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Going Inside the Cooking Loft With Alex Guarnaschelli

partysugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:12 -0700

This weekend the Food Network debuts its newest show, The Cooking Loft. Like Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, the host of the show, Alex Guarnaschelli is the head chef of a popular New York City eatery, Butter. The Cooking Loft is an interactive show in which Alex teaches a group of students how to make several dishes with a specific ingredient. After watching an episode of the show, I was excited to speak with Alex on the phone. To find what she had to say, read more.

Alex was exposed to food from an early age because her mom was a cookbook editor. She's worked at acclaimed restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, but it was her appearance on Iron Chef America that started her relationship with the Food Network. She refers to the network as "one big happy family" and is nervously awaiting the debut of her show.

PartySugar: With your show what are you hoping to teach the American people?
Alex Gauranaschelli: I think the most important thing people should learn from my show is how fun and easy cooking can be. All you have to do is something simple, make things special, more unique, more flavorful.

PS: What's your criteria when considering dishes to feature on your show?
AG: The show is topic driven. We have a very unique format. We first choose the ingredient - tomatoes, chicken, etc. - and than I pick my favorite recipes. I like to take a different approach, to teach people how to reinvent ingredients, reinvent the basics.
PS: Are you worried about how the New York restaurant industry will respond to your show?
AG: I find the New York restaurant industry to be one big family. I'm hoping it will be well-received, but honestly I'm more worried about how my tomato recipes will look.

PS: What is your guilty pleasure food?
AG: What? Like stuff I keep hidden from other people? My homemade guilty pleasure is my mom's chocolate cake with caramel, we feature the recipe on the show. Of processed foods, it's a tie between Cool Ranch Doritos and Oreos. They are actually really good together. I like to make a little sandwich. It's quite appetizing, you get all salted up with the chips and cool it off with the sweet oreos.

PS: What did you have for lunch today?
AG: I'm glad you asked me! I had a really chefy lunch. I had a salad with lolla rosso [a type of lettuce] and shallots. I made an omelette with local eggs and goat cheese and I cooked it really slowly until the goat cheese melted, then I rolled it up and put it on top of the lettuce. It was so good, it was like a religious experience.

PS: Beer or wine?
AG: Wine.
PS: Cookie or cake?
AG: Cake
PS: Soup or salad?
AG: Soup
PS: Iron Chef or Top Chef?
AG: That's cruel! Iron Chef.
PS: Los Angeles or New York?
AG: New York
PS: Butter or olive oil?
AG: Butter
PS: Potatoes or pasta?
AG: Pasta
PS: Truffles or foie gras?
AG: Truffles
PS:Crème brulee or panna cotta?
AG: Neither, creme caramel.

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Meet the Newest Dining Hotspot: The Ballpark

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:00:29 -0700

Masaharu Morimoto isn't the only celebrity chef to be serving stepped-up stadium food at future Yankees games. As part of the stadium's new Legends Culinary Series, at select games, famous New York chefs will serve up signature dishes at the stadium's Legends Suite Club.

In addition to Iron Chef Morimoto, the star-studded lineup of chefs will include Alex Guarnaschelli of The Cooking Loft and Butter restaurant, April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig, and Sirio Maccioni of Le Cirque. Chocolatier Godiva will also be on hand to create signature chocolate desserts.
Food Network has announced that it, too, will be rolling out its first-ever food stands. The stands will feature "quality takes on classic" foods that incorporate "the ethnic cuisines of New York City, Food Network's hometown," according to a statement from the network. Hot dogs, burgers, and fries will be in the mix - but so will Puerto Rican pork sandwiches and Chinese cold noodles.

Since variety is the spice of life, and because dining options at sports events do seem to be trending toward the upscale, I suppose premium dining at the stadium makes business sense. PartySugar and I both agree, however, that canapés can never take the place of chili dogs at the ballpark. What do you think? Would you want to eat gourmet cuisine at a sporting event?

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Top Chef: Uncommon Sense and Sensuality (Episode 11 Recap)

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:39:11 -0800

If you haven't watched last night's episode, titled "Sense and Sensuality" then beware, there are big time spoilers ahead! Now, for those of you that did watch it, can I just say, "DRAMA!" - this is the kind of stuff that makes for good TV. I mean (spoilers begin now, so if you haven't watched and are still reading, well, I tried to warn you), how often do you get to see gorgeous food, shaved heads, and wrestling matches all in the same hour!?

Since this was the last elimination round before the chefs meet back up in Hawaii, the stakes were HIGH. I mean, who wants to make it this far, only to pack their knives at the last minute. Even better question: Who wants to get that far and then have to pack their knives because of their actions and not their food???

To check out my full recap, including winners, losers, drastic measures and more, read more

The episode starts off with guest judge Chef Eric Ripert (of NYC's Le Bernardin) and yet another sponsored commercial, er I mean, quickfire challenge. This time it was by Nestlé Chocolatier (which I'm mentioning only because I find it interesting that Nestlé has come up with a new premium brand... I guess that means I fell for the marketing).

For the quickfire challenge, our beloved chefs were asked to make either a sweet or a savory dish featuring chocolate. Ilan lost with a horrific looking chocolate ganache with chicken livers (I thought it sounded interesting, but in the end, even I was repulsed, and I'll eat just about everything) and Sam won with a shrimp, banana concoction.

Bravo TV has stopped posting the recipes for the quickfires, but here's what everyone made:

Elia: Poached chicken topped with chili chocolate sauce and caramelized pecans AND "Kiss" - Creamed mousse of ginger and chocolate with strawberry and mint crumble
Sam: Shrimp with bananas, chocolate chipotle, black bean and cilantro pesto sauce
Cliff: Braised chicken piquillo peppers, rosemary and chocolate sauce potatoes
Ilan: Chicken liver chocolate ganache with fried ginger and sherry sauce
Marcel: Potato cannelonis filled with coffee whip cream and chocolate mousse with vanilla powder

After the quickfire, the contestants were told they needed to make a five course romantic dinner. Since Sam won the quickfire, he got to choose which course he was making and which protein he was using. He chose scallops and lobster, which meant that no one else could use either scallops or lobster.

When the contestants arrive in Santa Barbara (where the romantic meal took place), they were greeted with a tiny kitchen. Surprisingly, the meal goes off pretty effortlessly. Sam is up first and asks Marcel if he can help plate, but Marcel says he can't because he's busy prepping. So, when it came Marcel's turn to plate, Sam said he couldn't help since Marcel didn't help him. However Sam says he couldn't be "that guy" and ended up helping anyways. The only other kitchen drama occurred when Elia's chocolate hearts couldn't be whipped up fast enough and she claimed that she "quit." Also calling it the first time she's put out something she's not happy with.

The judges eat it up. For the most part they like everything (I think this may be a Top Chef first). The only exception being Cliff's beef dish which they claimed to be like hotel food (Chef Tom also stated that Cliff's greens were worthless). They also noticed that Elia's "chocolate hearts" were missing, but Padma liked it, she thought the dessert was romantic.

Here's what everyone made and in the order it was served:

Sam: Seared Scallops with Lobster Plum Sauce and Beets
Ilan: Fideos with Clams and Saffron
Marcel: Salmon with Celeriac & Beets
Cliff: Sirloin with Lentil Puree
Elia: "The Kiss" Chocolate Mousse with a Chocolate Heart served on a Pastry Heart

So, the chefs cooked a great meal, the judges loved it, it's going to be a tough panel, but WAIT. What's this? We have what, 15 minutes left in the episode? Turns out our fledgling chefs, high off of adrenaline head back to the lofts, where they get tanked and decide to shave their heads.

Yes. That's right. SHAVE THEIR HEADS.
Ilan and Elia shave their heads, Sam chickens out, Cliff is already shaved down, so that leaves Marcel. Poor sleeping Marcel. Now, I'm all over the map with what I think about him, he's endearing one minute, annoying as hell the next, and as much as I can't stand the Teen Wolf hairdo, this is "joke" that's just not funny. I mean the guy is asleep, minding his own business and then Cliff grabs him. He literally yanks him off the couch and holds him in some weird wrestling pin. It was frustrating and uncomfortable to watch. No one wanted it to happen, but no one stopped it either. Sam just sits there, Ilan continues to film and then finally Cliff lets go. Marcel eventually ends up sleeping in the bathroom, I assume with the door locked for safety. And now Cliff seems like an okay fellow, but all season long we've seen some nasty mean streaks and violent tendencies come out. I would have probably also spent the evening locked away.

The next morning the chefs are met by Chef Tom, who arrives and looks quite frightening. He asks everyone but Cliff to leave the room and then WHAT WHAT? Cliff it's time to pack your knives and go. Turns out there's a small clause in their Bravo TV contracts that state, if you touch another contestant, you're out. Cliff is obviously shocked by this, but accepts his departure gracefully.

Back at the judge's table, the rest of the judges learn of Cliff's departure. They are truly shocked (although Padma definitely looked more shocked once she saw Elia's shaved head) and appalled that this could happen. However, they all agree that Cliff's was the weakest dish and that he probably would have gone home anyway. They then analyze all the other dishes and talk about letting one, if not two, of the remaining four go (hrmmm... I thought they liked the meal?). When the contestants return, Padma tells Sam and Ilan they they are still in the running, but that Elia and Marcel need to "pack their knives and go... TO HAWAII!"

I'll admit now, although my brain knew there was no way they could only bring two chefs to the finals, I totally fell for it.

Now, a few things to discuss:

Elia: I LOVE her with a shaved head!
What would you have done if you were Marcel
Would you eat chocolate and chicken livers together?
What do you think of Chef Tom? How about his dismissal style?
Padma's outfits - come on tell me what you really think!
Anything else that comes to mind? Discuss in the comments below!

Source: Bravo TV