If several hit television shows, a video game, Michelin star restaurants, and cookbooks weren't enough, Gordon Ramsay is planning to launch a UK chef academy. He's doing so in order to fight what he sees as poor standards of UK catering colleges. If the folks on Kitchen Nightmares (UK) are any indication of the standards, then maybe Gordon's onto something. At the recent opening of his new restaurant in Prague, Ramsay said:

I’m fed up not just with the [National Vocational Qualifications] standards, but at what’s coming out of our catering schools. I want to set up my own modern day apprentice scheme, where students will experience everything from a most amazing pub, to a one, two, or three Michelin starred establishment."

At a time when many folks are questioning whether or not culinary schools are a waste of time, do you think it makes sense for Gordon to open his own?

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I have been drooling over the cover of the February Bon Appétit cover ever since it landed in my mailbox a few weeks ago. On a stark white background sits a huge stack of whole grain pancakes topped with blueberry syrup. Yesterday evening, YumJimmy and I finally decided to curb our pancake cravings by whipping up our own batch. So imagine our surprise when we found out that today was actually National Blueberry Pancake Day! Talk about a fun coincidence.

So, how did ours turn out compared to theirs? Find out, and get the recipe so you can try it at home, just read more

When I think of Cheetos, I think of crunchy cheesy goodness that turns your fingers bright orange. I do not think of strawberry or chocolate. However, the folks at Frito-Lay in Japan apparently do. These Strawberry Cheetos have just hit the shelves in Tokyo. I think they sound a bit intriguing, they're essential plain cheetos with a strawberry frosting. I'm pretty sure there isn't a cheese flavoring, although fruit and cheese go well together so I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

Oh and if you're wondering why strawberry and not chocolate? Well, it's simple, they already have a chocolate version.

So what do you think? Would you try these?

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Wondering what to do with leftover quail? Here's an idea: make a delicious soy citrus glaze, brush it on the quail for maximum flavor, and serve over a bed of greens and soba noodles. It's a wonderfully elegant use of the leftover game. Also, this meal comes together quickly so you won't have to spend lots of time slaving in the kitchen. To take a look at the recipe, read more

Do you remember the miniature meat house? Well the crazy folks behind it couldn't leave well enough alone and have done it again. Only this time instead of a simple abode, they've created a sea-faring meat vessel.

Their nearly meat creation — they used some pastry, along with onions and mushrooms on this one — contains 20 sausages, 48 slices of bacon, 1.2 kg of sausage meat, 10 hot dogs, and more. There are pics of the entire process, but the best part is that they filmed the entire building process and have created a time-lapse video of the whole thing.

To check out the video, read more