From Nigella's bubbly laugh and tongue-in-cheek tomes on home cookery to the high-brow molecular gastronomy creations from Heston Blumenthal, we're pretty smitten with the current British food scene. We tend to lean toward Anglophilia, but with good reason: the British Isles are nearly bursting with culinary talent. Read on to find out some of our current favorites.
Would you rather eat a meal cooked by Gail Simmons or Padma Lakshmi? Jean-Georges Vongerichten or Eric Ripert? Well, thanks to our faceoff game, you can stop wondering! Play Who's the Better Chef now — just start clicking! 
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Grant Achatz and Tom Colicchio both used to work for the great Thomas Keller, so when the three chefs reconvened at the new Chefs Club over this past weekend's Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, it was just a gathering of great chefs, but also a reunion of sorts.
The three chefs — Achatz of Chicago hot spot Alinea, Colicchio of Top Chef and Craft fame, and Keller of French Laundry — were at the event for a panel discussion hosted by Food & Wine editor in chief Dana Cowin, where the four discussed everything from the state of the restaurant industry to the future of fine dining to what's next for each of them.
Grant Achatz
To see more thoughts from three great chefs, keep reading.
This weekend, we're headed to Aspen, CO, to meet up with the industry's biggest names at the annual Food & Wine Classic. While we were there last year, Michael Chiarello shared his cooking don'ts, Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson shared her take on women in the wine profession, Ming Tsai revealed what's new on his PBS series, Simply Ming, and we learned which cocktail trends to embrace (and which to avoid).
Once again, we'll be sharing the most memorable epicurean experiences with you, so be on the lookout for our coverage of this amazing culinary event. For real-time updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram (under the username "heyyumsugar"). And, if you're in town, look out for us; we hope to see you under the tents! Get excited for the return of our coverage by checking out some of our favorite Aspen highlights from years past.
 Bobby's Burger Suggestions |
 Boiling the Perfect Egg With Jacques |
 Ming Makes Tempura and Jokes |
 Reviving Tiki Classics |
 Tastes From the Tents |
 Steve Raichlen's BBQ Tips |
It's that time of year again: for the fifth year in a row, we're headed back to the green peaks of Aspen, CO, for the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Although there are certain celebrity chefs who are mainstays at the event, each year sees a different lineup of food and beverage personalities, many of whom are leading their own seminars on subjects ranging from grilling at home to Burgundy's best white wines. This year — the event's 30th anniversary! — the roster looks more exciting than ever. Here are five stars we can't wait to see in person.
Photo courtesy of Food & Wine
Photo: Camilla Salem
Recently, we had the chance to spend some quality time with Italian charmer Fabio Viviani. After homemade pasta and cappuccinos for breakfast, and a series of hilarious one-liners, we grabbed a table at Casa Tua in Miami, and got to dishing. Even though he'd been out until 4 a.m. the night before, he had plenty to say about reality TV, the world of vegan cuisine, and his take on health food.
YumSugar: You rose to fame on Top Chef. Do you have any further plans for reality TV, on Bravo or anywhere else?
Find out his answer, plus other things he's been up to, when you keep reading.
America is home to more than 100,000 head chefs — and today, a select few of them will be given nods as finalists for the James Beard Awards, the industry's top honors.
Among those who made the cut from the list of last month's semifinalists: David Chang, Tom Douglas, and Ina Garten.
Winners will be announced on May 7 in an award ceremony at New York's Lincoln Center, to be hosted by none other than Food Network's Alton Brown. The event, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, only promises to be more lavish than years past.
To see the list of finalists, keep reading.
After a very late night the evening before, we were kicking ourselves for signing up for a Bertolli demo with Fabio Viviani at 9 a.m. the next day. But he greeted us with coffee (scratch that — cappuccinos!), and gave us a warm Italian welcome (you'd have never known that he'd gone to bed at 4:30 a.m.). "I'm not famous enough to have my own party in South Beach, but I do like to cook," Fabio said, as he introduced himself humorously before making fresh pasta. After that, we knew we'd be OK.
In fact, we were more than just OK — we were in stitches with the former Top Cheffer's zingers. To see a few of his best quotables from the morning, keep reading.
While in Miami, we had the chance to nurse our hangovers, Italian style. Chef Fabio Viviani's Bertolli demo was filled with laughs, mispronunciations, and homemade, fresh fettuccine. All in all, it was great fun, and we were surprised to learn that making pasta at home doesn't have to be the headache that it's made out to be. With a food processor, a pasta press, and a few staple ingredients, you can have fresh pasta in a matter of minutes.
A few helpful tips that Fabio made sure to stress: an "Italian tablespoon" is not the same thing as an American tablespoon (see above photo), quality products and ingredients shouldn't be messed with, and that extra-virgin olive oil shouldn't be used in high-heat situations.
If you're up for a pasta challenge, find the recipe when you keep reading.
In case you missed it, last night Paul Qui took home the title on season nine of Top Chef. The executive chef of Uchiko and East Side King in Austin, TX, who won eight of the 16 elimination challenges on Top Chef Texas, beat out fellow finalist Sarah Grueneberg by coming out on top in an elimination challenge with a clam dashi broth and coconut-Thai chile ice cream.
Besides holding the champion title and being $125,000 richer, Qui now faces a higher public profile than he's ever held before. Whether you watch the show or now, there's no doubt you'll be seeing much more of him — so here are a few things you should know about the newly crowned Top Chef.
For more on Qui, keep reading.
