Some up-and-coming chefs are skipping culinary school

"The cautionary tale of a would-be chef goes like this: A starry-eyed youth dreams of helming a restaurant kitchen and enrolls in a $60,000 culinary program but upon graduation still qualifies only for a job as a $10.50-an-hour line cook and struggles to work off crippling school loans that, with interest, can balloon to nearly $100,000. Dream crushed."  Read more. . .

Calorie labels on restaurant menus don't stop diners from overindulging

"Evidence is mounting that calorie labels — promoted by some nutritionists and the restaurant industry to help stem the obesity crisis — do not steer most people to lower-calorie foods. Eating habits rarely change, according to several studies. Perversely, some diners see the labels yet consume more calories than usual. People who use the labels often don’t need to. (Meaning: They are thin.)"

50 most important women in food from Gourmet.com

"Men have the big toques, but when you think about it, it’s women who may have exerted the most influence over our foodways—especially since there’s been mass media to record their feats."  With how many of the 50 women are you acquainted?  Who's missing?

Louisiana Seafood at the White House

To demonstrate the safety and deliciousness of Gulf Coast seafood at the White House, the Louisiana Seafood Board prepared a special shrimp and oyster po' boy lunch at the White House on August 9. Several D.C. chefs with ties to the Louisiana seafood industry helped to prepare it, including Jeff Tunks from Acadiana, Ann Cashion and John Fulchino from Johnny’s Half Shell, Jeff Buben from Vidalia, and David Guas, from the soon to open Bayou Bakery.