien married his pastries to what Bosie Tea Parlor is, and he did is as well as you could possibly imagine."

Damien Herrgott's Chocolate-Chai Tea Tarte (Paparaji for Dessert Professional, Photo courtesy Dessert Professional Magazine)

Stevens continued, "But Herrgott has all the pedigree of a top pastry chef. He was hired at just 23 to open Pierre Hermé's first shop in Paris, and he worked with PH for four years."

When I asked Herrgott how it felt to receive the Top Ten distinction, he replied, "It's such a huge honor to be recognized by Dessert Professional, it's the best magazine in America for the pastry industry. But I think the greatest reward came at the awards, seeing the faces of the people enjoying my desserts. Because at the end of the day, that's what we pastry chefs live for... We make sweet things so people can enjoy them!"

Damien Herrgott putting the finishing touches on his Chocotale-Chai Tarte (Regina Varolli)

I asked Herrgott if his mentor Pierre Hermé still influenced his work today and got a resounding yes. "PH definitely still has an influence on me. He has such an amazing way of working -- the flavor combinations, the creativity, recipe development, technique, even the way you physically work in a kitchen. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor!"

Damien Herrgott's picture-perfect Parisian macarons -- Foreground to background flavors: raspberry-yuzu, vanilla cheesecake, verbena, and salted caramel (Regina Varolli)

Happy to see three women on this year's Top Ten list, I was most impressed by the dessert of Angela Pinkerton of 11 Madison Park in NYC. Of Angela, Matthew Stevens said, "She is one of the most precise pastry chefs in terms of work. She's just outstanding. Angela has an amazing sense of flavor and texture. And it's also noteworthy when a woman rises to that level in our industry. As the pastry chef at a Michelin three-star restaurant, she's undeniably among the best in the world."

Angela Pinkerton's complex concoction of white chocolate cream, lavender-cocoa sorbet, milk chocolate crispies, lavender meringue, cocoa meringue, chocolate cookie crumble, chocolate liquid cookie, and chocolate-lavender "rocks." (Paparaji for Dessert Professional, Photo courtesy Dessert Professional Magazine)

When I asked Angela how it felt to get the award, she also said what a great honor it was. But, like Herrgott and even Reid, what she appreciated most came at the event. "You give a lot of yourself and your life to your work, and it's really nice to stop and share your accomplishments with people who appreciate that. Seeing people enjoy my desserts is what's most important."

Pinkerton continued, "It was pretty surreal though. I mean, you don't stand around all day patting yourself on the back... or at least you shouldn't! I don't think you'll get to the level of Dessert Professional's Top Ten if you do that!"

You can read more about all Top Ten honorees in the August issue of Dessert Professional, but for instant gratification, check out this slideshow of all the honorees' desserts. But be warned, you may need to suck on a sugar cube to save yourself from the shakes!

N.Y. Chefs Unite Against Fracking, Hold July 26 Fundraiser at Brooklyn Winery

2012-07-18T19:20:39-04:00

Governor Andrew Cuomo has a decision to make, whether to open New York State to the process of fracking, and chefs in New York are uniting in opposition. It's not often that chefs get political, but the issue of fracking has caused such luminaries as Mario Batali, Elizabeth Falkner, Chris Santos, Amanda Freitag, Michael Laiskonis and many more to write to Governor Cuomo, urging him not to allow fracking in New York State.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process by which gas companies drill beneath the Earth's surface and inject chemicals and water under the ground in order to force gas up through wells. Of fracking, chef Elizabeth Falkner, a recent transplant from San Francisco to Brooklyn, told me, "The public should be scared to death of fracking. Contaminating our water sources is a threat to everyone and imposes unacceptable risks to our existence and our planet."

Will Blunt, managing editor of StarChefs.com, a sponsor of the July 26 fundraising event Taste of The Marcellus at Brooklyn Winery, said to me that the dangers to the water systems caused by fracking are too great. Blunt pointed to the fact that restaurants and tourism are a huge part of New York's economy, and that fracking poses serious risks not only to the land, air and water of New York, but to its economy.

Brooklyn Winery, venue for Taste of The Marcellus on July 26 (Photo Courtesy Brooklyn Winery)

Chefs are not just lifestyle figures, they're small business owners and job creators critical to a healthy New York State economy. As Governor Cuomo weighs his decision, we want to make it abundantly clear to him that the restaurant community and its leaders stand against legalizing this dangerous practice in New York State. Farms, distilleries, breweries, wineries and their products are lifeblood for restaurants -- and chefs recognize the potentially catastrophic effect that this dangerous practice could have on their businesses. -- Will Blunt

To help organize Taste of The Marcellus, Will Blunt went to Brian Levanthal, co-founder and CEO of Brooklyn Winery, which this season will get fully 50 percent of its grapes from the Finger Lakes region, a region threatened by fracking, and whose menu consists of nearly 100 percent local farmer produce. Levanthal told me that when Will came to him, "It wasn't a question of if we are going to support this, it was a question of how; we jumped on board right away."

Chef David Colston of Brooklyn Winery, Summer Salad (Photo Courtesy Brooklyn Winery)
Chefs for The Marcellus, another partner in the July 26 event, has formed a petition to present to Governor Cuomo, and it has been encouraging businesses and individuals to sign the petition and to contact Governor Cuomo by phone and letter to tell him of their concerns about fracking.

Hillary Baum, co-founder of Chefs for The Marcellus, along with chef Heather Carlucci and restaurateur Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy's No. 43, wanted to bring the food community into the conversation with the environmentalists. So the three got together and crafted a campaign directed at food industry professionals. "I wanted chefs and restaurateurs to know and understand how fracking could affect their businesses and their livelihoods, how it really hits home for them," said Baum.

Baum of Baum Forum, has long been involved in issues facing chefs and the food industry. She told me she learned about fracking from a small farmer. Baum told me, "There is no way to think about the future of local farmers, of the buy-local movement, which is a huge movement in restaurants, and with consumers at farmer's markets, without thinking about the dangers of fracking."

The event itself, held at the beautiful Brooklyn Winery, just around the corner from the Bedford Avenue stop on the L train, will be a grand tasting of local Marcellus region produce, wines from Brooklyn Winery, and beers from Brewery Ommegang. Participating chefs include Elizabeth Falkner of Krescendo in Brooklyn, Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Heather Carlucci of PRINT, Mary Cleaver of The Green Table, David Colston of Brooklyn Winery, Peter Hoffman of Back Forty, Zak Pelaccio of Fatty Cue, Chris Santos of Stanton Social, Bill Telepan of Telepan, and Daniel Holzman of The Meatball Shop.

Brooklyn Winery, 213 N 8th Street, Brooklyn (Photo Courtesy Brooklyn Winery)
A grand walk-around tasting featuring ingredients from fracking-threatened farms will be paired with Brooklyn Winery wines, Ommegang beers, and cocktails from Richard Knapp of Mother's Ruin, using rum from Tuthilltown. Not only does the event promise an evening of delicious, local food and drink, it aims to raise awareness of the dangers of fracking, and to raise funds for both New Yorkers Against Fracking, a broad coalition of consumer advocacy, food, health, religious, and environmental organizations as well as individuals throughout New York state, and Chefs for The Marcellus.

Aging wines at Brooklyn Winery (Photo Courtesy Brooklyn Winery)
As a separate ticket, the proceeds for which also benefit New Yorkers Against Fracking and Chefs for The Marcellus, there's an Ommegang After-Party at Brooklyn Bowl, where guests are treated to live music and all the Ommegang beer they can drink.

To purchase tickets to either event, visit http://tasteofthemarcellus.eventbrite.com/.

A Conversation With Curtis Stone

2012-06-25T14:23:35-04:00

When Curtis Stone, host of Bravo's Around the World in 80 Plates and Top Chef Masters, realized he wanted to be a chef, he left Australia and headed for Europe. After traveling around a few months, he landed in London, at the doorstep of Marco Pierre White, then the youngest 3 Michelin star chef in Europe.

"I had the opportunity to go to law school, and my dad, who was an accountant, couldn't believe I wanted to walk away from that and start cooking," said Curtis in an interview at The Standard Grill. "But I'm bloody glad I didn't become a lawyer!"

In his youth, Curtis also entertained the idea of becoming a landscape architect.

I thought I'd love to be a gardener because I grew up with a vegetable garden and I love being close to the Earth and growing things. At my home in LA, I have a great garden and I grow all kinds of things. I even have a worm farm! The worms help create organic compost out of kitchen scraps. I just bought a kit with 5,000 worms in it and now I have 10,000!

Curtis Stone's vegetable garden in his Hollywood Hills home (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

But neither landscaping nor law was as big of a passion for Stone as cooking was, and so, he studied culinary arts in Melbourne at Box Hill TAFE and worked as a chef at the Savoy Hotel. Then, at age 22, Curtis went to Marco Pierre White and talked his way into working for free in his kitchen to learn from the master himself. After two months on the job, Chef Marco, whose kitchen has graduated some of the most celebrated chefs in Europe, finally gave Stone a paid position. He worked for Marco for eight years, and during that time, went from an unpaid grunt to the Chef de Cuisine, along the way, he published a cookbook and ended up on television.

A young Curtis Stone in London (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

Today Curtis Stone is well-known in America for his role as host on Top Chef Masters and Around the Word in 80 Plates, which he called "a chef's dream TV show."

For Around the World in 80 Plates we got to travel all over, having what was like a cross between a culinary competition and races. And in each country we had a chef Ambassador. We went to London, Barcelona, Bologna, Hong Kong, Thailand, Morocco... It was amazing. Food and travel are my two great passions and someone came along and gave me a show doing both, so I'm a happy man!

Around the World in 80 Plates (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

Along with co-host Cat Cora, Curtis found some of the best moments in filming the series were off camera, with the Chef Ambassadors. In Barcelona, he and Cat Cora spent a lot of time with the larger than life José Andrés.

We ran all over the city, eating and drinking with José. Everywhere from Sangria dive bars to Michelin star restaurants, everybody knew him. It was so much fun doing Barcelona with José.

Around the World in 80 Plates kept Stone tied up for a couple of months, but his own plate is full of much more than just television.

For Curtis, one of his biggest projects today is the result of years of hard work and his own personal investment... Curtis Stone Kitchen Solutions, a line of kitchen products that goes way beyond the standard chef-endorsed cookware. "I developed the whole line of kitchenware myself, and I'm funding the company with my own money along with just one other partner," explained Curtis.

Each product solves a different problem you face in a home kitchen. After years of working in professional kitchens, and then spending so much time in a lot of different home kitchens, I realized that there's a huge gap in the market where you have people who develop cookware but who don't actually cook.

Curtis Stone Kitchen Solutions, Cutting Board-Workbench (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

I've got to say, the products are super cool. As a gadget-lover who has way too much equipment, I'd happily chuck out some stuff to make room for a few of Stone's products. They're not only beautiful, they're highly functional.

"The function is of course the most important aspect," said Curtis. "But the form's still bloody important. You want your kitchen to be beautiful. You want the things you use to be out on your counter all the time so you'll actually use them! And who's going to do that if something isn't beautiful?"

Curtis Stone Kitchen Solutions, Spoon Rest (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

His products have magnets in all the tools for easy storage on a wall magnet, he's created a spoon rest that has a holder for water (think along the lines of what ice cream shops do with the scoop), an oil can that doesn't drip when you pour olive oil, a cutting board that's more of a counter-top workbench, and spring-form pans that are a combination of flexible silicon and traditional bake ware.

Another big project about which Stone is very passionate is a documentary film he and his girlfriend Lindsay Price are making about Lindsay's mother. An orphan from the Korean war, Lindsay's mom's story is now being told by Stone and Price, who are also using the film as a means to create awareness about adoption.

"There's 110 million orphans in the world," said Stone. "A big goal of the film is to bring attention to this issue, and to show what a huge difference an adoption can make in someone's life.

Lindsay's mom grew up on the streets of Korea with her 2-year-old baby brother, then she landed in an orphanage, then ended up being adopted in America. And she grew up to have this incredible daughter, Lindsay.

Besides being involved in creating awareness of adoption, Stone also devotes his time and energy to several charities, among them The African Millennium Foundation, Creative Visions Foundation -- who is also working with him on the film -- and Feeding America. One of the last things Curtis said to me as we were wrapping up our interview said a lot about the way he thinks:

In America, most of us worry about how we're going to realize our dreams, in other parts of the world, and even in parts of America, there's people who worry about how they're going to eat. For someone who loves food like I do, I just think that we all need to do something to change that.

Curtis appreciating the bounty at the famous Borough Market in London (Photo Courtesy Curtis Stone)

A Trip to Fulton Fish Market With Chef Alex Palumbo

2012-06-04T15:46:42-04:00

When Chef Alex Palumbo invited me to head to the Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point with him, I jumped at the opportunity. I had been eating fish at his restaurant, Osteria il Paiolo, and it was so fresh that I asked where he got it. When he said he went himself to the Fulton Fish Market, I said I'd always wanted to go myself. It's the largest fish market in America and it provides the vast majority of New York City's fish to all our thousands of restaurants. But since it relocated from South Street Seaport to the Bronx in 2005, and it operates for buyers only from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., I just never got to go.

I met Alex at 12:30 a.m. at his Brooklyn restaurant Osteria il Paiolo, and together we made the trek way up to Hunts Point. As we got closer, we entered a part of the Bronx that is full of large-scale produce centers, meat facilities formerly located in the Meat-Packing District of Manhattan, and huge dairy suppliers. Clearly this was the place that NYC restaurant suppliers call home.

Entering the Fulton Fish Market a little after 1:00a.m., the first thing I noticed was its size. It's housed in a cavernous 400,000-square-foot bunker of a building. Alex told me that the first time he came to Hunts Point, he stayed five hours, walking the entire length of the place and visiting every fish vendor to discover what they had to offer.

"It was so exciting the first time I came," said Palumbo. "I had never seen any fish market so huge, with so much choice. So I went around to every seller until six in the morning!"

Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point (Regina Varolli)

Hunts Point mainly serves the distributors who buy fish in bulk and then resell it to restaurants spanning the five boroughs. So Palumbo was one of only a handful of chefs at the market. When I asked Alex why he bothered to come to the market himself, in the middle of the night after a long day at the restaurant, rather than just getting his fish from a distributor, he had several reasons.

"When I first opened Osteria il Paiolo, I wanted to make sure I had the freshest fish I could find. So I had to come here myself. It gives me the chance to pick exactly what fish I want, to see it and smell it, and know it's the best. With a distributor, I'll only get what they bring me, and I won't know if it was the best that day at the market. I also just like the experience of coming here, and not having anyone in between me and the fish I will sell to my customers. It also saves me a lot of money!"

Chef Alex Palumbo choosing soft-shell crabs (Regina Varolli)

Alex isn't kidding on that last point; by buying his fish directly at the market rather than through a distributor, he not only gets to choose the fish himself, he saves about $35,000 a year doing it.

I followed Alex from stall to stall, watching as he carefully went over the selection and hand-picked what he wanted. All the while I couldn't help but notice the cast of characters that work at Hunts Point. They appeared as if they'd been in the fish business their entire lives, even going back generations. They had faces full of character, fish hooks slung over their shoulders and stuck in their back pockets, and some had cigarettes or cigars dangling from their mouths as they worked.

Weighing Palumbo's red snapper (Regina Varolli)

An obvious old-timer, he knew his fish... and his cigars too! (Regina Varolli)

After visiting all the stalls and choosing his fish, Alex said, "Right, it's time for an espresso!" I laughed. "Sure, where should we go?" Then he smiled and said, "Follow me."

Hidden behind a set of double doors was a "Café" that appeared more like a street vendor truck without the wheels, and they actually had espresso. Not the best espresso, but at 4:00 in the morning, in the middle of a cold fish market, it didn't go down like the worst espresso either. And the place did have an 'A' rating.

Chef Palumbo sipping his espresso and chatting with other buyers (Regina Varolli)

Eating at Osteria il Paiolo in Williamsburg, one can clearly taste that Chef Palumbo cares about the fish he serves. An Italian from Verbania, Piemonte, Palumbo holds fast to the tradition of choosing your own produce and directly connecting with the people who supply it. Now that I've witnessed firsthand the time, effort, and care he puts into buying his fish at Hunts Point, it's no surprise that it's some of the freshest I've had in New York City.