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Alton Brown, Wolfgang Puck, Lidia Bastianich Set to Host JBAs

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:00:37 -0800

Much like the semifinalist announcement, the list of emcees for this year's James Beard Awards reads like a who's who of the culinary world. Yesterday, the foundation revealed that the awards show, which takes place May 3 in New York, will be hosted by none other than Hollywood culinary legend Wolfgang Puck, Food Network gadget geek Alton Brown, and Italian grande dame Lidia Bastianich. Top Chef Masters host Kelly Choi and daring TV diner Andrew Zimmern will host the Media & Book Awards Dinner in a ceremony held the night before. In the past, the James Beard Foundation has made some bizarre host choices like Kim Cattrall and Stanley Tucci, so this year's lineup seems much more in line with the culinary intentions of the event itself.

Plus, I think Alton would make a great, if eccentric, emcee. Who would you like to see host the Oscars of the food world?

Tyler Florence and Andrew Zimmern's Public Feud

partysugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:00:19 -0800

Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern doesn't like Tyler Florence and he's not afraid to publicly express his disgust for the Food Network chef. Last week on his personal blog, Zimmern said in a discussion of Ryan Seacrest's reality show, Momma's Boys:

Monday’s episode featured the worlds least talented TV chef, Tyler Florence, once again churning out the questionable cooking advice and the leading the ladies through a menu of the Moms fave recipes. Watching Florence wolf down the food, stare and ogle every ass that strolled by his cutting board and play the role of local TV stud was high comedy of the highest order.

To find out what Florence had to say about ZImmern, read more. Florence's quick response was posted on his Facebook account:

Normally I have pretty thick skin when it comes to blogs and what people think. It is a free country after all, But this guy Andrew Zimmern, the guy who eats dried camel cock for a living, has decided to dis my life's work because I did, my personal friend, Ryan Seacrest, a favor and helped him out with his first big television production, "Momma's Boy's" It was a big hit for NBC and something I had a fun time doing. It's bubble gum reality, who cares. It was funny. I guess it hard to have a since of humor when you're on your 10th take of eating Yak testicles, smiling to the camera, wondering where your life went wrong......... mmmmm, Delicious! Go get'em guys. Let's put an end to Chef on Chef violence in '09.

I think it's interesting how Florence asks for an end to chef feuding after he violently disses Zimmern. What do you think of the battle? Who do you side with: Zimmern or Florence?

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Would You Eat This Spleen Sandwich?

partysugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:30:52 -0700

On tonight's episode of Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern the host heads to Sicily where he is greeted by a variety of odd foods, including sardine meatballs, artichoke ice cream, and cow spleen sandwiches.

The spleen is boiled in a vat of fat before being topped with cheese and tucked inside two slices of bread. Although the word spleen sort of grosses me out, I'm adventurous and would love to try the sandwich. How about you?

Watch the video and let me know, would you eat a spleen sandwich?

Yummy Links: From Cranberry Bars to Drink Sticks

partysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:50:34 -0800

Make your own Starbucks-style cranberry bliss bars. - Serious Eats
An inside look at New York's Top Chef season seven casting call. - Eater NY
Speaking of Top Chef casting calls, here's what the head of casting has to say. - Andrew Zimmern
Why you should give Spanish paprika a try. - The Atlantic
Jay Leno does his best impression of Gordon Ramsay. - Eat Me Daily
Feeling adventurous this Thanksgiving? Then learn how to deep-fry a turkey. - Chow
Catch up with Top Chef season three alum Chris CJ Jacobson. - Grub Street LA
At your next party, serve cocktails with homemade swizzle sticks. - Hostess With the Mostess

Does Mario Have Beef With Gordon Ramsay?

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:15:23 -0800

It seems that Tyler Florence and Andrew Zimmern aren't the only ones to have a public feud. They're in the company of Mario Batali and Gordon Ramsay, who reportedly aren't getting along. According to Page Six, Batali banned the Hell's Kitchen host from entering any of his restaurants after Ramsay began calling him "Fanta Pants" behind his back to make fun of the orange shorts that Batali often sports. The Italian chef told the Guardian, "I've banned him from my restaurants. Ramsay's people call, trying to book tables, and I say no. I won't have him in there." The feud allegedly goes back more than a year, when Batali first dissed Ramsay's food as dull and outdated and declared that the UK chef didn't get New York.

Here's the catch: New York magazine's Grub Street, skeptical of the feud, recently put Batali's claims to the test and discovered that Ramsay isn't exactly getting turned away from Batali's restaurants after all. A magazine intern, posing as an assistant for Ramsay, managed to get reservations for at least three of Batali's restaurants right away.

What do you think of this brouhaha? Are you on Team Mario or Team Gordon? And did Batali really ban Ramsay, or do you simply think this feud is one huge publicity stunt?

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