"sisha ortuzar" news and stories

Just when we were hoping Tom Colicchio could see his way to opening a Craft branch in Queens. But it's not to be. With the opening of his newest upscale eatery, Riverpark, in a Manhattan biotech complex overlooking the East River, the celebrity chef, who spent a decade building his Craft empire, says he's retiring the Craft brand to preserve its caché.

"I don't see opening more Crafts in New York City or anywhere else in the U.S.," Colicchio told Crain's for a piece on Riverpark. "The assumption is that it's a chain, and that dilutes the brand."

In addition to the original on East 19th Street in Manhattan, Colicchio has opened Crafts in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta and also has 'wichcraft and Craftsteak restaurants, Eater NY reported.

'Wichcraft'
Recipes by Tom Colicchio with Sisha Ortuzar
Text by Rhona Silverbush
Photos by Bill Bettencourt
Clarkson Potter -- 2009
Buy it at Amazon

It's not unusual to find one of us standing in the lunch crowd line at the 'wichcraft so conveniently located right downstairs from our office building. Can you blame us? Anyone who's ever tasted a sammie designed by Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar's knows exactly what we are talking about -- this isn't your ordinary sandwich, it's a sandwich adventure. For those who have wondered, sleepless, how they could replicate those tastes at home, pine no more: This cookbook divulges all the be-'wiching secrets for your munching pleasure.

Takeaway tips: Hoagie-making is taken to a new level by essays that instruct the reader on stocking the ideal pantry and define the architecture of a structurally sound sandwich. We also love the picture-packed "menu" at the beginning of the book that gives snapshots of the rest of the book (so much better than a Table of Contents!). The tome concludes with a source guide including all of the ingredients the shop uses, most of which are available online.

Quality of pictures: Mouthwatering -- some of the most detailed and appealing food porn we've ever seen.

See what we tested and whether it's worth buying -- after the jump.