celebrity chefs Archives – Page 4 of 8

2019 Tribeca Film Festival movie review: ‘A Taste of Sky’

April 26, 2019

by Carla Hay

“A Taste of Sky”

Directed by Michael Y. Lei

International premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 26, 2019.

Award-winning restaurants and chefs around the world have gotten a lot of exposure, thanks to non-fiction shows like “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and “Chef’s Table.” So when there’s a documentary about a risk-taking restaurant started by a world-renowned chef, that movie better deliver something extraordinary. Unfortunately, “A Taste of Sky” falls short of those expectations and ends up being a conventional documentary with some serious flaws.

“A Taste of Sky,” the first feature film from director Michael Y. Lei, is about the creation of Gustu, a fine-dining restaurant in La Paz, Bolivia. What made Gustu different from other Bolivian restaurants is that it was founded by Danish restaurateur Claus Meyer, whose Noma restaurant in Copenhagen was named Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant magazine from 2010 to 2012 and in 2014. Meyer also had the idea of making Gustu a culinary school for underprivileged youth who could train to become chefs. “A Taste of Sky” focuses on two of those students: Kenzo, an ambitious hunter who was raised in the Bolivian Amazon, and Maria Claudia, who is from the Andes high plains.

To its credit, the movie doesn’t shy away from the “white savior”/colonialism issue. Meyer talks about it and is fully aware that he can be perceived as an arrogant European who thinks he can tell Bolivians how to run a successful restaurant in their own country. There’s a sequence in the movie showing Bolivian chefs or restaurateurs sitting at a table, essentially saying the same thing, as they criticize Meyer for founding Gustu to boost his own ego.

Meyer denies that his intentions are driven by his ego and a “white savior” mentality, but his denials don’t ring true when viewers see that the top managers he’s hired to get Gustu up and running are Europeans. A restaurant owner who cared more about cultural inclusivity would have hired at least one qualified local Bolivian to be one of the first managers of the restaurant. Instead, the Bolivians shown working in the restaurant are all subservient to their European teachers/supervisors. Unfortunately, director Lei does not question this ethnic inequality in the film. Perhaps he was too star-struck by Meyer to ask why Bolivians were excluded from Gustu’s initial management team. The film’s written epilogue mentions that a Bolivian employee of Gustu was eventually promoted to general manager about a year after the restaurant launched. Unfortunately, the viewers of this movie don’t get to see any Bolivians in positions of power at Gustu.

And that’s not the only problem with this film. “A Taste of Sky” has a lengthy interview with Meyer telling his life story, but there’s a corny gimmick that tries to be cute: His pre-teen daughter Augusta asks the questions in the interview. It’s unknown if Augusta came up with the questions herself or if an adult provided her with the questions, but the gimmick guarantees that Meyer would be asked very easy questions. There is virtually no investigative journalism in “A Taste of Sky.”

The movie has some footage of Kenzo and Maria Claudia learning chef skills and visiting their families back in their hometowns, but it’s all framed with the tone that they would be poor, downtrodden Bolivian people with a dismal future if not for this restaurant run by Europeans who have saved them from a life of misery. Kenzo’s brother, who was also enrolled in the chef school, had to drop out, in order to help their family take care of their farm. It’s not the catastrophe that the movie wants us to think it is, mainly because Kenzo’s brother doesn’t have the passion for cooking that Kenzo has. Kenzo’s family is poor, but they’re happy, they’re close-knit, and they live comfortably off of their land. Money can’t buy that type of family happiness.

Kenzo is seen as a bright and confident pupil, and his story is given more weight than Maria Claudia’s story. There is brief mention of sexism, as Maria Claudia talks about how her family didn’t think it was appropriate for her to be enrolled in the school because she’s a woman. It’s clear that not having the emotional support of her family has affected Maria Claudia’s confidence. But sexism in the restaurant industry overall— the industry has a long history of giving male chefs more power and better opportunities than female chefs—is barely acknowledged in the movie. It’s not too much of a surprise when a male chef at a prestigious restaurant in Spain invites Kenzo to be an apprentice. Maria Claudia doesn’t get a similar opportunity. One could argue that Kenzo is simply more talented than Maria Claudia, but the movie doesn’t really go into specifics about who are the most talented students in the program.

Worst of all, for a documentary about the opening of a restaurant, there is hardly any mention of the restaurant’s first menu or how the restaurant was marketed to customers. There are brief glimpses of food after it’s been plated, but what’s actually on the plate isn’t really explained. Crocodile is mentioned as a popular Bolivian entrée, but the movie never details what makes Gustu’s menu so special from the menus at other Bolivian restaurants.

In the movie, Bolivia is described as a third-world country that’s the poorest in South America, and Meyer wanted to launch Gustu as a fine-dining restaurant to help uplift the Bolivian economy. But the movie doesn’t even mention how pricing was chosen in order to market a “luxury” restaurant in a “poor” country. Customers aren’t interviewed, so there’s no sense of who goes to this restaurant. There are some lovely shots of the Bolivian terrain, and plenty of scenes that take place in the kitchen, but viewers don’t get to experience Gustu’s inner ambience from a customer’s point of view. In the end, “A Taste of Sky” could have been a fascinating documentary about a groundbreaking restaurant. Instead, it seems as if the filmmakers bent too far backwards to accommodate Meyer’s ego, and the whole movie looks like a superficial vanity project.

Roy Choi non-fiction series ‘Broken Bread’ premieres on KCET, Tastemade, Link TV

April 3, 2019

The following is a press release from KCET and Tastemade:

KCET, a producer of award-winning and diverse original content for public media, and Tastemade, a global media company creating premium video programming in the food, travel and home verticals, announced today the premiere details of the new multi-media series “Broken Bread,” hosted by restaurant entrepreneur, social activist and acclaimed chef Roy Choi. In the show, Choi explores complex social justice issues and meets inspiring individuals and organizations who use food as a platform for activism as well as a catalyst for change. The series broadcast premiere is Wed., May 15 at 8:30 p.m. on PBS channel KCET in Southern California and on Tastemade TV now available on major streaming platforms. The series will subsequently air on May 21 on Link TV via DirecTV (channel 375) / Dish Network (channel 9410) at 9:30 pm ET/PT. Episodes will also be available on brokenbread.tv as well as the free PBS App.

Co-produced by KCET and Tastemade, the half-hour series profiles individuals and organizations who make a difference in their communities through food. Known for his home-grown approach to conscious cooking and community-building, Chef Choi uncovers innovative culinary and agricultural practices that transform food access, food justice and community. The series explores neighborhoods across Los Angeles, telling the stories of the trailblazers in the social conscious food movement including Father Greg Boyle (Homeboy Industries), Robert Egger (LA Kitchen), Olympia Auset (Suprmarkt), Mar Diego (Dough Girl) and more.

In each episode, Roy undergoes a journey of discovery that challenges the status quo—and his own assumptions—about the problems facing our food system. While the journeys are deeply personal and informed by Roy’s own experiences, “Broken Bread” explores some of the most pressing issues facing the food industry and our society: food deserts, food waste, immigration, sustainability, among others.

Visit Brokenbread.tv to learn about the organizations and the issues through articles, resource guides, and recipes. Viewers can take a deeper dive into the social justice issues explored in the series, and ways in which they can become activated to advance change.

A free community screening event in partnership with Live Nation will be held at the historic Los Angeles landmark, The Wiltern, as part of the Los Angeles Times Food Bowl on Sunday, May 5 from 5:30-8:30 pm. At the event’s opening reception, Roy Choi will be joined by community organizations and individuals from the series where they will host an interactive exploration of the power of food. Guests will be treated to “Broken Bread’s” premiere episode followed by a panel moderated by Choi himself and featuring the heroes highlighted in the series. For more information about attending the event, visit www.universe.com/brokenbreadlive

“Broken Bread” episodes are slated to air as follows (subject to change):

“Transformation” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming May 15.

Roy explores the power of cooking to rehabilitate those on the margins of society and the organizations taking a chance on those who need it most. He spends time with Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy and Homegirl Industries, the pioneer of socially minded food enterprises focused on transitioning former gang members from lives on the street to lives in kitchens. Roy also visits Mar Diego, a former drug dealer-turned-food entrepreneur who has opened Dough Girl, a pizza shop in the San Fernando Valley employing local kids struggling with drug use and homelessness. Additionally, the episode features L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti shedding light into workforce models with a purpose.

“Access” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming May 22.

Roy meets the individuals bringing healthy and affordable food options into South L.A. communities that lack access to fresh food. Roy also visits with vegan grocer Olympia Auset, whose startup Süprmarkt delivers healthy and affordable food to the doorsteps of her community. Finally, Roy visits Earle’s Hot Dogs, a vegetarian hot dog cart that has grown over its 30-year history into a multi-location brick and mortar shop, now a staple of a community hungry for healthier options.

“Future” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming May 29.

Roy explores future culinary landscapes looking forward to a world affected by climate change. He spends an evening with chefs Henry Fischer and Anna Rose Hopkins from Hank and Bean who make a surprising plant-forward dinner featuring non-traditional protein sources like crickets and jellyfish. Roy also visits with Ethan Brown of Beyond Meat, a company pioneering the plant-based replacements for our favorite burgers and sausages, and Vegan Hooligans, a pop-up restaurant in eastside LA’s Eagle Rock making classic American diner food out of entirely plant-based ingredients.

“Cannabis” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming June 5

Roy visits Chris Yang’s Pop Cultivate to explore the emergence of a new culinary landscape since the advent of legalized recreational marijuana. He then tackles the gentrification of cannabis culture by visiting Med Men, the leader in upscale legal weed retailers in Los Angeles. An interview with Virgil Grant, a formerly incarcerated weed dealer now seeking to run a legal distribution business, sheds light on efforts to build cannabis equity for those hit hardest by the War on Drugs. The episode also features interviews with actor/activist Cheech Marin and Shep Gordon.

“Waste” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming June 12

Roy journeys from L.A. to Orange County to discover how two non-profit innovators are tackling the problem of food waste. He then visits Robert Egger, whose project LA Kitchen is simultaneously aggregating wasted food, using it to cook fresh meals for those in need, and providing workforce training. Roy also visits Bill Bracken of Bracken’s Kitchen who partners with Chefs to End Hunger to reuse leftover food and distribute it with his food truck in Orange County. Roy also visits with Richard Garcia at Alma Backyard Farms in Compton where kids are learning how food in grown by digging in to Alma’s hands-on program.

“Watts” premieres on KCET & Tastemade and is available for streaming June 19

Roy takes a head-on look at efforts to heal the social and economic wounds of Watts, acknowledging one of the oldest communities in Los Angeles as a mirror into ourselves and our future. Led by activist Aqeela Sherrills, Roy visits with Sherrills’ mother as she prepares free food for the community, digs into the soul of what makes Watts Coffee House a cornerstone in the neighborhood and examines the missed opportunities of the Jordan Downs Housing Project redevelopment. Sharing the “real” story of his own restaurant Locol and where it stands within the community of Watts, Roy reflects as he connects with the very people navigating the most pressing issues facing our food systems.

Executive Producers are Roy Choi, KCET’s Juan Devis and Tastemade’s Co-founder and CEO Larry Fitzgibbon. Producers are Natasha Phan, Choi’s business partner, KCET’s Matthew Crotty and Tastemade’s Emily Mraz and Elizabeth Collins. “Broken Bread” is directed by James Mann.

ABOUT ROY CHOI
In 2008, Roy Choi and a crew of friends and family started what would be the beginning of the intersection between food, technology, culture, entrepreneurship and long lines. That comet was called Kogi BBQ and it made a splash on the streets of LA, being the first to use Twitter and ushering in a whole new generation of eaters and followers to what would be called America’s first viral restaurant by Newsweek. Roy was named Food & Wine’s Best New Chef 2010, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World 2016, LA Times Restaurant of the Year 2017 and has an award-winning New York Times Best Seller called L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food. He resides in Los Angeles, California where he oversees Kogi BBQ, Chego, A-Frame, Alibi Room, Locol and his first restaurant outside California called Best Friend at Park MGM, Las Vegas. Roy is also co-producer on the movie Chef as well as executive producer and host of the socially conscious show Broken Bread on KCET and Tastemade. He is a highly recognized speaker at events and panels worldwide. Choi is represented by Andrew Chason at CAA and Lisa Shotland at Shotlandia as well as Sylvia Desrochers and Big Time PR.

ABOUT KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well as the finest public television programs from around the world. Throughout its 54-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children’s programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org. Select original programming from KCET is also available for streaming on Apple TV, YouTube, Amazon and Roku platforms. For more information please visit http://www.kcet.org/apps. KCET is a content channel of the Public Media Group of Southern California.

ABOUT TASTEMADE

Tastemade is a modern media brand inspiring the taste of a generation through entertainment, commerce and experiences. The company creates award-winning video programming in Food, Home and Travel, which appears on all major digital, mobile, streaming OTT and linear TV platforms. The company reaches a global audience of over 250 million monthly viewers, streaming 2.5 billion views, and has built an engaged, passionate, global community. Tastemade has won a host of awards for its storytelling, including two James Beard Awards. For more information, visit Tastemade at: www.tastemade.com.

2019 James Beard Awards: complete list of nominees

March 27, 2019

The 2019 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards will take place May 6 at Lyric Opera of Chicago. The 2019 James Beard Media Awards, which honor those in the media who cover the culinary industry, will take place April 26 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City. The awards will be streamed live on Twitter.

Here is the complete list of nominations for the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards.

2019 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Angler
San Francisco

Atomix
NYC

Bavel
Los Angeles

Frenchette
NYC

Majordomo
Los Angeles

Outstanding Baker
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a retail bakery. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Zachary Golper
Bien Cuit
NYC

Maura Kilpatrick
Sofra Bakery and Café
Cambridge, MA

Lisa Ludwinski
Sister Pie
Detroit

Avery Ruzicka
Manresa Bread
Los Gatos, CA

Greg Wade
Publican Quality Bread
Chicago

Outstanding Bar Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the selection, preparation, and serving of cocktails, spirits, and/or beer.

Bar Agricole
San Francisco

Dead Rabbit
NYC

Kimball House
Decatur, GA

Lost Lake
Chicago

Ticonderoga Club
Atlanta

Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters)
A chef who sets high culinary standards and who has served as a positive example for other food professionals. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Ashley Christensen
Poole’s Diner
Raleigh, NC

David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA

Corey Lee
Benu
San Francisco

Donald Link
Herbsaint
New Orleans

Marc Vetri
Vetri Cucina
Philadelphia

Outstanding Pastry Chef (Presented by Lavazza)
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a restaurant. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Juan Contreras
Atelier Crenn
San Francisco

Kelly Fields
Willa Jean
New Orleans

Meg Galus
Boka
Chicago

Margarita Manzke
République
Los Angeles

Pichet Ong
Brothers and Sisters
Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Restaurant (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, service, and operations. Must have been in business 10 or more consecutive years.

Balthazar
NYC

FIG
Charleston, SC

Jaleo
Washington, D.C.

Quince
San Francisco

Zahav
Philadelphia

Outstanding Restaurateur (Presented by Magellan Corporation)
A restaurateur who demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Hugh Acheson
Empire State South, Five & Ten, The National, and others
Atlanta

Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz
Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
Chicago

JoAnn Clevenger
Upperline
New Orleans

Ken Oringer
Little Donkey, Toro, Uni, and others
Boston

Alex Raij and Eder Montero
La Vara, Txikito, Saint Julivert Fisherie, and others
NYC

Ellen Yin
High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson)
Philadelphia

Outstanding Service
A restaurant in operation for five or more years that demonstrates consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service.

Brigtsen’s
New Orleans

Canlis
Seattle

Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder, CO

Saison
San Francisco

Swan Oyster Depot
San Francisco

Zingerman’s Roadhouse
Ann Arbor, MI

Outstanding Wine Program (Presented by Robert Mondavi Winery)
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in wine service through a carefully considered wine list and a well-informed approach to helping customers choose and drink wine.

Bacchanal
New Orleans

Benu
San Francisco

Miller Union
Atlanta

Night + Market
Los Angeles

Spiaggia
Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
A beer, wine, or spirits producer who demonstrates consistency and exceptional skill in his or her craft.

Cathy Corison
Corison Winery
St. Helena, CA

Ann Marshall and Scott Blackwell
High Wire Distilling Co.
Charleston, SC

Steve Matthiasson
Matthiasson Wines
Napa, CA

Rob Tod
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland, ME

Lance Winters
St. George Spirits
Alameda, CA

Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A chef age 30 or younger who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Ana Castro
Coquette
New Orleans

Alisha Elenz
MFK
Chicago

Alexander Hong
Sorrel
San Francisco

Jesse Ito
Royal Izakaya
Philadelphia

Kwame Onwuachi
Kith and Kin
Washington, D.C.

Jonathan Yao
Kato
Los Angeles

Best Chefs in America
Chefs who set high culinary standards and also demonstrate integrity and admirable leadership skills in their respective regions. A nominee may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Diana Dávila
Mi Tocaya Antojería
Chicago

Jason Hammel
Lula Café
Chicago

Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute
Chicago

David Posey and Anna Posey
Elske
Chicago

Noah Sandoval
Oriole
Chicago

Lee Wolen
Boka
Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Amy Brandwein
Centrolina
Washington, D.C.

Tom Cunanan
Bad Saint
Washington, D.C.

Rich Landau
Vedge
Philadelphia

Cristina Martinez
South Philly Barbacoa
Philadelphia

Cindy Wolf
Charleston
Baltimore

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Michael Corvino
Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room
Kansas City, MO

Michael Gallina
Vicia
St. Louis

Ann Kim
Young Joni
Minneapolis

Jamie Malone
Grand Café
Minneapolis

Christina Nguyen
Hai Hai
Minneapolis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

Sean Gray
Momofuku Ko

Brooks Headley
Superiority Burger

Daniela Soto-Innes
Atla

Alex Stupak
Empellón Midtown

Jody Williams and Rita Sodi
Via Carota

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT)

Tiffani Faison
Tiger Mama
Boston

James Mark
North
Providence

Tony Messina
Uni
Boston

Cassie Piuma
Sarma
Somerville, MA

Benjamin Sukle
Oberlin
Providence

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)

Peter Cho
Han Oak
Portland, OR

Katy Millard
Coquine
Portland, OR

Brady Williams
Canlis
Seattle

Justin Woodward
Castagna
Portland, OR

Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi
Joule
Seattle

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)

Vishwesh Bhatt
Snackbar
Oxford, MS

Jose Enrique
Jose Enrique
San Juan, PR

Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus
Coquette
New Orleans

Slade Rushing
Brennan’s
New Orleans

Isaac Toups
Toups’ Meatery
New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Mashama Bailey
The Grey
Savannah, GA

Katie Button
Cúrate
Asheville, NC

Cassidee Dabney
The Barn at Blackberry Farm
Walland, TN

Ryan Smith
Staplehouse
Atlanta

Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman
Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen
Memphis

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)

Charleen Badman
FnB
Scottsdale, AZ

Kevin Fink
Emmer & Rye
Austin

Michael Fojtasek
Olamaie
Austin

Bryce Gilmore
Barley Swine
Austin

Steve McHugh
Cured
San Antonio

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)

Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles

Jeremy Fox
Rustic Canyon
Santa Monica, CA

Jessica Koslow
Sqirl
Los Angeles

Travis Lett
Gjelina
Venice, CA

Joshua Skenes
Saison
San Francisco

2019 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards

Winners will be announced on May 6, 2019.

75 Seats and Under
Firms: Heliotrope Architects and Price Erickson Interior Design
Project: Willmott’s Ghost, Seattle

Firm: Roman and Williams
Project: La Mercerie, NYC

Firm: Studio Writers
Project: Atomix, NYC

76 Seats and Over
Firm: Land and Sea Dept.
Project: Lonesome Rose, Chicago

Firm: studio razavi architecture
Project: Boqueria, NYC

Firm: Parts and Labor Design
Project: Pacific Standard Time, Chicago

Other Eating and Drinking Places
Firm: AvroKO
Project: China Live, San Francisco

Firm: Schwartz and Architecture (S^A)
Project: El Pípila, San Francisco

Firm: Summer Ops
Project: Island Oyster, NYC

Design Icon
Canlis
Seattle

The following honorees will accept their awards at the James Beard Awards Gala on May 6 at Lyric Opera of Chicago:

2019 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics

(Presented by American Airlines)

Pho 79
Garden Grove, CA
Owners: Tong Trần and Liễu Trần

Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House
Huntington, WV
Owners: Jimmie Carder, Larry Tweel and Ron Tweel

A&A Bake & Double Roti Shop
Brooklyn, NY
Owners: Noel and Geeta Brown

Sehnert’s Bakery & Bieroc Café
McCook, NE
Owners: Matt and Shelly Sehnert

Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse
Washington, D.C.
Owner: Paul Katinas

2019 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year

The Giving Kitchen
Non-profit that provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources.

2019 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award

Patrick O’Connell
Multiple James Beard Award-Winning Chef; Chef & Owner, The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, VA

2019 James Beard Foundation Book Awards

For cookbooks and other non-fiction food- or beverage-related books that were published in the U.S. in 2018. Winners will be announced on April 26, 2019.

American
A Common Table: 80 Recipes and Stories from My Shared Cultures
Cynthia Chen McTernan
(Rodale)

Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day
JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers
(Flatiron Books)

Sweet Home Café Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking
Albert G. Lukas and Jessica B. Harris
(Smithsonian Books)

Baking and Desserts
Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing
Jerrelle Guy
(Page Street Publishing Co.)

Pie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies
Cathy Barrow
(Grand Central Publishing)

SUQAR: Desserts & Sweets from the Modern Middle East
Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf
(Hardie Grant Books)

Beverage
Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way
Rebekah Peppler
(Clarkson Potter)

The Aviary Cocktail Book
Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, Micah Melton, Allen Hemberger, and Sarah Hemberger
(The Alinea Group)

Cocktail Codex
Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan, with Devon Tarby
(Ten Speed Press)

Wine Folly: Magnum Edition
Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack
(Avery)

General
Everyday Dorie
Dorie Greenspan
(Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Milk Street: Tuesday Nights
Christopher Kimball
(Little, Brown and Company)

Ottolenghi Simple
Yotam Ottolenghi
(Ten Speed Press)

Health and Special Diets
The Complete Diabetes Cookbook
Editors at America’s Test Kitchen
(America’s Test Kitchen)

Eat a Little Better
Sam Kass
(Clarkson Potter)

More with Less
Jodi Moreno
(Roost Books)

International
Feast: Food of the Islamic World
Anissa Helou
(Ecco)

The Food of Northern Thailand
Austin Bush
(Clarkson Potter)

I Am a Filipino
Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad
(Artisan Books)

Photography
Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food
Nik Sharma
(Chronicle Books)

Tokyo New Wave
Andrea Fazzari
(Ten Speed Press)

Wild: Adventure Cookbook
Luisa Brimble
(Prestel Publishing)

Reference, History, and Scholarship
Canned: The Rise and Fall of Consumer Confidence in the American Food Industry
Anna Zeide
(University of California Press)

Catfish Dream: Ed Scott’s Fight for His Family Farm and Racial Justice in the Mississippi Delta
Julian Rankin
(University of Georgia Press)

Creole Italian: Sicilian Immigrants and the Shaping of New Orleans Food Culture
Justin Nystrom
(University of Georgia Press)

Restaurant and Professional
Chicken and Charcoal: Yakitori, Yardbird, Hong Kong
Matt Abergel
(Phaidon Press)

From the Earth: World’s Great, Rare and Almost Forgotten Vegetables
Peter Gilmore
(Hardie Grant Books)

Rich Table
Evan Rich and Sarah Rich
(Chronicle Books)

Single Subject
Bread & Butter: History, Culture, Recipes
Richard Snapes, Grant Harrington, and Eve Hemingway
(Quadrille Publishing)

Goat: Cooking and Eating
James Whetlor
(Quadrille Publishing)

Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces
Bill Kim with Chandra Ram
(Ten Speed Press)

Vegetable-Focused Cooking
Almonds, Anchovies, and Pancetta: A Vegetarian Cookbook, Kind Of
Cal Peternell
(William Morrow Cookbooks)

Saladish
Ilene Rosen
(Artisan Books)

Vegetarian Viet Nam
Cameron Stauch
(W. W. Norton & Company)

Writing
Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine
Edward Lee
(Artisan Books)

Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat
Jonathan Kauffman
(William Morrow)

Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture
Matt Goulding
(Harper Wave/Anthony Bourdain)

The winner of the Book of the Year Award and the Cookbook Hall of Fame inductee will be announced on April 26, 2019.

2019 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards

For radio, television broadcasts, podcasts, webcasts, and documentaries appearing in 2018. Winners will be announced on April 26, 2019.

Documentary
Chef Flynn
Airs on: Hulu, iTunes, and YouTube

Funke
Airs on: LA Film Festival and Tastemade

Modified
Airs on: Film festivals and Vimeo

Online Video, Fixed Location and/or Instructional
Handcrafted – How to Make Handmade Soba Noodles
Airs on: Bon Appétit

Mad Genius – Crispy Cheese Sticks; Waffled Okonomiyaki; and Puff Pastry
Airs on: Food & Wine, YouTube, and Facebook

MasterClass – Dominique Ansel Teaches French Pastry Fundamentals
Airs on: MasterClass

Online Video, on Location
First We Feast’s Food Skills – Mozzarella Kings of New York
Airs on: YouTube

Kitchen Unnecessary – Fire Morels
Airs on: YouTube, Facebook

NPR Foraging – Eating Wild Sea Creatures; You Can Eat Dandelions; and The Hunt for Morels
Airs on: NPR

Outstanding Personality
Samin Nosrat
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Airs on: Netflix

Marcus Samuelsson
No Passport Required
Airs on: PBS

Molly Yeh
Girl Meets Farm
Airs on: Food Network

Outstanding Reporting
Deep Dive and Food for Thought, 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics
Reporter: David Chang
Airs on: NBC, NBCSN

In Real Life – Why You MUST Try Native American Cuisine
Reporter: Yara Elmjouie
Airs on: YouTube, AJ+

The Sporkful – Yewande Finds Her Super Power
Reporter: Dan Pashman
Airs on: Stitcher

Podcast
Copper & Heat – Be a Girl
Airs on: Copper & Heat, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher

The Feed – Paletas and Other Icy Treats
Airs on: PodcastOne

Racist Sandwich – Erasing Black Barbecue
Airs on: iTunes, Racist Sandwich, and Stitcher

Radio Show
California Foodways – Providing a Taste of Oaxaca to Central Valley; Can Ag and Wildlife Co-Exist? Rice Farmers Think So; and Frozen Burrito Royalty in the Central Valley
Airs on: KQED, California Foodways

The Food Chain – Raw Grief and Widowed
Airs on: BBC World Service

KCRW’s Good Food – Remembering Jonathan Gold
Airs on: KCRW

Special (on TV or Online)
Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown – Little Los Angeles
Airs on: CNN, Explore Parts Unknown, Roads & Kingdoms

Spencer’s BIG Holiday
Airs on: Gusto

Taste Buds – Chefsgiving
Airs on: ABC

Television Program, in Studio or Fixed Location
Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro – Mary Poppins Show
Airs on: Food Network

Good Eats: Reloaded – Steak Your Claim
Airs on: Cooking Channel

Pati’s Mexican Table – Tijuana: Stories from the Border
Airs on: WETA Washington; Distributed Nationally by American Public Television

Television Program, on Location
The Migrant Kitchen – Man’oushe
Airs on: KCET and Link TV

Salt Fat Acid Heat – Salt
Airs on: Netflix

Ugly Delicious – Fried Chicken
Airs on: Netflix

Visual and Technical Excellence
Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown
Sarah Hagey, August Thurmer, and Kate Kunath
Airs on: CNN, Explore Parts Unknown, Roads & Kingdoms

Chef’s Table
Will Basanta, Adam Bricker, and Danny O’Malley
Airs on: Netflix

From The Wild – Season 4
Kevin Kossowan
Airs on: Vimeo

2019 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards

For articles published in English in 2018. Winners will be announced on April 26, 2019.

Columns
America’s Best Worst Cook: “Hi, I’m America’s Best Worst Cook”; “Dear Chefs, Will Eating This Kill Me?” and “How to Roast a Chicken? The Answers Are Horrifying.”
JJ Goode
Taste

Local Fare: “The Question of Dinner”; “Dixie Vodka”; and “Folk Witness”
John T. Edge
Oxford American

What We Talk About When We Talk About American Food: “The Pickled Cucumbers That Survived the 1980s AIDS Epidemic”; “A Second Look at the Tuna Sandwich’s All-American History”; and “Freedom and Borscht for Ukrainian-Jewish Émigrés”
Mari Uyehara
Taste

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award
Counter Intelligence: “The Hearth & Hound, April Bloomfield’s New Los Angeles Restaurant, Is Nothing Like a Gastropub”; “There’s Crocodile and Hog Stomach, but Jonathan Gold Is All About the Crusty Rice at Nature Pagoda”; and “At Middle Eastern Restaurants, It All Starts with Hummus. Jonathan Gold says Bavel’s Is Magnificent”
Jonathan Gold
Los Angeles Times

“The Fire Gods of Washington, D.C.”; “David Chang’s Majordomo Is No Minor Feat”; and “North America’s Best Cantonese Food Is in Canada”
Bill Addison
Eater

“The Four Seasons Returns. But Can It Come Back?” “Why David Chang Matters”; and “A Celebration of Black Southern Food, at JuneBaby in Seattle”
Pete Wells
The New York Times

Dining and Travel
Chau Down: “A New Orleans Food Diary”; “A Portland Food Diary”; and “A Chicago Food Diary”
Danny Chau
The Ringer

“Dim Sum Is Dead, Long Live Dim Sum”
Max Falkowitz
Airbnb Magazine

“Many Chinas, Many Tables”
Jonathan Kauffman and Team
San Francisco Chronicle

Feature Reporting
“Big in Japan”
Tejal Rao
The New York Times Magazine

“A Kingdom from Dust”
Mark Arax
The California Sunday Magazine

“Shell Game: Saving Florida’s Oysters Could Mean Killing a Way of Life”
Laura Reiley and Eve Edelheit
Tampa Bay Times

Food Coverage in a General Interest Publication
New York Magazine
Robin Raisfeld, Rob Patronite, Maggie Bullock, and the Staff of New York Magazine

Roads & Kingdoms
Nathan Thornburgh, Matt Goulding, Anup Kaphle, and the Roads & Kingdoms Team

T: The New York Times Style Magazine
Kurt Soller, Hanya Yanagihara, and the Staff of T Magazine

Foodways
“Back to Where It All Began: I Had Never Eaten in Ghana Before. But My Ancestors Had.”
Michael W. Twitty
Bon Appétit

“A Hunger for Tomatoes”
Shane Mitchell
The Bitter Southerner

“What is Northern Food?”
Steve Hoffman
Artful Living

Health and Wellness
“Clean Label’s Dirty Little Secret”
Nadia Berenstein
The New Food Economy

“The Last Conversation You’ll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right” and “The Last Conversation You’ll Need to Have on Eating Right: The Follow-ups”
Mark Bittman and David L. Katz
New York Magazine / Grub Street

“‘White People Food’ Is Creating An Unattainable Picture Of Health”
Kristen Aiken
HuffPost

Home Cooking
“Melissa Clark’s Thanksgiving”
Melissa Clark
The New York Times

“The Subtle Thrills of Cold Chicken Salad”
Cathy Erway
Taste

“Top Secret Ingredients”
Kathleen Purvis
Garden & Gun

Innovative Storytelling
“In Search of Water-Boiled Fish”
Angie Wang
Eater

“100 Most Jewish Foods”
Alana Newhouse, Gabriella Gershenson, and Stephanie Butnick
Tablet Magazine

“What’s in a Food Truck?”
Bonnie Berkowitz, Seth Blanchard, Aaron Steckelberg, and Monica Ulmanu
The Washington Post

Investigative Reporting
“‘It’s Not Fair, Not Right’: How America Treats Its Black Farmers”
Debbie Weingarten and Audra Mulkern
The Guardian and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project

“A Killing Season”
Boyce Upholt
The New Republic

“Victims Blame FDA for Food-Recall Failures”
Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan
Politico

Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award

“Storied Ovens”; “Food Outside the U.S. Open Gates”; and “A New Destination for Chinese Food: Not Flushing, but Forest Hills”
Max Falkowitz
The New York Times; Plate Magazine

“My Dinner at the Playboy Club”; “Curry and Roti Destination Singh’s Lights Up Queens”; and “Where New Yorkers Actually Eat in Times Square”
Robert Sietsema
Eater NY

“Yes Indeed, Lord: Queen’s Cuisine, Where Everything Comes from the Heart”; “Top 10 New Orleans Restaurants for 2019”; and “Sexual Harassment Allegations Preceded Sucré Co-Founder Tariq Hanna’s Departure”
Brett Anderson
Nola.com | The Times-Picayune

M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award
“A Kingdom from Dust”
Mark Arax
The California Sunday Magazine

“The Poet’s Table”
Mayukh Sen
Poetry Foundation

“What Is Northern Food?”
Steve Hoffman
Artful Living

Personal Essay, Long Form
“I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter”
Geraldine DeRuiter
Everywhereist.com

“Need to Find Me? Ask My Ham Man”
Catherine Down
The New York Times

“Writing an Iranian Cookbook in an Age of Anxiety”
Naz Deravian
The Atlantic

Personal Essay, Short Form
“Doritos is Developing Lady-Friendly Chips Because You Should Never Hear a Woman Crunch”
Maura Judkis
The Washington Post

“I’m a Chef with Terminal Cancer. This Is What I’m Doing with the Time I Have Left”
Fatima Ali
Bon Appétit

“Savoring the School Lunch”
Rebekah Denn
The Seattle Times

Profile
“Heaven Was a Place in Harlem”
Vince Dixon
Eater

“The Short and Brilliant Life of Ernest Matthew Mickler”
Michael Adno
The Bitter Southerner

“‘You Died’: The Resurrection of a Cook in the Heart of SF’s Demanding Culinary Scene”
Jonathan Kauffman
San Francisco Chronicle

Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages
“The Gulp War”
Dave Stroup
Eater

“‘Welch’s Grape Jelly with Alcohol’: How Trump’s Horrific Wine Became the Ultimate Metaphor for His Presidency”
Corby Kummer
Vanity Fair

“Why Is the Wine World So Un-Woke?”
Jon Bonné
Punch

Publication of the Year will be decided by the members of the James Beard Awards Journalism Committee and will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Food Network announces Buddy Valastro show ‘Bake You Rich,’ Duff Goldman show ‘Duff Takes the Cake’

March 20, 2019

Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman (Photo courtesy of Food Network)

The following are press releases from Food Network:

As a fourth-generation baker, Buddy Valastro is known as one of the biggest names in the industry, taking his local bakery and building it into an international empire. Now, Buddy is paying it forward on new series Bake You Rich, as he gives the opportunity of a lifetime to professional pastry chefs as they compete to have their treats produced by the Cake Boss and sold on Carlo’s Bakery website immediately following each episode. The four-episode series kicks off on Sunday, April 14^th at 10pm ET/PT, as four bakers whip up delectable and innovative treats in three rounds of challenges that will test their baking and business skills to prove to Buddy and a panel of rotating judges including Chad Durkin, Erin McGinn,Vincent Tubito, and Buddy’s wife Lisa Valastro that their treats will rise to the top. But, only one talented baker in each episode will cream the competition and go into business with Buddy.

“Bake You Rich is unlike any other baking competition, showcasing all the elements that are required for a top-selling bakery item, beyond creating a delicious dessert,” said Courtney White, President, Food Network. “Buddy Valastro is the ultimate expert with decades of experience, and he brings his unique business savvy as the host and business partner for the lucky winners.”

In each episode, four entrepreneurial bakers battle it out by whipping up their signature desserts that also impress aesthetically. Three bakers move on to the next round, where they present an innovative item they think will hit it big time in the bakery. Finally, in the last round, the remaining two must mass produce their item using professional machinery at Carlo’s Bakery. It’s a tough decision for Buddy and his advisors. Will the challenges be as easy as pie, or will the bakers crumble as they face difficult obstacles like machine meltdowns, mass production portion control, and last-minute recipe changes? One baker will have their dreams come true by the Cake Boss, as their winning item will be available to order on Carlo’s Bakery website immediately following the episode.

Fans can follow #BakeYouRich on our social media channels to learn Buddy’s best cake decorating techniques, watch behinds-the-scenes challenges, and weigh in on their favorite creations. Also, learn more about Buddy and his advisors at FoodNetwork.com/BakeYouRich.

Bake You Rich is produced by Cakehouse Media.

For years Duff Goldman has designed top-tier cakes for renowned clients that are beyond their wildest imaginations. Now, the Ace of Cakes star is using his artistry to create amazing, showstopping cakes for deserving people on Duff Takes the Cake. Beginning on Monday, April 15 at 10 p.m., Duff and his A-team of talented designers, builders, and cake decorators are engineering epic creations for good-hearted people serving their communities to celebrate special milestones. In five half-hour episodes, Duff and his team work around the clock to meet impossible deadlines, defeat design challenges, and overcome delivery obstacles, but the reactions to their incredible designs are always the icing on the cake!

“Viewers will be amazed by the unrestrained creativity and ingenuity of the one-of-a-kind, impressive cake designs that Duff and his extraordinary team of artists create,” said Courtney White, President, Food Network. “No job is too big, and no detail is too small adding a mix of intensity and entertaining comedy to the series.”

Throughout the series, Duff and his team transform last-minute, heartfelt requests into innovative cakes in just days, often facing unforeseeable challenges. From birthday cakes for kids who survived the Northern California wildfires, to an aquarium-themed cake to celebrate the hardworking volunteers at a local aquarium, and to very personal cakes for Duff’s wedding reception, each one will require meticulous detail. Making it even more challenging, every cake must be intact and on time to some wild delivery locations. From an ice-cold plunge in a frozen mountain lake, to a fireworks festival in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, and even the middle of a rodeo arena surrounded by 2000-pound bulls, nothing is too crazy as Duff Takes the Cake!

Fans can watch Duff take on wild culinary challenges by following #DuffTakestheCake and can get his inside tips to hone your baking skills. Plus, learn all about Duff at FoodNetwork.com/DuffTakestheCake.

Food Network pits Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman against each other in ‘Buddy vs. Duff’

January 17, 2019

Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman of 'Buddy cs. Duff' — Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman of “Buddy vs. Duff” (Photo courtesy of Food Network”

The following is a press release from Food Network:

Elite bakers Buddy Valastro (“Cake Boss”) and Duff Goldman (“Ace of Cakes”) face-off in an epic baking battle for the chance to be crowned the undisputed king of cake on new Food Network series “Buddy vs. Duff,” premiering March 10 at 9pm ET/PT. The 6-week competition will challenge every aspect of what it means to be a true pastry artist and cake master. From techniques, to design skills, and taste, each episode will measure their talent in two rounds – a Bake-Off to test their baking abilities, followed by a Cake-Off to showcase their creative imaginations and decorating expertise. Renowned chefs Sherry Yard and Keegan Gerhard are joined throughout the competition by special guest experts including, Florian Bellanger, “Street Science’s” Kevin Delaney, “Flip or Flop’s” Christina Anstead, Hannah Hart, Waylynn Lucas, Penn & Teller, Gesine Prado, “Fast N’ Loud’s” Richard Rawlings, Aarti Sequeira, and many more, to help determine the winner. The pressure is on as the two biggest names in cakes put it all on the line in this ultimate cake-off!

Audiences have come to recognize Buddy and Duff as the biggest names in cake, known for creating larger-than-life, jaw-dropping delectable designs as well as massive baking empires,” said Courtney White, President, Food Network. “Never before have these two baking icons gone head-to-head in a competition, until now.”

The competition is fierce as Buddy and Duff pull out all the stops and push their creativity to the limit in each challenge as they whip up impressive creations. The battle begins as Buddy and Duff must make their most beloved family recipes in the first Bake-Off. Then in the Cake-Off round, they must construct car-inspired cakes with all the bells and whistles. Throughout the season they will be challenged to create carnival treats to impress a crowd of hungry amusement park patrons, dazzle with intricate Bollywood-inspired cakes, and satisfy customers during the morning rush at the iconic Randy’s Donuts in Los Angeles. If that’s not enough, they must also design desserts for an exclusive dog pampering party, impress a couple with elegant wedding cakes for their big day, and enchant audiences with illusion cakes for a special show at Hollywood’s Magic Castle.

In the finale on Sunday, April 14 at 9pm ET/PT, Buddy and Duff face their toughest challenge yet. For the final Bake-Off, the two chefs must work to make their most heartfelt and monumental creations yet – chocolate desserts to conceal engagement rings for surprise proposals. Then in the final Cake-Off, their skills are pushed to new heights, as Duff returns to Charm City Cakes and Buddy heads back to Carlo’s Bake Shop to work on their final show-stopping space-themed cakes. After weeks of intense competition, it all comes down to these out-of-this-world creations.

Fans can get an insider’s look at the show with Buddy and Duff at FoodNetwork.com/BuddyVsDuff. Plus, watch bonus videos with the judges and guests that will bring you behind the scenes, and follow the action on social media using #BuddyVsDuff.

FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine’s rate base has grown 13 times and is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.5 million readers. Food Network is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories; the portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Netflix announces details of international chef competition ‘The Final Table’

October 16, 2018

The following is a press release from Netflix:

“The Final Table” launches globally on November 20, 2018. Twelve teams of world renowned chefs compete for a seat at “The Final Table.”

About “The Final Table”

“The Final Table” is a global culinary competition show featuring the world’s most talented chefs fighting for a spot at the elite, Final Table made up of the greatest chefs from around the globe. The series features 12 teams of two chefs from around the world cooking the national dishes of Mexico, Spain, England, Brazil, France, Japan, the U.S., India and Italy. Each episode focuses on a different country and its cuisine, with celebrity ambassadors, food critics and the country’s greatest chef eliminating teams until the finale. In that last episode, only one of our competing chefs will win a place at the Final Table, joining the nine legendary culinary icons — Enrique Olvera (Mexico), Andoni Aduriz (Spain), Clare Smyth (UK), Helena Rizzo (Brazil), Vineet Bhatia (India), Grant Achatz (US), Carlo Cracco (Italy), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan) and Anne-Sophie Pic (France). The series will be presented by Andrew Knowlton, James Beard Award-winning Writer and Editor at Large, Bon Appétit. Created and exec produced by Robin Ashbrook & Yasmin Shackleton. The production company is theoldschool.

The 12 teams include (listed with their associated restaurants and location, and hometowns):

Aaron Bludorn (Cafe Boulud: New York, New York, USA, from Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA) and Graham Campbell (Castlehill Restaurant: Dundee, Scotland/United Kingdom, from Oban, Scotland)
Darren MacLean (Shokunin: Calgary, Canada, from Innisfail, Canada) and Timothy Hollingsworth (Otium: Los Angeles, California, USA, from Houston, Texas, USA)
Shin Takagi (Zeniya: Ishikawa, Japan, from Ishikawa, Japan) and Ronald Hsu (Lazy Betty: Atlanta, Georgia, USA, also from Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Alex Haupt (101 Gowrie: Amsterdam, Netherlands, from Sydney, Australia) and Ash Heeger (Ash: Cape Town, South Africa, from Umtata, South Africa)
Shane Osborn (Arcane: Hong Kong, China, from Perth, Australia) and Mark Best (Bistro by Mark Best: Hong Kong, China & Singapore, from Sydney, Australia)
Monique Fiso (Hiakai: Porirua, New Zealand, from Wellington, New Zealand) and Amninder Sandhu (Arth: Mumbai, India, from Jorhat, India)
James Knappett (Bubbledogs/Kitchen Table: London, United Kingdom, from Newmarket, United Kingdom) and Angel Vazquez (Salomé, Into/Angurio: Puebla, Mexico, also from Puebla, Mexico)
Jessica Lorigo (Topa Sukalderia: San Sebastian, Spain, from Buffalo, New York, USA) and Johnny Spero (Reverie: Washington DC, USA, from Baltimore, Maryland, USA)
Collin Brown (Chef Collin Brown: London, United Kingdom, from Trelawny, Jamaica) and Colibri Jimenez (Casa Morales/My Bowls: Oaxaca, Mexico, from Morelos, Mexico)
Esdras Ochoa (11 Westside/Salazar/Mexicali Taco & Co.: Hong Kong, China & Los Angeles, California, USA, from Mexico City, Mexico) and Rafa Gil (Highest Hotel in the World: Hong Kong, China, from Bataguassu, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazi)
Charles Michel (Traveling culinary artist: Ecuador, Colombia, France & London, from Bruges, France) and Rodrigo Pacheco (Boca Valdivia: Manabi, Ecuador, from Quito, Ecuador)
Manuel Berganza (Tapas Club: Singapore, from Gijón, Spain) and Benjamin Bensoussan (Honest Greens: Madrid, Spain, from Paris, France)

The chefs will be judged by celebrity ambassadors and food critics from 9 countries around the world including Dax Shepard, Hasan Minhaj, and Alessandra Ambrosio:

Ambassadors:

Colin Hanks and Dax Shepard (United States Ambassadors)
Martha Higareda and Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico Ambassadors)
Miguel Bose and Ana Polvorosa (Spain Ambassadors)
Gary Lineker and Cat Deeley (United Kingdom Ambassadors)
Alessandra Ambrosio and Bebel Gilberto (Brazil Ambassadors)
Ranganathan Madhavan and Hasan Minhaj (India Ambassadors)
Alessandro Del Piero and Eleonora Cozzella (Italy Ambassadors)
Esterelle Payany (France Ambassador)
Hikari Mori and Yuji Ayabe (Japan Ambassadors)

Food Critics:

Sam Sifton (United States Food Critic)
Mariana Camacho (Mexico Food Critic)
Borja Beneyto (Spain Food Critic)
Jay Rayner (United Kingdom Food Critic)
Josimar Melo (Brazil Food Critic)
Rashmi Uday Singh (India Food Critic)
Andrea Petrini (Italy Food Critic)
Francois-Regis Gaudry (France Food Critic)
Akiko Katayama (Japan Food Critic)

For more on “The Final Table,” visit our social channels:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dontwatchhungry/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dontwatchhungry

Twitter https://twitter.com/dontwatchhungry

About Netflix

Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with 130 million memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

Food Network announces ‘Bite Club’ cooking competition hosted by Tyler Florence

August 9, 2018

The following is a press release from Food Network:

This fall, Tyler Florence hits some of the country’s top food cities and pits local chefs against each other in a fierce fight to become their hometown champ in the new competition series “Bite Club.” In each location, five chefs arrive prepared to cook in an unknown kitchen, and are greeted with a game of chance that results in two chefs becoming the competition’s judges. The three remaining chefs then go head-to-head in two rounds of intense secret ingredient cooking battles, where their peers ultimately decide who becomes the city’s Bite Club champ. The six-episode series premieres Thursday, September 6th at 9 p.m. ET/PT with Chicago, followed by episodes in Savannah, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Charleston and Nashville.

“When five of the hottest chefs in the same city go up against each other, the energy is explosive – they are colleagues and rivals, friends and competitors,” said Courtney White, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Food Network and HGTV. “Tyler is the perfect host to oversee the top-notch culinary action and rivalry in each town.”

In the series premiere, five of Chicago’s most talented chefs meet Tyler in an Italian restaurant kitchen they have never cooked in before. Luck determines which two will serve as judges and which three proceed to the kitchen. Round one throws the competitors for a loop when they are presented with alligator meat – but they rally and take advantage of the restaurant’s powerful pizza oven in the hopes of cooking it just right. The most successful two chefs move to the next round, but only one is named the Windy City’s Bite Club champ.

After each city’s battle, catch behind-the-scenes photos and fun moments at FoodNetwork.com/BiteClub, as well as Food Network’s Facebook and Instagram pages using the hashtag #BiteClub. And don’t miss Tyler Florence taking on a few challenges of his own! Plus, get a taste of the food each city has to offer and find out which dishes you need to try on your next visit with the digital companion series Bite Club: Food Network Finds.

# # #

FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine’s rate base has grown 13 times and is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.5 million readers. Food Network is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Netflix announces two new culinary series: ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’ starring Samin Nosrat and ‘The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell’

July 29, 2018

Samin Nosrat of "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" — Samin Nosrat of “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” (Photo courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix has announced these new series:

“Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” launches October 19, 2018. Based on Samin Nosrat’s best-selling, James Beard Award-winning book, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” is the essential guide to the basic elements of good cooking. Directed by Caroline Suh, each episode of this four-part series joins our spirited guide Samin as she travels to home kitchens of Italy, the southern islands of Japan, the heat of the Yucatán and back to Berkeley’s Chez Panisse—where she started her culinary career—to demystify and explore the central principles of what makes food delicious and how each of us can easily incorporate those elements into every dish. “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” is produced by Jigsaw Productions, the creators of “Cooked.”

“The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell”: Get ready to experience the art of darkness in ways you’ve never imagined with baker and artist, Christine McConnell, as she welcomes you into her terrifyingly delicious home, every episode she bakes, sculpts and sews to create delectable confections and hauntingly disturbing decor with the help of her colorful collection of creatures. The series is produced by The Jim Henson Company and Wilshire Studios.

Meanwhile, “Chef’s Table” Season 5 will launch on September 28, 2018. The new season will take viewers inside the lives and kitchens of four new international chefs as the series explores their lives, talents and passion from their piece of culinary heaven.

Food Network debuts ‘Let’s Eat’ starring Brandi Milloy, Stuart O’Keeffe and Jamika Pessoa

July 26, 2018

Stuart O'Keefe, Jamika Pessoa and Brandi Milloy — Stuart O’Keefe, Jamika Pessoa and Brandi Milloy (Photo by Jason DeCrow)

The following is a press release from Food Network:

From flavorful dishes, to popular restaurant trends, and to the latest food fads captivating social media, Brandi Milloy, Stuart O’Keeffe, and Jamika Pessoa are breaking it all down on new daytime series “Let’s Eat,” premiering on Sunday, August 12th at 11am PT/ET. The trio of food-passionate hosts will be joined by special culinary guests, as well as experts from Food Network Kitchen, as they explore everything that is current in the culinary world, and share tips, tricks, and mouthwatering recipes to make your time in the kitchen a breeze.

“With Brandi, Stuart and Jamika at the helm, ‘Let’s Eat’ celebrates all the hottest food crazes in an entertaining and educational half-hour of non-stop fun,” said Courtney White, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Programming, Food Network and HGTV. “Their innovative cooking hacks will help viewers recreate that wow factor to stun family and friends in their own homes.”

Food is front and center in each of the half-hour episodes, and every dish is unapologetically delicious. From comforting chicken pot pie with tater tot crust, to decadent bacon, cheddar, jalapeno stuffed hush puppies, and to chocolate mousse in cookie bowls, there is something to satisfy every type of salty, savory and sweet craving. Throughout the season, Brandi, Stuart and Jamika teach innovative cooking techniques to make preparing any meal quick and easy. Plus, they head out of the kitchen to top restaurants discovering the secrets behind their most popular dishes that have gone viral. Come along as they turn food fails upside down, create edible illusions, and mashup your favorite dishes.

Growing up in a military family that moved often fueled Brandi Milloy’s love of food, people, culture and travel. Widely known as a food and lifestyle expert, fans have come to rely on her popular blog for easy pantry staple meals and crowd-pleasing recipes. She is best known for the YouTube series “POPSUGAR Food: Eat the Trend” and “Get the Dish with Brandi Milloy.” Brandi is no stranger to television, and brings her expertise to the Today Show as a regular contributor. She has also appeared on Cooking Channel’s “Eat. This. Now.” and Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Food Network Star” and “Chopped Junior.”

Stuart O’Keeffe is an accomplished celebrity and professional chef, known for his hearty but healthy meals. Growing up in Ireland, he first explored his passion for food while cooking alongside his mother. After graduating from high school, he attended culinary school at the Dublin Institute of Technology. In 2016 Stuart released his first cookbook, “The Quick Six Fix,” which offers no-fuss recipes that are full of flavor. He has also starred on Irish television in “Stuart’s Kitchen,” and on Food Network’s “Private Chefs of Beverly Hills,” as a judge on “Chopped,” and as a featured chef on OWN’s Home Made Simple.

Jamika Pessoa is a chef and caterer to the stars, known for bold twists on traditional dishes, especially those of her Southern and Caribbean heritages. Audiences first met Jamika on Food Network Star where they came to know her innovative style, sassy personality, and inspiring tenacity in the kitchen.Since then she has been featured on Cooking Channel’s “Donut Showdown, Unique Sweets.” Jamika is also a recurring judge on Food Network’s upcoming series “Ultimate Summer Cook-Off.”

On Food Network’s Facebook and Instagram fans can meet the hosts in a series of insider clips, and get their takes on the latest trending food debates. Also, they can learn even more cooking tips and food hacks, watch over-the-top dishes come to life, and use #LetsEat to share their own tricks in the kitchen. Plus, for all the full recipes featured on the show visit FoodNetwork.com/LetsEat.

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Gordon Ramsay and National Geographic partner on series ‘Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted’

July 25, 2018

The following is a press release from National Geographic:

National Geographic Global Networks CEO Courteney Monroe and Gordon Ramsay announced today during the network’s session at the Television Critics Press Tour the greenlight of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,” a series that draws connections between exploration, adventure and food – with a dash of friendly competition – starring Ramsay. Produced by his own Studio Ramsay, the celebrated chef will embark on anthropology-through-cuisine expeditions to unearth the most incredible people, places and flavors the world has to offer. “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” will premiere globally in 2019 on National Geographic in 171 countries and 43 languages, with Studio Ramsay/All3 Media retaining rights in the remaining international territories. Production is set to begin this fall.

Food and adventure programming is familiar ground for Ramsay, whose 2010 U.K. series for Channel 4, “Gordon’s Great Escapes,” saw the venerable chef explore the food culture of India and Southeast Asia. An Ironman athlete and adrenaline junkie, Ramsay has long held the belief that learning is best achieved by doing – a philosophy for not only how he cooks but also how he runs his business. For his global restaurant chain Ramsay sends his Michelin-starred chefs around the world to hone new skills and flavors from the most unlikely people and places.

Each episode of “Uncharted” will include three key ingredients: unlocking a culture’s culinary secrets through exploration and adventure with local food heroes, no matter where they may lead him; tracking down high-octane traditions, pastimes and customs that are specific to the region in hopes of discovering the undiscovered; and, finally, testing Ramsay against the locals, pitting his own interpretations of regional dishes against the tried-and-true classics. The series moves beyond conversation to truly immerse Ramsay in all aspects of the local culture to better prepare him for the final friendly cooking competition with local chefs and foodies.

Join Ramsay as he scales roofs of caves to harvest fresh nests in Malaysian Borneo and puts fear aside to hunt tarantulas in Cambodia. Ramsay will travel through cities and remote areas, experiencing local challenges underwater, across mountains and through the jungle, and explore each location’s extraordinary cultures, to uncover what it really takes to obtain each special ingredient.

“My passion for adventure has made me not only a better chef but also a fearless apprentice of all cultures, which makes it so exciting for me to work with National Geographic, who’ve been taking exploration to the limit for their entire storied history,” said Ramsay.

The series represents an extension of Ramsay’s longtime partnership with the FOX family of networks, which has been home to his Emmy-nominated series such as “Hell’s Kitchen,” “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior” since 2005.

“Fans of Gordon Ramsay know all too well the passion he brings to his work,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO of National Geographic Global Networks. “Armed with his relentless pursuit of finding the unexpected, Gordon is not only a bold chef and exceptional television talent, but he is also a fearless adventurer who pushes himself to the limit to fully immerse himself in new worlds and cultures. We’re thrilled to inspire the legions of Gordon Ramsay fans with a series unlike anything they’ve ever seen from him before.”

About National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 128 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching over 730 million people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Gordon Ramsay/Studio Ramsay

Renowned for highly successful and award-winning original programming, Emmy nominated, multi-Michelin-star chef Gordon Ramsay produces TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic that are seen by audiences worldwide, including his FOX shows “The F Word,” “24 Hours to Hell and Back,” “MasterChef,” “MasterChef Junior,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “MasterChef Celebrity Showdown,” as well as Bravo’s “Best New Restaurant” and Food Network’s competition series “Food Court Wars.” In the U.K., he’s produced “Gordon Ramsay Behind Bars” and “Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape” for Channel 4; food biography and nostalgia series “My Kitchen” for UKTV’s Good Food Channel; two instructional cookery series, “Ultimate Home Cooking” and “Ultimate Cookery Course” for Channel 4; and the first two seasons of “Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch,” all under his One Potato Two Potato banner.

The next-generation multimedia production company Studio Ramsay was founded in 2016 by Ramsay and has a joint venture with All3Media to develop and produce both unscripted and scripted television shows, creating new formats and innovative programming that include a scripted arm focused on food-related themes and development of new talent on a global front. The catalog of programs that Ramsay has worked on historically with All3Media via One Potato Two Potato, together with new original content he’s currently developing, make for a unique and dynamic production and distribution partnership. Studio Ramsay’s first production, live “The F Word With Gordon Ramsay,” premiered last summer in the U.S. on FOX, and its second FOX series, “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” currently airs of FOX. Its first daytime cooking series, “Culinary Genius,” premiered on ITV in the U.K. and was syndicated on FOX stations in the U.S. last summer. His documentary series, “Gordon on Cocaine,” premiered in the fall on ITV to critical acclaim. “Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch,” starring Tilly Ramsay for U.K. children’s channel CBBC, is also produced by Studio Ramsay. For more information, please visit www.gordonramsay.com or follow Gordon Ramsay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.