FOOD FASHIONISTA

Food Fashionista on Instagram

Apologies for being a bit MIA here on the Food Fashionista site lately, but with SO many exciting (n)online things going on, haven't had that much-needed extra time to catch up on writing, editing, and all that sweet stuff, but do promise to be back in full force very soon.

There are several new and note-worthy restaurants, dishes, and events that I'm thrilled to share with you!

In the meantime, if you have an iPhone, visit Food Fashionista on Instagram aka my new favorite obsession. If you don't have an iPhone (or Instagram), we'll be sure to share some of our fave Instagram shots with you here on the Food Fashionista blog. 

Check out a few from this past week:

"Don't Worry Be Happy" at Trader Joes w/ Project Happiness Wine

                 Feeling the LOVE at Sunset Blvd, Starbucks

 
           Casabalanca at Good Neighbor Restaurant, Studio City

        The VOGUE Stage - Favorite part of Superbowl 2012!

        Japanese Beer & Shishito Peppers - Malt  & Spice  

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the very top photo is a Chiffon Cake with orange curd and meringue from Short Order LA at the Original Farmers' Market. Feast your eyes on that beauty!

Lexus Presents – They Sing. They Act. They Cook? - Los Angeles Food & Wine

As they say, if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen, and with temperatures already reaching 90-degrees by 10:00 am, the Event Deck at LA Live was hot from the start! Lexus, who sponsored the event, had a little fun pairing actors with celebrity chefs. Cooking up fall favorites for a hungry crowd, Daniel Boulud (Daniel), Michael Chiarello (Bottega) and Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood), were joined by “sous actors” Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) and Vanessa Minnillo (Hawaii Five-O). The heat was quenched with crisp, chilled champagne. Ahhh…

Daniel Boulud and Eric Stonestreet took the stage and it was clear from the start, there would be lots of laughs on deck. Daniel prepared a fall favorite of Spiced Leg of Lamb Terrine with Curry, Cumin and Nutmeg. With his heavy French accent, Chef Daniel explained the complexities of the “Moroccan” flavors. Eric, originally from Kansas City, had a bit of a language barrier as he kept insisting, “This dish doesn’t sound very “American?!” The joke, as well as the dish, were enjoyed by all.

                                   Chef Daniel Boulud

 
Next up, was Michael Chiarello, again with sous Eric working a double shift. Michael gave the crowd a bit of his Napa Style by preparing Sea Urchin Risotto. Eric joked that the prickly urchin looked more like an alien than something he wanted to put in his mouth. He was proven wrong, as he devoured Michael’s rich and creamy risotto within seconds.

Closing the show was Christopher Kostow with the lovely Vanessa Minnillo cooking up another fall favorite of Sweet Potato Soup with Curried Marshmallows. Vanessa proved she had more than just acting skills, as she sliced and diced like a pro!

 

                        Michael Chiarello and Christopher Kostow

                         Daniel Boulud and Joann Cianciuilli
                                

Post and photos by Joann Cianciulli for Food Fashionista

THE TASTE - Food Noir Downtown L.A.

For my last recap of THE TASTE, I'm sharing pics of the film-inspired Food Noir which took place in Downtown Los Angeles. A number of local restaurants such as Takami, Rivera, and The Raymond served up alcohol-absorbing bites while the jovial crowd, including chef Michael Voltaggio enjoyed a clear, near-perfect L.A. evening adjacent to the bright, colorful, neon lights of the historic Orpheum Theatre. 

Broadway, between 8th and 9th streets were blocked off, and the cocktails flowed for the block party of the Summer. Here are some photos:

 
                 L.A.'s top mixologists were mixing it up

 
                      DTLA + THE TASTE = Happy Angelenos

 

                Notice the Ice Cubes from Cole's & The Varnish

                          Dengue Fever performs for the crowd
 
        Inside the Orpheum Theatre (tiffany rose photo)

 
                                     Caña Rum Bar

 
                         Never a dull moment at Pinches Tacos

 
   Mixologist Joel Black was serving up Moonshine Sours 
 
                 Seven Grand concocting a Ward 8

  

-For more Food Noir and THE TASTE photos, visit our Facebook Page

 

 

        

 

 

THE TASTE - Street Eats, Hollywood

 

Fabio Viviani, Jet Tila, Marcel Vigneron, Sang Yoon, Kajsa Alger and plenty more were in attendance as fellow chef Susan Feniger hosted THE TASTE's Street Eats party at The Studios at Paramount. Food Trucks and booths lined the streets and it was here that I finally got to try the cheesy goodness of the Grilled Cheese Truck. Perhaps tried is an understatement. I probably consumed like five of them with additional fillings including shredded short rib and macaroni and cheese. Coolhaus sweetened up the celebration with their ice cream sandwiches, along with Créme Caramel LA and their, you guessed it...creamy créme caramels.

 
         Short Rib Grilled Cheese from The Grilled Cheese Truck

 
             Everybody wanted a Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwich

 
                        Créme Caramel LA's creme caramel

Sommelier Jesse Rodriguez (Addison Restaurant, Grand Del Mar) and Michael Shearin (Drago Centro) gave us useful, professional tips in their "Navigating a Wine List" seminar. While in the same tent prior, a panel discussing "Food City: The New Language of L.A." moderated by Betty Hallock drew a packed crowd curious to hear all that chefs Roy Choi (Kogi), Jet Tila (Wazuzu), Sang Yoon (Father's Office) and Mario Alberto (Chimu) had to share.

 
                   Street Eats panel discussion at THE TASTE 
                       Palate Food & Wine's Lamb Flatbread

        Mika Takeuchi, Joann Cianciulli, Jet Tila, Sang Yoon, Caryl Chinn

 
                          No shortage of carbs at Street Eats

The Chew hosted a food truck-inspired photo booth, which was deliciously entertaining with snaps getting even more incriminating as the night went on (aka more liquor consumed). A favorite find of Street Eats was Pitfire Artisan Pizza who brought their own wood burning oven to the festival. Their pizza was so good, that I've visited their restaurant in NoHo twice since the event. And to think I was going to detox after this four day culinary extravaganza. Umm, not so much.  

 
             Marcel Vigneron, Robert Montano, Haru Kishi

 
                         Pitfire's Heirloom Tomato Pizza

 
                        Food truck photo booth shenanigans

 

Guelaguetza's Tamales Oaxaquenos w/ black mole & chicken breast in banana leaf

 

-For more Street Eats and THE TASTE photos, visit our Facebook Page

-Check back for more photos and features of THE TASTE weekend!

THE TASTE Los Angeles - Taco Tequila Tryst

  

Leave it to Kogi's Roy Choi, aka the "godfather of the food truck movement" to host an evening of tacos, tequila, and tunes to create an authentic street party at The Studios at Paramount. From red snapper tacos at Loteria Grill, Baja fish tacos at BajaMar, chicken mole tacos at Pinches, and carnitas tacos from Sofiy's Catering, this was the real Hollywood deal. Hornitos supplied partygoers with "to kill ya", oops, I mean tequila galore and horn-shaped shot glasses. For those craving a "healthier" margarita, Skinny Girl was in the house, or rather on the streets. Musician Diego Garcia wowed the crowd and provided good low-cal eye candy for those ladies too full for dessert. Spotted at THE TASTE's Taco Tequila Tryst festivities were chef Steven Fretz, StreetGourmetLA's Bill Esparza, and Food Network's Alex Guarnaschelli.

 

                     Pink Taco's Shrimp Ceviche Tacos

                              The line at Kogi BBQ Truck

                  Red Snapper Taco from Loteria Grill

                              Roy Choi & Food Fashionista

 

                           Pinches Colorful Tacos

 
                                       Diego Rivera     photo credit: tiffany rose

 

              Taberna Mexicana's Slow-roasted cochinita pibil taco

                                                                         photo credit: tiffany rose

 

                           Get ready to get tipsy at Hornitos

 
                  Tofu Tacos with Sriracha at Kogi BBQ

 
              THE TASTE at The Studios at Paramount

 
-For more Taco Tequila Tryst and THE TASTE photos, visit our Facebook Page

-Check back for more photos and features of THE TASTE weekend!

               

THE TASTE - Los Angeles Celebrity Red Carpet Photos

The chefs weren't the only celebrities who showed up at Los Angeles Times and Food & Wine's THE TASTE culinary extravaganza. Comedian Kathy Griffin, Diana Agron of “Glee” and Jesse Tyler Ferguson of “Modern Family" were all spotted during opening night festivities of this gluttonous Labor Day Weekend food, wine and spirits celebration.

Who said celebrities don't like to eat!?

 
     Kathy Griffin w/Chanel getting her burger on at The TASTE

 
      Rock Star Chef Kerry Simon serving up his Kobe Burgers

 
              Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos on the Red Carpet

 
           LA Times & Kogi's Roy Choi (center) on the Red Carpet

 
                  Giada De Laurentiis and Michelle Branch

 

Check back for more photos and features of The TASTE weekend!

Photo Credit: Tiffany Rose

Chef Kerry Simon at Toronto International Film Festival

  

Chef Kerry Simon, Megan Fox, Chef Rob Gentile

 

Chef Kerry Simon (pictured above) with the Armani Prive' clad Megan Fox and Toronto Chef Rob Gentile, brought a bit of Las Vegas' glitz and glam food scene to the Toronto International Film Festival. Hosting his own special dining experiences at the Las Vegas themed "pop-up" restaurant on King street, Chef Simon created an A-list worthy meal for the cast and filmmakers. The star-studded culinary evening included a reception for the Mitch Glazer film Passion Play and a soiree for the filmmakers of the much anticipated Davis Guggenheim documentary Waiting for Superman. Party-goers included Bill Murray, Jon Hamm, Mitch Glazer, John Legend, Kelly Lynch and Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter.

For your own Kerry Simon/Las Vegas dining experience, make sure to visit Simon at Palms Place or KGB Kerry's Gourmet Burgers at Harrah's LV.

Photo credit: Jorge Rios

Eat Pray Love - Michael Chiarello ♥'s his Pizza

Eat Pray Love - the film will be released in theaters nationwide this Friday, but recently in the Napa Valley, Chef Michael Chiarello entertained 180 media guests and stars of the upcoming film, Eat Pray Love at his restaurant, Bottega in Yountville, California. The delighted guests were treated to a personally prepared al fresco dinner by Chef Chiarello with his daughter Giana by his side.

                 Michael making pizza with his daughter Giana

The Emmy-winning chef wowed the crowd including the film's famed director Ryan Murphy and producer Dede Gardner with his ultra passionate pizza making skills and love for all things Italian. For the evening's festivities, Chef Chiarello created a sumptuous menu taken directly from the yet-to-be released Eat Pray Love film's Rome dining scene, plus a one of a kind magnificent gelato ice sculpture.  

 

                                Eat Pray Love Gelato Ice Sculpture

 Chef Michael Chiarello's Bottega - Eat Pray Love Menu:

- Anti-­Pasti-­Misti -

 2009 Chiarello  Family Vineyard Ribolla Gialla

Grissini 

Artichokes alla Giudia with burrata

House made “Organic” Prosciutto with marinated melon balls

Forno Roasted Eggplant with Pomodorini sauce and smoked mozzarella

Tomatoes with Olio Santo and tears of aceto

- Pasta -

2006 Chiarello Family Vineyard ‘Eileen’ Cabernet Sauvignon

Cavetelli alla Carbonara

Garganelli with Rabbit Ragu

Popes Hat Pasta filled with shrimp, octopus and squid, julienne vegetables and natural broth

- Secondi -

2007 Ornelaia Le Serre Nuove, Bolgheri, Toscana Wine

Saltimbocca alla Romana with Zucchini Spaghettini

- Dolci -

Luxardo Limoncello

Pastry Cream Profiterole 

Stazione di Gelato;

Fragola Pazzo, Pistachio, Nutella & Sorbetto di Pesche Bianche

For more information on Eat Pray Love (movie) visit HERE

For more information on Chef Michael Chiarello & Bottega, visit HERE

FOOD FORWARD - Let's Eat. Right. Now. Trailer

FOOD FORWARD - A New Kind of Food TV Show

Are You Hungry for Change?

"Food Forward goes beyond celebrity chefs, cooking competitions, and recipes to reveal the compelling stories and inspired solutions envisioned by food heroes across America who are striving to create a more just, sustainable and delicious alternative to what we eat and how we produce it.

Written by food journalist Stett Holbrook and produced by a veteran documentary film making team led by Greg Roden, Food Forward is a series of thirteen, 30-minute episodes exploring new ideas of food in America as told by the people who are living them. Each episode will focus on a different theme--school lunch reform, urban agriculture, commercial fishing, grass-fed beef, soil science--and spotlight the real people who are creating viable alternatives to how we grow food and feed ourselves."

Food Forward is working hard to raise $125,000 to shoot the pilot episode on urban agriculture in America.

To make a donation to FOOD FORWARD, click HERE

For more information, visit FOOD FORWARD

Eleni's Golden Globe Cookies

Spotted at today's NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show, were edible Golden Globe nominees George Clooney, Daniel Day Lewis, Meryl Streep, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz and Helen Mirren. Courtesy of NYC Chelsea based bakery Eleni's, the stars were all smiles and nothing but sweet.

All of Eleni's sugar cookies are hand-made, certified Kosher and created only with the most natural high-quality ingredients.

Eleni's

75 Ninth Avenue @15th St.

New York, NY 10011 ·

PH 1.888.4.ELENIS (1-888-435-3647)