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Guess Who?

partysugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:15:45 -0800

Can you guess which celebrity chef caught the New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins game last Sunday?

Are You Shocked to Hear Gordon Ramsay Is Having an Affair?

partysugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:00:45 -0800

Yesterday it was announced that bad-boy, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is apparently having an affair. The racy details reveal that the chef has been secretly sleeping with professional mistress and Having An Affair? A Handbook For The Other Woman author Sarah Symonds for the past seven years. Although he's known in the states for his foul-mouthed, angry kitchen tirades, across the pond, Ramsay's an established family man with a devoted wife and four young children.

Neither Ramsay nor Symonds have commented on the allegations, but in her book, Symonds describes an affair with a high-profile, incredibly well known chef. While I found the news surprising it didn't exactly shock me. I've never really considered Ramsay to be the devoted husband type. What do you think about the possible affair?

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Julia Child Was a Spy For the Early CIA

YumSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:15:00 -0700

Late celebrity chef Julia Child may have brought all things culinary to the masses, but there was one secret she kept from the world: She was a spy.

Newly released personnel records reveal that Julia Child was part of an international spy ring managed by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), an early version of the CIA created during World War II by President Theodore Roosevelt. Before she became a famous chef, Child helped the OSS develop shark repellent, an explosives coating that was critical to protecting ammunition used to sink German U-boats during the war.

Yesterday, the National Archives released a list of nearly 24,000 names that were in the previously classified records. Are you surprised by this recent news? Does it change the way you perceive the nation's first celebrity chef?

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So You Think You Can Cook?

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:01:39 -0700

If you think you've got what it takes to be a celebrity chef, but Top Chef is too professional and Next Food Network Star not professional enough, then you'll be pleased to know that Rachael Ray is searching for you.

In a contest called "So You Think You Can Cook?" Rachael is looking to give a "real person" - not a trained chef - the opportunity to show everyone who they are and what they can do.

"I'm always telling people how my career was an accident," Ray told the AP. "I just wanted to sort of marry up the idea for the show that anybody who likes to cook could literally be Rachael Ray, the `30 Minute Meal' girl."

Out of all the candidates, Rachael and her producers will narrow the list down to five candidates. Those folks will enter two weeks of training and challenges before a winner is declared in November.

If you think you've got what it takes, enter now. The deadline for entries is Oct. 3.

Source: Yahoo News

Happy Hour: Gran Tangria

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 12:53:19 -0800

I read on another blog (apologies, I forget which one now...) that the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is like Spring Break for the food industry. I wasn't there personally, but from the pictures I've seen, I'd have to say it seems pretty accurate. There was sun, sand, booze and partying. One of the events, After Hours at 212 Access House which took place on the same night as the Food Network Awards, had everyone partying down on specialty Gran Centenario Tequila cocktails. One of the cocktails was called the Gran Tangria (a tequila based take on Sangria), and I'm pretty sure I'm going to mix up a batch of this for my next party. To check out the recipe and see more pictures of chefs partying hard (including Tom Collichio, Katie Lee Joel, Bobby Flay, and Mikey "Top Chef" Midgley), read more

Gran Tangria
From Monika Chiang and Gran Centenario

1 1/2 cups Gran Centenario Reposado (tequila)
1/2 Cup Brandy
2 oz Grand Marnier
2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
15 cloves
Slices of 1 apple, mango, orange and lemon

Let stand overnight, and then add:

1 cup fresh apple juice
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (fresh if possible)
1/2 cup pineapple juice (fresh if possible)
Splash of Club Soda

When serving, add a splash of club soda to each drink in a Collins glass over ice.

Serves 8-10 people.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 7 Photos ›

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Live Chat - Who's Your Favorite Celebrity Chef?

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 11:01:50 -0800

Thanks to everyone who joined us in the Live Chat Room. Today we discussed brownies, blue cheese, our favorite celebrity chefs, and everything in between. Be sure to catch the chat next Thursday at 11am PT / 2pm ET.

To join us, just click here to enter the chat room. We'll see you next week!

Forbes Names Top 10 Up-and-Coming Celebrity Chefs

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:28:31 -0700

We all know Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and loads of other celebrity chefs, but have you heard of Zakary Pelaccio, Nate Appleman, or April Bloomfield? The folks at Forbes magazine think you should be paying attention because you soon will. In recent article, Forbes has named their top 10 up-and-coming celebrity chefs. These are the folks who are part of the next generation to step into the spotlight.

Many of their picks have seasoned careers - despite being young - and have been pegged as James Beard nominees and have previously graced the cover of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs issue. Forbes chose to highlight them due to the fact that many are making waves with their back-to-basics techniques. Susan Ungaro, the president of the James Beard Foundation, agrees with them and says:

Today's rising stars are taking food in an artisanal direction. When they talk about the menu, they can tell you not only where the lamb was raised, but where the butter came from.

To find out who made their list - and if one of these chefs is in your neighborhood, go eat at their restaurant before it takes months to get a reservation! - just read more.

Nate Appleman, A16 and SPQR; San Francisco, CA
April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig; New York, New York
Gabriel Bremer, Salts; Boston, MA
Francois Kwaku-Dongo, l'escale; Greenwich, CT
Jehangir Mehta, Graffiti and Partistry; New York, NY
Johnny Monis, Komi; Washington, DC
Zakary Pelaccio, Fatty Crab and Chop Suey; New York, NY
César Ramirez, Bar Blanc; New York, NY
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon; Portland, OR
Paul Virant, Vie; Western Springs, IL

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2007's Favorite Female-Celebrity Chef Is...

partysugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:01:38 -0800

As part of our Best of 2007 coverage we asked you who your favorite female-celebrity chef was. Many of you had very strong feelings for or against Rachael Ray and Sandra Lee, but in the end Giada De Laurentiis was your favorite female chef.

While we have nothing but love for Giada, our favorite female-celebrity chef this year was Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. Her recipes continue to be delicious, simple, and stunning. Her long-lasting love for her husband is inspirational. Plus, we got the chance to speak with her earlier this year. She gave us some wonderful tips and we learned first hand how fabulous she really is.

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The Year's Best Rising Celebrity Chef

YumSugar — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:00:56 -0800

As part of our Best of 2008 series, you told us who was the best rising celebrity chef of the year. You love The Neelys and Curtis Stone, but your number one favorite is Next Iron Chef winner Michael Symon. We agree with you; he's our favorite at Yum.

There's more than one reason we like the Cleveland chef: He's talented yet modest; on Iron Chef America, he's got a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh; and his Greek-inspired food is always heads above the rest.

Why do you like Michael Symon?

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Celebrity Chef Barbie: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:00:19 -0700

Little girls who look up to Giada De Laurentiis and Rachael Ray can now play kitchen with the I Can Be TV Chef Playset Barbie ($44.90). Barbie is the star of her own cooking show, complete with a state-of-the-art kitchen and workstation. She shows that even while cooking, one should look stylish and fashionable. While I'm sure I would have loved this doll when I was young, I can't help but wonder if the celebrity chef phenomenon has gotten a little out of control. What do you think?