michael symon

Food Network's gearing up for Summer with more than just a grilling special. On Memorial Day, it will premiere The Cooking Channel. Earlier this year, the new network and successor to Fine Living revealed its lineup would include new titles from Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Emeril, along with little-known talent from abroad. Today, it announced the rest of the shows that'll debut May 31.

The primetime space will include Drink Up!, a cocktail class with Darryl "Dr. Mixologist" Robinson; Foodcrafters, a behind-the-scenes show with Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp; and Foodography, a cultural look back at famous foods with Mo Rocca of CBS Sunday Morning. There'll also be the likes of Cupcake Wars, a (you guessed it!) cupcake challenge, and the tentatively titled Food Trucks, a street food faceoff hosted by Tyler Florence.

During the day, the Cooking Channel will air Indian Food Made Easy and Caribbean Food Made Easy; reruns of Julia Child's Galloping Gourmet; and Cook Like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon. Also coming later this year to Food Network: another Next Food Network Star and The Next Iron Chef 3. While some of the shows don't seem original — Foodcrafters sounds a lot like Road Tasted, and Foodography sure reminds me of The Secret Life Of... — I'm excited about the new cooking programs featuring Indian and Caribbean cuisine. What will you watch?

One of the demos I had the pleasure of watching over the weekend at the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival was lead by Iron Chef Michael Symon. The Cleveland native, who recommends only eating "food that your grandparents and great grandparents can recognize," made fresh pasta with a scrumptious-smelling simple tomato sauce. While cooking, Symon expressed a lot of his strong opinions and spoke at length about garlic. To find out what he has to say about this everyday ingredient, read more

Last night the festivities at the Food Network's annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival kicked off with the highly anticipated Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray. The line to get inside stretched from the beach to the street and the place was packed. There were celebrity chefs and well-known food personalities everywhere: serving burgers (Bobby Flay, Daniel Boulud, and Michael Symon), mingling with the crowds (Anne Burrell, Sam Talbot, Sandra Lee), and judging the competition (Art Smith and Carla Hall). I was in attendance and while I had my fair share of scrumptious burgers and amazing side dishes, I learned a thing or 10 at the party. To find out what they are, read more

Ever since I ate breakfast prepared by Michael Symon, I can't stop thinking about his potato pancakes. They were the best I've had: crispy and thin with a golden brown crust and subtle onion flavor. Over the weekend I finally broke down and made them.

Potato pancakes are incredibly versatile; they can be served with eggs at breakfast or beside a steak at dinner. Topped with smoked salmon or a dollop of sour cream, they also make a luxurious appetizer.

Once you've mastered the technique, get creative by stirring in grated zucchini or using sweet potatoes. You've already read Symon's tips for making the perfect potato pancakes, and now you can check out his recipe after the break.

Latkes, or potato pancakes, are a traditional dish found on many Hanukkah tables. They're also frequently found in chef Michael Symon's kitchen. He's been enjoying potato pancakes his entire life; when he was little, his dad would make them for breakfast. Last week, I was lucky enough to experience Symon's crispy, flavorful latkes firsthand. While he cooked up a batch, Symon provided some tips on how to make the ideal potato pancake. Get his suggestions, after the break.

Yesterday morning I was lucky enough to be among a handful of journalists who were invited to Williams-Sonoma to enjoy a breakfast made by Michael Symon. The restaurateur and Iron Chef was in town to promote his recently released cookbook, Michael Symon's Live to Cook. The book took Symon, and co-writer Michael Ruhlman, three and a half years to write.

While cooking up bacon, scrambled eggs with goat cheese, and his dad's recipe for potato pancakes, the friendly, outgoing, and opinionated chef got to talking. To hear what he has to say about chefs who don't cook on their downtime and find out what compromises he had to make with his publishing company, please keep reading.

• Q&A with Iron Chef and recent cookbook author Michael Symon. — Serious Eats
• Five ways to enjoy avocado any time of day. — The Epi-Log
• The Food Network UK has launched and has high hopes of expanding. — Eater
• Eight graphic reasons why you should not deep-fry your turkey this year. — Eat Me Daily
• Must make: linguine with clams and chorizo — Chow
• One of the founders of Eater, Ben Leventhal, is now opening a restaurant. — Grub Street NY
• Padma Lakshmi believes the next Top Chef could be from San Francisco. — 7x7

• Just what the world needs! A steering wheel dining table. — Eat Me Daily
• Michael Symon has plans to open a burger joint. — Eater
• Did the Internet kill Gourmet magazine?— Serious Eats
• Ashley talks about her experience on Top Chef. — The Feedbag
• Do you have a food blog? Here's how you can celebrate Gourmet. — A Mingling of Tastes
• Michael Ruhlman is now excepting your comments and questions. — Chow
• Mario Batali describes his ideal last meal. — The Epi-Log
• Ben Ali, the founder of Ben's Chili Bowl has passed away. — Grub Street NY
• Moms-to-be: check out these non-alcoholic mocktails. — Simply Stated

When I think of a deliciously comforting tomato soup recipe, the ingredients beer, blue cheese, and sriracha definitely do not come to mind. However, these out-of-the-ordinary elements are exactly why I knew I had to make this soup. Created by Iron Chef Michael Symon for Pilsner Urquell, the combination actually works — wonderfully well.

This soup is not your grandmother's tomato soup: While the rich flavor of tomatoes is most prominent, it has undertones of fizzy tanginess and pungent creaminess. The spicy sriracha adds a compelling and addictive heat to the velvety liquid. I so enjoyed this recipe that I have plans to make it again very soon. Don't be afraid of the odd ingredients. This soup is excellent! To look at the recipe, read more