What does fun-loving chef Daniel Boulud have to say about dining today? Find out in this clip from the LA Food & Wine Festival. Here, he dishes on the food of Los Angeles today, and the most exciting restaurant in New York right now. He also reveals his favorite Fall recipe: a creamy, layered pumpkin and cheese bread soup.
In light of the culinary Olympics that are taking place tomorrow, I've been brushing up quite a bit on my Bocuse d'Or knowledge. Not only did I gather insights from returning contender Percy Whatley, but I just finished Knives at Dawn, journalist Andrew Friedman's in-depth account of America's quest to win the 2009 competition. Armed with tons of fun competition trivia, I thought I'd see how fast you can race to the finish with these facts. How high can you score on the Bocuse d'Or? Take my quiz to find out!
Yesterday, Bocuse d'Or USA chairman Daniel Boulud announced the 12 semifinalists who will compete to represent the United States in the next Bocuse d'Or. Following in the footsteps of Top Chef's Hung Huynh is Top Chef Las Vegas finalist Kevin Gillespie, who won an elimination challenge to compete at the Bocuse d'Or.
The 12 semifinalists will square off on Feb. 6, 2010, at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, for a highly coveted position on the US team. The winners will then compete at the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon, France, in 2011.
I find it puzzling that, although the competition drew only 17 applicants, the number of candidates seems to have nearly doubled since last year. Still, I'm excited to see how everything pans out. Although I wonder whether Kevin's straightforward, rustic cooking will be too simple for the culinary Olympics, I still hope he goes all the way.
To find out who the other 11 competitors are, read more.
It was down to five cheftestants on last night's episode of Top Chef. The final Las Vegas challenge — the next two shows take place in Napa, California — highlighted the Bocuse d'Or, the world's most prestigious classical cooking competition. A plethora of big name chefs including Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud, guest judged. Ready to discuss? Keep reading.
Every Fall, to honor the return of television's most exciting shows, I like to host an informal premiere party. Two years ago I was all about Ugly Betty and last year I celebrated Heroes. This week I'm turning my attention to one of the CW's hottest shows: Gossip Girl. The third season debuts next Monday and I'm having my sister and best friends over for a dinner/watching party.
Since it's a weeknight, the menu is fairly simple. However, the recipes I plan on using are created by acclaimed chefs from New York City. When the girls arrive, I'll have Daniel Boulud's warm Camembert with wild mushroom fricassee ready and waiting.
For the main course, I'll throw together Mario Batali's spaghetti with shrimp and chiles. On the side, I'll serve a simple mixed green salad. For these scrumptious recipes, read more
Now that Top Chef is over, I've got another professional chef showdown to discuss: Iron Chef. I'm a huge fan of not only the American version, but also the Japanese version that started it all. Recently, I had an opportunity to catch up with America's very first Kitchen Stadium winner, chef Ron Siegel, now the executive chef at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.
On a sunny morning I met with the chef in his kitchen, which recently launched a small bites and half bottles menu. I was taken by his humility — "I'm not doing a great service here," he told me, "I'm just cooking" — and his candidness. To see what else he had to say, read more
