Recap of Bocuse d’Or USA 2012

The Winners of the Bocuse d’Or USA 2012

This past Sunday, I was invited by the generous people of KitchenAid as a VIP to watch Bocuse d’Or USA competition at The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, NY.

The view of the arena & Happy moment with Chef [...]

Chef Hiroyuki Sakai at Benihana’s Private Event

Benihana: Exterior, one of its large dining rooms, Portrait of its founder Rocky Aoki, Large fortune cat, The Rocky Room

Last week I was invited to Benihana‘s private lunch to celebrate their relaunch of their newly renovated space and their 48 years in the restaurant business. I took my mother along since [...]

Mercedes-Benz 125th Anniversary Dinner at James Beard House

Outside the Beard House (with the red carpet), James Beard sign welcoming to the Mercedes-Benz dinner and the sexy SLS AMG Supercar

Two nights ago, I was fortunate to be invited to Mercedes-Benz‘s 125th Anniversary Dinner at James Beard House. This intimate dinner (the guest list, as I was told, consisted of [...]

New York Taste 2011

This year’s New York Taste 2011 took place at Skylight SoHo, it’s presented by sponsor HSBC Premier (with additional sponsorship from Bordeaux Wines, Cadillac, and Spring44 spirits). 45 NYC-based restaurants and the International Culinary Center (they featured frozen cocktails) cooked and fed the hungry and attendees to this fun Monday night event. Lots of powerhouse [...]

StarChefs Rising Stars Gala 2011

At Bar Basque, Murgo 2007 Brut Rosé for VIP reception, and the lavish table display at Bar Basque

This year’s StarChefs Rising Stars Gala 2011 took place at Bar Basque. (If you do recall, last year was at Maritime Parc in Liberty State, New Jersey.) Much closer to home and it’s a [...]

Recap of StarChefs ICC 2011 – Day 1

Judges (Ron Paparocki, Pierre Herme, Michael Laiskonis, Elizabeth Falkner) and Pre-Desserts from Day 1 of ICC’s Pastry Competition

Day 1 of StarChefs ICC 2011 was really a busy, quasi-hectic day as people are beginning to settle in to the rhythms of this three-day long event. My first morning at StarChefs International Chefs [...]

Grand Tasting at NYC Food Network’s Wine & Food Festival

The location of the Grand Tasting

This late morning/early afternoon I attended Food Network’s New York City Wine & Food Festival: Grand Tasting taken place at Pier 57. This huge, historical warehouse has views of the Hudson River. Knowing that you’d care mostly about the food, there’s plenty of New York City-based [...]

Vendy Awards 2011

View of Downtown Manhattan, a can of Brooklyn Beer’s Lager with a Vendy sleeve, and the crowd

Probably some of you might think I won’t ever eat street food. That’s a really bad assumption of me, as I’m an equal opportunity eater. I don’t mind eating things that are street food, homemade, [...]

Pig Island 2011 at Governors Island

Pig’s head on a grill, Sixpoint Brewery beer, and grilling up sausages from Hecho en Dumbo

Pig Island II took place on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Governors Island. It was a humid, gray day from the start with a brief shower passed by around 1 PM but it never slowed down [...]