Television/Film

'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

Doughnuts and Wine Pair Up on New Reality Show

COMMENTS 2

by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Apr 26th 2011 @ 2:30PM

Psycho Donuts Photo: happyfunpaul, Flickr

Doughnuts and wine go together like... wait, that's insane, right? Not at a place called Psycho Donuts in San Jose, California owned by former techy Jordan Zwegoron. Set up like a "light-hearted" asylum, it's complete with lab coat-clad employees, a padded booth, straitjacket and group therapy area where customers are given plastic bubble wrap (for popping, natch) and donuts named "Cereal Killer," "Kooky Monster" and "Massive Head Trauma."

"When you walk in, you're our patient, and we make you better with doughnuts," Zwegoron told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. That all may not spell 'family friendly' but it's TV gold for producer Nicole Block of LA-based Highlighting Entertainment, who's shooting a sample episode of a doughnut-and-wine pairing reality show to pitch to TLC, the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, reports the Sentinel.

"There's a lot of cupcake and cake reality shows, but we haven't seen a doughnut show," says Block. "Zwegoron is a good character and the doughnuts are unique, so we think Psycho Donuts will be a good candidate." She's decided to match up the crazy confectionist with wine from Poetic Cellars on the hills of Soquel, CA. The cellar's shtick? Each bottle is labeled with a poem. We can't say what's in the paired-up doughnut, but it's four-pronged and goes by "the poetic psycho," like any good reality TV star.

Filed under: Television/Film, Restaurants

McDonald's to Bump Prices, Yet Ads Wax Fifties Nostalgic

COMMENTS 57

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 22nd 2011 @ 1:00PM

Replica of 1955 McDonald's in Des Plaines Illinois Photo: Jeff Haynes, AFP / Getty Images

As food costs are expected to rise about four percent in the United States and Europe from last year, McDonald's plans to raise its prices slightly and gradually. In March, the company raised all menu items by one percent, reports Nation's Restaurant News, and plans to "keep taking small, additional menu price increases."

McDonald's emphasized that it would not raise prices beyond the food-away-from-home inflation rate because, explains Pete Bensen, McDonald's Corp. chief financial officer, it is bad for traffic.

In a somewhat ironic move given the price increases, McDonald's has recently launched an ad campaign in Nordic countries that recalls the McDonald's of yore. The ads advertise a 1955 original version of the famous burger that used to sell for 15 cents.

Watch the new ad after the jump.

Filed under: Television/Film, Chain Stores / Restaurants

'Famous Food': VH1's Restaurant Reality Show is Life on the B-List

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 21st 2011 @ 3:00PM

Danielle Staub, Jake Pavelka, and Heidi Montag Photos: Marc Stamas/Getty Images; Michael Buckner/Getty Images; Steven Lawton/FilmMagic

Just in case you've been dreaming about eating in a restaurant that was launched by the likes of reality star Heidi Montag, former prostitute Ashley Dupre and Real Housewife of New Jersey Danielle Staub, this is your lucky day. VH1 is launching a new 10-episode reality show this fall, aptly named Famous Food. The show's title is also the name of the to-be-launched Los Angeles restaurant in which the television stars will work with Mike Malin and Lonnie Moore of the Dolce Group (Ketchup, Angels & Kings, Geisha House and Dolce) to open the joint and undergo challenges "related to renovation, concept, marketing, menu, staffing and opening."

TV Squad explains: "At the end of the eight-week process, the celeb who Malin and Moore think worked the hardest will win a partnership stake in the restaurant, while the rest will go on to ... other things. (Probably more reality shows.)"

Other contestants include The Bachelor's Jake Pavelka, Three 6 Mafia members DJ Paul and Juicy J, and former Sopranos star Vincent Pastore.

Filed under: Television/Film, Celebrities

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Recap: "I Found a Loophole!"

COMMENTS 3

by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Apr 20th 2011 @ 1:00PM

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, tomato costume Photo: ABC

The rough ride continues in Food Revolution episode two: Jamie Oliver has opened one of his cooking centers in town (free for the locals) and humbly invites members of the Los Angeles United School District (LAUSD) -- which still won't let him into a single school -- to stop by. Blank stares say that's not happening. "I haven't even got a glimmer of hope," he says. "Which means, it's war."

In this war, Jamie's army might be confused with the Fruit-of-the-Loom brigade. Donning a tomato costume, Jamie enlists parent volunteers -- outfitted in banana, strawberry and carrot -- and roams the school-bound streets with free food, t-shirts (that read "Feed Me Better" and "Let Jamie In") and flyers to get parents to contact the LAUSD themselves. Then, natch, the community firestorm begins: "We're teaching our kids to be diabetic, when we train them to eat pizza," one mother in her strawberry war garb tells Jamie. And more than 745 parents send emails to the board, including a particularly powerful one: "I urge you to search your conscious. If you have nothing to hide, then let him in."

Suddenly, Jamie gets an email from a school that offers him a giant loophole. The West Adams Preparatory High School, under a special MLA partnership with LAUSD, has some freedom to build its own curriculum and function atypically -- but to a limit, Jamie finds. The school admits its staff is risking their jobs by letting Jamie in, and are aren't allowed to give him access to the cafeteria, but he is given a room to hold cooking classes. "We need him here," says Chief Executive Officer Mike McGalliod, who was impressed with the Revolution's first season.

Filed under: Television/Film, Celebrities

Food TV Amps Up with New Shows from ABC and Scripps

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 15th 2011 @ 4:00PM

ABC announces new series Photos: Andrew Kent/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage; ABC

You can almost hear the "Hootie Hoo!" call-and-response now. Former "Top Chef All-Stars" cheftestant Carla Hall is going to be a host on ABC's new food show, "The Chew," debuting in September 2011. Hall will be among a rotating team of hosts such as Mario Batali, Michael Symon ("Iron Chef"), and nutrition expert Daphne Oz (The Dorm Room Diet) to create a show that covers "food from EVERY angle -- as a source of joy, health, family ritual, friendship, breaking news, dating, fitness, weight loss, travel adventures and life's moments," notes an ABC press release. In other words, "The View" comes to the kitchen.

Also on deck at ABC, "The Revolution," premiering in January 2012, a lifestyle show focusing on taking the weight off and changing your life. Hosted by fashion guru Tim Gunn ("Project Runway"), and produced by "Biggest Loser" alum J.D. Roth, "The Revolution," says ABC, features "a unique concept: each week one woman's five-month weight-loss journey will unfold in just five days, with daily results and a final transformational reveal on Friday."

Meanwhile, over at The Cooking Channel and Food Network, there's a slew of new shows coming up.

Filed under: Television/Film, Celebrities

Food Network Launches a Wine Label

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 13th 2011 @ 2:00PM

First it was ballpark fare, now wine. The Food Network isn't satisfied with simply being the television home of an increasingly loud stable of hosts. The cable network, which already does brisk business with cookware lines and cookbooks, is launching a new wine label: Entwine.

The venture is a partnership with California's Wente Vineyards, and features four varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio (all 2009 vintage). The potential wine-drinking pool is deep -- the network claims it reaches 100 million households.

The wines, priced at $12.99, officially launch this summer, but the network hosted a tasting party earlier this week. We're not sure that the Pinot Grigio was exactly like "a green apple drizzled with lime juice and honey," or that the Chardonnay was "reminiscent of a slice of toast spread with homemade apple butter," but we'll give their PR people points for trying.

Anne Burrell, host of the network's "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" cut to the chase, according to eater. Her spin? "The only way you will learn is to try. Drinking is research! So get out there and drink more," she said.

Filed under: Television/Film, New Products

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Recap

COMMENTS 15

by Clare Leschin-Hoar, Posted Apr 13th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Photo: ABC

Aw shucks. Jamie Oliver's much awaited Food Revolution LA-style sure got off to a rough start. Especially for a guy armed with a simple question: Why can't we do better when it comes to school lunches for our kids?

Before the show even gets underway, Jamie lets us in on a big problem -- the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has refused to give him access to schools. He's been denied.

"They will not let me into any school," says Oliver. "That means war."

So starts the famous chef's familiar drumbeat. He takes to the airways on co-producer Ryan Seacrest's radio program and eventually welcomes a crowd of parents and kids to Jamie's LA Kitchen where they unload gobs of unappetizing, highly processed, plastic wrapped meals culled from their own schools.

"It's worse than anything I had seen before. This is not reality TV. It's a campaign. Will you help me?" he says.

Filed under: Television/Film, Celebrities

Stephen Colbert Rants About Bacon Cologne and Bacon Sundae

COMMENTS 1

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 12th 2011 @ 4:00PM

Stephen Colbert talks about Denny's bacon sundae Photo: Comedy Central

Stephen Colbert remains dedicated to exposing the absurdity of the food world in his "Thought for Food" segments on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." This week he's taking on bacon: namely, the new bacon cologne we told you about last week, and Denny's infamous maple bacon sundae (our lukewarm review is here). Colbert's assessment of the sundae is typically wry: "Finally, an answer to the question 'What if we scraped the breakfast dishes into the freezer instead of the garbage?'"

He also says he's now one step closer to the American dream: Being bacon.

Watch the whole video at Comedy Central.

Filed under: Television/Film, Celebrities

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Season 2 Preview

COMMENTS 11

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 12th 2011 @ 3:00PM

Jamie's Food Revolution hits Los Angeles, CA Photo: ABC / YouTube

Season 2 of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution premieres Tuesday night at 8pm on ABC and from the looks of it, Oliver hasn't had an easy time convincing the 11 million residents of Los Angeles to improve their eating habits. In addition to being barred from entering L.A. public schools, Oliver has to deal with issues unique to such a large urban area -- such as the fact that it's easier to obtain "a gun, crack, or a prostitute" than a tomato in certain L.A. neighborhoods. Based on the preview clip below, the crusade in Los Angeles might make Oliver's struggles in Huntington, West Virginia (the location of season 1) look like child's play.