YumSugar

Kim Cattrall and Pals Heat Things Up In The Kitchen

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:49:32 -0700

About a month ago, there was a hot new oven popping up all over the blogs. The oven, which is called the TurboChef Speed Oven, is a "high performance" oven that is a ridiculously fast oven that prepares meals 15 times faster than normal ovens. It's already in use in quick service restaurants (like Subway) but now you can take the oven into your own home. Price you'll have to pay to cook a properly roasted lamb in six minutes? Try around $8000.

To celebrate the launch of the TurboChef oven, Chicago's famed chef Charlie Trotter and his new pals - Kim Cattrall (hrmm... I have a hard time seeing Samantha cooking let alone endorsing an oven...), Cynthia Rowley, Ted Allen (who, in other news, has signed on to do more episodes of Top Chef), and chef Alan Wyse - were on hand to whip up a meal and have fun in the kitchen.

To check out more pictures of folks having fun with the super-fast TurboChef, read more

View 18 Photos ›

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Bocuse d'Or Candidates Announced

partysugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:15:20 -0700

The eight semifinalists who will compete for the coveted chance to represent America at the culinary Olympics, the Bocuse d'Or, have been announced. Among them are Top Chef Season 3 winner Hung Huynh. It's no surprise that Hung was chosen for the competition, when I spoke with him at the Food and Wine Classic, he mentioned his desire to participate. Hung and the other seven candidates were selected from 150 applicants by an advisory board that included Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Tom Colicchio. The semifinalists will face off in a culinary challenge on September 26 and 27 in Epcot Center. The final two will be trained personally by Thomas Keller and will represent America in the finals. To find out who the other competitors are, read more.

Damon Wise, corporate chef at Craft, withdrew his name*
Tim Hollingsworth, sous-chef at French Laundry
Rogers Powell, instructor at French Culinary Institute
Richard Rosendale of Rosendales in Ohio; USA Culinary Olympic team captain
Michael Rotondo, chef de cuisine at Charlie Trotter’s
Kevin Sbraga, culinary director of Garces Restaurant Group
Percy Whatley, Delaware North Parks exec chef

*Update: Damon Wise has been replaced with John Rellah Jr., executive chef at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, New Jersey.

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50 Best Restaurants in The World

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 12:31:38 -0700

Last night Restaurant Magazine announced their annual list of the world's 50 best restaurants and I am ridiculously embarrassed to say that even though two of them are really close by (Chez Panisse and the French Laundry), I have not been to any of the ones on the list. While I go hang my head in foodie shame, you can check out the list. Oh and it's worth noting that the top 6 are the same as last year and there are only 5 new entries and one that has re-entered. And finally, if you don't recognize him, that's El Bulli's head chef Ferran Adria in the photograph.

1 - El Bulli, Spain - Best in Europe
2 - The Fat Duck, UK
3 - Pierre Gagnaire, France
4 - The French Laundry, USA - Best in the Americas
5 - Tetsuya’s, Australia - Best in Australasia
6 - Bras, France
7 - Mugaritz, Spain
8 - Le Louis XV, Monaco
9 - Per Se, USA
10 - Arzak, Spain

To see the rest of the list, none of which I've eaten at either, read more

11 - El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
12 - Gambero Rosso, Italy
13 - L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, France
14 - Hof van Cleve, Belgium
15 - Noma, Denmark - The biggest climber - up 18 places from last year
16 - Le Calandre, Italy
17 - Nobu London, UK
18 - Jean Georges, USA
19 - Hakkasan, UK
20 - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, France
21 - L’Astrance, France
22 - Can Fabes, Spain
23 - L’Ambroisie, France
24 - Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK
25 - Troisgros, France
26 - Le Bernardin, USA
27 - Martin Berasategui, Spain
28 - Le Gavroche, UK
29 - Le Cinq, France
30 - Charlie Trotter’s, USA
31 - Dal Pescatore, Italy
32 - Daniel, USA
33 - Rockpool, Australia
34 - St John, UK
35 - Chez Dominique, Finland
36 - Alinea, USA - Highest New Entry
37 - Bukhara, India - Best in Asia
38 - DOM, Brazil
39 - Oaxen Skärgårdskrog, Sweden
40 - Chez Panisse, USA
41 - Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy
42 - Cracco Peck, Italy - New Entry
43 - L’Arpège, France
44 - River Café, UK - Re-Entry
45 - Oud Sluis, Netherlands - Biggest drop - down 26 places from last year
46 - Combal Zero, Italy - New Entry
47 - Le Quartier Français, South Africa - Best in Mid East & Africa
48 - Taillevent, France - New Entry
49 - Bocuse, France
50 - Les Ambassadeurs, France - New Entry

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Come Holler at Top Chef's Dale Talde

YumSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:00:46 -0700

A lot of you were disappointed with the outcome of last night's Top Chef. While you were thrilled to see restaurant wars return, you weren't all ready to say goodbye to Dale Talde. The frustrating interaction between Lisa and him may have ended on the screen, but that doesn't mean Dale likes the gal. I spoke with Dale yesterday and there's no love lost between them, there just was never any to begin with. To read what he had to say about his time on Top Chef, and what he's working on next, just read more.

YumSugar: How'd you get involved with Top Chef?
Dale Talde: An ex-girlfriend had been pleading for me to go, and my entire linestaff at Mormimoto pleaded for me to try out. And then one day, going to work I realized that the auditions were across the street. They were actually done with the open casting, and were packing up when I walked in unprepared without a resume. I just sat down and talked to them, and they ended up casting me.

YS: Was it what you expected?
DT: Hell no! I mean, it was a great experience and wonderful, but what are you expecting with 16 people in one house? You're busting your hump everyday, working, and then drinking like a fish. It was hardcore. It's something I'll remember forever. It was an awesome experience.

YS: What was it like seeing yourself on TV?
DT: It was surreal, and embarrassing at times. It's embarrassing seeing yourself out of shape. [laughs] You think maybe I should have worked out a little more. But I represented. You say dumb things once in a while, and I said them with a couple cocktails and beers in me, but that's life. I've done more embarrassing things.

YS: Okay, let's just get down to it. On the show you really don't seem to like Lisa. Is that all editing or...?
DT: No, it was not editing. I do not get along with people who are that negative. I don't surround myself with negative people. My friends love to have a good time, and can get through hard times without having to vocalize. No, I don't like her. I don't like her as a person. Professionally I work with a lot of people I don't like, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who hate me and you just get through it. But it wasn't work, it was a competition. I really don't like Lisa. Personally she's someone I'd never hang out with. Is she a bad person? No, but she's negative.

YS: So do you think it would have been completely different had you won the quickfire challenge?
DT: Are you kidding me? Of course it would have been. It would've been like Pippen, Lebron, and Rodman. It would've been me, Stephanie, and Richard, that would've been the squad. [Pauses] Like I've told people, you could have put Thomas Keller or Charlie Trotter on that team and they would have gone down. It was like a JV squad, there was no way, we had no chance of winning. I should have played the game better. I should have let Lisa be the executive chef. You live and learn.

YS: What was going through your mind when Antonia picked her team.
DT: I was... [pause] I want to swear, but they're censoring me. I was screwed. I was done. I mean come on, you know the talent level at that point. There were three people who have been executive chefs on one team, and then us.

YS: Other than letting Lisa be executive chef, is there anything you'd have done differently?
DT: Nah, I might have drank a little less, and got my gut down. I started getting a little fat. Listen, the experience is once in a lifetime. I mean that scallop dish was a failure, it wasn't good. I mean otherwise. Well wedding wars, maybe I'd have taken on less. I would've done less, executed things differently and better. But the experience was great. I'm not one to shy away from emotion. The fans can see who and what I am. I am who I am. I don't back down.

YS: So what are you working on now?
DT: I'm still working at Buddakan, and I'm still in pursuit of the perfect dish. There are a lot of opportunities for people who get exposure like this. Actually, I have this restaurant movie in my head. You go out to eat, and things come up. I'm not leaving cooking, I'm a chef, that's the only thing I know how to do. But I'm trying to buckle down and write this screenplay that I've had in my head for the last five to six years. I want to travel and get together an itinerary, and push ideas for a TV show. Keep my face in the media. I think it could be fun.

YS: Quite a few of our readers were upset to hear you got booted off. Do you have any last words to say to them?
DT: Thanks for the support. I've got a lot of people telling me that I shouldn't have gone home, and while that's great, it's just part of life. So thanks for the support, and they can always vote me as a fan favorite and show them that the wrong person was sent home. And you know, come to New York and holler at your boy.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Discover the 2008 List of 50 Best Restaurants in the World

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:11:11 -0700

Every year San Pellegrino and Restaurant magazine releases a list of the 50 best restaurants in the world. The list is put together by The Nespresso World's 50 Best Academy, a group that consists of over 650 chefs, restauranteurs, food writers and critics. There is no list of nominees, each member of the voting panel votes for their favorite five restaurants. They can't vote for their own restaurant, and they have to have eaten at their nominees within the past 18 months. So after 3,410 votes, who came out on top?

The top three are unchanged from last year, with Ferran Adria's El Bulli ranking number one. There are also four re-entries and two new entries. To discover the whole list, read more.

1. El Bulli, Spain
2. The Fat Duck, UK
3. Pierre Gagnaire, France
4. Mugaritz, Spain
5. The French Laundry, US
6. Per Se, US
7. Bras, France
8. Arzak, Spain
9. Tetsuya's, Australia
10. Noma, Denmark
11. L'Astrance, France
12. Gambero Rosso, Italy
13. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, UK
14. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, France
15. Le Louis XV, Monaco
16. St John, UK Highest Climber, up 18 places from last year
17. Jean Georges, US
18. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, France
19. Hakkasan, UK
20. Le Bernardin, US
21. Alinea, US
22. Le Gavroche, UK
23. Dal Pescatore, Italy
24. Le Cinq, France
25. Troisgros, France
26. El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
27. Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville, Switzerland Highest Re-Entry
28. Hof van Cleve, Belgium
29. Martin Berasategui, Spain
30. Nobu London, UK
31. Can Fabes, Spain
32. Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy
33. Le Meurice, France
34. Vendome, Germany Highest New Entry
35. Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany
36. Le Calandre, Italy
37. Chez Panisse, US
38. Charlie Trotter's, US
39. Chez Dominique, Finland
40. DOM, Brazil
41. Daniel, US
42. Oud Sluis, The Netherlands
43. Cracco Peck, Italy
44. Asador Etxebarri, Spain
45. Les Ambassadeurs, France
46. L'Arpege, France
47. Tantris, Germany
48. Oaxen Skaergaardskrog, Sweden
49. Rockpool, Australia
50. Le Quartier Francais, South Africa

While I find this list completely fascinating - and I definitely want to eat at more than one of them - I'm a little dismayed by the fact that there isn't a single restaurant in Asia on this list. Not to mention the overall lack of diversity. What do you guys think about it?

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Yummy Links: From Rum to Female Chefs

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:47:13 -0700

How on earth did I miss out on National Rum Day? - Baking Bites
Need some inspiration? Here are 50 refreshing summer drinks for you to choose from. - iVillage

These yummy candles look good enough to eat. - CasaSugar
What happens to the state of food journalism when food bloggers go legit and enter the mainstream? - Serious Eats
If you're headed to Napa Valley, be sure to check out this guide to the other Napa. - Chow
My gal Fit made me promise that I would share this recipe for Tomato Paprika Salad Dressing. She says it's like a gazpacho in salad dressing form, oh and it's chockful of all those good antioxidants. - FitSugar
Famed chef Charlie Trotter has teamed up with United Airlines. Now if only I flew business or first class... - Slashfood

Did humidity ruin this batch of brownies? - Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen
Don't be frightened, this alien is good for you. After all, it's only a painting of vegetables. - Will Work For Food
Cooks vs. chefs? What does it mean to be a female in the kitchen? - Culinate