“It isn’t news that France is home to many great restaurants. A dozen of that country’s dining establishments were included in a list of the world’s 50 best restaurants, as defined by a panel of experts assembled by the Italian bottled water company, S. Pellegrino. The list was announced in..."

Growth in sales and interest for premium Ports (Reserve, Late Bottled Vintage, Aged Tawny and Vintage bottlings) and artisan cheese in the U.S. have exploded in......

(Washington, DC) The National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced Wednesday that they will hold "Produce Safety & ...

WASHINGTON/ -- The outlook for the restaurant industry remains optimistic going into 2007, despite a modest decline in the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of...

After a grueling tryout process, the new members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA were announced at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago last week.

Four members were named to the internationally acclaimed ACF Culinary Team USA National Team, the official representative team of the United States in major international culinary competitions. Ten finalists were chosen for two ACF Culinary Team USA Regional Teams, often considered a training ground for future national team members.

By Christina Hamlett, Photos by Christina Hamlett
 
The tension amongst the guests assembled in the dining room of “561” Restaurant on Pasadena’s Green Street was thick enough to cut with a chef’s knife. As I slid into the nearest empty seat, I noticed that all eyes were glued to the trio of television screens that were soundlessly sharing the moment of truth as it unfolded back in the kitchen lab. Eight Los Angeles high school seniors - whose skill and passion for cooking had brought them this far - were participating in heated finals for a top slot in the Future Chef of America Culinary Scholarship Competition.

For the parents, grandparents and siblings who had come to cheer them on, impatience was nearing the boiling point.

NEW YORK Winners were announced the night of May 8th for the 2006 James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation's premier honors within the culinary industry. The awards were presented during a ceremony at the New York Marriott Marquis that included a poignant tribute to the restaurants of New Orleans for their heroic resilience and service to their community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Established in 1990, the awards recognize excellence in the categories of books, restaurants and chefs, broadcasting, print journalism, restaurant design and industry achievement.

Michelin will expand its exclusive hotel and restaurant guide series in North America to include San Francisco and the Bay Area. The Michelin Guide San Francisco and the Bay Area 2007, the first-ever Michelin Guide for a West Coast city, is scheduled to arrive in stores October 2006. The announcement was made by Jean-Luc Naret, worldwide director of the Michelin Guide.The Michelin Guide is already published in 12 editions covering 20 European countries, and additionally includes a Guide to New York City. For its debut in the San Francisco area, the Guide will provide a selection and rating, of San Francisco and Bay Area restaurants and hotels.

 By Christina Hamlett  Two thousand cooking shows, a prestigious culinary school in San Francisco and twenty-six best-selling cookbooks have made Martin Yan a household word on the celebrity culinary circuit.  During a recent luncheon at Pasadena’s 561 Restaurant on Green Street, China’s most energetic and engaging export also demonstrated that his comedic timing in person is as well honed as his expertise in the kitchen.  “If the cooking gig doesn’t work out,” I was tempted to quip to an associate, “he’d be a natural in stand-up.”

Sacramento is going through something of a Renaissance. There seems to be plenty of new money around and much of it is in pricey suburbs that are developing east of town. Restaurants have followed the dough and we have enjoyed some good meals in the area. One place that has been getting plenty of publicity lately makes much of its chef and his Michelin star reputation. Maria and I made reservations a few Thursday nights ago. It was a bizarre experience.