Archive for the ‘Chefs’ Category

Just in time for spring picnic action, new bakery and sandwich shop Flour + Co. has opened its doors as of today. Helmed by former La Boulange operations director Emily Day, the bakery portion features morning treats like biscuits, muffins, and cinnamon rolls, as well as more decadent sweets like cookies, cakes, and pies. A handful of items are also available in gluten-free versions, and pie and cookie dough will be for sale to take home. Other breakfast fare includes a daily rotating “egg pie” (a.k.a. quiche), granola, yogurt, and Stumptown coffee. At lunchtime, sandwiches, savory tarts, and chicken pot pie are available. They’re also offering something unique, a charity donation box, with a matching grant of up to $250 per month.

The bakery is petite, with 16 seats and a cheerful beige and robin’s-egg blue color scheme. The concept was designed by Abueg Morris Architects, who’ve also done spots like Roam Artisan Burgers and Bun Mee. There’s definitely a corporate branding element at work as well, with murals featuring main character Flour and her anthropomorphic pals Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Milk. (May we humbly suggest a Hamburglar/Bananagrabber-type addition?) Opening hours are currently 6:30 am-6 pm, according to Day’s blog, but are subject to change.

Source:  Allie Pape / SF Eater

Each Ticket includes:

• Wine Tasting + sampling of gourmet “bites”
• 100% of all ticket sales and a portion of wines sales sold at the event will be divided among the charities of the winning teams.
• More VIP fun such as meet and greet with owner/vintner Kathryn Hall.
• Vote for your favorite dish in the People’s Choice category

How to Purchase Tickets – This event sold out last year.  Reserve your tickets through our online store today. A confirmation will be sent by email. Tickets will be charged the week of the event.

Participating Chef Teams - Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ,  Ca Momi, Carpe Diem, Culinary Mercenary, Cuvee, Feast, La Condesa, Market St. Helena, The Grill at Meadowood, Napa Valley Biscuits, Oenotri, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering

Professional Judges - Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani – Terra; Chef Ken Frank -  La Toque; Chef Brandon Sharp – Solbar

For more information go to: www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff

Questions? Contact Diem Doonan at 707.967.2673 or ddoonan@hallwines.com

Sweet Corn & Mussel Chowder

Compliments of Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 rashers higher-welfare bacon, chopped

1 small white onion, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

1 fresh red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

4 ears sweet corn

2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

900 ml organic vegetable or fish stock, hot

1 handful fresh, live mussels, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, cleaned and drained

4 tablespoons single cream

1 small handful chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

• Heat a splash of oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat.
• Add the bacon, onion, celery and chili and sweat down for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned.
• Peel the husk from the corn and slice off the kernels with a sharp knife.
• Add the sweet corn and potato to the saucepan, along with the stock.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the potato is soft.
• Blitz very roughly with a hand blender (or cool slightly, then blend in batches in a food processor, returning the chowder to the saucepan).
• Add the mussels and cream, bring quickly to the boil and cook for a few minutes until the mussels have opened – discard any that remain closed. You can take the mussels out of their shells, if you like.
• Remove from the heat and season.
• Divide the chowder between bowls and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley.

More changes are happening at the popular Oakhurst seafood restaurant Crab Cakes, which recently relocated to a much larger location.

Restaurant owner Roman Zabicki announced the hiring of Visalia native L. Brian Velazquez as the new Executive Chef for the restaurant. Velazquez will oversee the The Central Valley People’s Choice Award & AAA Three-Diamond Award winning restaurant as well as off-site catering.

“I’m happy that Laura and Roman have brought me on to utilize my talent and experience to take Crab Cakes Restaurant and Yosemite Catering to the next level at their new location,” said Velazquez.

“We’ll be bringing specials, menu items and events that will be totally outside the box while maintaining the professional service and quality food that Crab Cakes has earned a reputation for over these past 15 years,” he said.

Chef Velasquez has more than 20 years of experience in high-intensity culinary production and upscale cultural dining.

“Chef Velasquez has taken the art of dining at Crab Cakes to a new level by using his creativity and local ingredients. His ‘attitude of cooking’ embraces freshness, flavor, method, and a deep passion for what he’s cooking at the moment. And whatever the moment, he creates an out-of-the-box dining experience,” said Zabicki.

“His delicious “freedom” approach is evident in the catering and special-event menus, as well as the dining at Crab Cakes Restaurant,” he added.

Chef Velasquez was born and raised in Visalia where he worked at his family restaurant. He has three sons, two residing in Hawaii and one in Visalia.  Chef began his culinary career at the age of 13, working in his grandmother’s kitchen. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a Communications Radio Operator while in the Gulf War.

His education based at the Le Cordon Bleu in Sacramento, including the ABC Bartending School in Rancho Cardova.

“Chef Velasquez is highly interactive with the front of the house guests and the public. In addition to his approach, technique, and fun personality service plays a vast role in his culinary practices,” said Zabicki.

So far, Oakhurst has responded well to the new addition, making Velazquez that much happier with his new job.

“The community has really welcomed me here. It’s like a breath of fresh air.  To be able to go out and talk to the guests is refreshing,” he said.

To learn more about the restaurant, visit www.crabcakesrestaurant.com or call 559-641-7667 for reservations.

The Phoenician, Arizona’s premier AAA Five Diamond destination, has named Lee Hillson executive sous chef.  In his new role, Hillson will assist in overseeing a culinary staff of more than 150 across nine kitchens, including resort restaurants Il Terrazzo, Relish Burger Bistro, the Café and Ice Cream Parlor and the Oasis Grill, while contributing to menu creation and preparation.  He will also provide support for in-room dining, banquet, pastry, bakeshop, butcher shop, pasta shop and garde manger operations.
Hillson previously served as executive chef of the renowned T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, during which he gained national acclaim for his battle with Iron Chef Cat Cora on the blockbuster Food Network show, Iron Chef America.  Also known for his originality in designing exceptional house-made products while maintaining a commitment to sustainability, he was tapped by British Airways to create a First Class menu for Phoenix to London flights.

“Chef Hillson brings incredible talent, creativity and vision to The Phoenician,” said Managing Director Mark Vinciguerra.  “His artistry and innovation are perfectly fitted to our AAA Five Diamond culture.  We look forward to sharing his unique tastes and style with our guests throughout the resort as part of our signature luxury experience.”

Hillson has repeatedly taken top honors in Zagat Surveys, Gayot.com and the Arizona Republic/azcentral.com Readers’ Choice Awards.  In addition, he has cooked on many occasions at the James Beard House in New York, and has also created special culinary offerings for such luminaries as former President George W. Bush, Barbra Streisand, the late Princess Diana, Richard Branson and Billy Joel.

Enrolling in culinary school at the age of 16 in his native England, Hillson was working just two years later at the Hyatt in Austin.  He then returned to London as the chef de partie at the Roux Patisserie, owned by world-renowned chefs, Albert and Michel Roux. After several prestigious stops as pastry chef in England, Hillson again crossed the Atlantic to become executive sous chef at Vanderbilt Hall in Newport, Rhode Island. Within a few short months, he was appointed executive chef at this restaurant, ranked as one of the country’s top five by Country Inn magazine. From there, he joined the Royal Palms, serving as sous chef for five years before being promoted to executive chef in 2005.

Located at the base of Camelback Mountain, the 250-acre Phoenician offers two exquisite experiences – a 583-room AAA Five Diamond luxury resort hotel and an exclusive Five Diamond boutique hotel, The Canyon Suites — at one magnificent destination.  The property features elegant, residential-style accommodations, distinctive and tantalizing cuisine across such restaurants as Il Terrazzo, J&G Steakhouse and Relish Burger Bistro, a championship golf course, 11 tennis courts, The Centre for Well-Being and Salon Mila spa complex, an activities program for all ages and interests, numerous boutique shops, a $25 million art collection and the premier 15,000 square-foot Camelback Ballroom.  In addition to these offerings, the stylish 60-room Canyon Suites provides more intimate surroundings and enhanced services, creating an atmosphere of uncompromising splendor.  Both The Phoenician and The Canyon Suites are owned and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., as part of The Luxury Collection.

For additional information, please call (480) 941-8200; (800) 888-8234 or visit www.thephoenician.com <http://www.thephoenician.com>.

Capocuoco Christopher Mills (aka Chef Chris Mills) Serves up Cold Weather Comfort Food

Joey Restaurant Group Executive Chef Chris Mills is launching a new timer with old world roots:  Sicilian Pesto and Prawn Linguini.  A few years ago, Mills traveled to Italy and visited La Vucciria – one of Palermo’s most famous food markets and the inspiration for this dish. At the market, he discovered a tiny, cave-like food stall with several yellowed newspaper clippings plastered on the exterior extolling the products the owners were creating.   In his quest for their legendary pesto recipe, he was shown how to prepare it from scratch by the family who has been making it for over 80 years, a noteworthy tradition now showcased on the Joey menu.

Mills is also launching other newsworthy seasonal winter-warmer menu additions at all three Washington State locations:  Bellevue, South Lake Union and Southcenter.   He is never one to create dishes that are anything short of spectacular.  A comforting Spinach Artichoke Dip becomes top drawer when every ingredient is house-made and prepared to order, even down to the corn chips.  Made with béchamel, premium produce and then oven baked, the guest receives an appetizer that is dusted with freshly grated parmesan and accompanied by a jalapeno salsa.

The newly added French Dip is as satisfying as it is tender.  A 15-pound bone-in Prime Rib is slow cooked for ten to twelve hours at a low temperature, yielding intense flavorful meat that literally melts in the mouth.   To top it off, a portion is further roasted to get “cracklings”, adding a bit of crunchiness to the dish.  Seasoned with rosemary rock salt and encased in a made-from-scratch griddle toasted Hoagie bun, the French Dip has received high marks during testing.

For reservations, call Joey Bellevue at (425) 637-1177, South Lake Union at (206) 749-5639, or Southcenter (206) 835-6397.

The “Culinary Rock Star” is Scheduled to Offer His New Cookware Collection Through the Multimedia Retailer

Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Guy Fieri is firing up his cooking skill for, yet another, broadcast audience as the “culinary rock star” is scheduled to make his QVC debut on Wednesday, October 10 at 5 PM (ET).

During this exciting show, Fieri will share his culinary vision with viewers through an electrifying appearance, complete with cooking demonstrations featuring his line of professional-quality Guy Fieri cookware. Fieri is also scheduled to appear during QVC’s popular cooking and dining program “In the Kitchen with David®,” hosted by Program Host David Venable, at 8 PM (ET).

Known for his fired-up approach to full-flavored food, Fieri combined function with his signature style to create Guy Fieri cookware. The high-performance assortment available through QVC includes various non-stick and hard anodized aluminum products with easy-care characteristics and specially designed handles. For a touch of individuality, the Decorated Skillets feature artwork from Fieri’s personal tattoo artist Joe Leonard. The Antimicrobial Cutting Boards and Stainless Steel Locking Tongs round out the assortment, which ranges in price from approximately $19.00 to $160.00.

“After dedicating many months to the development of my new cookware, I am stoked to now have the opportunity to share select pieces with QVC shoppers,” says Fieri. “My hope is to shake things up in the kitchen with every home cook in the country.”

Guy Fieri cookware will be available through QVC at 800.345.1515 or www.QVC.com starting October 10, while supplies last.

Writer who best captures the sensation of biting into a superior SweeTango apple wins $5,000 prize!

Apple lovers are raving about SweeTango, calling the new variety the “BEST APPLE EVER!” and telling friends: “Yum!!! You’ve got to try SweeTango!”

The growers behind this highly anticipated apple know their fans can do better than capital letters and exclamation points. That’s why Next Big Thing, A Growers Cooperative is launching the “Juicy Details” writing contest.

The rules are simple: Describe the sensation of biting into a SweeTango apple in 50 words or fewer. Whoever best captures SweeTango’s superior eating experience wins $5,000 and gets their description featured in stores for all the world to see.

Celebrity Chef Art Smith, who knows a thing or two about taste, will help pick the winner.

“I often find that preparing a dish is the easy part. Describing the flavors and textures is the real challenge,” Smith said. “SweeTango is a superior apple that deserves the perfect description. Who better to create that description than SweeTango’s biggest fans?”

Smith is a restaurateur, author, philanthropist, activist and reality show contestant. He will pour over all the entries, looking for the one that best evokes the distinct flavor, texture and overall joy that is SweeTango. The winning writer will receive a grand prize of $5,000 and a box of SweeTango apples. The winner also will have their delicious description featured in stores during the 2013 season.

“Chef Smith is a true arbitrator of taste and we’re excited to have him help select the winner of the Juicy Details contest,” said Tim Bryne, president of Next Big Thing, A Growers Cooperative. “We can’t wait to see how our fans describe the experience of biting into a delicious SweeTango apple.”

Three runners-up also will receive a 12-pack of SweeTango apples. The Juicy Details contest will be open through October 12, 2012 to residents of the United States and Canada over the age of 18, excluding the province of Quebec.

SweeTango, the most celebrated apple variety in years, has won over sophisticated foodies and casual fans alike. SweeTango is crisp and juicy with a smooth texture. The flavor is rich and vibrant. Sweet notes framed by bright acidity gratify with every crisp bite.

Introduced in limited quantities in 2009, SweeTango is a cross between the Honeycrisp and Zestar! varieties. SweeTango, an early season variety, is available in stores nationwide this fall. The apple’s flavor is nurtured by the finest apple growers in the world. Featured in the 2011 food issue of The New Yorker magazine, SweeTango was developed by expert apple breeders and is grown by committed family-run orchards.

For more information on how to enter and win the Juicy Details contest, please visit http://www.sweetango.com