Iron Chef Winner Cat Cora Has Some Advice For Future Chefs
Posted on April 15, 2014 in: Professional Chef | Post Comment
When Cat Cora was only 15 years old she already had a clear idea about her future career and was already passionate about food. One day she sat down and drafted her first business plan, not realizing how the culinary world would explode in the near future. Cora eventually became America’s first female chef to win the Iron Chef of America competition. She has written books, created her own brand and designed a unique line of shoes, and her brand new TV show, America’s Best Cook, made its debut this past Sunday. [...Read More]
Chef François Payard Plans Surprise For Passover
Posted on April 11, 2014 in: Pastry Chef | Post Comment
One of the most renowned pastry chefs in the world is ready to reveal his latest creation for Passover, but for now he is keeping the details a secret. François Payard is only prepared to say that it will be based on matzah and stuffed with caramel. Payard explained: “We are working on something very special. The idea is that people not get tired of you. It’s about trying to create something new for the market.” [...Read More]
The Five Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains In The United States
Posted on April 7, 2014 in: Professional Chef | Post Comment
Someone who is considering a career in the restaurant industry, either as waiter, chef or restaurant manager, will undoubtedly want to know which part of the industry is experiencing the strongest growth. According to a recent study by Technomic, the list of the five fastest-growing restaurant groups in the United States with sales of less than $200 million per year was topped by BurgerFi. [...Read More]
Interview With Executive Chef Gerald Ward
Posted on March 27, 2014 in: Executive Chef | Post Comment
The executive chef at Union Hospital in Maryland, Gerald Ward, spent his childhood years in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania. He loved sports; he played basketball, baseball and football when he went to college. Somewhere along the line, however, he discovered his real passion: baking and cooking. The Cecil Daily, the oldest newspaper on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, recently interviewed the chef. When asked how he got started in the world of culinary arts, Ward replied that he attended a small college with one aim only: to play football. The college, however, had a baking class, which he enrolled for. It was about commercial baking and to his surprise he found that he enjoyed it immensely. [...Read More]
Cooking School Students Share Their Skills In Napa
Posted on March 25, 2014 in: Professional Chef | Post Comment
On Saturday 22nd March 2014, Vasiliy Mezenov, a cooking student from CANV (Community Action Napa Valley) was busy chopping carrots in the kitchen of Rohlffs Manor. A couple of feet away was Dennis Maykowski, a student from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) overseeing his work. The 43-year-old Maykowski is a disabled veteran who used to be a United States Army medic and he currently attends the St Helena culinary school. Mezenov is one of five students participating in the CANV’s culinary teaching program. The three-month course, which is offered free of charge, made its debut five years ago back in 2009. It teaches cooking skills to low-income individuals and the homeless. [...Read More]
Honoring The Women Who Helped Shape The US Culinary Industry
Posted on March 21, 2014 in: Professional Chef | Post Comment
Nobody would ever dream of disputing the vital role women have played in the field of culinary arts in this country, or so it seemed until Time magazine caused a major commotion when it published a spread in November 2013 entitled Gods of Food. It was undoubtedly an ode to culinary professionals – but not a single female chef was included in the list. The ruckus had a ripple effect and next there were charts appearing in newspapers showing that there is a dearth of female representation at the country’s main food festivals. The New York Times joined the discussion in January, devoting a whole page in its dining section to the progress female chefs have made. [...Read More]
White House Pastry Chef Seeking Greener Pastures
Posted on March 20, 2014 in: Pastry Chef | Post Comment
Michelle Obama, the country’s first lady, will soon lose Bill Yosses, her beloved executive pastry chef – and she should partly carry the responsibility for this. He revealed in a telephone interview a couple of days ago that she has nurtured his interest in the close relationship that exists between good health and good food. The chef, who prepared the Hawaiian chocolate-malted ganache when the French president was entertained at the White House, will now head to New York, where he will teach adults and children about the benefits of eating better. Yosses describes his move to New York as “a bittersweet decision.” [...Read More]
Chef Grant Gordon Visits The Philippines
Posted on March 17, 2014 in: Executive Chef | Post Comment
Grant Gordon was appointed executive chef at Texas-based restaurant Tony’s at the age of 23. He has also been nominated for the Rising Star Chef of the Year, which is a James Beard initiative, and received the honor of becoming one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30. Recently Gordon visited the Philippines as part of the Culinary Diplomacy program hosted by the American Embassy. After arriving in the country, he visited a variety of wet markets and restaurants, including Tayag’s Pampanga-based Balay Dutung, where he savored local cuisine and prepared dishes that highlighted American ingredients in a menu that can be described as a combination of modern techniques and classic flavors. [...Read More]
Culinary Expert Discusses Madison Food Culture
Posted on March 12, 2014 in: Online Culinary Degrees | Post Comment
For many people the rich food culture of Madison is directly related to the way it nurtures a community connected to food and the relative ease with which chefs can access local ingredients. A culinary arts expert from Wisconsin, Terese Allen, says that Madison’s food culture comes from the fact that the city has such a diverse range of university students, all bringing their own culture and background in food with them, and the unique integration of the region’s agriculture. [...Read More]
Chefs Compete To Raise Money For Charity
Posted on February 25, 2014 in: Professional Chef | Post Comment
High-profile culinary events are often stressful for the participating professional chefs. If the chefs have to prepare meals for their peers, it is even more of a challenge. At a recent event Golden Nugget Atlantic City’s culinary operations director, Bobby Hettmannsperger, said: “With every big chef here, it’s very special – and it’s very stressful. But I’m glad to do it.” The particular occasion he was referring to was the 42nd yearly Presidents Charity Scholarship Ball, organized by the South Jersey Chapter of the American Culinary Federation Professional Chefs Association. [...Read More]