Inside F&B

ODD JOB

By Danilo “Dacha” Bozović

After working behind bars, and hanging (and drinking) in others, you notice that there are liquors that sell themselves with little help required and some that just sit, waiting to be used from time to time.

In most cases, cocktails are the main agents promoting sales of any kind of drinkable ingredient- not just spirits, liqueurs, and bitters, but even juices and sodas.

Cocktails like the Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan, Black Russian, and Harvey Wallbanger (to name a few) have increased the demand and sales of their branded main ingredients and made them staples behind most bars. The Black Russian has done a lot for the popularity of the coffee liqueurs, in particular Kahlua. The Cosmo promoted Absolut Citron, Ocean Spray Cranberry and Cointreau. The Moscow Mule helped lead growing vodka trend in the 1950′s and also brought ginger beer to the main stage of cocktail ingredients. Likewise, the Harvey Wallbanger helped introduce Galliano, a delicious Italian liqueur with delicious herbal notes, a sweet vanilla flavor and just enough anise to play with your taste buds.

The Harvey Wallbanger, but more importantly Galliano, are the inspirations of this post about a delicious and admittedly “boozy” cocktail called “The Odd Job.”

The Odd Job is a cocktail created by my good Read the full article here »

Tags: Danilo Bozovic, Drinkwire, fernet branca, Galliano, Harvey Wallbanger, Ivan Papic, liquor.com, Macao Trading Company, Manhattan, Odd Job
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April 12th, 2014

DON’T MISS – PERFECT PUREE SAMPLERS

Price of limes driving you nuts? So nuts that you know that the price savings to be found in ordering a packer’s case won’t do the trick and you’re just going to re-engineer the menu a little sooner than later or raise your prices?
Well, stop pulling your hair out trying to figure out if you can pull one over on your guests by substituting lemons for limes like that sneaky Thai restaurant did to your Pad Thai on Wednesday and consider some new flavors for your drinks.

Perfect Puree has a lot to choose from, but best of all, you can give them a whirl without a lot of commitment and waste, thanks to the brand’s new sampling size, a sealed 2 oz. cups* that replaces the 3 oz sample cups that were non-sealed, not one time use and couldn’t be left behind by foodservice distributor reps because they needed them for another call.

Michele Lex, Director of Marketing and Sales Operation, explains, “We are excited to ring in 2014 with the launch of our new direct sample program for foodservice professionals! So much of what we learned last year going from city to city and talking to bartenders and chefs helped us to create this program which is really an iteration of what we have done for 25 years, deliver flavor. Now we bring it to their doorstep. We switched it up going all direct sampling and took the sampling away from the food distributor level so now you can order samples directly.”

Those direct samples, which will be shipped out every weekday but Friday, will arrive promptly, up to eight at a time. That many flavors gives chefs and bartenders a nice opportunity to play around and experiment with various recipes. Lex comments, “Now it is something a bartender or chef can play with at their leisure. They can do it with their team and have some fun with it.”

The fun begins when the order is placed, as Lex explains, “When we get a request for samples we pick up the phone and call them back and engage in that dialogue to ask “what are you doing?” so that we can really provide them with the most efficient use of the sampling program. Plus, it is a way for us to have a touch point for their thinking outside the box.”

With myriad flavors to choose from, plus two seasonal flavors to be launched in May and September now is the time to start thinking about ordering directly through www.perfectpuree.com and finding your fruit inspiration. Who knows, you and your recipes may end up featured on the Perfect Puree website.

*Zests and ginger and roasted red pepper samples, traditional commercial use flavors, come in full jars to accommodate the needs for manufacturers and bakers who require a larger sample size for test recipes.

Tags: Michele Lex, Perfect Puree, Perfect Puree of Napa Valley, Sampling Program, single use samplesle
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April 4th, 2014

SIMON SAYS…

Kerry Simon Says Fight MSA Event
By E.C. Gladstone

A few days ago, Bill Murray made headlines for taking ten seconds out of his Academy Awards appearance to pay tribute to his deceased collaborator Harold Ramis. But just three nights prior, the actor spent an entire, lengthy evening February 27 clowning onstage and off as co-host of a Las Vegas fundraiser for another former collaborator, Chef Kerry Simon.

What got the relatively publicity-shy Murray involved in Simon Says Fight MSA? This was more than just a random good cause: He and Simon started their respective careers making pizzas as teenagers at a Little Caesars in Evanston, Illinois. “He was a blues guitarist, I was trying to be an actor, and we were both starving,” Murray recalled, ruminating on the joys of eating raw pizza dough. The comedian spent much of the night cracking up the audience (most of whom paid $500-1000 to attend) and gently roasting Simon, including leading everyone in a chorus of “Happy Birthday” to the chef–about four months early–and referring to him as Jerry and Barry at times.

Murray was far from the only luminary to appear at the Keep Memory Alive Event Center that evening. Chefs attending and cooking included some of the biggest in the industry: Simon’s mentor Jean-Georges Vongerichten , Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer, and Wylie Dufresne, as well as several of the Vegas Strip’s most prominent names. On the liquid side, Francesco Lafranconi assembled a who’s-who of Vegas mixology to helm the bar, including Tony Abou-Ganim, Max Solano (Emeril’s Restaurants), David Cooper (Carnevino) and Chris Hopkins (Wynn/Encore resorts) , each of whom served original cocktails with spirits donated by SWS.”The room was full of people that have a personal, vested interest and a true love for him,” Palmer told Inside F&B afterward. “It says a lot for the kind of person Kerry is and how many lives he has affected.”

If you’re getting the picture that this event was a bit different than the average culinary charity gala, here’s why: Simon, who owns and operates restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago and the Dominican Republic, is not only raising awareness for Multiple Systems Atrophy, a degenerative neurological disorder similar to, but more severe than, Parkinson’s Disease. He was also recently diagnosed with the condition, for which there is no established treatment or cure. His diagnosis was announced in a column by Robin Leach only about ten weeks ago. “Once that happened, there was this, crazy outpouring and overwhelming show of support,” Simon business partner Elizabeth Blau tells Inside F&B. “So many people saying they wanted to do something.”

Simon, once dubbed “The Rock ‘N’ Roll Chef” by Rolling Stone for his many connections to the music world, managed to assemble a list of performers that would rival a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, including Vince Neil, Alice Cooper, Slash, Sammy Hagar, Todd Rundgren, and Lisa Loeb, who performed separately and together, including a closing ensemble cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together.”
Considering that they donated their own food (according to Blau), the chefs certainly weren’t skimpy with what they served. The menu included thick-cut black-jack spiced lamb chops from MacPherson, Kona kampachi tacos in taro root shells from Rick Moonen (RM Seafood), and an incredible leek vinaigrette with carrot confit and soft poached quail egg from Boulud, among many other refined bites. Balanced, of course, by a healthy offering of Simon’s own “junk food platter” recreations, one of the many ways in which the chef helped kick off the creative comfort food trend.

“This wasn’t some promotional event,” Blau emphasizes, noting the event came together in less than two months’ time. “Daniel Boulud flew in that morning and out the next [just so he could participate].”

Although Simon once defeated Cat Cora in an episode of Iron Chef America, in the era of celebrity chefs he has been a relatively low-key presence considering his pedigree, including running the Plaza Hotel’s Edwardian Room, earning four New York Times stars at the Drake Hotel, and having his first Vegas restaurant, Simon Kitchen & Bar, named one of “America’s Best New Restaurants” by Esquire in 2003.

“He’s always very generous, with his time and his knowledge,” Dufresne told Inside F&B of Simon, under whom the WD-50 chef worked at Vongerichten’s Prime. “He’s like my guardian angel.”

Nearly $525,000 was raised during the evening, co-organized by Simon business partners Elizabeth Blau and George Maloof, including funds from silent and live auctions. An after-party at Simon Restaurant & Lounge, with Murray and many of the chefs and rockers in attendance, went into the wee hours.

Donations to Simon Says Fight MSA can be made through Keep Memory Alive at www.keepmemoryalive.org.

Tags: Alice Cooper, Bill Murray, Charlie Palmer, Chris Hopkins, Daniel Boulud, David Cooper, Drinkwire, Elizabeth Blau, George Maloof, Grant MacPherson, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Keep Memory Alive, Kerry Simon, Lisa Loeb, Max Solano, Michael Mina, MSA, Multiple Systems Atrophy, Rick Moonen, Rock and Roll Chef, Sammy Hagar, Slash, Todd Rundgren, Tony Abou Ganim, Vince Neil, Wylie Dufresne
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March 25th, 2014

JAMES BEARD AWARDS 2014 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Is your favorite spot or hospitality industry professional on the finalists’ list? Who do you think should have made the cut? And who do you think will win this time around or should sit back, pay their dues, and wait their turn? Inquiring minds want to know. Finalists are listed below:

On Friday, May 2, 2014, the James Beard Foundation Book, Broadcast & Journalism Awards Dinner, an exclusive event honoring the nation’s top cookbook authors, culinary broadcast producers and hosts, and food journalists, will take place at Gotham Hall in New York City, hosted by Matt Lee and Ted Lee. On Monday, May 5, 2014, the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception will take place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City with Ted Allen as Master of Ceremonies and Mario Batali as Gala Chef Chair. During the event, which is open to the public, awards for the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design categories will be handed out, along with special achievement awards including Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Who’s Who, and the America’s Classics. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top culinary talents from across the country, who will be serving dishes that reflect this year’s Awards theme, “Sounds of the City,” celebrating the enduring relationship between music and food.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and further the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program. All JBF Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.

Tickets to the May 5 Awards ceremony and gala reception are now on sale and can be purchased at jamesbeard.org/awards or through the Awards Box Office at 914.231.6180. General public tickets are $475 ($425 for James Beard Foundation members).

The 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards are presented with support by the following partners: Premier Sponsors: All-Clad Metalcrafters, Lenox Tableware and Gifts; Supporting Sponsors: Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, BACARDI 8, Breville, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Lavazza, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Stella Artois®, Valrhona; Gala Reception Sponsors: Celebrity Cruises®, Ecolab, Food Network & Cooking Channel, Tanqueray No. TEN®, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts; Additional Support: Chefwear, Crest Be®, VerTerra Dinnerware, Visit Orlando®.

About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful and delicious food. Today the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. In September of 2012, the Foundation launched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol and helped create the American Chef Corps as a way to champion American chefs abroad, promote American food products and foster an interest in American culinary culture and history through international programs and initiatives. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation’s blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook. Follow the James Beard Foundation on Twitter and Instagram.

2014 James Beard Foundation Awards Nominees
2014 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
For books published in English in 2013. Winners will be announced on May 2, 2014.

LIST OF FINALISTS

2014 James Beard Foundation Broadcast and New Media Awards
Presented Lenox Tableware and Gifts
Radio Show/Audio Webcast

Here & Now
Hosts: Meghna Chakrabarti, Jeremy Hobson, and Robin Young
Area: Public Radio
Producer: Kathy Gunst

The Splendid Table
Host: Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Area: American Public Media and Public Radio
Producers: Jennifer Russell and Sally Swift

This American Life
Host: Fred Armisen, Ben Calhoun, and Ira Glass
Area: NPR
Producer: Ben Calhoun

Special/Documentary

CBS Sunday Morning: “Eat, Drink and be Merry”
Host: Charles Osgood
Network: CBS
Producers: Gavin Boyle, Cathy Lewis, Amol Mhatre, Rand Morrison, Amy Rosner, Jason Sacca, and Robin Sanders

Eating Alabama
Network: PBS
Producers: Andrew Beck Grace and Bartley Powers

The Harvey Girls: Opportunity Bound
Network: PBS
Producer: Katrina Parks

Television Program, in Studio or Fixed Location

Heartland Table
Host: Amy Thielen
Network: Food Network
Producers: Random House Television and Tavola Production

Lidia’s Kitchen
Host: Lidia Bastianich
Network: PBS
Producer: Tavola Production

Martha Stewart’s Cooking School
Host: Martha Stewart
Network: PBS
Producers: Greta Anthony, Christina Deyo, Michael Morrison, Martha Stewart, Calia Van Dyk, and Lisa Wagner

Television Program, on Location

A Chef’s Life
Host: Vivian Howard
Network: PBS
Producers Cynthia Hill and Markay Media

Lidia Celebrates America: Freedom and Independence
Host: Lidia Bastianich
Network: PBS
Producer: Anne Adams, Mimi Adams, Lidia Bastianich, Laurie Donnelly, Shelly Burgess Nicotra, and Rob Tate

The Mind of a Chef
Host: Anthony Bourdain
Network: PBS
Producers: Jared Adrukanis, Anthony Bourdain, Joe Caterini, Chris Collins, Michael Steed, and Lydia Tenaglia

Television Segment

American Journey
Host: Tom Foreman
Network: CNN and CNN.com
Producer: Jeremy Harlan and Sarah LeTrent

CBS Sunday Morning
Host: Martha Teichner
Network: CBS
Producer: Jon Carras and Mary Raffalli

Friday Arts, Art of Food
Network: WHYY-TV
Producer: Monica Rogozinski

Video Webcast, Fixed Location and/or Instructional

Cook Smarter
chefsteps.com
Host: Grant Lee Crilly
Producer: Kristina Krug

Thirsty For…
youtube.com/tastemade
Producer: Jay Holzer and Eric Slatikin

Upwave Eat Videos
upwave.com
Hosts: Pancho Gatchalian, Sarah Mastracco, and Jamie Tiampo
Producers: SeeFood Media, Space Station Media, and Upwave

Video Webcast, on Location

Dark Rye
darkrye.com
Producers: Clyde Burley, Ira Chute, and Kelly Le Castre
Kitchen Vignettes
kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/PBS
Producer: Aube Giroux and Matt Schoch

The Perennial Plate: Europe and South Asia
theperennialplate.com
Hosts: Mirra Fine and Daniel Klein
Producers: Mirra Fine and Daniel Klein

Outstanding Personality/Host

Host: Ina Garten
Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
Network: Food Network

Host: Sara Moulton
Sara’s Weeknight Meals
Network: PBS

Host: Andrea Robinson
The 30-Minute Wine Whiz
andreawine.com

2014 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards

For articles published in English in 2013. Winners will be announced on May 2, 2014.

Cooking, Recipes, or Instruction

Scott Mowbray and Ann Taylor Pittman
Cooking Light
“7 Simple Ways to Become a Better Cook”

Andy Ricker
Saveur
“The Star of Siam”

Various Editors
Bon Appétit
“How to Cook Right Now”

Food and Culture

John Birdsall
Lucky Peach
“America, Your Food Is So Gay”

Lauren Collins
The New Yorker
“Fire-Eaters”

Corby Kummer
Smithsonian
“Can Starbucks Do for the Croissant What it Did for Coffee?”

Food and Travel

Greg Larson
Lucky Peach
“Traveling in the North Country”

Nick Paumgarten
Bon Appétit
“Lunch at 8,500 Ft.”

Gary Shteyngart
Travel + Leisure
“Maximum Bombay”

Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication

San Francisco Chronicle
“Food & Wine” Section
Various Editors

The Wall Street Journal
“Off Duty” Section
Beth Kracklauer

Washingtonian
“Taste” Section
Todd Kliman and Ann Limpert

Food Politics, Policy, and the Environment

Maryn McKenna
Food & Environment Reporting Network and Medium
“Imagining the Post-Antibiotics Future”

Eli Saslow
The Washington Post
“Food Stamps”

Craig Welch
The Seattle Times
“Sea Change: The Pacific’s Perilous Turn”

Food-Related Columns

Tamar Haspel
The Washington Post
Unearthed

Kristen Miglore
Food52
Genius Recipes

Adam Sachs
Bon Appétit
The Obsessivore

Group Food Blog

The Braiser

Eater National

First We Feast

Health and Well-Being

Elizabeth Gunnison Dunn
The Wall Street Journal
“This is Not a Carbonara”

Sidney Fry, MS, RD
Cooking Light
“Salt”

Rachael Moeller Gorman
EatingWell
“The Whole-Grain, Reduced-Fat, Zero-Calorie, High-Fiber, Lightly Sweetened Truth about Food Labels”

Humor

Ira Chute
Dark Rye
A Vision of Post-Apocalyptic Cuisine: Frankenchicken

Lisa Hanawalt
Lucky Peach
“On the Trail with Wylie”

Monica Hesse
The Washington Post
“Gwyneth Paltrow: We Love to Hate Her, But We’ll Buy Her Cookbook Anyway”

Individual Food Blog

Food for the Thoughtless
Michael Procopio

Homesick Texan
Lisa Fain

Poor Man’s Feast
Elissa Altman

Personal Essay

Fuchsia Dunlop
Lucky Peach
“Dick Soup”

Elizabeth Gilbert
Outside
“Don’t Mess with Perfect”

Gabrielle Hamilton
Bon Appétit
“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”

Profile

Alex Halberstadt
The New York Times Magazine
“The Transformational Power of the Right Spice”

Francis Lam
Lucky Peach
“A Day on Long Island with Alex Lee”

Peter Meehan
Lucky Peach
“Life, and How It Happens to a Cook”

Visual Storytelling

Jeff Allen, Jonathan Boncek, Andrew Cebulka, Allston McCrady, and Susan Puckett
The Local Palate
“Dinin’ Down in the Delta,” “Ferm Belief,” “Fire It Up,”

Chris Higdon, Jessie Kriech-Higdon, and Jen White
Spenser Magazine
“Controlled Burn,” “Lead Us Into Temptation,” “The South’s Sweet Elixir”

James Maikowski, Patricia Sanchez, Stephen Scoble, and Fredika Stjärne
Food & Wine
“Best New Chef All Stars,” “Oysters & Gumbo: A Chef’s New Orleans Party,” “Vegetables Now”

Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages

Ray Isle
Food & Wine
“The Battle for America’s Oldest Vines”

Josh Ozersky
The Wall Street Journal
“Bourbon Mania!”

Besha Rodell
Punch
“40 Ounces to Freedom”

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award

Alison Cook
Houston Chronicle
“Corkscrew BBQ a New Houston Classic,” “The Cosmic Soup of Pho Hung,” “The Pass Unleashes Plates of Playfulness”

Alan Richman
GQ
“Alan Richman Walks Into a Jewish Deli…,” “The Elm: Is Brooklyn Ready for Sophisticated Dining?,” “ZZ’s, the Most Expensive 58 Minutes in New York Dining”

Besha Rodell
L.A. Weekly
“Black Hogg Down,” “Outback Steakhouse Review: Please Don’t Call This Food Australian,” “Sqirl Review: Jessica Koslow’s Tiny Restaurant Is Serving Some of the Best Food in L.A.”

MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award

Francis Lam
Bon Appétit
“Better with Age”

Guy Martin
Garden & Gun
“A Tale of Two Kitchens”

John Jeremiah Sullivan
Lucky Peach
“I Placed a Jar in Tennessee”

2014 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
For books published in English in 2013. Winners will be announced on May 2, 2014.

American Cooking

I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes
Daniel Humm and Will Guidara
(Ten Speed Press)

The New Midwestern Table: 200 Heartland Recipes
Amy Thielen
(Random House)

Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey: Recipes from My Three Favorite Food Groups and Then Some
John Currence
(Andrews McMeel Publishing)

Baking and Dessert
The Art of French Pastry
Jacquy Pfeiffer with Martha Rose Shulman
(Knopf)
Sweet
Valerie Gordon
(Artisan)
Tartine Book No. 3: Modern Ancient Classic Whole
Chad Robertson
(Chronicle Books)

Beverage

The Cocktail Lab: Unraveling the Mysteries of Flavor and Aroma in Drink, with Recipes
Tony Conigliaro
(Ten Speed Press)

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks
Amy Stewart
(Algonquin Books)

The New California Wine: A Guide to the Producers and Wines Behind a Revolution in Taste
Jon Bonne
(Ten Speed Press)

Cooking from a Professional Point of View

Historic Heston
Heston Blumenthal
(Bloomsbury)

Manresa: An Edible Reflection
David Kinch with Christine Muhlke
(Ten Speed Press)

René Redzepi: A Work in Progress
René Redzepi
(Phaidon Press)

Focus on Health

Gluten-Free Girl Every Day
Shauna James Ahern with Daniel Ahern
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good
Mark Bittman
(Clarkson Potter Publishers)

Weeknight Wonders: Delicious, Healthy Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less
Ellie Krieger
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

General Cooking

One Good Dish
David Tanis
(Artisan)

Smoke: New Firewood Cooking
Tim Byres
(Rizzoli New York)

Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate
Richard Blais
(Clarkson Potter Publishers)

International

Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking
Fuchsia Dunlop
(W. W. Norton & Company)

Return to the Rivers: Recipes and Memories of the Himalayan River Valleys
Vikas Khanna with Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn
(Lake Isle Press)

Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way
Oretta Zanini DeVita and Maureen B. Fant
(W. W. Norton & Company)

Photography

Historic Heston
Photographer: Romas Foord
(Bloomsbury USA)

Mast Brothers Chocolate
Photographer: Tuukka Koski
(Little, Brown and Company)

René Redzepi: A Work in Progress
Ali Kurshat Altinsoy, Ditte Isager, René Redzepi, Lars Williams, and the Noma Team
(Phaidon Press)

Reference and Scholarship

A History of Food in 100 Recipes
William Sitwell
(Little, Brown and Company)

Modern Food, Moral Food: Self-Control, Science, and the Rise of Modern American Eating in the Early Twentieth Century
Helen Zoe Veit
(The University of North Carolina Press)

Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time
Adrian Miller
(The University of North Carolina Press)

Single Subject

Culinary Birds: The Ultimate Poultry Cookbook
John Ash with James O. Fraioli
(Running Press)

Fish: 54 Seafood Feasts
Cree LeFavour
(Chronicle Books)

In the Charcuterie: The Fatted Calf’s Guide to Making Sausage, Salumi, Pâtés, Roasts, Confits, and Other Meaty Goods
Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller
(Ten Speed Press)

Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian

Feast: Generous Vegetarian Meals for Any Eater and Every Appetite
Sarah Copeland
(Chronicle Books)

River Cottage Veg
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
(Ten Speed Press)

Vegetable Literacy
Deborah Madison
(Ten Speed Press)

Writing and Literature

A Fork in the Road: Tales of Food, Pleasure and Discovery on the Road
Edited by James Oseland
(Lonely Planet)

Provence, 1970: M. F. K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste
Luke Barr
(Clarkson Potter Publishers)

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us
Michael Moss
(Random House)

The winner of the Cookbook of the Year Award and the Cookbook Hall of Fame inductee will be announced on May 2, 2014.

2014 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards
Winners will be announced on May 5, 2014.

75 Seats and Under (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2011)

Design Firm: Assimilation Design Lab LLC and Otto Architects LLC
Designers: Josh Otto and David Whipple
Project: Tria Taproom, Philadelphia

Design Firm: Huxley Wallace Collective
Designers: Joshua Henderson and Matthew Parker
Project: Westward, Seattle

Design Firm: Lawton Stanley Architects
Designers: Maria Contreras, Christopher Lawton, and Micah Stanley
Project: Grace, Chicago

76 Seats and Over (For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2011)

Design Firm: Jensen ArchitectsDesigners: Scott Davis, Mark Jensen, Lincoln Lighthill, Dean Orr, and Andy PluessProject: Shed, Healdsburg, CA

Design Firm: Munge LeungDesigner: Sai Leung and Alessandro MungeProject: Hawksworth Restaurant, Vancouver

Design Firm: Slade ArchitectureDesigners: Hayes Slade and James Slade Project: Virgin Atlantic Airway’s Clubhouse at Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, NJ

2014 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

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

Dave Beran, Next, Chicago

Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago

Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland

Paul Virant, Vie Restaurant, Western Springs, IL

Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia, Chicago

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

Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA

Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore

Brad Spence, Amis, Philadelphia

Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.

Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

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

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee

Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis

Gerard Craft, Niche, Clayton, MO

Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis

Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Café, St. Louis

Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, MN

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig

Dan Kluger, ABC Kitchen

Mark Ladner, Del Posto

Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto

Michael White, Marea

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

Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa, Boston

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston

Gerry Hayden, The North Fork Table & Inn, Southold, NY

Matt Jennings, Farmstead Inc., Providence, RI

Michael Leviton, Lumière, Newton, MA

Barry Maiden, Hungry Mother, Cambridge, MA

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

Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle

Jason Franey, Canlis, Seattle

Naomi Pomeroy, Beast, Portland, OR

Ethan Stowell, Staple & Fancy, Seattle

Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, OR

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS

Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans

Ryan Prewitt, Pêche Seafood Grill, New Orleans

Alon Shaya, Domenica, New Orleans

Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s, New Orleans

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

Kathy Cary, Lilly’s, Louisville, KY

Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Downtown Diner, Raleigh, NC

Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY

Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta

Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville

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

Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s, Cave Creek, AZ

Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin

Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s, Houston

Chris Shepherd, Underbelly, Houston

Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)

Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles

Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco

Daniel Patterson, Coi, San Francisco

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles

Best New Restaurant

Betony, NYC

Carbone, NYC

Coqueta, San Francisco

Estela, NYC

Pêche Seafood Grill, New Orleans

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM

Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

David Wondrich, spirits educator, Brooklyn, NY

Outstanding Wine Program

A16, San Francisco

Bar Boulud, NYC

The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN

FIG, Charleston, SC

The Little Nell, Aspen, CO

Outstanding Bar Program

Bar Agricole, San Francisco

The Bar at the NoMad Hotel, NYC

Clyde Common, Portland, OR

Maison Premiere, Brooklyn, NY

The Violet Hour, Chicago

Outstanding Service
Presented by Stella Artois®
A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least the past 5 years.

Blue Hill, NYC

Quince, San Francisco

The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

Topolobampo, Chicago

Vetri, Philadelphia

Outstanding Pastry Chef
A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a standard-bearer for excellence. Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.

Dominique Ansel, Dominique Ansel Bakery, NYC

Dana Cree, Blackbird, Chicago

Belinda Leong, b. patisserie, San Francisco

Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles

Christina Tosi, Momofuku, NYC

Outstanding Restaurateur
A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.

Barbara Lynch, Barbara Lynch Gruppo, Boston (No. 9 Park, Menton, B&G Oysters, and others)

Donnie Madia, One Off Hospitality Group, Chicago (Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, and others)

Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa Valley, CA (Mustards Grill, Cindy’s Back Street Kitchen)

Caroline Styne, Los Angeles (Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and others)

Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, NYC (ABC Kitchen, Jean-Georges, wd~50, and others)

Rising Star Chef of the Year
Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Jimmy Bannos Jr., The Purple Pig, Chicago

Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC

Jessica Largey, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA

David Posey, Blackbird, Chicago

Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Lummi Island, WA

Outstanding Restaurant
Presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service.
Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.

Hearth, NYC

Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL

The Slanted Door, San Francisco

Spiaggia, Chicago

wd~50, NYC

Outstanding Chef
Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.

Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern, NYC

Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC

Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles

David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA

Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles

Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia

2014 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics

Hansen’s Sno Bliz, New Orleans
Owner: Ashley Hansen

Nick’s Italian Café, McMinnville, OR
Owners: Nick Peirano, Carmen Peirano, and Eric Ferguson

Olneyville New York System, Providence, RI
Owners: Stephanie Stevens Turini and Greg Stevens

Perini Ranch Steakhouse, Buffalo Gap, TX
Owners: Lisa and Tom Perini

Sokolowski’s University Inn, Cleveland
Owners: Bernard Sokolowski, Mary Balbier, and Michael Sokolowski

2014 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America

Edward Behr
Food Writer
St. Johnsbury, VT

John Besh
Chef and Restaurateur
New Orleans

David Chang
Chef and Restaurateur
NYC

Barry Estabrook
Writer
Vergennes, VT

Paul Kahan
Chef and Restaurateur
Chicago

Sherry Yard
Pastry Chef and Author
Los Angeles

2014 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
Matt Haley, Philanthropist and Restaurateur, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

2014 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
Sirio Maccioni, Le Cirque, NYC

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March 20th, 2014

ANNOUNCING THE 2014 JAMES BEARD AWARDS SEMI-FINALISTS

Before spring officially kicks in the annual food & drink rite of passage begins; a close read of the names of anointed hospitality industry leaders who are fortunate and skilled and lauded and connected enough to have their names land on the semi-finalists’ list for this year’s James Beard Awards. And then the ensuing chatter about whether those nominees are deserving and who was “robbed.”

They say, it’s an honor just to be nominated, and that’s true. In our book, everyone who makes a difference in the lives of restaurant, bar and hotel guests every day is a winner, but for now, let’s just see who the James Beard Foundation (www.jamesbeard.org) might be handing an award to on May 5th where the theme for the 2014 Awards is “Sounds of the City.”

This year’s theme explores the enduring relationship between music and food, celebrating the many ways in which the culinary community is inspired by music and the artists who create it. Music has continually played an important role in the culinary world, from inspiring chefs in the kitchen to setting the tone in a dining room and everything in between. A surprising number of chefs have crossed over from the world of music to food and even more continue to express themselves as musicians in their downtime. From Nashville to New Orleans, Detroit to Seattle, this year’s gala reception will feature chefs from some of America’s beloved musical cities creating dishes inspired by their favorite sounds, whether it’s a local musical act, special song, or impactful musician.

There’s no doubt that being nominated for a James Beard Award has an impact on careers. The James Beard Foundation holds an online open call for entries beginning in mid-October of each year. According to sources at the Foundation this year, over 38,000 entries were received, a list which the Restaurant and Chef Committee goes through to determine eligibility and regional representation. Based on the results and eligibility requirements for each award, the committee then produces a nominating ballot that lists the semifinalists in each of the 20 Restaurant and Chef awards categories, some of which include Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters), Outstanding Restaurant, Best Chef in ten different U.S. regions, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Outstanding Service, Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional, Outstanding Bar Program, and Best New Restaurant.

The list of semifinalist nominees is then sent to an independent volunteer panel of more than 600 judges from across the country. This panel, which comprises leading regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, culinary educators, and past James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award winners, votes on specific award categories to determine Read the full article here »

Tags: 2014 James Beard Awards, Anvil, Bar Agricole, Barbuto, Barley Swine, Benjamin Sukle, Birch, Bryce Gilmore, Canon, Coi, Columbia Room, Coquette, Corey Le, Cure, Daniel Lindley, Daniel Patterson, David Wondrich, Dominique Ansel, Donald Link, Franklin Mortgage & Investment, Gabrielle Hamilton, Gautreau's, James Beard Foundation, Jonathan Waxman, Kathy Carry, Michael Chiarello, Michael Cimarusti, Michael Stoltzfus, Rogue 24, Sue Zemanick, The Bar at the NoMad Hotel, The Broken Shaker, The Dead Rabbi, The Hawthorne, Trick Dog, Tyler Florence, Williams & Graham
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February 20th, 2014

DON’T MISS – TOO COOL TOOL…AERMATE

On this very notable day of love it is not a who, but a what that we’ve fallen head over heels for here at INSIDE F&B. It pleases us to introduce our newest crush, The Aermate.

Much like other unassuming tools you’d toss in the drawer, this doesn’t look very impressive, but boy does it get the job done! Want to save the remainder of that bottle of wine that’s not yet turned yet you have it earmarked for the spaghetti sauce? Could only afford an inexpensive wine last trip to the liquor store but wish it could taste like it is twice the value? Have a hot date coming over in 15 minutes and you forgot to pull out the decanter? Not to worry, Aermate (www.aermate.com) to the rescue.

Introduced in November 2013, the Aermate was designed by a mechanical engineer who worked in the fields of liquids and gasses. As things like this often come to life, he and his partner, whom he met at Purdue as an undergrad, created Aermate after a conversation over dinner. Co-founder Mike Roach comments, “We created this tool to do as much work as possible with the least amount of effort, mess, and interruption of the enjoyment of wine and spirits.”

Knowing how much restaurants would love to turn tables and turn profits they might not otherwise see while letting a bottle decant properly Roach and his partner created this full size edition as well as a table top/personal travel size – about 5″ long that can sit on the bar in its caddy or tuck into a server’s apron pocket. Not only is it great for a quick aeration of those top end wines when you or your guest doesn’t want to decant, but also is a boon to less expensive wines sold by the glass, mellowing them out and hopefully inspiring a second glass purchase. Roach notes, ” The way you aerate something is to put as fine as bubbles as you can and you oxygenate it. The Aermate reduces waste and satisfaction in an immature product increases.”

How does the magic happen? Roach explains exactly what is going on with this thin rod and bulb, “This is the kind of unique part about it – what we’ve been able to develop is sintered metal – it’s a molding process they use with the stainless steels. the holes in that piece – it feels like a stone – the holes are each 2 microns across and these holes are thin and strong and give you the maximum amount of air pressure. It bursts so much air into the product (Aermate also works on spirits and coffee); air that is forced into the bottom of the glass or the bottle that then bounces around in the beverage and gives it as much exposure to oxygen as possible. Exposure it couldn’t get from a pouring aerator.”

Pouring profits into wine tastings is something Read the full article here »

Tags: aeration, Aermate, blender, corked, decant, decanter, Drinkwire, liquor.com, Michael Roach, skunky, vday2014, Wine
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February 14th, 2014

FISHING FOR A PERFECT PAIRING

Make gravlax the newest addition to your small plates menu
By Francine Cohen

Stop all the whining about this polar vortex repeat performance and get inspired by the culinary culture of a people who manage just fine in this weather…Swedish people.

Their classic dish, gravlax, has a place on both your Super Bowl buffet if you’re having friends over for the big game or can be an easy to prep and highly profitable bar snack that pairs beautifully with all sorts of cocktails on your menu.

Chef Magnus Lindström of Swedish Taste, Göteborg, presented this dish this past summer in the Hamptons as part of the Swedish Culinary Summer program (www.swedishculinarysummer.com/chefs) which was sponsored, in part, by Peter F. Heering / Xanté (www.xantenorthamerica.com).

Though prepped outside by the pool this is truly a year-round item that works with a variety of spirits and is sure to please guests as well as meet your food costs.

Lindstrom should know about these things; he won the Swedish Chef of the Year Award Read the full article here »

Tags: Adele Nilsson, Cherry Heering, Drinkwire, gravlax, liquor.com, Magnus Lindström, pear liqueur, Peter F Heering, Swedish Culinary Summer, Xante
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January 27th, 2014

HEALTHY NEW YEAR

How 15 DC chefs and bartenders battled the bulge and made the world a healthier place
By Francine Cohen

Just as ubiquitous as the seasonal songs you hear in every holiday commercial this time of year is the rush for predictions, charitable donations, and resolutions that will surely make your world, and the world, a better place in the new year. 2014 will be no different.

There will always be plenty of ways that you, as hospitality industry leaders, will be asked to give. And let’s be honest, it gets a bit redundant. But it doesn’t have to be the same old same old. You probably feel like Chef RJ Cooper (www.rogue24.com) does as he remarks, “The dine around pass food over a table formula is tired, old and just cramped. A new concept of making mobile kitchens in venues so chefs can cook for 3 tables of 10 etc. would be much more fun.”

No reason you can’t have fun while doing good. Maybe this is the year it happens and you’ll be inspired to take a page out of the book of some Washington, DC based chefs and bartenders who found fun and healthy living through charity work in 2013. Last year, while supporting the American Cancer Society by co-chairing the Society’s annual signature culinary, wine and spirits event, Taste of Hope (www.tasteofhopedc.org), the Restaurateur/chef Mike Isabella (www.graffiatodc.com) rallied 15 Washington, D.C. chefs and mixologists for the inaugural Fit for Hope weight loss challenge.

The 12-week challenge kicked off on June 24th and culminated on September 24th at Taste of Hope. According to the Society, the latest recommendations for adults call for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week.

Faced with an invitation to support a new (to DC) charity event they turned what could have been just another “let me show up and park myself behind a white tablecloth draped 6 ft. long table and hand out food and drink while smiling and promoting my restaurant/bar” experience into something much more personally meaningful- for them and the charity they supported. While dropping pounds, each participating chef and mixologist was also charged with raising a minimum $2,500 during the 12 weeks and many turned to Read the full article here »

Tags: American Cancer Society, Anthony Acinapura, Art and Soul, Art Smith, Azur, Brasserie Beck, Bryan Voltaggio, Chauna Bryant Pilates, Columbia Room, Del Campo, Derek Brown, Drinkwire, Eat Good Food Group, Eat the Rich, Family Meal, Frederick de Pue, G, G Grab and Bo, Graffiatok, Jason Yoo, Kapnos, liquor.com, Lunchbox, Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Matt Hill, Maziar Farivar, Mike Isabella, Mockingbird Hill, Monica Pampell, Peacock Cafe, PentaFit, Pizzeria Orso, PX, Range, Restaurant Eve, Ripple, RJ Cooper, Rogue 24, Ryan Wheeler, Scott Drewno, Shannon Overmiller, Society Fair, Southern Art, Table Fifty-Two, Tabnle, Taco Bampa, Taste of Hope, Taste of Hope DC, Team Yoo Sport Taekwondo Chauna Bryant, The Daily Meal, The Majestic, The Passenger, The Source by Wolfgang Puck, TNT, Todd Thrasher, Victor Albisu, VOLT, Will Artley
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January 3rd, 2014