Chef Eli Kirshtein, a former “cheftestant” on Bravo’s Top Chef, has made his way out of Atlanta and into the Big Apple as guest chef for NYC’s Solo Restaurant. The talented chef from down south will be guesting in the kosher kitchen located in the Sony Arcade in midtown Manhattan, helping to “take Kosher cuisine to a new level.”
Said Joey Allaham, owner of Solo Restaurant, “We are privileged to have him in our kitchen and excited to see how he blends his already unique style with our New American Kosher …

In a move that could set the tone of the bluefin industry around the world, the New York Times is reporting that sustainable fish advocates are pushing for a bluefin ban across the European Union. The unsustainable fish, which has been drastically overfished due the demand of use within the sushi industry among others, has quickly become an endangered species. The first major move within Europe came last July with Monaco requesting that Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin ‘be listed as an “Appendix 1” endangered species under the Convention on …

In early 2007, only four years into the life of our catering business, we saw the recession coming down the line. As a full-time, year-round food business, we relied heavily on corporate customers during the “off” season – outside of weddings and holidays. As the year began, we noticed a pullback in corporate spending across the board, with less luncheons, holiday parties, and business events booked. As a facilitator of one of the only organic school lunch programs in the area, we also noticed that fewer parents were interested in …

Even with applause and accolade, Chef Eric Ripert has kept his culinary kingdom rather manageable. With restaurants in only a handful of cities across the East Coast – D.C.’s Westend Bistro, Philly’s 10 Arts, and Blue on Grand Cayman Island – Ripert has the recognition without the schedule, present most nights in the kitchen where he found fame, the Michelin-starred Le Bernardin.
A classically trained chef and military veteran, Chef Ripert began at the New York City restaurant in the early 90s, taking on the role of executive chef after original …

When I started this Friday Five, I was thinking I’d just jot down a few of the restaurants I’m still needing to visit. As I started compiling my wishlist, however, it grew until it became more of a collection of culinary treks I’d like to make – and all the restaurants I want to hit during those adventures. Food & Wine’s feature on top ten “life-changing” restaurants didn’t help either.
My five ambitious foodie adventures:
1. Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld, Victoria, Australia. After studying abroad in Australia for a year in college, …

On my way home from errands yesterday, as I debated what I really wanted to write, what direction I was headed in, where I wanted Daily Blender to go, I ended up behind a car that had a bumper sticker that spoke to me (as sometimes bumper stickers do). It said “Never apologize for your art.” After a few recent unfriendly comments, the message really resonated with me, and I realized it was time to take Daily Blender somewhere else.
When I started writing for DB, it was owned by a …

World-renowned chef Ferrán Adrià surprised many in the food world when he announced early Tuesday at the Madrid Fusion Summit that he would shutter his landmark restaurant, El Bulli, during the 2012-2013 seasons. Adrià, known as a leader in the world of molecular gastronomy, has facilitated the award-winning restaurant since 1984. Named the number one restaurant in the world five times over the last decade, El Bulli features an extensive course lineup offering the latest in avant-garde cooking techniques.
According to the official El Bulli press release, the restaurant will close …

One of the most fascinating experiences I have in writing this site is the opportunity to learn how others within the food industry run their operations. From large, well-known kitchens, like those of Le Bernardin or Dahlia Lounge, to smaller kitchens like Momofuku Ko or Portland’s Scratch, I’m always interested how the wheels of each restaurant turn – hiring employees, developing menus, creating environments that appeal to consumers. Though I talk about the daily activities of running a food service business in my book, two recent articles also had me …

Burger King announced on Friday that it will expand its bar and burger concept. Dubbed the ‘Whopper Bar’, a new Miami location opening next month will offer patrons 24-hour burgers alongside a selection of domestic beers, a first for a burger chain.
“Not only is South Beach in our backyard, but the warm weather, famous nightlife and colorful personality of the destination make it a great fit for a Whopper Bar restaurant,” Chuck Fallon, Burger King’s North America president, said in a company statement.
The company’s initial bar expansion location debuted in …

With a great hurrah, the fantastic Cayman Cookout festivities came to an end on Sunday. Just before noon, guests gathered for the Bon Vivant Sunday Moet & Chandon Champagne Brunch Cook-off. Featuring a mind-boggling display of decadence from the staff at the Ritz-Carlton, from caviar and fresh made blinis to sushi and dim sum, the food offerings were only a part of the adventure – with a live cookoff staged during the brunch.
The competition, emceed by the lovely Gail Simmons of Food & Wine and Bravo’s Top Chef (and the …

Saturday morning’s activities began early, with bright sun and clear skies awaiting. I tagged along as nearly forty Cookout visitors clamored aboard a beautiful catamaran for a demo and water excursion with Chef Eric Ripert. The destination? Grand Cayman’s Stingray City, a shallow sandbar home to docile, visitor-friendly stingrays happy to swim and soar past the nearly 6000 visitors who anchor nearby each day.
After a brief mingle on board as the boat made its way out to sea, brave souls ventured into the sky blue water to meet and swim …