"gael greene" news and stories

Judge Gael Greene. Photo: Bravo.

Is it just us, or are the Top Chef Masters judges unduly fond of alliteration? Usually it's Saveur's James Oseland who rocks the tongue-twisting final-round zingers -- so good in print, yet so weird to hear on basic cable.

Wednesday it was Gael Greene's turn, surprising us with an oh-so-delicately catty swipe at Swede Nils Norén's "lapsang lapse" of a dessert -- a cube of chocolate goat cheese ganache flanked by orange gel and a smoky, tea-infused cream.

Schizophrenic as it might have tasted, it looked delectable. And the former Aquavit chef deserved bonus integrity points for standing by his dish: "Growing up in Sweden, you smoke a lot of things," he explained, double entendre fully intended.

Sweden vs. California, opakapaka and lawn cuttings after the jump.

Just this week, Bravo announced the host and judges for the new series that's a Top Chef spin-off - Top Chef Masters. The host will be food journalist Kelly Choi and the judges will include restaurant critic Gael Greene (pictured on the right), culinary expert James Oseland, and food critic Jay Rayner. Unlike Top Chef, the show will feature 24 chefs that have already made it big.

These world-renowned chefs will compete against each other in a series of weekly challenges, and only one chef will win a prize for the charity of their choice. Their food will not only be tasted and evaluated by the judges, but also by a wide range of tasters for whom the challenge is aimed. This can include patrons at a five-star restaurant or a room full of hungry kids.

As exciting as it is to see Gael Greene, NYC food critic institution, star as one of the judges, I'm dying to know which chefs will be competing on the show. Entertainment Weekly predicts that the series will probably cast chefs, like Anthony Bourdain, who have guest-judged on Top Chef in the past. Who are some chefs that you'd like to see compete?

All good meals must eventually come to an end. And so it is that Gael Greene, the New York Magazine critic who shaped the taste of a generation of New York foodies, has been sacked.

Greene, now in her mid-'70s, was hired by by Clay Felker in 1968 to be the restaurant critic of his just launched New York Magazine. According to the New York Times, "It was as if New York magazine had found its own version of Colette when it came to food. She created an entirely fresh new voice, one that has never staled."

True, she dallied with more than one celebrity chef. And although that should have presented a grave conflict of interest, Greene embraced the frisson by working it into her copy. Her 1977 review of Le Cirque was deliciously titled, I Love Le Cirque, but Can I Be Trusted?" and let her readers into her fling with chef de cuisine Jean-Louis Todeschini. Her readers loved it.

Over the course of her long career, Greene could be thought of as a early prototype of Carrie Bradshaw: eating and sleeping her way through 70's-80's era New York City. Her 2006 book "Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess" goes into her sensual exploits in detail.

Although she gave up her gig as weekly chief reviewer eight years ago, Ms. Greene continued to write about food for the magazine. Her final column will run in New York's December 1 issue.

Fans of her wit, writing and legendary palate can continue to follow her musings on, where else, her own food blog: called the Insatiable Critic.

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If you follow the New York restaurant and dining scene at all, then the name Gael Greene is familiar. Gael Greene spent thirty-two years writing a column for New York magazine entitled "The Insatiable Critic." Though she was writing restaurant reviews, her columns revealed her life as a social diva, who ended up in bed with the likes of Elvis Presley as well as chefs of notable New York restaurants.

Gael Greene has a new book, Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess, which is a memoir of those days and nights. Nerve.com has done an interview with the writer in which they ask such questions as "Do you think there's a connection between the physical experiences of eating and sex?" and "Do you have any suggestions for in-the-bedroom treats?" all of which she answers very straight-forwardly.