Media
CHEFS' COUNCIL® NEWS
Summer 09: Hubert Keller made it to the finals of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters
Congratulations, Hubert! We loved seeing your creative, exacting dishes on display. We can’t wait to go back to Fleur de Lys to try some for ourselves. Bravo!
Andrew Hunter has started his own product development company, Culinary Craft. He leaves the post of vice president of R & D for Wolfgang Puck Cafés.
Baking instructor and master baker Mike Kalanty has an exciting bread baking book due out in October, How to Bake Bread: The Five Families of Bread (Red Seal Press). The books breaks down bread baking into five families based on bakers’ percentages of sweetener, fat and water. Recipes range from lean breads, like pretzels, to fattier breads like cinnamon rolls, to those with more water like focaccia.
We've been hearing and seeing a lot of Elizabeth Falkner this summer. We heard her discover the unique taste of Indian mangos on NPR, saw her fast work on Episode 2: The Lost Supper of Bravo's Top Chef Masters, and read about her work on TV in the San Francisco Chronicle as a Bay Area chef.
June 09: Hubert Keller has a new cookbook - Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burger based on his popular Las Vegas restaurant of the same name. Each chapter features burgers made from different ingredients, including dessert burgers. Read the article »
GQ has picked the 25 best pizzas in America, including #3 Panna Pie from Craig Stoll's Pizzaria Delfina. The pie includes tomato sauce, heavy cream, basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil. Congratulations to Craig and his team! Read the article »
May 09: Alice Medrich shares her chocolate obsession in the May issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, which includes an easy chocolate cake recipe.
Mani Niall's cookbook Sweet! was chosen by Food & Wine as one of the best 25 cookbooks of the year. Recipes from these books will be included in Food & Wine Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes released in October 2009. Read the article » Mani's book was also featured in an AP article in May called "Sweet success: Agave has caught on as alternative sweetener."
Amey Shaw teaches cooking classes at In the Kitchen (ITK) Culinary, a new cooking school in Sausalito. She is also the chef of the Mixing Bowl, a café in Oakland's trendsetting Temescal neighborhood.
06/11/09: Chefs' Council member, Elizabeth Falkner, featured on NPR
Faulkner, chef and author of Demolition Desserts, taste tests the newly arrived Indian mangoes now available in America. Before the Indian mango detente, all you could get in the U.S. were undocumented mangoes smuggled in through customs by foodie fanatics. Read the article »
05/01/09: Tanya Holland’s waffles an object of desire in Gourmet
Renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold articulates his appreciation for West Oakland’s Brown Sugar Kitchen’s glorious yeasted cornmeal waffle. He’s willing to drive 400 miles for one. Lucky us; we can just head cross town to enjoy the amazing waffles with Tanya’s equally delectable fried chicken. Go Tanya!
5/5/09: Congratulations to our Chefs’ Council member James Beard winners!
Janet Fletcher, Video Webcast of “Savoring the Best of World Flavors, vol. III” Read the article »
Gerard Hirigoyen, chef/owner of Piperade and Bocadillos in San Francisco has a new cookbook out, Pinxtos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition (Ten Speed Press). Read the article »
3/18/09: Michael Recchiuti opens his chocolate shop for unique classes
San Franciscoâs popular innovative chocolatier now offers unique tasting and pairing programs from his chocolate studio. Upcoming programs include a Chocolate & Dessert Wine Tasting on April 18 and Chocolate & Salt Pairing on May 30. View more events »
3/01/09: Congratulations to Chefs' Council® members nominated for James Beard awards. The 2009 award ceremony will take place May 3-4
- Broadcast Media Awards, Video Webcast: Janet Fletcher, producer ö ãSavoring the Best of World Flavors, Volume III: Vietnam and the Island of Sicily
- Book Awards, Baking: Flo Braker ö Baking for All Occasions: A Treasury of Recipes for Everyday Celebrations (Chronicle Books)
- Book Awards, Single Subject: Joyce Goldstein ö Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-and-Match Dressings (W.W. Norton & Co.)
- Restaurants Awards, Outstanding Pastry Chef: Nicole Plue - Redd, Yountville, CA
3/02/09: Elizabeth Falkner featured in Nationâs Restaurant News
Elizabeth talks about incorporating savory items, like corn or cheese, into desserts as well as how pastry ideas cross over to savory dishes. ãOne of the things that has been really successful is doing a savory ice cream with a protein-centered main course...We do steak sometimes with horseradish or blue cheese ice cream...Read the article »
3/01/09: Tanya Holland featured in ãA fresh spin on soul foodä in San Francisco Chronicle
Tanya and her restaurant Brown Sugar Kitchen are profiled in an article that explores how Bay Area chefs are putting a fresh stamp on traditional soul food with sustainable, seasonal ingredients. The articleâs author, Janet Fletcher, is also a Chefsâ Council® member. Read the article »
2/13/09: Chefs’ Council® members semifinalists for James Beard Awards
For the first time, The James Beard Foundation has announced the semifinalists for its prestigious chef and restaurant awards. We are proud of our Council members (and their restaurants) included and wish them luck:
- For outstanding restaurant: Delfina and Greens, San Francisco
- For outstanding pastry chef: Nicole Plue, Redd, Yountville, Calif.
2/09/09: Elizabeth Falker’s take on Valentine’s desserts for Bon Appétit
Taking “Chocolate, Outside the Box,” Elizabeth offers inventive dessert recipes including Bittersweet Chocolate and Carob Ganache Tart with Malted Candy Brittle and Smoked-Tea-Infused Chocolate Pots de Crème. Read More »
1/30/09: Gerald Hirigoyen cooks up a budget dinner party in Food & Wine
The Basque chef of Piperade in San Francisco relied on his roots to create a 10-person Basque-inspired meal including Squid and Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Basque Steak Fries and Vanilla-Scented Beignets (a trend itself).
Mani Niall cooks with “Natural Sweeteners” Mani Niall has a recipe for Orange-Cranberry Scones made with turbinado sugar in Food & Wine’s “50 Trends to Try in 2009.” The recipe comes from his new cookbook Sweet! From Agave to Turbinado, Home Baking with Every Kind of Natural Sugar and Sweetener.
12/11/08: Marsha McBride touted in Time magazine's Top Ten issue
Number seven on Time's list of Food Trends for 2008 is Goat. Americans are waking up to the lean meat often raised on small farms. Marsha serves goat on her menu at the meat-centric Cafe Rouge in Berkeley.San Francisco's 7x7 magazine included Earl Darny's almondy cinnamon star cookies in their collection of Best Holiday Cookies in the December issue. Earl is owner and pastry chef of Lotta's Bakery on Polk St.
Laurence Jossel of San Francisco's NOPA cooks up pots of "Magic Beans" with Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo in the November issue of Food & Wine. Jossel's recipes include Black Bean Burgers with Smoky Red Pepper Spread, Chili with Braised Goat Shoulder & Eye of the Goat Beans, and Refried Beans with Spicy Pickled Nopales.
Mani Niall released his latest book, Sweet: From Agave to Turbinado Home Baking with Every Kind of Natural Sugar and Sweetener (Chronicle Books). Mani, a longtime professional natural baker shows home cooks how to take advantage of the new sweeteners now widely available, like agave nectar, cane syrup, evaporated cane juice, demerara, golden syrup, jaggery, muscovado, palm sugar, panela, Sucanat, superfine sugar, turbinado — and even good, old-fashioned granulated sugar, now available organically grown.
10/2008: Farina Wong Kinglsey has a new book: Organic Marin: Recipes from Land to Table (Andrews McMeel)
The book combines profiles of organic farmers with seasonal recipes and breathtaking photos.
8/18/2008: Mat Schuster featured on View from the Bay
Mat Schuster, formerly of San Francisco’s The Bay Club, recently appeared on ABC's local morning program The View from the Bay to demonstrate some healthy dessert recipes sure to satisfy your sweet tooth this summer. Watch Mat's performance and don’t miss his recipes for Fig and Cherry Parfaits with Cinnamon Scented Greek Yogurt and Natural Krispy Treats. Watch Video »
8/18/2008: Chefs' Council Member Schenk opens new bar and lounge in historic Bank Exchange location
James Schenk, chef-owner of Peruvian Destino on Market in San Francisco is awaiting the late August opening of his exciting project next door, Pisco Lounge. The hip bar and lounge takes its inspiration from the historic Bank Exchange Bar of the early 20th century San Francisco, famous for its signature Pisco Punch, a cocktail made from Peruvian grape brandy. Schenk worked closely with historian Guillermo Toro-Lira to recreate a recipe that has been lost since Prohibition.
8/18/2008: Chefs' Council Member Barton awarded artist residency in Brazil
The Sacatar Institute awarded Chefs’ Council member Scott Barton a two-month artistic residency in Bahia, Brazil. There, Scott will research Afro-Brazilian culinary traditions and their modern interpretations. Part of his research may include working with chef Paulho Martins at La Em Case. Chef Martins has created a foodstyle that incorporates indigenous culinary flavors and cooking methods with products completely derived from the Amazon. The institute is located on an island in the bay next to Salvador, the first capital of Brazil and the primary port of entry for slaves.
8/15/2008: Congratulations Executive Chef, Mat Schuster, On New Role
Mat Schuster has a new gig. He’s is now the Food and Beverage Manager and Executive Chef for San Francisco’s café treasure The Warming Hut and its little sister, Café Crissy. Both are located in picturesque Crissy Field under the auspices of Golden Gate Parks Conservancy. He is running Food and Beverage operations as well as menu creation and implementation. The menus focus on sustainable, organic and local products and the cafés are committed to composting and recycling.
8/13/2008: Visionary Chefs' Council Members Featured in San Francisco Chronicle
Two Chefs’ Council members are included in The Bay Area’s Visionary Chefs article, part one of three, in the San Francisco Chronicle. Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade and Bocadillos and Craig Stoll of Delfina and Delfina Pizzaria are profiled. Gerald has been a leader in first French then later Basque cuisine while Craig has turned a neighborhood Italian spot into one of the city’s beloved restaurants. Read More »
6/01/2008: Congratulations Chefs' Council Members, Stoll and Reinhart, both named James Beard Award Winners
Congratulations to these Chefs’ Council members who won the coveted James Beard Awards: Craig Stoll, named Best Chef Pacific and Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads winning honor in the New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor category. Read More »
5/30/2008: Joyce Goldstein releases newest cookbook Mediterranean Fresh
This latest book focuses on One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-and-Match Dressings. For Joyce, the salad—served before or after the main course, or as a meal in and of itself—is a jumping-off point for exploring the tastes of the Mediterranean, from a Middle Eastern carrot salad tossed with citrus dressing to an Italian salad enhanced with delicious cheeses and nuts and a peppery vinaigrette. Read More »
5/21/2008:Steven Raichlen explores “Yucatan Heat” in the May issue of Bon Appétit
Steven describes the Yucatan barbecue traditions with recipes for Grilled Mahi-Mahi, Pabil-Style Pork and Achiote-Grilled Turkey Breast with Tomatoes, Chiles and Mint.
5/15/2008:Brown Sugar Kitchen, owned by Tanya Holland (see Featured Chef) profiled in San Francisco
The neighborhood café serves what Tanya calls “new style down home” cooking, one that reflexts her Afircan American heritage, her classical French culinary training and an appreciation for organic, seasonal ingredients. Read More »
5/01/2008:7x7 reviews Elizabeth Falkner’s new restaurant Orson
The San Francisco city magazine reviews Falkner and partner’s new hot spot, commenting on the adventurous food, inventive cocktails and remarkable desserts, like the Pigwich, two pizzelle cookies sandwiching maple-bacon ice cream. Read More »
5/01/2008: Food Arts profiles Chefs’ Council® member Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls
“She’s Got Game” describes the scene in the clubby Nob Hill Big 4 Restaurant in the Huntington Hotel where Chef Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls has been manning the kitchen for 28 years.
1/08/2008: Medrich and Trendy Pudding
Alice Medrich shares her favorite pudding recipes in Bon Appétit’s Dessert of the Year: Pudding feature this month. Recipes include Caramel-Banana Bread Pudding and Coconut Rice Pudding with Crispy Coconut. Read More »
1/08/2008: Janet Fletcher and Trendy Brown Butter
Janet Fletcher teaches us how easy it is to create nutty brown butter just like restaurant chefs in Bon Appétit’s Flavor of the Year: Brown Butter. Read More »
12/26/2007: Mark Dommen Earns 3-1/2 Stars for One Market Restaurant
The San Francisco Chronicle awarded three and a half stars to One Market, stating, “…Dommen is cooking some of the best American-inspired food in the city.” Read More »
12/15/2007: Elizabeth Falkner’s “Dream Desserts”
Bon Appétit features Elizabeth’s Fruitcake to Love its December holiday dessert collection. Read More »
12/01/2007: Big 4 Executive Chef Featured in Wall Street Journal
In “Game for Fall,” the Big 4 executive chef Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls is profiled for her game cookery, including corocodile, bear, elk yak and other wild game meats. Read More »
10/01/2007: Chefs' Council® Member Alice Medrich's Latest Book
Cocoa tuiles with nuts, a recipe from Alice Medrich’s new book, Pure Dessert, appears as the “Last Bite” in Food & Wine.
10/01/2007: James McDonald commended by State of Hawai’i
James McDonald, chef of Pacific’o and I’O restaurants on Maui, received the official state commendation for being named among the top 10 “Restaurants with Farm Connections” in the October 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine. Read More »
10/01/2007: Elizabeth Falkner featured in Gourmet Magazine
In “Behind the Scenes: Restaurant Design,” Chefs’ Council® member Elizabeth Falkner discusses her upcoming new restaurant, Orson, in San Francisco’s SOMA district. She and partner Sabrina Riddle hired a female designer to create the space that will be home to a casual, small plates menu.
09/01/2007: Elizabeth Falkner's New Book Hits Shelves
Elizabeth’s Demolition Desserts: Recipes from Citizen Cake arrives on bookstore shelves. Discover how one of America’s hottest pastry chefs “demolishes” classic dessert and bakeshop favorites and reconstructs them for bigger bolder flavor and added visual punch. Falkner also discusses sweet and savory dessert combos in Flavor & the Menu In “Desserts to Savor,” Elizabeth talks about using savory style vinaigrettes for dessert “salads.” Read More »
07/23/2007: Mark Dommen Makes Headlines
Mark Dommen, the executive chef of One Market restaurant, is featured in "Chefs circulate cost-effective ways to try sous vide" in Nation's Restaurant News where he describes his techniques for sous vide (French for "under vacuum") cooking, a trend profiled in the Food Textures Culinary Trend Mapping Report®, December 2006. Read More
07/01/2007: Karletta Moniz, Quoted in the Summer 2007 Issue of Edible San Francisco
The article featuring Karletta Moniz titled "The Savory Side of Sweet" by Catherine Nash discusses artisan San Francisco chocolatier Poco Dolce and its barely sweet confections. Read More »
06/08/2007: Mani Niall Quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle
Mani Niall, Chefs' Council® member and director of product development at Just Desserts, discusses his bakery's recent expansion...Read More »
06/01/2007: Mixologist Extraordinaire Makes Splash with Online Sipping Videos
Alberta Straub was mentioned in The Sipping News, San Francisco Chronicle on June 1 for her new video cocktail lessons found online at CocktailsOnTheFly.tv. Read More »
06/01/2007: BBQ Guru Steven Raichlen Shares Grilling Secrets
Our Chefs' Council® member Steven Raichlen offers "10 easy ways to master the grill" in June's Food & Wine issue.