Chefs

'Top Chef' to Become a Broadway Musical?

by Slashfood Editor, Posted May 2nd 2011 @ 12:00PM

Marcel Vigneron is ready for Broadway Photo: Valerie Macon / Getty Images

"Cats." "The Lion King." "Top Chef?"

While you might not be able to picture the Bravo reality show in marquee lights, restaurateur (and Top Chef judge) Tom Colicchio reportedly thinks the program is a natural fit for the Great White Way.

Bravo's program director, Andy Cohen, told New York magazine, "He thinks he has a great idea about doing something like that." Perhaps thinking about the hazards involved with fire and sharp knives onstage, Cohen wasn't initially sold. "I told him, 'I'm not so sure,' but he's trying to convince me!"

The magazine rounded up some reactions from former cast members, who were largely game for the idea of a Broadway production.

Marcel Vigneron had our favorite response: "Totally, of course, I'd love to do it. I'm a pretty decent dancer, I'm not gonna lie. Actually, I was cutting a rug for six hours last night. Yeah, I could definitely handle the freestyle hip-hop scenes."

Filed under: Television/Film, Chefs

Tabloid: Paula Deen Hiding Diabetes

COMMENTS 9

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 28th 2011 @ 1:00PM

Paula Deen Photo: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

Is it time for Paula Deen to lay off the fried butter? The Daily Mail has picked up on a National Enquirer report that Paula Deen was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago, yet still "continues to tout exactly the type of butter or sugar rich high-fat recipes that bring on diabetes."

A friend of Deen's told the Enquirer, "Ironically, the very thing that made her rich and famous turned her into a poster child for what could happen if you follow in her footsteps." But source says that Deen has modified her diet and eating habits, which has supposedly resulted in weight loss as well.

Interestingly enough, on PaulaDeen.com, there is a discussion board thread relating to diabetic-friendly Paula Deen recipes. Our guess? They're giving Deen's Donut Bread Pudding a wide berth. (The recipe calls for two cans of sugary fruit cocktail, a can of sweetened condensed milk, an entire stick of butter, a whole pound of powdered sugar and -- ready? -- 24 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.)

Filed under: Celebrities, Chefs

David Chang's Top 5 Annoying Things Restaurant Diners Do

COMMENTS 10

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 28th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Chef David Chang Photo: Rachel Been, AOL

New York restaurateur David Chang is notoriously outspoken, which is why we were psyched to read his latest interview over at Details. After he spilled his opinions on everything from anger management to the fallacy of "farm-to-table" dining, he gave the mag his list of the 5 most annoying things diners do. Get ready for some honesty.

5. Bloggers who don't know sh*t. The top one is to say you're a blogger, right off the bat. That always gets a good laugh from the chefs.
4. Being fu**ing drunk. It's just so annoying.
3. Fake allergies.
2. Special food requests.
1. Saying they're right when they're wrong. Like when they ask for a steak to be medium-rare and it's medium-rare and they say it's not medium-rare.

Get the whole David Chang interview at Details.

Filed under: Chefs, Interviews

What the Republican Budget Means for Food Stamps

COMMENTS 13

by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Apr 26th 2011 @ 12:00PM

federal food stamps debit card Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Food stamp users, prepare for some belt-tightening. Harkening back to Clinton-era welfare economics of 1996, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has proposed a $6.2 trillion cut to annual federal deficits for the next decade. The proposal, which passed the House earlier this month and resumes legislation today as Senators return from Easter-Passover break, would have a major impact on nutritional assistance programs.

The Ryan budget plan looks to cut the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by 20 percent between 2012 to 2021 by capping the open-ended system with a block-grant -- either by capping eligibility or benefits, or both. This means benefits would not fluctuate with economic need. States would instead be allotted a max.

Filed under: Food Politics, Chefs

Frisee with Bacon and Gorgonzola Cheese: Recipe of the Day

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 26th 2011 @ 10:00AM

Frisee Salad with Bacon Gorgonzola recipe Photo: Stephen Davis Phillips

Frisée (or curly endive) is perfect for salads because its feathery leaves hold just the right amount of dressing. Chef Marco Canora's combination of frisée, crisp bacon strips (lardons), and a dressing made from creamy gorgonzola, bacon fat, and sherry vinegar creates a salad that has a wonderful balance of rich and tangy.

Filed under: Chefs, Recipes

Italian Food, Jonathan Waxman's Way: Cookbook Spotlight

COMMENTS 0

by Nanette Maxim, Posted Apr 18th 2011 @ 3:00PM

Photo: Amazon

When chef Jonathan Waxman throws open the glass garage doors at his restaurant Barbuto (in Manhattan's West Village) on a warm spring afternoon on the far side of lunch hour, and you've just eaten a forkful of pillowy gnocchi with spinach and almonds, you'd be inhuman if you didn't turn to your mates and say, "Ah, life is good." Waxman's wood-fired oven is throwing flames, and the silver-haired chef (and former "Top Chef Masters" contestant) might himself be delivering one of his signature roast chickens with salsa verde to another bunch of customers, all of whom seem to be smiling. Barbuto just does that to you.

Jonathan Waxman has always done things his way at Barbuto -- simple, delicious, playful, and very Italian. That he isn't Italian doesn't mean a thing. He cooks like a Roman grandmother, says his business partner Fabrizio Ferri. And in his new cookbook, Italian, My Way, he shows us how to play with the classic dishes he loves (such as linguine with wild mushrooms or pizza with pancetta, tomatoes, burrata, and scallions), and amp up others, spun from a good forage or a good day at the fish market (warm dandelion greens with scrambled eggs and chives; strozzapreti with octopus, red wine, and onions).

Filed under: Chefs, Cookbook Spotlight

Secret Vices of Food World Celebs

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by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 18th 2011 @ 1:00PM

Photos: Rob Kim / Getty Images; Rachel Been, AOL

Ever wondered what chefs and food critics eat when they're behind closed doors? Guess what? It ain't foie gras. Our friends over at The Daily Meal asked a slew of tastemakers -- such as Alton Brown and Ruth Reichl, April Bloomfield and Mario Batali -- about their secret food indulgences, and got some surprising answers. GQ's food guru Alan Richman has a soft spot for garlicky sausage, and gets his fix with Katz's Deli's knoblewurst. We won't ask which party he's going to after he loads up on garlic.

And what does the doyenne of Italian food, Lidia Bastianich, snack on when she has a sweet tooth? Nope, not a tiramisù. Lidia joneses for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Frankly, so do we.

Who's the chef who loves to nosh on Popeye's fried chicken?
Discover all the food vices at The Daily Meal.

Filed under: On the Blogs, Celebrities, Chefs

A Peek at Restaurant Salaries

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 14th 2011 @ 4:00PM

chef salaries revealed Photo: Jupiterimages

Ever wondered what an executive chef rakes in for creating your four-star meal? Zagat has a list of salary ranges for different restaurant jobs, and it may surprise you. A server at a high-end spot can bank more than the pastry chef (yes, really). And new culinary school grads may be in for a bit of a disappointment, as it's evident that no one in the kitchen is going to turn into Donald Trump -- most jobs top out under $60,000.

Want to see what the staff at your favorite restaurant is taking home? Check out the full list.

Filed under: Restaurants, Chefs

Tickets to Grant Achatz' Next Restaurant Selling for Up to $3000

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 11th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Photo: Next Restaurant

Need proof that Chicago diners have bought into the hype surrounding Grant Achatz' new Chicago restaurant, Next? Check Craigslist. Fans of Achatz' brand of avant-garde cooking are literally paying thousands of dollars for the privilege of eating at his newest outpost. The restaurant operates on a ticket system -- secure a ticket and you're in for a meal. But demand drives up prices, and since the seats are limited, scalpers are having a field day. Recent Craigslist postings have the coveted tickets listed for as much as $3,000. Achatz proved his cooking chops at Alinea, but he's going to have to put out some pretty impressive food to satisfy diners who ponied up that much dough.

Read the full story at The Huffington Post.

Filed under: Restaurants, Chefs

Chef Tattoos: Who's Sporting Ink In the Kitchen?

COMMENTS 1

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Apr 7th 2011 @ 12:00PM

food tattoos Photos: SaRita*LaMermaid, Flickr; SusieFoodie, Flickr

If you're a savvy diner who likes to cozy up to chefs, then you probably already know one of their after-hour secrets: When the last plate is fired, many of them head to the tattoo shop.

Check any restaurant kitchen -- underneath those white coats lies a rainbow of culinary-themed tattoos, everything from knives to pot-bellied pigs. Don't feel like asking a stranger to show off their tats? Now you can just fire up your computer to see what chefs are sporting. Members of the National Restaurant Association have put together Kitchen Ink!, an online photo gallery to of the best chef body art.

Filed under: Food News, Chefs