What a week for Mindy Segal. After a half-dozen nominations, she picked up a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the U.S., no small feat, considering she runs an entire restaurant, rather than just a dessert menu tucked within one. But this year, Segal wasn’t in New York City for the awards … Continued
Everyone I know has been encouraging me to visit Scofflaw since it opened a few weeks ago. Knowing how much I enjoy a finely-made cocktail, (and the fact there are some well-schooled bar men here, hailing from such locally respected watering holes as The Whistler) I knew it was going to be worthwhile. Located … Continued
With all of the news recently that more breweries are on their way to Chicago – some homegrown, others, like Lagunitas, will be moving operations here – the annual Craft Beer Week couldn’t have come at a better time. The schedule is pretty extensive, and begins on May 17, running for 11 days. Plenty of people … Continued
Not all dark beers are created equally. Take this week’s Beer of the Week: Schwarzbier, from the Mönchshof Brewery in Germany. The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper says since it’s low in alcohol, it is very easy to drink (think warm weather sipper out in the backyard). Here’s to deep, dark, delicious drinking. Cheers.
Although it was not a fantastic night for Chicago, the city still came away with five good wins at the 2012 James Beard Awards hosted at New York City’s Lincoln Center. North Pond‘s Bruce Sherman won Best Chef: Great Lakes after his sixth year of nomination, Mindy Segal won Outstanding Pastry Chef for her … Continued
Chicago’s Next Restaurant won the Best New Restaurant award at the 2012 James Beard Awards today in New York City. You can watch my interview with co-owner Nick Kokonas and chef Dave Beran below:
I interviewed Charlie Trotter after he won the Humanitarian of the Year award at the 2012 James Beard Awards. Trotter’s eponymous restaurant will be closing in August after 25 years of service. You can watch the interview below:
I spoke with North Pond‘s Bruce Sherman after he won the Best Chef: Great Lakes category at the 2012 James Beard Awards after six previous nominations. You can watch the interview below:
It’s rare when art imitates life so obviously, and in-your-face, but there I was on Saturday night in Brooklyn, waiting for a table at Pok Pok, the highly-touted Portland Thai restaurant’s new branch, inhaling the scent of lemongrass and fish sauce, when, after glancing around the rear dining room, I realized there were at … Continued
When it comes to pickles, Paul Virant is a bit of a savant. Long before amuses of pickled purple carrots arrived on tables and garnishes with pickled ramps began to be standard operating procedure at brunches across the city, Virant was picking his peak-of-season produce then pickling it for use during the long winters at … Continued
The Great Carnac, I am not. There is no crystal ball in my pantry, and the only kind of tarot that’s been dealt to me has been fried and served during dim sum service. But there is just so much going on this weekend – the NRA Show, the Beard Awards – that I … Continued