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Yummy Links: From Oatmeal Cookie Milk Shakes to Food Cities

partysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:15:03 -0700

Must make: oatmeal cookie milk shake. - Chow
Is Eric Ripert the most interesting man in the world? - Eat Me Daily
Padma Lakshmi denies that there is a gender bias on Top Chef. - Grub Street
Grant Achatz on why wine and food pairings matter.- The Atlantic
Learn more about Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth. - Gourmet
Meet the Fojol Brothers, an interesting street food truck that operates out of Washington DC - Serious Eats
Yesterday President Obama and Bill Clinton enjoyed a healthy lunch at Il Mulino in New York City. - Eater
What do you consider to be the top 10 food cities in the world? - The Epi-Log

Star Chefdom: Does It Affect a Restaurant Kitchen?

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:33:28 -0700

Should a diner expect to find a renowned chef in the kitchen the night he pays a visit to an acclaimed restaurant? That's the question molecular gastronomy superstar Grant Achatz poses in his latest guest post for the Atlantic. Achatz, the mastermind behind Chicago restaurant Alinea, addresses the concern, reassuring diners that they shouldn't be too disappointed when the chef isn't in the kitchen the night they dine. He argues that a star chef's absence from a kitchen can actually be beneficial for the chef, his staff, and even the restaurant's guests. The chef has an obligation to tend to other aspects that will make the business successful, and the ever-present obligation of the kitchen will only hinder creativity. Because the second-in-line chef de cuisine feels excited at the prospect of leading a kitchen, he may execute at a higher level than the chef. Achatz writes:

All these activities pull the chef away from the kitchen and therefore the food, but ideally make the restaurant, the brand, and hopefully the overall guest experience better. The diners gain access, the business is financially rewarded, and the employees benefit from freedom and resources not typical in an average restaurant.

While I agree with these points, I believe that this condition only applies in avant-garde dining, where the kitchen staff are exceptionally trained. What do you think: are you disappointed when a celebrity chef isn't in the kitchen of his own restaurant? If so, can you sense a difference in taste?

Yummy Links: From Grant Achatz to Top 10 Lists

partysugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:50:28 -0700

An inside look at Grant Achatz's yet-to-be-released memoir. - Eater
Be inspired by a gorgeous Pucci-esque dessert bar- Hostess With the Mostess
Did you know mint is a widely used ingredient in Italian cooking? - Serious Eats
Before the season ends, you must make this strawberry dumpling. - Gourmet
Love it or hate it: Sir Francis Bacon Peanut Brittle? - Eat Me Daily
Serve a grilled vegetable sandwich with egg salad and bacon at your next brunch. - Chow
Has Twitter killed the fast food restaurant industry? - The Feedbag
Be sure to check out this hilarious list of the Top 10 Top 10 Food Lists. - Endless Simmer

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Yum's December Must Haves

partysugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:36 -0800

With its festive parties and unlimited opportunities to bake and cook, December is one of my favorite months. Here, I've rounded up my must haves for the holidays. Enjoy!

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Announcing the 2008 James Beard Award Winners

partysugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:15:37 -0700

Yesterday, the VIPs of the culinary community took off their chef's coats and headed down the red carpet to their very own awards show. Considered the Oscars of eating, the James Beard Awards are the food world's most prestigious honors. With categories covering the entire spectrum of the industry - cookbooks, journalism, chefs, restaurants, and media - the event brought out the best of the best.

The big winner of the night was Chicago's Grant Achatz, who was voted the nation's top chef by the foundation. Other winners include Mario Batali and partner Joe Bastianich for outstanding restaurateurs and San Francisco's Craig Stoll of Delfina for best chef in the Pacific.

To take a look at a list of winners and a gallery of the celebs on the red carpet, including Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto, Katie Lee Joel, Wylie Dufresne, Kim Cattrall, Jacques Pepin, and Todd English, read more.

Outstanding Restaurateur Award
Joe Bastianich/Mario Batali, Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca; New York, NY
Outstanding Chef Award
Grant Achatz, Alinea; Chicago, IL
Outstanding Restaurant Award
Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY; Owner: Danny Meyer
Best New Restaurant
Central Michel Richard, Washington, DC; Chef/Owner: Michel Richard
Rising Star Chef of the Year Award
Gavin Kaysen, Café Boulud, New York, NY
Outstanding Pastry Chef Award
Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, Tartine Bakery; San Francisco, CA
Outstanding Wine Service Award
Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY; Wine Director: John Ragan
Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award
Terry Theise, Terry Theise Estate Selections; Silver Spring, MD
Outstanding Service Award
Terra, St. Helena, CA; Owners: Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani

For more details, check out the official list of categories, nominees, and award winners.

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Yummy Links: From Canned Cool Whip to Homemade Cakes

partysugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:56 -0700

If you're too lazy to use a spoon to scoop cool whip from the tub, you're in luck! Kraft has just released their new canned cool whip. - Serious Eats
Food and Wine celebrates their 30th anniversary with a then and now look at the magazine. - Mouthing Off
Chicago chef and cancer survivor Grant Achatz discuss how he lost and found his ability to taste. - The New Yorker
A surprising look at the health inspections of certain celebrity chefs' kitchens. Violators include Gordon Ramsay and Emeril Lagasse.- Health Inspections via Barf Blog
Can you really make Nikki's whole roasted chicken and vegetables with ingredients from Whole Foods for under $10?- Karmic Kitchen
Learn how to properly take care of wooden cooking utensils. - The Kitchn
The best way to sample a chef's food is by ordering a bunch of appetizers - it cuts calories and cost! -The Wall Street Journal
Do you remember every cake you've ever made? - New York Times

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Is There a Difference Between Male and Female Cooking?

partysugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:15:04 -0700

Food blog Eater recently featured an upcoming course at New York City's Astor Center. The class (which is really more of a social experiment) will examine the myths of gender in the restaurant kitchen. During the event, 10 chefs‚ including Alex Guarnaschelli and Johnny Iuzzini, will cook a five-course meal to be blind taste-tested by Grant Achatz and Gwen Hyman. The judges will try and discern which dishes are made by a man and which ones are made by a woman. While I find the concept behind the class fascinating and am curious to see the final results, I doubt there will be a notable difference between the way a male and female cook. What do you think?

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Top Chef 5.3 - Foo Fighters Thanksgiving Recap

partysugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:15:34 -0800

This week on a Thanksgiving episode of Top Chef, the Foo Fighters made a special appearance and award-winning chef and cancer survivor, Grant Achatz, was the guest judge. To discuss the episode (warning: spoilers ahead), read more.

Grant Achatz: kind of a hottie?
Watching the start of the quickfire, did you want the Top Chef cookbook? I did!
Do you like white asparagus?
Were you surprised that Leah selected the most confident chefs?
Do you consider Ariane a cougar?
Can you imagine cooking Thanksgiving dinner in a microwave?
Hosea made a fruit cobbler and referred to it as not his "most proud dessert." Would you serve a mediocre dessert to the judges?
What dish did you want to eat at Thanksgiving? I want to try Fabio's pumpkin tiramisu.
Was it weird how the elimination challenge had no winner?
Between Jeff, Richard, and Danny, who deserved to go home?

To learn how to dress like Padma, check out our new site, CelebStyle.

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2007's Favorite Restaurant Chef Is . . .

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:28:31 -0800

We recently asked you to choose your favorite restaurant chef of 2007. The response was surprising and 28 percent of you said that Grant Achatz of Chicago's Alinea was your fave in 2007. Unfortunately, I've never made it to Alinea and am actually not that familiar with Achatz's work - which seems like a crime as his reputation is fantastic - so I'm going to have to go with my personal fave. Here at San Francisco-based Sugar HQ, we are gaga for Elizabeth Falkner. If you're not familiar with her, I think you soon will be. Her star is on the rise; she's been a guest judge on Top Chef and has just released Demolition Desserts, a book of recipes from her restaurant Citizen Cake. She's also set to open a new restaurant, Orson, where eaters can find "edgy California cuisine." I know I'll be making a reservation!

Who's the Best Restaurant Chef of 2008?

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:45:39 -0800

Despite the economic recession, this has been a great year for a select group of restaurant chefs, like Alice Waters, who headed up the first-ever Slow Food Nation; Grant Achatz, who beat tongue cancer, won this year's James Beard Award for outstanding chef, and recently appeared on Top Chef; and David Chang, whose Momofuku restaurants have an unprecedented cult popularity. Tell me: Which one of these restaurant chefs do you think is the Best of 2008?

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