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THIS WEEK’S BUZZ 

Boulud, power chefs, fat chefs, Deen, biz news

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Do you want to be a part of it . . . [in] New York, New York??? That’s where super chef Daniel Boulud and friends are staging the “Gold Medal Dining Experience,” a benefit dinner for the USA Swimming Foundation featuring “two time Olympic Gold Medalist and food enthusiast” Garrett Weber-Gale. And those friends would be world renowned chefs Tom Colicchio, Florian Bellanger, Daniel Humm and David Bouley in whose Test Kitchen this all takes place. 

Sat, Feb 11, 6:30 Reception, 7p Dinner. At 88 W. Broadway. Tix $1500, includes exclusive All-Clad gift.

Rsvp 719.866.3614, mcunnick@usaswimming.org 

danielnyc.com

davidbouley.com

usaswimming.org

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Kitchen power . . . The Daily Meal website has released its list of the “50 Most Powerful People in Food for 2012,” naming influential folks from all across the spectrum, and not surprisingly celeb chefs claim their share of the roster. Just some that we’ve featured here on “CCC” or in our Directories: Tom Colicchio, Jose Andrés, Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain, Alice Waters, Grant Achatz, Mario Batali, and Wolfgang Puck. Congrats!!! thedailymeal.com 

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Tune in . . . Like the rest of us who regard a well prepared dish as one of the finer things in life, the pros – exec chefs, pastry chefs, chef/owners – just may be subject to a few extra pounds. Or . . . a lot, lot, of extra pounds. Thus the new show that premiered this week on The Food Network, “Fat Chef,” a chronicle of love [of food] and loss [of weight]. Thursdays, 10p/9c. foodnetwork.com

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All the best . . . to Paula Deen, who as you may or may not know has been diagnosed with diabetes. Another chef lost no time piling on with a blame game about her well known culinary preferences. Maybe that’s accurate, maybe not. But along with wishing chef Deen well we also hope she will use her popular platform to make us all a bit smarter about this sneaky malady. pauladeen.com

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Don’t we love good news about the foodie biz . . . and we’ve got some too! Nation’s Restaurant News reports that at the largest restaurant and retail investment conference, which took place earlier this month, “both restaurant chain executives and securities analysts were bullish on the year ahead — so much so that Nicole Miller Regan of PiperJaffray called 2012 ‘The Year of the Restaurant,’” basing that calculation on “a series of favorable trends [including] consumers continuing to spend dollars away from home.” nrn.com

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THIS WEEK’S CHEF BUZZ 

Bonfado, Boulud, Ramsey, Wolfert

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It offers the classic elements of skewered meats served at each table [and served, and served, and . . .] and an abundant salad bar, but what makes it all so extraordinary? Head Gaucho Chef at the LV location, Marcio Bonfado, explains it all in the chats linked below.

What’s a gaucho chef & how does he make that stuff so good?  [audio 2:21 min]

The great food & how do we enjoy it all???  [audio 2:50 min]

Let’s talk wine & dessert  [audio 3:15 min]

How the heck to you pronounce it & a PS on gluten and MSG  [audio 1:01 min]

At 360 E. Flamingo, 89169, www.fogodechao.com. Lunch M-F 11:30-2, $26.50, Salad Bar $19.50. Dinner 5-10 M-F, 4-10:30 Sat, 4-9 Sun, $46.50, Salad Bar $22.50

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Why wait for summer . . . in NYC you can tap into the “restaurant week” phenom right now. Among the participating chefs is a personal favorite, Daniel Boulud, and talk about suchadeal. How about lunch at $24.07 for a three-courser weekdays at any of these places helmed by the world renowned chef: Boulud Sud, DBGB, Bar Boulud, db Bistro Moderne, Cafe Boulud. Overall, New York City Restaurant Week runs through February 10. www.danielnyc.com

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Guess who’s &%$#! coming to Vegas??? . . . Yep, that would be none other than Gordon Ramsay, bringing his special talents and vocabulary to Paris Las Vegas. This very spring the property’s current Les Artistes will be supplanted by Gordon Ramsey Steak. www.gordonramsey.com  www.parislasvegas.com

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Road to great recipes . . . Acclaimed cookbook author Paul Wolfert has done it again. Which is to say put together a tome that needs a home in the kitchen of any cook that covets the riches of Mediterranean cuisine. This one, The Food of Morocco,”not only showcases Wolfert’s tantalizing recipes but also evokes Morocco in all its timeless splendor and mystery: its markets with their lush produce, its dazzling textiles and intricate mosaic tiles, its communal ovens and ancient souks, and of course its people, from Marrakech to Tangier.” Just some of the preps: chicken with preserved lemon and olives, lamb with couscous and dates, Berber skillet bread, and so on. www.paula-wolfert.com  Amazon page

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 CURRENT CHEF BUZZ 

Chef Ronald??? . . . OK, so not really a celeb chef, but his ”kitchen,” aka McDonald’s will be squarely in the global spotlight during the 2012 Olympics in London where the company’s longstanding sponsorship takes shape as children’s programs and volunteer development as well as four  restaurants in The Olympic Park featuring the latest European designs. “One will be located in the Olympic Village to feed the athletes, one for the media in the Main Press Center, and two for spectators.” It will also bring in “the largest-McDonald’s Olympic Champion Crew team in Olympic history, totaling more than 2,000 members– 1,800 from the UK and up to 200 from around the world.” www.olympic.org www.mcdonalds.com  

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Easy as Uno, Dos . . . and can stop right there because this is Dos Caminos we’re talking about and the new book by its corporate chef Ivy Stark that “makes it easy even for beginners to enjoy traditional foods with a modern twist.” Featuring the flavors of the company’s restaurants in New York, Atlantic City and Fort Lauderdale, “Dom Caminos Mexican Street Food” features 120 recipes, plus anecdotes, time saving techniques, ingredient “lessons,” and profiles of real Mexican cooks. Just some of the “waiting for you to make” entries: tamarind braised short ribs, cornmeal biscuits with cheddar and chipotle, and Mexican milk fudge. Yum. www.doscaminos.com Amazon page

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More Mex . . . Meet Top Chef Masters Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger at their gala Don Julio Margarita Dinner at the Border Grill in Santa Monica, Jan 19 at 7p.   The tequila cocktail-paired, farmers market-inspired menu sparks the courses with such specialties as lobster ceviche with grilled persimmon, roasted beets with toasted couscous, artichoke sunchoke ragout with pickled fennel salad, and arroz con leche, each joined on the plate by inspired accompaniments. $55, or shave $5 if you’re a BG VIP member. 1445 4th Street, resv 310.451.1655. www.bordergrill.com

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HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME BACK TO “CCC” LAND

<<< Click at left for Celeb Chef Directories  <<< 

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 CURRENT CHEF BUZZ 

Making the cut . . . Lots more folks worldwide will have the pleasure of dining at Wolfgang Puck’s “Cut” as Nation’s Restaurant News reports that the acclaimed steakhouse will be seeking additional locations not only in the US but also the Middle East, China and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, plan to bring a touch of the famed chef into your own kitchen with the intro, in conjunction with the Campbell Soup Company, of Puck-branded Arrabbiata, Creamy Vodka, Four Cheese and Tomato Basil sauces – in major grocery stores.

www.wolfgangpuck.com

www.nrn.com

www.campbellsoup.com

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Congrats! . . . The Nevada Restaurant Association named Mark LoRusso, exec chef of Botero at Encore in Las Vegas, 2011 Culinarian of the Year, selected “for his exceptional skills in the kitchen as well as his ongoing dedication to the culinary industry and community,” those skills aptly showcased by Botero’s signature “Steak Your Way,” aged cheddar tater nuggets, and vanilla scented yams with marshmallow.  www.wynnlasvegas.com

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Historic cookbook . . . in the sense that the latest tome from Alton Brown, he says, is the last that will have the traditional physical presence. All others thereafter will be digital. A sign of the cyber-times. So, what is that last of its kind? Once again taking its title from Brown’s long running TV show, it’s called “Good Eats 3/The Later Years,” and as in the other books and the show itself fills the pages with his quirky way of making us smart about food, that along with over 200 recipes and lots of graphics.  Amazon page

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Beachin’ . . . Certified stars and others well on their way into that galazy will check in at this year’s “Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food and Wine.” Heading the lineup: Emeril, Morimoto, Flay, Trotter, Izard, Symon, Chiarello, and oh so many more. Tastings, demos, dinners, wine events, Feb 23-26. www.sobefest.com

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A reluctant goodbye . . . to primo Chicago chef Charlie Trotter, though not quite just yet. On Aug 12 of this year, the 25^th anniversary of his multi-awarded self-named restaurant on Armitage, he will close those doors and open new ones to the worlds of philosophy and political theory, replacing toque and menus with an eventual mortarboard and sheepskin. Very best of luck!!! [check his site for the countdown clock] www.charlietrotters.com

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Whoever you are, however you celebrate . . .

HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS !!!

Let’s meet right back here on January 6, 2012

Meanwhile, there’s easy foodie shopping at

Celebrity Chef Gift Store

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<<< Click at left for Celeb Chef Directories  <<<

<  Celebrity Chef Links  <

<  Celebrity Chef Restaurants  <

<  Celebrity Chef Gift Store, Books & More  < 

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CURRENT CHEF BUZZ

Michael Schwartz * Winery’s art book

Phillip Dell of Sin City Chefs * Celeb bakery * biz news

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Busy dude . . . Miami’s Beard Award-winning chef/owner Michael Schwartz, of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, in addition to running his three restaurants, promoting local produce events, and publishing a new book, has two new projects on the front burners. One is bringing locally-sourced produce to 150 Central Park by Chef Michael Schwartz aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas as of October 29, 2011, and the other is the  takeover of food and beverage operations at Miami Beach icon The Raleigh Hotel in winter 2012. http://www.michaelsgenuine.com 

PS . . . Chef Michael Schwartz was also recently honored in the Food Network Magazine’s feature, “50 States, 50 Pies,” the result of the editors/writers’ search for “the greatest pizzas in America.”  His rendition with slow roasted shortribs, aged gruyere, caramelized onions and arugula took the . . .uh . . .pie, for Florida. Congrats!

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Guest Buzz . . . Hess winery, whose fine bottlings we featured a while back in a multi-part “CCC” series, is also known far and wide for its collection of international works of art. If  you visit the winery, you certainly want to allow time to meander through the gallery rooms, but meanwhile you can take a virtual tour thanks to the new Hess Art Collection book featuring over 1,000 pieces. Hardback, $75. Available at the winery or on the website. www.hesscollection.com

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Replay:  I’ve had quite awesome appetizers . . . along my hometown Las Vegas Strip, in notable neighborhoods places, and at venues far flung from Nevada -  but few can compare with Chef Phillip Dell’s smoky bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos. He is, OK, a health nut, but though that approach is surely true in practice, it’s nowhere in evidence in the indulgent dishes he and delightful wife Leah set before those lucky enough to take a seat at any table they set. The “CCC” faithful will recall his fresh fruit salad with, oh my, cheesecake dressing. So, partying in LV? Here’s your unique catering resource for a memorable event.  www.sincitychefs.com

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Excuse me while I go get airline tickets . . . The famed Parisian bakery Ladurée has opened an outpost in Manhattan, bringing to this side of the world its “collection of chocolates, ice cream, macarons, candies, teas, perfumed candles and fragrances . . .  displayed in the most beautiful gift boxes.” And you have to love this “We firmly believe that a weakness for sweets is a noble approach to everyday living.” Open M-S 9a-7p, Sun noon-6p, at 864 Mad Ave.  www.laduree.fr/en/maisons/monde-details#135

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Let us pray . . . it is true. Nation’s Restaurant News cites the latest People Report Workforce Index reflecting some good news about job growth in the foodie industry. Shaking together the various market factors, here’s what spilled out: “. . . employment expectations in the fine-dining and high-volume participants in the survey showed exceptional strength, rising to 70.5%. Other segment results – quick-service, casual-dining and fast-casual – each showed high employment expectations as well.”  www.nrn.com

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Whoever you are, however you celebrate . . .

HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS !!!

Let’s meet right back here on January 6, 2012

Meanwhile, there’s easy foodie shopping at the

Celebrity Chef Gift Store

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<<< Click at left for Celeb Chef Directories  <<< 

<  Celebrity Chef Links  < 

<  Celebrity Chef Restaurants  < 

<  Celebrity Chef Gift Store, Books & More  <  

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 CURRENT CHEF BUZZ 

Alice Waters *  Jose Andres * Rick Bayless

 Mary Sue Milliken & Sue Feniger 

Marcus Samuelsson * Richard Sandoval 

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More kudos for Chef Waters . . . and quite prestigious ones at that. Alice Waters was among the winners of the James Beard Foundation’s inaugural Leadership Awards which celebrate “the visionaries responsible for creating a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food world.” Also among the honorees was First Lady Michelle Obama, along with others ranging “from urban agriculture heroes to tireless healthy school food pioneers to corporate business leaders.” www.jbfoodconference.com

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Ketchup rules . . . finally, some upper level respect for one of America’s favorite condiments, this from a highly acclaimed Spanish-born chef. And that would be Jose Andres whose menu, e.g., at his America Eats Tavern in Washington DC lists no fewer than eight “catsups,” but in this case, all homemade of course! http://thinkfoodgroup.com  

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Read all about it . . .Rick Bayless of the notable Chicago eateries Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, and XOXO taught us this in an article in “Nation’s Restaurant News” on tequila & its cousins :“The aging of a good tequila is made in the field, not in the bottle . . . In the highland areas the tequilas have floral, herbaceous and mineral qualities. In the lowlands, they have rustic, earthy and wet clay characteristics, and sometimes taste of cinnamon oil . . . Where in tequila, all the hearts of the agave are roasted in great big ovens, in Oaxaca, to be called mezcal, they had to be done in a wood-fired pit in the ground.” www.nrn.com, www.rickbayless.com  

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Make ‘em or take ‘em . . . Well now how does this sound for a  little different turkey take for the holidays: turkey tamales with fresh cranberry salsa, and better yet, crafted by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger If you’d like to make them yourself, snag the leftover turkey and yams and follow this link from the chefs’newsletter, Recipe. Or – hooray! – their Border Grill restaurants in Santa Monica, LA, and Las Vegas will have them available for takeout ahead of Christmas [check individual place for avail dates]. www.bordergrill.com   

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CulinAIRy news . . . about a heck of a perk for passengers on certain American Airlines flights. Selling food onboard isn’t new but this is: cuisine by world famed chefs. Domestic flights of 2+ hours will feature Marcus Samuelsson’s “New American Table” menu in the main cabin while Richard Sandoval’s dishes check in for premium class-ers on international flights. www.aa.com, www.marcussamuelsson.com, www.richardsandoval.com  

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Yay! Easy foodie shopping at

Celebrity Chef Gift Store

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<<< Click at left for Celeb Chef Directories  <<<

<  Celebrity Chef Links  <

<  Celebrity Chef Restaurants  <

<  Celebrity Chef Gift Store, Books & More  < 

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CURRENT CHEF BUZZ

Hubert Keller * Jamie Oliver * Andre Rochat

Jean Joho * David Burke

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You know . . . you’re in the presence of not just a celeb chef but purest culinary greatness when, for timeless magical moments, all your senses merge into a singular focus on the dish before you and the rest of the world just fades away – and that’s just what happens with small plate after small plate at Hubert Keller’s Fleur at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, whether at the tables, the communal bar, or the indoor patio with an outdoor Parisian vibe. 

     So why are small plates so popular? Chef Keller says it’s the freedom: to craft a repast of your choice, to tuck into a lot or a little, to dine leisurely or eat and run. And then we talked about another factor as well: small plates are just plain fun, full of discoveries, the stuff of lively repartee, a phenom that transforms lunch or dinner into a festive event.

      But just in case you want to hit the other end of the spectrum the menu makes room for a selection of large plates as well, say, slow roasted Alaskan halibut, peking duck breast, or [!] the 40 oz prime tomahawk rib eye [Mr. Flintstone, your table is ready]. Small or large, it’s a plateful of  superlatives. 

www.hubertkeller.com 

www.mandalaybay.com 

Vegas Only Entertainment’s take on the Keller experience

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Ever-busy . . . ProChef Smart Brief tells us that Jamie Oliver has crafted some “strategic products” for the British firm, Young’s Seafood Company. The 200-year-old firm will add Oliver-branded frozen fish fingers, fish cakes, and fish pies. Celeb fish fingers? Well they are from sustainable sources and probably as healthful as this dish can be, both practices dear to this “naked” chef’s heart.  www.jamieoliver.com

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Greeting 2012, celeb chef style . . . and with a view too yet. Opt for New Year’s Eve dinner created by Andre Rochat at his Alize atop the Palms and you celebrate with not only first class cuisine but as well a panorama of the Strip festivities. Just some of his plans for the 6p and 9:30 seatings: roasted cauliflower mousseline with caviar, foie gras terrine with port poached figs, pan roasted pheasant breast with chestnut confit, chocolate cheesecake with toasted hazelnut and salted Nutella anglaise.  www.andrelv.com

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Parisian wedding, in LV . . . complete with the Eiffel Tower! Chef Jean Joho has intro-ed an “I Do With A View” package that folds into its embrace the ceremony with an officiant in the chapel, bouquet for the bride, boutonnière for the groom, and pro photography all pulled together by a dedicated wedding coordinator. And then . . . stay right where you are, 11 stories above the Strip, for your reception in chef Joho’s award-winning Eiffel Tower restaurant in Paris Las Vegas. www.eiffeltowerrestaurant.com

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No guts, no glory . . . Not only has star chef David Burke opened another restaurant [his 7^th] in recession-scary 2011, but he did so in competition-scary downtown Manhattan. Called David Burke’s Kitchen, and nestled into the James New York in Soho, it features “wholesome, unique and modern American food presented in the creative and whimsical style that is Burke’s trademark” for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Might even see some of his signature cocktail lollipops. www.davidburke.com

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CURRENT CHEF BUZZ

Grant Achatz * Ferran & Albert Adria

Kerry Simon * Les Kincaid

“Carnival” of star chefs from Venetian & Palazzo

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A taste of Adria right here in the US . . . Super chef Grant Achatz recently powwowed with his former mentor, chef of chefs Ferran Adria, and the result will be a 3-month run at Achatz’ restaurant Next, which opened in Chicago last spring, of an El Bulli style 20-courser starting in January.  www.alinea-restaurant.com 

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More about the Adrias . . . I’ve been a huge fan of Ferran Adria ever since “Esquire” ran about a novelette on him some years back, and then I subsequently had the pleasure of meeting his brother Albert who told me all about the lab where they spent [and may still] half the year basically playing with their food, creating the culinary breakthroughs that chefs everywhere have emulated. Now that El Bulli is closed [reportedly re-imagined, re-opening, 2014], he’s busied himself with immersion in Asian cuisine, co-headlining an international chef conference, and penning “The Family Meal” cookbook, his innovative take on 3-course dinners that are cost- and time-friendly.  Find them here on Facebook  Find his cookbooks here on Amazon

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It takes only a glance . . . at Kerry Simon’s regular menu [especially desserts, cotton candy, et al] to see that under that world class chef exterior beats the heart of a fun-loving kid. So it’s only natural that he would craft a family-friendly “Santa Tea,” complete with Santa photos, cookie decorating, kid ‘n mom beverages, the chef’s famed mac ‘n cheese, and, oh yeah, “holiday junk food platters.” [now where can I borrow a kid]. Sat. Dec 10, 2p-4p. Adults $100, Kids [under 12] $50. Simon at Palms Place in Las Vegas. www.simonatpalmsplace.com

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Let the tasting come to you . . . How cool is this. Las Vegas own celeb chef Les Kincaid is now offering personalized wine tasting seminars in your home, hotel suite, or club facility. Available sipping sessions range from Wines 101 to Wines of the World, or a fine focus on a particular grape or geography. Paired appetizers too! For the whole scoop, contact him via email.  les@leskincaid.com

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Mangia, mangia . . . The Venetian® and The Palazzo® once again set the tables for the “Carnival of Cuisine,” Dec 10, 1p-4p, in The Palazzo Ballroom. Now in its fourth year, the event treats guests to demos and tastings from the resorts famed restaurants helmed by the likes of Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Emeril Lagasse, Luciano Pellegrini, Joachim Splichal, and more. Adding to the festivities, specialty drinks and prize drawings, plus a special gift for Grazie® members. Must be 21. Tix $60, VIP $85, disc for members, early adm for members and VIP tix. www.venetian.com

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<<< Click at left for Celeb Chef Directories  <<<

<  Celebrity Chef Links  <

<  Celebrity Chef Restaurants  <

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********************************************************

CURRENT CHEF BUZZ

Michel Richard * Todd Clore * Ruth Reichl

Aaron Chambers * Daniel Boulud * Biz news

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Sipping, Richard-style . . . Called a “most divine drinks destination,” the bar at Central Michel Richard now boogies right into the Caesars Palace hotel lobby. Folks can divide their attention between the passing parade and a libation roster that ranges from “a selection of specialty beers never before offered in the United States to creative cocktails, an expansive wine list and extensive roster of bourbons and whiskeys.” Open 24/7. www.centralLV.com

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Sam and the chefs . . . Interesting. Sam’s Club^® has enlisted a nationwide troupe of exec chefs to “provide restaurant-quality, simply delicious mealtime solutions . . .as new recipes are unveiled every month  . . . through January . . . The Chef Brigade will also provide simple tricks-of-the trade and cooking techniques to easily enhance the home cooking experience.” Included in the lineup is Las Vegas’ own neighborhood star Todd Clore of the awesome Todd’s Unique in Henderson. www.samsclub.com/meals  www.toddsunique.com

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Read the new chapter . . . in the colorful culinary life story of Ruth Reichl whose resume already covers restaurant owner/cook, restaurant critic for NY Times and LA Times [& food ed for the latter], ed-in-chief for Gourmet magazine, and multi-author. Now? She’s the editorial advisor for Gilt Taste, “an online magazine and market for food and wine lovers” that publishes “original, daily stories—including recipes, videos, food news and opinions from artisans, experts, chefs and the Taste editors.” As for the market part, the site offers hand-picked bounty from meats to sweets, and in between, cheese, produce, starters and sides, plus the wines to keep them company. Sign up for the newsletter to stay up to date on all the offerings. http://www.gilttaste.com

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Celeb-in-waiting . . . and currently chef at famed Daniel Boulud’s Boulud Sud, Aaron Chambers has been honored as one of this year’s Rising Stars by the Star Chefs organization. The recipe that helped him find a spot on the final list was octopus a la plancha, marcona almonds, arugular and jerez vinaigrette. Meanwhile, Boulud’s plate is even fuller with the planned opening of a Café Boulud and d Bar in Toronto.  www.starchefs.com  www.danielnyc.com

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Pop the corks! . . . Look what the most recent edition of the online newsletter “AM Jolt” from “QSR” magazine has to say: “Buoyed by stronger same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) topped the 100 mark in September for the first time in three months.” The RPI tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry.   www.qsrmagazine.com

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