He’s ready to get busy living, but we’re dying for him to rehash the latest episode of Top Chef: Texas with Ed Hardy of Red Rooster Harlem. Everyone looks mad that Bev won. Yeesh! The boys look dejected. And who knows what awaits them in San Antonio! This show is relentless. Relentless? Yes. It relentlessly shovels the same formula at [...]
Eric Ripert
Cooking Avec Eric Ripert: Le Bernardin’s Executive Chef on His Latest Book
Eric Ripert’s popular series Avec Eric is currently in its second successful season and now fans can relive their favorite moments with the companion cookbook, also called Avec Eric. A cross between a captain’s log and a cookbook, Avec Eric is is a must-have for fans of this inquisitive chef’s culinary adventures. He sat down [...]
The Michelin Stars Are Out in NYC: Eric Ripert Reflects on His ‘Threepeat’
Today the honorees of The Michelin Guide New York City Restaurants 2011 have been named, and Le Bernardin, for the sixth year in a row, has been awarded three stars. Executive chef-owner Eric Ripert says of being recognized, consecutively, with three stars, “Every day when I come to work, I think about making Le Bernardin a [...]
Top Chef D.C. Episode 11: Amanda Strikes Out
It’s that time again. Aspiring cheftender Ed Hardy and I are chatting about this week’s episode, poking fun at Angelo (while also basking in his glowy good looks — at least I am; I won’t speak for Ed.). Okay, Ed, what up with Angelo saying he prays to chefs’ pics? C’mon! Funny you should mention [...]
Top Chef D.C. Episode 4: The Last Supper
We’re back with another week of “Top Chef: D.C.”, eagerly wondering who will go home and why. Would-be cheftestant Ed Hardy is tuning in with me, as usual. This week looks to be super-exciting because two contenders are going home. Sadly, this week proves to be not at all exciting. There’s a lot of cooking [...]
Are Restaurant Critics Still Important to Diners?
If everybody’s a critic (and a blogger), where does that leave professional restaurant critics and food writers? Staring into the abyss, according to Francis Lambert, who provides coverage and commentary on New York University’s recent symposium “Taste and Authority: The Restaurant Review” in his article on Salon. Participants included Alan Richman, from GQ, Mitchell Davis, [...]
Le Bernardin’s List of Service Sins
I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants, but Le Bernardin wasn’t one of them. I like to imagine that I could have held my own in at least a front-of-the-house position, but after reading a list of Eric Ripert’s 129 rules for employees of his Michelin-starred (three!) restaurant, it’s pretty clear to me that I [...]