Chef Richie Farina knows a thing or two about carving out a name for himself. The Top Chef contestant (and three-time collegiate ice-carving title-holder) is leading Chicago in the art of molecular gastronomy at Moto Restaurant. Putting his own spin on the Moto menu, Farina reconstructs palates with innovative plates like his “Study of Venison,” a seasonal platter of venison inventions (watch the video above to see just how many ways there are to eat deer.) Lending Moto even more street cred is ...
Jan 24, 2013
Jose Gonzalez is bringing Old World Cuba to Chicago with Paladar Restaurant & Rum Bar. He’s just made a few modern, rum-infused tweaks. The eatery is heating up the hip Logan Square neighborhood with hearty Havana-inspired dishes and 45 types of rum (that’s right, 45). In this episode of Chat Chow TV, we spoke with Gonzalez about his 46-year-old, fall-off-the-bone oxtail recipe, what makes Paladar’s black beans deliciously different from the rest and how rum should really be enjoyed (watch t...
Jan 17, 2013
The Pubbelly boys are back at it again. In this episode of Chat Chow, we sit with PB Steak Executive Chef, Jose Mendin. This time they are branching out to include beef to their empire. A steakhouse with a difference. “PB Steak is a small-plate joint where you come in with your friends and have a variety of dishes. It’s not going be your steakhouse with bibb lettuce, new york strip and Creme brûlée. Steaks are meant to be shared. And we have extensive raw bar w/ different oysters, crudos, lobste...
Jan 10, 2013
From the owners of Miami Beach’s southern-style eatery Yardbird comes Khong River House in Miami Beach. The inspiration for Khong River House emanates from founder John Kunkel’s passion for the celebrated foods prepared in the rural villages and city markets of Thailand, which he became enamored with while living and traveling extensively through its northern provinces. Chat Chow talks to Executive Chef Piyarat Potha Arreeratn (known as Chef Bee) who hails from the small town of Ban Sankhohiang ...
Jan 04, 2013
Combining a Rockwellian aesthetic and a “Leave it to Beaver” charm and sensibility, Acme Bakery & Coffee’s “farmstead Americana” essence hearkens back to a wholesome era with an irresistible homey charm that is at once inviting and comfortable. Acme Bakery & Coffee is an artisanal bakery and café catering to Miami’s Biscayne/Mid-town/Design-District residents with a selection of fresh, artisan breads, handmade pastries, cakes, tarts and home-made candies combined with a limited-menu serv...
Dec 21, 2012
Chef Robert Luna grew up in LAʼs Boyle Heights area where his mother cooked at local restaurants. Following high school, Luna attended Tri-Tech Culinary School and soon after he launched his career cooking for discriminating Angelenos. First, he landed the gig of executive chef at the popular Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant Cobras and Matadors. He currently helms Malo and the newly opened Mas Malo in downtown LA. Located in a 9,500-square-ft foot historic building, Chef Luna has taken on his m...
Dec 18, 2012
HipPOPs follows the old-world tradition of Italian gelaterias with offerings of handcrafted artisan dessert treats, including gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt. Founded on the principle of bringing the highest-quality and healthiest ingredients to the streets of South Florida with a mobile HipPOP Truck run by customer-first “Pop Stars,” the company offers hundreds of customizable variations on its POPs, with an array of delectable dips and poppings. Rich, smooth and made to order, HipPOPs uses on...
Dec 13, 2012
Sun Wah’s humble beginnings started in New York’s Chinatown. Squeezed into a nine-foot wide storefront, Eric Cheng, Sun Wah’s founder, perfected his skills as a Hong Kong-style barbecue chef. Deciding the environment was not right to raise their family, Eric and his wife, Lynda, uprooted themselves, their four children, and Eric’s mother. The destination: Chicago
Dec 11, 2012
Andrew Carmellini is a two-time James Beard Award winner from New York City with a string of roaring hit restaurants including Locanda Verde inside Robert DeNiro’s Greenwich Hotel. You might even remember his Grandpa Carmellini if you were hanging out at Miami Beach’s Surf Club in the 40′s and 50′s. Andrew is also the author of two cookbooks, Urban Italian and American Flavor.
Nov 29, 2012
Haven is a sexy lounge with high-tech edge that extends from its decor to its cocktails. Boasting all-encompassing HD projection walls, the backdrop shifts from a Saharan Desert landscape to ice-capped mountains to a pastiche of the Miami skyline with the blink of an eye. As the night progresses, the interactive display transforms from these static landscapes to graphics that move with the beats of the DJ on deck.
Nov 25, 2012
Sakaya serves a concise menu of casual Asian/Southeast Asian fare such as Filipino egg rolls, Japanese miso soup, Vietnamese bao (steamed buns), and a predominance of Korean street foods such as kimchi, bulgogi wraps, and spicy chicken wings. Natural meat, poultry, and seafoods are used, along with organic dairy and produce, some of which comes from local farms. All menu items are made from scratch, including the curing of meats, pickling of vegetables, and preparation of ssams, ssamjangs, and s...
Nov 07, 2012
When I was 20 years old, traveling through Napa Valley, I fell in love with the food, the wine, the atmosphere, and everything in between. A couple years later, stepping into what is now Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, I knew immediately what I fell in love with in that famous wine growing region could happen here. It would not be an easy task, but after an enormous amount of effort, imagination, and recipe testing, we now have Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar. ...
Oct 25, 2012
Street food is the great equalizer—no glamour required. Yakitori, when well-executed, is about the simple flavors of authentic street food. A hot grill provides intense flavors from seasonal proteins and vegetables, grilled to order over a chattering, hissing fire. Beer, wine and sake selections compliment the fresh-grilled flavors. Craft cocktails, wines and spirits are chosen for customized meal pairings. Experiment and discover!
Oct 23, 2012
Saigon Sisters Restaurant, the latest addition to the Fulton River District’s lively restaurant scene, is run by Vietnamese sisters, Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, along with their mother, Mama Suu. The main inspiration for beginning their business came from influential family members. Mama Suu and the sisters’ grandmother began as successful entrepreneurs in Vietnam, growing an open-market grocery into a large food market operation that served as the main supplier to nearby embassies. ...
Oct 19, 2012
The Grinder originally started as a written Q&A with folks who were involved with Burgers. This new version is produced by Chat Chow TV and is part interview, part roast and 100% fun. All guests do not know what exactly they are going be asked or be put through. But, hey those are the breaks if you’re gonna be on The Grinder. About Lee Shrager Lee Brian Schrager, one of the nation’s preeminent event planners and media relations experts, serves as the Vice President of Corporate Communication...
Oct 16, 2012
Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet is a celebration of food and wine showcasing more than 100 of Chicago’s finest restaurants and chefs, as well as hundreds of renowned vintners, spirit makers and premium breweries from around the world. Guests enjoy dozens of live cooking demonstrations, expert seminars, gourmet tastings, and book signings by internationally renowned chefs, master sommeliers and winemakers.
Oct 04, 2012
When speaking about can’t miss desserts, no other name in the region elicits a more passionate response than that of Hedy Goldsmith. Recently awarded a James Beard nomination (Outstanding Pastry Chef 2012), the Executive Pastry Chef of The Genuine Hospitality Group of restaurants (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami and Grand Cayman, Harry’s Pizzeria in Miami) remains one of the most respected professionals in the country. With the October 2, 2012 release of her debut cookbook, BAKING OU...
Oct 03, 2012
Daniel Serfer, chef and owner made Blue Collar the type of restaurant that you always want to go to with friends and family. Blue Collar is a casual place that has a warm and inviting team whose only goal is to make sure you have a good time while you are there. The food offerings are plenty diverse and super tasty. Some of the favorites are the homemade pastas, shrimp and grits, and the pork and beans. The menu will surely have something that you will enjoy even if you are a vegetarian. It’s th...
Sep 27, 2012
Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac believe that the best way to satisfy an appetite is to consume some of the most authentic foods from across the globe. Hand cut Italian pasta. French truffles. California oranges. Maine lobster. Foods as unique as the places they come from and the people that harvest them. That’s what we’re about.
Sep 24, 2012
The Grinder originally started as a written Q&A with folks who were involved with Burgers. This new version is produced by Chat Chow TV and is part interview, part roast and 100% fun. All guests do not know what exactly they are going be asked or be put through. But, hey those are the breaks if you’re gonna be on The Grinder. About Pincho Factory Cuts, Quality and Freshness are three things we take VERY seriously. Steak – Gorgeous Rib Eye aged for 25 days, marinated 24 hours before its serve...
Sep 13, 2012
Bracha is no newcomer to the restaurant business. Having put himself through the Hotel & Restaurant Management program at NY City College by working in bagel and bread bakeries, he honed his culinary skills at La Caravelle, which was long known in New York as a “temple to French gastronomy.” Bracha then spent the next several years working under top chefs from New York to St. Thomas, which afforded him the well-rounded experiences that have brought him where he is today. Bracha made his way ...
Sep 06, 2012
Kristine opened Pecking Order as an homage to the generations of women and men in her family who passed down their passion for cooking to her. The signature chicken marinade at Pecking Order is a family recipe that she grew up eating and craves endlessly. When the time was right to put her signature chicken in the spotlight, she opened the doors of Pecking Order with her mother, Melinda – making it a family affair all the way.
Sep 04, 2012
Meet Chef Duff. Shaping cakes with drill saws and blowtorches, and staffing his bakery with fellow rock musicians, he's not your typical baker. However, he's one of the most sought-after decorative cake makers in the country. Every week at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Duff and his team of artists try to meet the demands of creating up to 20 cakes a week, some of which take up to 29 hours to build! From a tilted Dr. Seuss-like seven-tiered wedding cake to an almost perfect replica of Wrigley Fi...
Aug 30, 2012
At Mandolin Aegean Bistro we our proud and passionate about the food we grew up eating. We crave the smell of fresh baked bread, roasted lamb, grilled fish, and of course, our mom’s homemade specialties therefore, we’re dedicated to recreating dishes that are simple, rustic and authentic to the villages of Greece and Turkey. Our table is where family and friends can gather, for love, for laughter, for spirited conversation, A place to feed your stomach and your soul.
Aug 24, 2012
Ricardo Zarate Fueled by the city’s creative energy, Ricardo Zarate brings Peruvian cuisine to new levels through a showcase of Japanese finesse, hometown flavors, and L.A. attitude. After graduating from Lima’s top culinary school and working in London’s top restaurants for over a decade, including One Aldwych and Zuma, Ricardo, a Peruvian native, moved to L.A. to open Mo-chica and Picca. Most recently, Ricardo re-opened the original Mo-chica in an evolved space downtown that features a vibrant...
Aug 21, 2012
Om Nom Nom’s head cookie, Anthea Ponsetti, is one of the fortunate, enviable few who knows what they want out of life from the very beginning. As a young girl growing up in a non-traditional British and Cuban family in Miami, Anthea learned to bake her first chocolate chip cookie under the guidance of her mother, who would often yell very British things at her when she would slouch, mouth off, etc. When teatime rolled around, Anthea would delight and entertain family members with her desserts. S...
Aug 09, 2012
If the aroma doesn’t convince you, the gentle roar of the pre-WWII Probat Perfekt Roaster will — Panther stands for Coffee. Period. And its mission is evident in everything husband-and-wife team Joel Pollock and Leticia Ramos Pollock put into their place. To begin with, every cup of coffee Panther serves is roasted on site, in small batches, each of which have their origin in farms personally-selected by the Pollocks for taste as well as and individuality. Both Joel and Leticia benefit from long...
Aug 08, 2012
Mike comes from a well-rounded culinary background, having been in the catering and restaurant business for many years. In opening up Burger Boss along with his partners, Mike is back to cooking exactly what he loves – burgers and fries. Using that extensive and well-skilled background, Mike combines quality ingredients with great techniques. This brings the best Burger Boss meal to customers and it is quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite!
Aug 02, 2012
Chef John truly understands great food, and combines his passion for cooking with local, seasonal ingredients to dishes that keep loyal customers coming back again and again. Before opening Sono Wood Fired, he was the Chef d'Cuisine of Levy Restaurants for over 25 years, and helped Levy to attain several acclaimed awards. At Sono, he brings that same level of cooking to a menu filled with great traditional Italian food. Not only does he oversee the kitchen, but he also works with local farms for...
Jul 24, 2012
Adam Rapoport is Editor-in-Chief of Bon Appétit magazine and its website bonappetit.com. Mr. Rapoport has been with Condé Nast for more than 10 years. Prior to becoming Editor-in-Chief of Bon Appétit, Mr. Rapoport was GQ’s Style Editor, where he covered food, travel, fashion, design, film and music. Prior to joining GQ, Mr. Rapoport edited the restaurant section atTime Out New York for three years and worked as an editor and writer for the James Beard Foundation’s publications office....
Jul 23, 2012
