Photos were just released giving a sneak peek inside the upcoming Gordon Ramsay Steak at the Paris Las Vegas. In a town full of the world's most renowned chefs, this is the first for Chef Ramsay who is well-known for his restaurants around the globe, in addition to his wrath with wannabe aspiring chefs on the hit show Hell's Kitchen. According to our friends at Caesar's Entertainment, Gordon Ramsay Steak will be a "fresh, high-energy dining environment that playfully transports guests from Paris to London . Set within the Paris Las Vegas resort, which is whimsically modeled after the "City of Lights ," the restaurant design will celebrate Chef Ramsay and the city of London , where he lives. This innovative concept will reflect edgy, exciting and bold designs and will bridge the resort’s Parisian theme with Ramsay’s British heritage." The restaurant is slated to open in mid-May of this year. Get ready, Las Vegas.
Gordon Ramsay Steak Dining Room with Union Jack above
Artist Andrey Berezowdky of SWON Design (left) assembling the neon light sculpture
Painters high above the dining room at Gordon Ramsay Steak working on the ceiling
Photo credit Denise Truscello/Wire Image & Erik Kabik/Retna Digital
Introduction of Chefs at the Friends of James Beard Foundation 25th Anniversary Benefit Dinner held at The Venetian/Palazzo, Las Vegas.
First Course - Bouchon Chef Jacob Wetherington's Roasted Heirloom Beet Salad Sunchokes, Petite Mache, Black Truflle Vinaigrette paired with a Riesling: Hugel Alsace; 2010
Second Course - B&B/ Carnevino Chef Jason Neve's Hand-Made Orecchiette with local Spring vegetables, Arugulat Pesto & Mangalista Pancetta paired with a Bastianich Vespa Blanco; 2009
Third Course - Table 10/ Delmonico Executive Chef Sean Roe's Roasted Sturgeon with Wild Mushrooms, Fava Beans and Red Wine Sauce paired with a Pinot Noir; Hallberg Ranch, Russian River Valley; Emeritus; 2009
Fourth Course - Valentino Chef Luciano Pellegrini's Spring Lamb Medallions over a fava bean puree with a Spring Garlic-flavored demiglace, served with white asparagus tips, butter fried potato tourne, wild mushrooms and fava beans paired with a a Catiglion Del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino; 2004
Chef Olivier Dubreuil's Criollo Chocolate dessert - Chocololate Mascarpone cream, Nougatine Tuile, Sweet Amarena Cherries with Balsamic Reduction
For more photos, visit our James Beard Foundation Dinner Photo Album
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending the official press conference announcing the finalists for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards. An invitation-only brunch paired with the highly-anticipated news was held at the The Venetian and Palazzo on the Las Vegas strip. The Venetian houses more James Beard Award winners than any other property worldwide, so it was fitting that both the finalist broadcast and a 25th Anniversary Friends of James Beard Foundation Benefit Dinner later that evening were held on premise.
James Beard's Susan Ungaro, Mitchell Davis, Woody Campbell, John Washko
Spring Pea Agnolotti w/ Crème fraîche & wild morels
Not surprisingly, the brunch menu was plentiful and consisted of liquid wake-me-ups, small plates, live stations and a tempting dessert selection. From a made-to-order House-Smoked Steelhead Buckwheat Crepe with a Fresh Duck Egg, to a basket of European Pastries (I ate three), this brunch was one of those decadent celebrations that Vegas is so good at throwing. Spotted in the crowd were a number of celebrated Las Vegas food and beverage professionals and media including Chef Julian Serrano, Master Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, Ivo Angelov of Le Cirque and Robin Leach who I will always remember as the host of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
The full list of the 2012 James Beard Foundation Award finalists can be found HERE. The James Beard Foundation Awards, often called the "Oscars of the Food World" is a prestigious program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries. This year's Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception will take place on Monday, May 7, 2012 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and will be hosted by multiple James Beard Award–winning celebrity chef, television personality, and author Alton Brown.
To purchase tickets for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards, visit HERE
For more info on dining at The Venetian and The Palazzo, visit HERE
For more photos, visit our James Beard at The Venetian/Palazzo Photo Album.
Stay tuned for the James Beard finalist announcements live today at 11am from the Venetian/Palazzo Las Vegas! There will also be a Friends of James Beard 25th Anniversary Benefit dinner featuring some of Vegas' most acclaimed chefs and restaurants tonight on property. A few tickets for this highly anticipated event are still available via the Palazzo/Venetian website (click on image above).
I'll be posting pics via Instagram, Twitter and our Food Fashionista Facebook page along with a full recap of the festivities here on the blog as soon as I return back to Cali.
Ciao for now...
As a small business owner, I wanted to remind you all to support your local small businesses today (and every day). Started last year by New York City Mayor Bloomberg and American Express, Small Business Saturday takes place on the day after Black Friday. It was created as an easy way to support the local, independently owned small businesses that create jobs, fuel the economy and invigorate retail in communities across the country. In 2010, Small Business Saturday became a huge cultural event that drove major traffic and sparked spending at small businesses across the US in a MAJOR way.
This year, the stylish PAPER Mag + AmEx joined together to create city guides for the Small Business Saturday shopping initiative. Inside this guide you will find special deals from local shops, salons, restaurants and bars located in NYC, Chicago and San Francisco. Exclusive offers such as discounts at clothing stores and boutiques, free restaurant tastings and drink deals, special gifts with purchase and more!
While shopping this holiday season, remember all those small businesses and entrepreneurs.
For more info on Small Business Saturday, visit HERE
Uni Makes its Way into the Mainstream
by Mika Takeuchi
Although once constrained to the confines of Japanese cuisine, uni has become the “it” ingredient of contemporary dining, gracing the plates of restaurant goers dining in California, French and Italian-inspired restaurants. Chefs, from all walks of life just can’t seem to resist this foie gras of the sea and are incorporating it into traditional and progressive dishes alike. In recent years, we’ve witnessed sea urchin’s increasing prevalence on varying menus across the West; but now, with its current non-exclusivity to sushi bars, uni is officially swimming into the mainstream.
“Uni,” Japanese for sea urchin roe, is more specifically the gonads of the sea urchin and for many fans, it is considered an edible luxury, even to some, an aphrodisiac. In their origin, sea urchins are relatively small, spiny, sphere-shaped creatures that inhabit coral reefs and rocky ocean floors, mainly feeding on algae, seaweed and plankton. Each spiky sea urchin contains five rows of uni that are extremely fragile and require meticulous harvesting and handling. Although sea urchins can be found in waters across the world, the West Coast of the United States has become a popular uni-supplying mecca for both domestic and international clients.
Domestic uni dominates
Freshness is a key factor for the consumption of uni, and the emphasis on sourcing local resonates well with West Coast chefs. Those fortunate enough to reside particularly close to the Pacific Ocean, have it especially good. “We only serve locally-sourced and sustainable products, and uni is one of those prized ingredients” notes Executive Chef Chad White of San Diego’s Sea Rocket Bistro. “There is an abundance of sea urchin on the West Coast, especially here in San Diego, and I get mine direct off the boat daily. Rarely is there a shortage, unless the weather is bad and my fishermen can’t get out to the ocean,” adds White. His restaurant offers several uni-focused selections, including sea urchin pasta and a sea urchin shooter during happy hour which he claims, “creates quite the hysteria.”
Even closer to the sea urchin source is award-winning Seagrass Restaurant, just six blocks off the coast of Santa Barbara. Chef/Owner Robert Perez mentions the interest in sea urchin at Seagrass explaining, “We naturally use Santa Barbara red sea urchin being we are in Santa Barbara. We specialize in seafood, and there are guests who are looking for something different, with several requests and inquiries asking if we serve uni.” Recently named ZAGAT Survey’s number one restaurant in Santa Barbara, uni has officially found a place in fine dining kitchens of the West. Additionally, though, foreign countries such as Chile and Japan remain steady importers of sea urchin, Santa Barbara has clearly become a well-known uni capital, steadily becoming a favorite among chefs, both here in the U.S. and abroad.
Sea Urchin at Sea Rocket Bistro
Uni preparations and combinations
No longer reserved for sushi, sea urchin has found its way into dishes marked by a range of preparations. Seagrass’s Perez says he “enjoys pairing uni with shellfish, light and bright summer vegetables and some kind of acid, whether it’s yuzu, sudachi or lemon and lime”. His current uni dishes include caramelized sea scallops and Red Sea Urchin with wilted spinach and ginger emulsion; braised Niman Ranch pork belly with red sea urchin, baby carrots, sweet peas, wilted arugula and orange lime chili flake sauce; and a Maine lobster dish with sea urchin roe sauce, pommes puree, breakfast radish and English peas with a seaweed wafer.
At Raphael in Studio City, Chef Adam Horton has found success with his uni sauce preparation in a dish with diver scallops, white corn, black garlic, and tarragon. “My integration has gone well for me, I don’t serve it in an intimidating form, and it’s passed through a tamis and mixed with cream and butter. It seems more approachable that way,” says Horton. He plans on introducing guests to an uni panna cotta underneath a cold seafood dish, and believes that when it comes to pairing ingredients in his kitchen with uni, “It’s a really versatile ingredient, offering a clean, refreshing brininess to a dish.”
Over in Nevada at Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort, Executive Chef Geno Bernardo of Nove Italiano prefers domestic uni off the California coast and finds that “chefs are getting the product and feeling the creative passion for making great dishes with this amazing species.” He notes, “There are a lot of different types of applications that you can do with sea urchin. I think over the next few years, you are going to see uni on a lot of chefs’ menus. The main attribute is that you can use it in so many ways. The best way, I feel as a chef, is serving it raw with simple preparation. Let the uni speak for itself.” Chef Bernardo prefers pairing uni with “lardo, egg, caviar, and pasta.”
Seagrass' Maine Lobster w/ Santa Barbara Red Sea Urchin Sauce (click photo for recipe)
Growing uni-versal fan base
Chef Horton has been hearing “Oh, I love Uni!” a lot these days. When the subject is brought up, ninety-nine percent of the time, uni will evoke a passionate response from its advocates and naysayers. And despite its growing popularity, the creamy texture and acquired briny taste isn’t for everyone, but for uni zealots, there is nothing better.
Chef White has witnessed the rising adoration of uni at Sea Rocket Bistro and believes that it comes from diners’ curiosity with food, its visibility on television cooking shows and chefs educating their guests about the product. “An increasing number of diners are getting to know the chefs at their favorite restaurants, some even relinquishing their meal choices to kitchen teams, often taking guests on a culinary journey. Additionally, diners are beginning to pay more attention to what is being sourced and served locally and sea urchin is one of these ingredients. We source our sea urchin from a diver named Mitch. It doesn’t get more personal than that,” proclaims White.
Sea Rocket Bistro caters to both uni newbies and aficionados; Chef White concludes that “over 60 percent of diners who try uni return for more.” He believes, “People tend not to try things because they are afraid of what they don’t know. I think many people assume that, since they haven’t tried something, it must be gross, especially if it’s dark and spiny on the outside. As with the rest of our menu, we offer sea urchin options for both the adventurous and not-so-adventurous diner. For the die-hards, we have urchin served on a wood serving platter, live in its shell. As the spines of the shell move, diners indulge in its butter, sweet texture with a little lemon and lavender sea salt. Then, we have an uni shooter with ginger beer for those who want a quick dose. We also have a crostini served with a preserved lemon relish for those who are a little unsure about uni, and a light, handmade linguine with fresh urchin, ginger and nepitella for those looking to get spoiled.“
Chef Bernardo echoes the sentiments that uni is a product best received by diners when educated on the ingredient by the restaurant staff. “Most guests really don’t know or understand sea urchin. As chefs we have to train our staff to deliver the message to our guests. I have the best luck selling it verbally as a special that night, explaining to our guests that this great product just came in today. When we have uni that day, we sell it out each night,” states Bernardo.
Is sea urchin roe a go for your restaurant menu?
Despite it being a locally-sourced product, sea urchin is still considered very exotic to most diners and kitchen professionals. For innovative chefs, it has become a fascinating product they’ve delighted in experimenting with, but are still yet exploring. “I am just discovering applications for uni, but the product as an ingredient offers unlimited possibilities. I think the natural tie in to the Japanese kitchen leads chefs to work with uni. A lot of restaurant menus are incorporating Asian flairs and flavors, so it is a natural progression. Also, it is a different ingredient that has not been overdone so it gives chefs a chance to do something new and unique on their menus and offer multiple options for creativity using a product that is highly sustainable,” says Seagrass’s Chef Perez.
Nove Italiano’s Bernardo agrees saying, “The major benefit about serving uni is that you don’t see a lot of places serving uni other than sushi restaurants.”
As clearly proven by chefs who are already taking on this fresh, high-quality product, sea urchin just may be what your establishment needs to add some uni-queness to your restaurant’s current offerings.
I've always been a fan of Missoni's zig zag knits and colorful prints, even wearing one of their mulit-colored couture dresses for a Fashionbliss' launch party in '05. Little did I know back then, that six years later, this family-run fashion power house from Italy would be showcasing a 400+ piece collection at the local Target. Well, times have changed, and yes, like many, I am very excited. Home decor, swimsuits, men's wear, make-up brushes, computer gear, kids clothing, luggage, stationary, rain boots, and even a Missoni bicycle are all available for purchase very soon.
The big day is September 13th. Hope the folks at Target scheduled extra staff for their brick and mortar and online store because it's going to be a mad-Missoni shopping frenzy!
Missoni for Target Dishware
Missoni for Target Bicycle - Grocery Shopping Chic
For the Hostess with the Missoni-ostest
For the latest issue of Culinary Trends Magazine, I showcased cured ham. It was both an interesting and educational topic to write about since I found it to be a subject that many chefs and diners were both so passionate about. Also, having been a judge at this Summer's L.A. Cochon 555 event, and having attended the recent hog wild San Francisco event, cured ham was on the brain, and most likely still in my intestines. Enjoy!
The Elite of Meat
by Mika Takeuchi
Here's your chance to win the dinner soiree of your dreams via UrbanDaddy and OpenTable. With so many of the best restaurants on OpenTable, your dining options will be plentiful, but deciding on the guest list...well that may be a bit more challenging. Count me in as one of your nine, and I'll steer you in the right direction as far as restaurant choice and menu items are concerned. No, but seriously, hope you win this "dinner party to end all dinner parties" and best of luck!
Enter to win HERE
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