Food bloggers endanger media restaurant reviewers

Newspaper and magazine restaurant critics are becoming an endangered species, due to Web bloggers and restaurant review sites.

Do you like an open kitchen?

Some restaurant chefs like them, and some do not. Could popular open restaurant kitchens affect home kitchen designs and renovations?

Rick Bayless recently opened his third restaurant, Xoco

"Xoco brings Bayless’ notions of quality, sustainability and stewardship to their most accessible and affordable levels yet."  Best wishes, Rick!

London restaurant takes service charge off bill

Owners of most of the former Conran restaurants in London say they will leave the amount of tips for good service up to the customers in parties of seven or fewer diners. While in the U.S. customers expect to tip, the usual practice in Britain to add a 12.5 percent service tax to the check.

Boston Market tests $2.99 meal deals

Restaurant traffic was down three percent last year, according to the NPD Group.  To test the market for smaller portions and lower price point, Boston Market is offering for a limited time, "to match quantity of food at a great price, to give people an extra reason to come in," said CEO Lane Cardwell.

Two Austin, Texas, foodies launch Crave Communications

Cathy Cochran-Lewis, the IACP's recent past president, and Paula Biehler recently established Crave Communications, a public relations and marketing agency for the restaurant and hospitality industry.  Best wishes, Cathy!

A peek into the biodynamic farm at La Provence, with Chef John Besh

Not sure on which optional culinary tour to register for on the Tuesday of the IACP Conference? Take a peek into John Besh's Biodynamic Farm at his first restaurant, La Provence. This is part of OP-04 Northshore Terroir Tour where you'll travel to Lacombe, Louisianna and enjoy a great meal at La Provence, followed by a stop at Pontchartrain Vineyards where you'll tour the grounds and taste fine local wines.

Join us for our 30th Annual Conference in New Orleans, April 15 - 20. For more information visit the IACP website at www.iacp.com.

If you are not an IACP member, you too can join us in New Orleans. For more information on IACP's special offer for non-members contact Emily Pohler at (800) 928 4227 or email her at epohler@hqtrs.com

The following video is directed by David Aman, of DocNO Productions.

A Taste of New Orleans' traditional foods

The IACP 2008 Annual Conference will take place in the city of New Orleans, the week of April 14.  If you're planning to attend this event and if this will be your first time in the city, here are a few places you'd like to check out and experience the traditional foods of Louisiana.  We hope to see you there!

Young Chef Spotlight Joanna (Ioanna) Kremmida

"Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean."

Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)


From the surface of a magnificent infinity pool on the island of Kefalonia, my mind is temporarily suspended in time. It is no ordinary scene from my daily life, but rather the gift of blissful contentment in a Shangri La of sorts, which I may refer to in the future and reflect as I do now. What did I ponder as I looked out onto the Ionian island of Ithaca in the distance? My evening meal…

There is a young Chef at the Hotel Emilisse named Joanna Kremmida. Although she is only 24 at the time that I write about this memory, she is a master of food preparation and of the very sort that I sought on my culinary adventure in Greece. The menu, which she is responsible for, is designed for a “Continental” audience, however, she is clearly inspired by her roots and the food she loved as a child. She knew that she wanted to be a Chef from the age of 18 upon her completion of high school.

Her extraordinary cooking talents were inspired by her Mother’s kitchen in the town of Megara, 40 kilometers to the west of Athens. Joanna arrived at Hotel Emilisse four years ago, but first under the tutelage of another Chef with whom she worked with on the island of Spetses. It was in this year that she recalls tasting a seafood risotto prepared by this Chef that transformed her life. It was “magic food” she recalled to me. Within a year she found herself on her own and has been in charge of this premiere seasonal restaurant kitchen ever since.

Even though Chef Kremmida’s belief is that global trends suggest a continued rise and appreciation in the cuisine of China and Japan, she is challenged by the “discipline and details” of French culinary arts and a desire to master the art of pasta making. Still when asked about her favorite food to prepare, she will answer, “Greek! In addition it is difficult to prepare, one reason being that there is a lot of olive oil in the preparation of so many Greek dishes, thus, it is necessary to find the perfect delicate balance. “Not too much and not too little”, she added. No dish that I tasted at the restaurant probably offered as much satisfaction as the lobster and spaghetti platter, which requires a 24-hour advance order. Naturally the appearance of fresh steamed colossal lobsters will delight any seafood loving audience, but somehow it was the fresh and simple tomato sauce for the spaghetti, which I recall most.

Chef Kremmida’s recipe for Fresh Tomato Sauce (Spaghetti for 2)

2 tblsp butter
½ large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
5 firm ripe tomatoes, grated
2 spring onion, chopped
1 glass dry white wine
2 tblsp dry basil (or 1 tablespoon of prepared basil pesto)
½ tsp sea salt
Pinch of hot paprika
1 ½ tblsp white sugar

To garnish:
Fresh basil for garnish
Fresh cracked black pepper


Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté the mixture until golden brown. Add the wine and the remaining ingredients. Reduce the sauce until the juice from the tomatoes has thickened. Pour the mixture over fresh cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with fresh basil and cracked black pepper.


My final evening at Hotel Emilisse was one, which I actually dreaded. To soften the harsh reality of departure, Chef Kremmida asked what I would like for my party’s farewell supper. I knew that her season at the hotel was coming to a close and that within a matter of days, she would be returning to her home and her Mother’s kitchen. “What is the dish which you miss the most and would like your Mother to cook for you when you come home?” I asked. “It is a slow cooked meal, prepared in a cast iron casserole. She combines chunks of lamb, veal and pork along with three cheeses, feta, Kefalouturi (a yellow goat cheese from Crete and harder than feta) and Metsovone (a smoked local goat cheese). She adds (red bell) peppers, tomatoes, a little olive oil and water, covers the dish and lets it slow cook at a very low temperature for at least 4 hours. I will make it for you and your guests as a farewell dinner.”

I can still recall the arrival of this dish! It appeared as a feast for the gods, a shared memory of home and all under the stars burning in the sky like butter lamps of the ancient Greek temples. The world must keep its eyes on this upcoming Chef. Her kindness even extended in presenting to me my favorite dessert in the world, “galaktoboureko”, the ultimate comfort dish with layers of filo dough and slow cooked semolina in sugar and milk. She understands how the power of food can translate as an expression of the soul and delight the occasional “accidental tourist”.
For the visit of a lifetime check out the link for Hotel Emilisse and the other expertly managed properties of the family owned Tsimaris boutique hotels at

www.arthotel.gr/emelisse

While you are there, rent a car and explore the array of small fishing villages, delightful tavernas and dreamy hidden white-pebbled beaches in the land of “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”.

by Scott Givot, CCP - IACP Secretary-Treasurer
Oslo, Norway

191 Michelin stars for Tokyo restaurants

The announcement ceremonies crowning Tokyo as the world`s top culinary destination may have been a surprise to those outside of Japan. The Michelin Guide has presented 191 Michelin Stars to Tokyo, beating out New York City with 49 stars, and Paris with 65 stars. The most notable point is that every restaurant included in the guide has at least one star. The importance that this will play on the culinary world has yet to be seen.

For those of us who live, or have lived, in Tokyo, it is a long-deserved recognition. Hopefully this will encourage gourmands around the world to book that ticket to Japan. The city is easy to access, clean, safe, and offers a dizzying array of options for the food-savvy. And, with the current exchange rate, Tokyo has become an affordable destination. To read the complete article, click here.

Top 50 restaurants in the World 2007

El Bulli made first place again followed by The Fat Duck and Pierre Gagnaire in second and third best restaurants in the World. The French Laundry, Per Se, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Daniel, Charlie Trotter in the US ranked in the top 50. Alinea, in Chicago, ranked 36. Tsesuya's in Australia came in 5th place. France ranked first with 12 restaurants in the top 50.
DOM, Alex Atala´s restaurant in Sao Paulo, Brazil, ranked as only Latin America. Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru, ranked 72.
To see the complete list, click here.

Chicago's Avant Garde Cuisine

If you are planning to be in Chicago in April to attend IACP's annual Conference, then you might be interested in knowing that the city is home to some of the finest restaurants in the country. In fact, culinarily speaking, Chicago has been named the "Barcelona of North America".

We are fortunate because we will be able to meet a few of the chefs of these restaurants during our Annual Conference. Chef Charlie Trotter will give a cooking demonstration on sous vide and other modern techniques. His restaurant ranks 26 among the top 50 in the World. Make sure to make a reservation 8 to 10 weeks in advance if you plan on having dinner there.

Homaru Cantu and Ben Roche of Moto Restaurant in Chicago will give us a demonstration on their latest inventions on Thursday April 12 in the workshop named "A Savory and Sweet Look into Postmodern Cuisine". Make sure not to miss this unique opportunity to see chef Cantu in action.

Tru will be represented by Chef Gale Gand, who we will meet us on the Chocolate and Vanilla tour on Tuesday which includes lunch at the restaurant; she will also join us during the Kids in the Kitchen workshop on Wednesday afternoon.

Finally, there is Alinea, named the Best Restaurant in the USA in 2006 by Gourmet Magazine. The Chef is Grant Achatz, who worked with Thomas Keller at the French Laundry and did a brief "stage" with Ferrán Adriá at El Bulli. Called the new wunderkid, Chef Achatz marveled the audience at Madrid Fusion last week. Chef Achatz is not scheduled on our program but we are sure many of you will be interested in his cuisine and visit his restaurant.

If you are curious about what the food at Alinea looks like, here is a set of photos taken recently by a diner.

Enjoy!

Chicago Food Links

The 29th IACP Annual Conference will take place on April 11 to 14 2007, in the beautiful city of Chicago. For those planning to attend, here is a list of food related blogs and links rich with information on where to eat, what to eat, where to go, and even what to drink. Get familiar with our upcoming host city dining scene - Chicago - home of some of the top restaurants in the World!





Search for over 9,000 restaurants and 4,000 bars and read their reviews on this site, part of the Chicago Tribune newspaper.





This native Chicago blogger reviews the city's bakeries.





Excellent, well written site. Read through for great recommendations on what to eat at each restaurant reviewed.





Check out this page for the best kept secrets of the Chicago dining scene.






Chicago restaurants, home cuisine, & the food scene.













Chicago Culinary forum, plenty of information.












Dining Adventures in Chicago. Listen to audio files on Chicago's restaurant reviews.



Elena Hernandez
IACP International Committee Chair