Daniel Boulud Settles Lawsuit

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Daniel Boulud agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging bias at his Restaurant Daniel. The New York Times reports: Along with an undisclosed financial settlement, Mr. Boulud agreed to set up standards and procedures for promotions, to be overseen by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the state attorney general’s office, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs and others involved in negotiations. Busboys and runners, who take dishes from the kitchen to the dining room, will get 8 percent raises, and managers will get training in racial sensitivity Other newspapers report that the financial settlement amounted to $80,000, or $10,000 per Latin American and Bangladeshi plaintiffs. What, if anything, is the lesson for New York fine dining restaurateurs and those elsewhere? Now, Daniel's settlement did not even make the EEOC press list -- when it comes to food, EEOC is more likely to take on hulks Tyson Foods or Denny's. Still, successful Super Chefs know that their own success depends on the people who work for them, including their accountants, sous chefs, managers, cooks and public relations assistants. That list now includes busboy, runners, dishwashers, and any other restaurant workers who learn about their rights under the law. Well funded organizations will protect the rights of restaurant workers, even the most lowly. Related news: Boston Globe, New York Magazine, News Day, New York Times, Telegraph (UK), New York Times Previous articles: Gordon Ramsay: Reality Lawsuit Celebrity Food Fight: Daniel Boulud Daniel Boulud v. Todd English: Initial Branding Daniel Boulud: Making It Big on Oprah's O Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Daniel Boulud --> back to superchefblog

US News & World Report: Celebrity Chefs

By JULIETTE ROSSANT US News and World Report discovers Celebrity Chefs! Why, there's a whole network devoted to celebrity chefs cooking shows. There are booming culinary schools, press, new restaurants and chef products. Can you believe it? If US News and World Report is just getting this news, what can the magazine add to our understanding of this one-to-two-decade-old phenomenon? The article, "Celebrity Chefs Become Big Business" starts by painting the scene at the James Beard Award extravaganza. Someone wants Bobby Flay's autograph. Reporter Renuka Rayasam writes: With the help of that cable network and other cooking shows like Bravo's reality show Top Chef, chefs are emerging from behind the kitchen doors and mushrooming into a new class of entertainers—and corporate pitchmen. Emerging? Hmm... Super Chef begs to differ. Celebrity chefs have been around for a couple of decades. Chefs have been entertainers ever since chefs like Wolfgang Puck started cooking in exhibition kitchens in the early 1980s. Even Georges-Auguste Escoffier pitched his own products. Super Chef was published in 2004, chronicling the rise of six chefs whose careers date back to the 1970s and 1980s. All of the chefs profiled in the book had been on TV, most notably Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. There are now scores of celebrity chefs around the world. Renuka mentions the current Forbes Celebrity Chef list (see Super Chef "Forbes Celebrity Chefs 2007: Food Network Heaven") and discusses Paula Deen and Bobby Flay who are both on this year's list. She fails to comment on the fact that the Forbes list includes only chefs on the Food Network, and doesn't bother to ask if there should be more than five top earning chefs on the Celebrity 100 list. In the article, the Renuka writes that a new restaurant in New York costs $1 million before salaries. Then several paragraphs later the article considers Momofuku Noodle Bar's David Chang. David says he only spent $130,000 for his restaurant. Can it be that chefs who do not follow the normal pattern mentioned in the article are the ones that become real successes? The article ends with a quote from Bobby: Flay says he spends about 90 percent of his time in the kitchen: "At the end of the day, it's all about the food." But how many of the chefs mentioned in the article actually cook in a restaurant like Bobby claims? Paula doesn't nor Giada nor Jean-Georges – except on occasion. US News seemed to gloss over the fact that it is all about the people - whether they are brand managers, accountants, executive chefs or sous chefs or even public relations executives. Without them, there would be no celebrity chefs. The "Big Business" in the title of the article is everything besides the food. Big-name chefs don't even have to be in the kitchen to earn about $1 million a year just to slap their name on a Las Vegas restaurant, says Dorothy Cann Hamilton, founder of the French Culinary Institute and host of a new PBS show called Chef's Story. What is remarkable is that the French Culinary Institute under Dorothy Cann Hamilton only added a management course four years ago. Why is one of the nation's top culinary schools, located close to Wall Street, so tardy in preparing culinary students for the realities of the restaurant world? After all, the first Forbes list came out in 1999, and there has been plenty of time to react to the phenomenon. Perhaps some culinary schools -- like certain magazines -- can be a bit slow on the uptake. Previous articles: Forbes Celebrity Chefs 2007: Food Network Heaven Forbes Celebrity Chefs 100 2006: Cute? Celebrity Chefs from Forbes Celebrity 100 SOS's Bill Shore: Top Leaders Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, US News & World Report --> back to superchefblog

FOOD FLICKS: Wilo Benet: Rellenos de Papa

By JULIETTE ROSSANT If you aren't flying down the Puerto Rico in the near future, or you haven't had the pleasure of dining chez Wilo Benet, take a few minutes right now to watch Chef in action as he takes on one of six dishes from his new cookbook, Puerto Rico True Flavors. Enjoy! Wilo Benet: Rellenos de Papa Time: 06 minutes 21 seconds Wilo Benet: Rellenos de Papa (Click here for more recipe videos from Wilo Benet: Alcapurrias, Arañitas, Mofongo, Pastelillos, Piononos, Chillo Frito, and Tostones!) Previous articles: Wilo Benet: Puerto Rico True Flavors Puerto Rico: Grand Cuisine of the Caribbean Rum Diary: Puerto Rico's Future Chefs Wilo Benet: Pikayo Perfecto [Food Flicks - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Food Flicks, Disney, Pixar, Wilo Benet, Puerto Rico, True Flavors --> back to Super Chef

Glitter Girl and the Crazy Cheese

By JULIETTE ROSSANT The situation: It is lunchtime. You say to your kid: eat your lunch, and then you can play with your friends. But your child doesn't want to eat. So, you pull out Glitter Girl and The Crazy Cheese by lawyer and novelist Frank Hollon and his kids, Mary Grace and Dusty Baker (MacAdam/Cage 2007). You say: OK, I will read you this book while you eat. Your child checks out the cover: all the characters have their mouths open screaming on the cover. Who would say 'no' to finding out about what's inside? Make sure your child eats a bite before you begin. "Mom, Mom, I'm going outside. Lilly's got a new scooter And I'm going to ride." "No, young lady, come sit down in your chair. You eat all your lunch before you go anywhere." Glitter Girl has to catch her runaway cheese and then eat something that just had arms and legs. Maybe your kids will just start speaking in meter…or maybe they'll just listen while you read and they eat. This is an action-packed adventure with a chase scene and a speculative moment of dream versus reality. Glitter Girl posses an existential question: "Can a person eat a cheese sandwich if the cheese is alive like me and you? And what about the carrots? Might they soon fly away? Like orange butterflies Or bumblebees, On a beautiful summer day?" If that sort of question will turn your kids off cheese forever, then don't read this book. However, some kids will like the question and giggle at their own now-eaten lunch. The illustrations by Elizabeth Dulemba are suitably exciting with some fun surprises that enrich the story (check out Glitter Girl's cat at the imported cheese counter). This story may be about a girl, but boys will like the wacky adventure, too. Previous articles: [Children's Cookbook Reviews - complete] [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbook reviews, Glitter Girl --> back to Super Chef

Wilo Benet: Puerto Rico True Flavors

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Super Chef is a big fan of Wilo Benet, the gifted chef cooking inspired food at Pikayo (see previous article "Wilo Benet: Pikayo Perfecto") and traditional Puerto Rican specialties at Paya in his native Puerto Rico. Wilo is well known for combining local ingredients and preparations with French technique. His new book, Puerto Rico True Flavors (Read Street 2007) is an investigation of the home cooking of the island. Much as cuisine de grand mere contains the inspiration of great French dishes, the cooking of Puerto Rico is not just simple but simply worth learning about. Clean flavors and many strands of influence from the island's previous conquerors yield good, hearty food and inspiration for more complex dishes. Wilo is an excellent teacher and his recipes are clear and easy to follow. The chapter on basics is essential: don't skip it. Most of the recipes in the book rely on the sauces, rubs and oils contained here, from Aceite de Achiote or Annato Oil made from achiote seeds to Adobo or dry rub (p. 6). For the Ajili Mojili (p. 7) you need to culantro, the close relative of cilantro that is far more pungent. In the next chapter on Fritters, Wilo romances the fried tidbits found in kiosks all over the island. He traces the evolution of simple side dishes to hors d'ouerves and Puerto Rican delicacies of tostones with caviar: In my opinion fritters are an art form; one that takes as long to master as any other. If you fry them too long, they can become bitter or too hard; if they are fried too little, they become oily and soggy. But there is nothing like a perfectly fried fritter; crispy and light at the same time, which we refer to as volao, for a fabulous, perfect texture (p. 15). Wilo goes on to describe his own experiments with different kinds of fritters at Pikayo. He has created a kind of miniature rice fritter, reminiscent of Persian tah-dig, which he tops with Tuna Tartar with Chipotle Chile Sauce, Land Crab Salmorejo, or Foie Gras Terrine and Black Truffle Honey to name a few. (Sadly, those recipes are not included in the book -- meaning there will be another?) Included are lessons for making classic fritters that will rise to art. The Chicharrones de Pollo or Chicken Cracklings (p. 27) adds adobo and sofrito as well as garlic and vinegar to flavor very small pieces of fried chicken. There are interesting stews and soups, including one made from plantains, Sopa de Platano (p. 83) and another from the Puerto Rican pumpkin, Sopa de Calabaza (p. 85). Both are thick, rich soups perfect for a cool evening. There is also the odd Jamonilla Guisada or stewed luncheon meat that proves how popular Spam and its knock-offs are around the world. There are so many other flavors in the stew that it is not surprising to learn from the recipe notes just how popular this dish is. Following the recipes is a section presenting Step by Step photographs for preparing some of the most important recipes, like Pastelillos or Turnovers (p. 220), Alcapurrias or Stuffed Yautia Fritters (pp. 222-223), and Piononos or Ripe Plainain and Beef Molds (pp. 225-226). The photographs by Jose L. Soto Acevedo show Wilo's capable hands and underscore his belief in the art of the fritter. Now that would make for an interesting Food Network show. What is missing are Wilo's own photographs. His skill as a photographer is amply displayed in his restaurants and hinted at on his website. Puerto Rico: True Flavors is full of wonderful home cooking recipes worked over and presented by a gifted chef. There are gems of flavor, good stories about the island, and excellent technique. Whether you are going to Puerto Rico or just thinking about a tropical beach, this book is a perfect companion. Previous articles: Puerto Rico: Grand Cuisine of the Caribbean Rum Diary: Puerto Rico's Future Chefs Wilo Benet: Pikayo Perfecto [Cookbook Reviews – complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbook reviews, cookbooks, Wilo Benet, Puerto Rico --> back to Super Chef

NASDAQ Food & Restaurant Industry Forum Podcast

BY JULIETTE ROSSANT Thinking of going public on NASDAQ? NASDAQ already lists approximately 98 companies within the Food & Restaurant industry sector. Many chefs have consulting deals with listed companies, like Tyler Florence, and a few super chefs have become part of publicly-listed companies for a time, like Roy Yamaguchi, David Burke, and Joachim Splichal. Most chefs of their caliber are part of independent, privately-held companies. (Companies are often valued based on publicly traded company performances). Restaurant industry groups like DineOriginals have been warning that the number of independents is steadily shrinking in America, loosing ground to publicly traded companies. Independents can learn plenty from publicly traded companies and one great way is the free NASDAQ Stock Market Food & Restaurant Industry Forum being held on August 1. NASDAQ along with the National Restaurant Association, executive leaders from the California Pizza Kitchen, Zagat Survey, Famous Dave's of America and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, among others will discuss how to differentiate a brand in the oversaturated food and restaurant market, best practices among food and restaurant companies, and resources for public companies in this industry. The forum will be webcast live beginning at 11:00am on August 1 (Wednesday). Details of the agenda are available online (PDF format). Look for Cat Cora to provide closing remarks and participate in the Closing Bell ceremony. Could she be fishing for a NASDAQ partner herself? Super Chef will be tuning in. Previous articles: Betty Crocker Podcast 49Media Interview on Blogging and Podcasting Joachim Splichal Takes Smith & Wollensky Chefs & Branding Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, NASDAQ --> back to superchefblog

The Next Iron Chef

BY JULIETTE ROSSANT [Editor: To read about the winner, click here.] The Food Network is mining Japan's Iron Chef again. Super Chef has been making suggestions for years (see previous article "Iron Chef America Meets Survivor") about how to improve the show, and it seems that the Food Network has been studying suggestions. This time around, the Food Network is going for the not-so-novel set up of a reality TV show competition to choose the next Iron Chef America. Eight American chefs will compete against each other – but not the original four Iron Chefs, to win the fifth spot. The result is The Next Iron Chef, a six-part series premiering October 7 (Sunday) at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The show begs several question. How were the first four (Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Masahara Morimoto and Cat Cora) chosen? Why aren't the current Iron Chefs involved? It is not easy to figure out what the criteria are for becoming an Iron Chef. Is it owning a restaurant? Cat doesn't own one. Is it mastery of a single cuisine? Bobby cooks both Spanish, American barbecue and regional specialties. They all have previous Food Network experience: most likely, network executives chose them for TV appeal or to leverage their popularity on other shows. What about the new contenders? These eight chefs are called "finalists" in the press release, but it doesn't make clear if they have competed regionally or in some national competition. Who to root for? The list includes: John Besh Chris Cosentino Jill Davie Traci Des Jardins Gavin Kaysen Morou Ouattara Aaron Sanchez Michael Symon The judges are Donatella Arpaia, Michael Ruhlman, and Andrew Knowlton. Donatella is David Burke's partner at DBD Restaurant. Michael has already judged another reality TV show, the less-than-stellar, Cooking Under Fire (see previous article Cooking Under Fire: Doused") At least there are no judges with public relations backgrounds. But there are no working chefs either, so chances are the chef's skills aren't as important as their appeal to restaurateurs and journalists. Happily, the able Alton Brown is hosting this show, in addition to his hosting Iron Chef America, Good Eats and Feasting on Asphalt. Will The Next Iron Chef America make for good food television? Perhaps, since all eight chefs can cook and should be fun to watch. Why would top chefs want to compete on national TV against each other? The money, the exposure, the book and consulting deals to come. Or perhaps cooking in front of a large TV audience is lots of fun. Get ready: if things work out, then we might be seeing a sixth, seventh and eighth Iron Chef America joining the team. Anyone taking bets on who will win? Previous articles: Iron Chef America: Judge Karine Bakhoum Iron Chef America: Milliken and Feniger v. Bobby Flay Cooking Under Fire: Doused Cooking Under Fire: Already Over Done? Iron Chef America Meets Survivor In the Audience of Iron Chef America Cat Cora Wins on Iron Chef America The Today Show Emulates Iron Chef America Anita Lo Defeats Mario Batali on Iron Chef America Iron Chef Pizza Wars: Batali vs. Puck Cat Cora: Iron Chef America's First Lady Iron Chef America: Running on Empty Iron Chef America v. USA [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Iron Chef --> back to Super Chef

Next Food Network Star 3: Amy Finley Wins

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Congratulations goes to the winner, Amy Finley. Super Chef will be looking for her Food Network show. Previous articles: Next Food Network Star Winner 2 Winner of Next Food Network Star Next Food Network Star's Multimedia Blitz [Chefs & Branding - complete] [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef

This Week Off

Super Chef rests for the week to mourn the passing of a close family member. We will resume publication on July 23, 2007 (Monday).

FOOD FLICKS: French's Mustard: Cheap Sex

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Take your pick of four online videos ("webisodes") by French’s Mustard (owned by Reckitt Bencksinger) for "a modern take" of French's in your life (or not) -- part of a multi-faceted campaign that includes national TV, radio, and print. What they boil down to is faux nostalgia pieces full of silly, cheap sex. In short, they are dull and banal -- but it's important to keep up with what mass-marketers are up to if you want to become a super chef... To generate more buzz, French's is offering a “Food Loves French Love Story Contest” consisting of sumbission of a 200-word storyboard on how food loves French’s Mustard for possible prize of $2,000 and creation of 3D CGI webisode. Bender Hammerling Group is handling the campaign. Food Loves French's Time: [varies between 4 webisodes] Be sure to join us every Friday for more Food Flicks! Previous articles: [Food Flicks - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Food Flicks, French's Mustard --> back to Super Chef

Diana Abu-Jaber: Origin

BY JULIETTE ROSSANT Murder! Jungle! Food television -- ? What has author Diana Abu-Jaber cooked up for us in the wake of her last novel, The Language of Baklava? In Syracuse, NY, where arctic-like winters never seem to end, Lena hides in a crime lab. She has chosen to become a fingerprint examiner to avoid meeting victims, and the police gladly keep their best detective under wraps. Then, a series of SIDS crib deaths leads to a nagging suspicion across the city. Is there a serial murderer of babies out lurking in the cold, concrete jungle? Quietly, the police bring their secret weapon over to the crime scene... Within a few pages, we discover our Lena has a dark secret of her own, a suspicion about her own identity that ran as an undercurrent throughout a childhood with foster parents. Occasionally, it would surface -- like the time she was watching an old Tarzan movie and her foster mother asked which of two women on screen look like her real mother: [Her foster mother] leaned forward and said, "Do you think she looks like your mommy, Lena? But which one?... "No, no, there!" I cried and put my finger right on the TV. "There. Mama!"... I leaned against the television, crying, "Mama, Mama," forehead touching the glass images. My hand pressed to the image of the ape. This ape mother still visits her in rain-forest dreams... Back in the present, television helps her cope: I develop a fondness for the television. Not the evening shows or the shows about cops, crime syndicates, or forensic superheroes. I like the cooking shows -- the placid, measured combinations -- adding one ingredient to another, the stirring and stirring -- that don't remind me of anything and don't make me feel anything. What does it all mean? How does it all fit together? Find out in the new crime thriller, Origin (W. W. Norton 2007). Delve deep, deep into this vivid thriller and taste Diana Abu-Jaber's generous helpings of our innermost worlds. This book reeks of "the sultry beauty and perfumes of the earth." If you have time for only one book this summer, make it Origin. Radio: NPR - listen to Diana Abu-Jaber talk about influences Related articles: Saudi Aramco World (see bio of Newsweek editor Lorraine Ali) Other reviews: Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News, Baltimore Sun, Syracuse Post-Standard, Tacoma News-Tribune, Sun-Sentinel, Eugene Weekly, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Seattle Times, Salem Statesman-Journal Previous articles: The Sensual Language of Baklava [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Diana Abu-Jaber --> back to Super Chef

Who Pays For Wolfgang Puck's Wedding to Gelila Assefa?

BY JULIETTE ROSSANT Is Wolfgang Puck using his ex-wife's money to pay for his wedding? From People Magazine to the former host of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Robin Leach, in his online Las Vegas column, the Media was watching Wolfgang Puck this weekend. After all, it was a time for weddings as comes around, oh, maybe once in a century. Wolf was on the island of Capri, Italy, marrying Gelila Assefa, girlfriend and mother of two of his sons. They exchanged wedding vows at 7:00 PM on 07/07/07. According to Mr. Leach, guests came from all over the world: Australia, Thailand, Austria, Ethiopia, and America. Mr. Leach notes that many of Wolf's co-workers were present: Among those making the 8,000 mile round trip from Vegas was his restaurant executive team of Tom Kaplan, David Robins and Joe Essa.... Wolf’s executive chef partner Lee Hefner from Spago, Los Angeles who will be opening Wolf’s new CUT restaurant in the new Venetian Palazzo resort early next year was also in the wedding group. This sounds more like a public relations opportunity for CUT than a wedding. With all those partners and staff members on hand, the question is: will Wolf try to write off the wedding as a business expense? And, if he does, won't that involve monies from ex-wife, still-current business partner and Puck empire co-founder, restaurateur, architectural designer, WCR co-founder, and mother of two more Puck sons, Barbara Lazaroff? Why the media hype for a third wedding? As Super Chef has noted in the past, much of mainstream Media seems to be getting sloppier and cheaper when it comes to fact checking (see previous article "Forbes Celebrity Chefs 2007: Food Network Heaven"). The story of Gelila Assefa's love affair with Wolf seems to have received some pretty heavy PR treatments, with little or no no fact checking. Check out the article in Harper's Bazaar about "Ethiopian-born designer Gelila Assefa" or another at Entertainment Tonight that uses the most common descriptor "handbag designer." Look at the reports from this wedding. People states, "Puck and Assefa, 38, met in Los Angeles, where Puck first established Spago 25 years ago and where Assefa was studying." Mr. Leach states, "Wolf met the hotel public relations executive when he moved into the Peninsula Hotel in Beverley Hills following the breakup of his long marriage to designer Barbara Lazaroff." Yet Mr. Leach's online reports have received a flurry of comments from critics that challenge either People's or his pretty pictures. An anonymous commenter who was "at Wolf’s second wedding" on Mr. Leach's latest article states: Gelila Assefa was answering the phones at Spago in 1997 and was NEVER a PR Exec at the Peninsula Hotel... She was sleeping with a very married Wolfgang Puck back then. She’s been written up for many professions but never the 'oldest' one... dig deeper like a good journalist and write that story. Many of us know it... Commenters on a previous Leach article published on another website continue in the same vein: Muna Deriane wrote: "Gelila Assefa was not a hotel PR executive and they did not meet when he left his family and stayed at the Pennisula... Gelila was answering phones at Spago in the late 1990's and sleeping with a very married Wolfgang..." Tom K wrote: "Gelila Assefa was answering the phones at Spago... Back in 1997... Thats a good 6 years before your memory kicks in. Shame as you were present at many of the meetings as I recall..." Robert R. Jones III wrote: "I find it hard to believe that you would write an article stating that WP and Gelila meet at [t]he Peninsula Hotel. WE ALL know that they meet at Spago in the 90's. We all know that their "relationship" started soon after that. She [Gelila] never worked at the Peninsula Hotel and was never a PR manager for anyone but HERSELF, promoting her own career as expert home wrecker and opportunist. I have it on the best of confidence that she was the hostess who seated you at your favorite 'regular' table on several occasions." Sondra Scerca, godmother to Puck and Lazaroff's sons, wrote: "I was there... while she [Gelila] tormented and stalked Barbara and relentlessly called the house and hung up... pushing Barbara to confront Wolf... leaving clues, telling customers of her affair with Wolf..." It seems there is quite a story behind the Puck-Lazaroff divorce that led to the Puck-Assefa wedding. Perhaps it was not quite as amicable as first reported (see The New York Times.) Let's not forget that when Wolf and Barbara celebrated their wedding very publicly back in 1984 at Oustau de Baumaniere, Robin Leach broadcast it on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (see Super Chef [Simon & Schuster 2004], pp. 7-48, wedding p. 17, summary of Barbara's contribution, pp. 46-47). Mr. Leach's broadcast helps explain the irate comments on his recent articles. In any case, it seems safe to assume, then, that when Barbara divorced Wolf back in 2003, Mr. Leach wound up in the Wolf camp of friends. As Michael Douglas once dished out deliciously as the dastardly Gordon Gecko in Wall Street (1987), "Greed clarifies, cuts through," so let's cut down towards the bottom line and examine deeper. At the heart of "l'Affaire Assefa" lies "Wolfgang Puck" – the brand, not the person. The problem Puck and fellow super chefs face is that their brands are based on them as personalities. Puck's corporate mantra "Live! Love! Eat!" (or is it now "Eat! Love! Live!"?) is light-hearted and family-friendly, whereas those in Puck's circles seem to know all too well that Puck's life with Gelila have not been very family friendly. Perhaps Wolf's marriages should warn chefs and restaurateurs: never mix business with pleasure. Particularly since, as one commenter ("PeopleWatcher") archly wrote, "...The greatest chapter is yet to be written because just as Wolf cheated on his second wife, so will he cheat on his third..." Stay tuned. Related news: CBS News, Entertainment Tonight, People, Reuters, UPI, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dallas-Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Florida Times-Union, Daily Citizen, Cleveland Leader, Akron Beacon-Journal, Raleigh News-Observer, Detroit News Previous articles: Wolfgang Puck Puck + Mina Do Detroit: Naming Names [GAP OF 14 MONTHS] Celebrity Cooking Showdown Wolf's Oscar Party: Menu & Food Photos Wolf's Oscar Party: Prep Photos Wolf's Oscar Party: Room Photos Chef-Crashing Into Oscars Wolfgang Puck on 'Las Vegas' Wolfgang Puck: 'Vegas' TV Restaurant Rob Kautz: Cursed to 99 Cents Only? Fly Avion (Wolfgang Puck Included) Applause for Gamal Aziz and Tom Kaplan Iron Chef Pizza Wars: Batali vs. Puck Todd English: Pots and Pans Pucked? Wolfgang Puck: Eastern Empire Wolf Want Meat: Wolfgang Puck Steakhouse Iron Chef America: Running on Empty Wolfgang Puck Inaugurates Washington Wolfgang Puck Returns to Indiana Coffee Puck: Heats in Your Hands Fly With Wolfgang Puck Express And Now Puck Paints, Two! Wolf Wines & Dines, or Puck's Party Euro Puck Puck in a Box Wolfgang Puck Examines the Examiner Barbara Lazaroff Requiem for Granita Romancing the Stove - or The Way We Worked? [Chefs & Branding - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Wolfgang Puck, Gelila Assefa, Barbara Lazaroff --> back to Super Chef

Gordon Ramsay: Child Obesity

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Last year, Jamie Oliver called British parents "tossers" for feeding their kids junk food (see previous article). This year, Gordon Ramsay is going one step further: he wants parents of obese kids to be hauled into court and fined. According to UPI, Gordon, who has four kids of his own, thinks this the only way to get parents to understand: If kids become obese and out of control, then seriously fine the parents and threaten them with a court appearance because they often don't realize what they are doing. If you're going to be a healthy nation then you've got to discipline the parents for having no control. Obesity is a serious problem that has serious repercussions in society. This year's debate in Congress over the 2007 Farm Bill is an indication of how serious the problem is and who else is responsible for it. But is this idea of Gordon's a good idea? Think about the implications of such a move were it to happen in the US (or the UK). Courts would be swamped with parents, paying fines and counter suing. They might sue fast food restaurants, junk food makers, school lunch purveyors, candy companies, soda companies, the medical profession for not intervening early in their children's health, etc. The concept is impractical. Maybe what Gordon has done, however, is point out how chefs can and need to get involved in this debate. Chefs have kids, they feed parents who have kids, they feed kids. Chefs are concerned with good food, and can use their knowledge and celebrity status to raise awareness and encourage action. Some American chefs have joined the debate. Are enough American chefs speaking out strongly? Previous articles: Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay: Reality Lawsuit Will Beckham Spice Ramsay With Puck? Marco Pierre White: The Devil in the Kitchen Gordon Ramsay: Find Me a Fanny Gordon Ramsay: Say No to Celebrity! Gordon Ramsay v James Bond Gordon Ramsay: Women Can't Cook Gordon Ramsay: A Chef For All Seasons Gordon Ramsay: In the Heat of the Kitchen Gordon Ramsay on Jay Leno: Funnier than Hell Hell's Kitchen on ICE Sneak Peak: Hell's Kitchen, with Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay Joins Richard Branson in Fox's Reality TV Hell Obesity Jamie Oliver: Junk Food Be Cursed! Jamie Oliver Betters British School Food FOOD PIX: Jamie Oliver Fat Suit Eric Schlosser: Chew On This Nora Sands: Nora's Dinners Common Threads' World Festival Jamie Oliver: School Lunch Alice Waters: Ms. Smith Goes to Washington Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Food Culture USA [Chefs & Politics - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef

Happy 4th of July 2007

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Today, July 4, 2007, our country celebrates 231 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and 121 years since the Statue of Liberty graced our most famous port of entry, New York City. Happy 4th of July 2007 (Super Chef resumes publication Monday, July 9.) Previous articles: 4th of July 2006: Benjamin Franklin July 4: Celebrate With Chef Tattoos July 4: East Meets West July 4: Paul Gayler's The Gourmet Burger Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef

Fine Living: Shopping With Chefs

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Chuck Williams has been known to reminisce about how, the day after an episode of Julia Child's The French Chef used to air, there would be a run on whatever French gizmo she had used – whether it was a mandolin or a garlic press and particularly the Cuisinart. (See Super Chef p. 24) Kitchenware specialty stores must have witness an equally amazing boom coinciding with the rise in popularity of food television. Chefs have taken notice - unlike Julia who, Chuck said, refused to put her name on a kitchenware line – and have put their names on everything from knives to pots to tomato sauce. Chefs go on television to fill their restaurants, push their books and magazines, and most of all to sell their product lines. It is no wonder that the Food Network's website is a virtual store for chef's products, and that the Food Network special Gotta Get It push gizmos. Americans love to shop. They love gizmos. And they love bargains and insider's knowledge. Shopping with Chefs, premiering on Sunday July 22 at 8pm on the Fine Living TV Network hosted by David Myers of Sona in West Hollywood and Jill Davie of Josie in Santa Monica. The idea is to go shopping with the two chefs who help consumers with what to look for tips. Super Chef got a sneak peak at the premier episode in which the chefs examine everything from salad greens to salmon. What makes this a fun show is that the chefs really do know how to choose good equipment and food. Salmon should not have a fishy smell and salad greens are best purchased in a farmer's market. They summarize their tips in handy lists. They don't appear to be pushing any particular brands – and no equipment by fellow chefs made it on to this episode. They don't actually buy anything but they do show how things work and what to look for in a good product and why a more expensive stainless steal gadget (a immersion blender) does a better job than the plastic version. They cover how to buy salad greens, grill pans, pepper mills and pepper, fish, colanders and more in one episode. However, the pace of the show is exhausting. David gets in a few good tips on buying a chef's knife, but what is missing is seeing him judge the feel and balance of the different knives, as a musician would choose a violin. He examines the salads at the market, admiring the crisp leaves and remarking on the different flavors, but which would he choose for the salmon dinner served later in the program? Which chef's knife should the couple purchase? Do they need a mandolin for the dinner they are putting together? Which pepper would be best for the fish? It's as if too much was crammed in to this one show to allow for any of the segments to fit together. This is a good show to pick up tips from chefs. It is very Southern Californian, both in location and in style. At times, the pushy tone of a salesperson sneaks in, along with a wave of finger tips – think Sarah Jessica Parker in L.A. Story. Maybe interplay between the two chefs - or their missing partners, Josie La Balch and Michelle Myers - would have made for more sophisticated banter. Maybe in later episodes the two chefs could start speaking to the audience they want: serious home cooks and culinary students who want insight into what great products can really do and have the patience to listen. Previous articles: [Chefs & Branding] [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef

Foxwoods: Michael Schlow Trophy

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Business-minded chefs read the news beyond the food pages. For instance, delays and cancellations on America's airlines have reached new heights. More Americans are traveling, but there are fewer seats available as airlines cut back on personnel. What does that mean for a smart chef? It means that if the base of your customers are local - say the Boston area - but you want to expand and take advantage of the boom in casino hotel dining, you had better consider options closer than Las Vegas or the Gulf Coast. That may be the thinking behind the announcement that Michael Schlow, one of Boston's hot chefs, is opening a knock-off of his restaurant Alta Strada at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut. The new 8,000 square foot, 225-seat restaurant, scheduled to open in the spring of 2008, also means that Michael now has a relationship with a gaming company with casino properties in four states and Macau. He'll join fellow celebrity chefs like Todd English, Bobby Flay and Michael Mina who have opened restaurants at different MGM locations. Todd followed the same strategy earlier in his career from his base in Boston. He wanted to open in New York, so he first opened and proved himself in Aspen at the St Regis and then followed up with the same hotel company in New York, with Olives at the W Hotel (see Super Chef, pp. 106-110). Does Michael have his eye on a bigger prize – more casino hotel locations? Another reason for choosing Foxwoods is that perhaps Michael believes Las Vegas is saturated with celebrity chef restaurant. If that is the case, might we see Michael taking steps south to Atlantic City and then the Gulf Coast? More following Todd, who recently opened at the Beau Rivage? Press release: Foxwoods Resort Casino Previous articles: Puck + Mina Do Detroit: Naming Names Charlie Trotter: Hotel Magic Todd English: Beau Rivage Michael Schlow: It's About Time Todd English's Foodie Hotel Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef