Celebrity Chefs

Target: Bobby Flay

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Chef Bobby Flay Attends Knicks Reading Zone

It was only recently that we heard about celebrity chef Tom Colicchio being accused of stiffing his employees. Now, it seems that it is another celebrity chef’s turn. This time, it is Bobby Flay who is in the sights of critics and people who want to bring him down.

The Associated Press has this report:

The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court by current and former employees, names as a defendant Bold Food LLC. The company owns or operates Bar Americain and Mesa Grill NYC in Manhattan. Other restaurants are in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

The lawsuit claims Flay’s company violated the wage and hour laws by engaging in improper tip-pooling practices. It also says the company failed to pay proper overtime pay and failed to reimburse employees for some expenses.

A spokesman for Flay and the restaurants did not immediately return a telephone message for comment on Friday.

It’s one of a string of similar lawsuits filed on behalf of employees of New York restaurants.

There is no definitive information as to whether or not there is substantial proof that Chef Bobby Flay is indeed guilty of the charges. I don’t know which other restaurants in New York are facing the same charges but it seems that this is an organized thing, targeting high profile restaurateurs. In any case, if there is one result of all this publicity, it is that the chefs being targeted are getting free press coverage. Of course, if they are convicted, it is another story.

Originally posted on January 17, 2009 @ 10:29 pm

Top Chef Masters: Something To Look Forward To?

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about_1There is no dearth of cooking shows these days. From the United States to the United Kingdom to Asia – shows featuring one celebrity chef (or a group of them) are everywhere. So why should we be excited about Top Chef Masters?

If you have not already heard, Top Chef is one of the most popular shows, but the previous season is over. I am pretty sure that a lot of you are having Top Chef withdrawal right now, so this pece of news about Top Chef Masters should whet your appetites somehow.

So back to my question, why should we be excited? Here are a few reasons. One, there will be 24 chefs in the show, all of them pitted against each other. Not one, not two, not even 12, but a whopping 24!

Two, the successful formula that has been followed in Top Chef will be followed in Top Chef Masters. This is certainly something that a lot of people will appreciate (Top Chef withdrawal symptoms remember?).

Three, the line up is more than interesting – both for the judges and the contestants. For the judges, how do Tom, Padma, and Gail sound? Previous winners are always interesting for me. We also have some surprise judges thrown in – writers and produces of Lost, for example. As for the contestants, they are only some of the most well known personalities in the restaurant scene.

For more details, visit the Top Chef Masters web site.

Originally posted on April 15, 2009 @ 10:42 pm

Giada’s version of Thanksgiving (and her new ‘blessing’)

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Everyday Italian

When Giada De Laurentiis was pregnant — and her nesting instincts started early. She’ll be sharing Thansgiving recipes in her show Everyday Italian But the chef will be reinventing Thanksgiving fare, serving salad instead of corn bread.

She says most of her family is married to Americans, and so it’s become part of her personal family traditions. And have to admit, nothing like a table full of food to satisfy those first-trimester cravings.

Originally posted on November 14, 2008 @ 12:20 am

Jamie Oliver Using The F-word Too Much?

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Sirius XM Radio Welcomes Jamie Oliver To

And it is not just him, apparently! It seems that the British public is becoming increasingly bothered by how much the F-word is being used on the telly. Oh, and I am not talking about “F” as in “fowl” but “F” as in the other foul word. The National has a write up of this today:

A backlash has emerged in Britain against the amount of swearing now common on television and radio.

For years, there has been a progressive increase in the use of bad language in popular programmes, particularly among comedians, talk show hosts and, for no apparent reason, celebrity chefs.

There were a lot of personalities mentioned in the article, including the recently infamous duo of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. There were no other celebrity chefs mentioned except for Jamie Oliver, who was said to have used the F-word 23 times in a 50-minute episode.

To be honest, I never really noticed this! Perhaps the episodes that I have seen were “clean?” Or maybe they were edited. Another possibility – I have become so immune to hearing that word that I do not even take note when it is mentioned on TV.

It does not matter – the fact is that for once, I agree with the critics. There is no reason for celebrity chefs to be using the F-word in their cooking shows. Although I have to admit that I have probably used it on several occasions while working in the kitchen. Poor Jamie Oliver, always in the middle of these controversies…

Originally posted on December 24, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

Bobby Flay On Radio

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Kick-Off Celebration

Who is your favorite Iron Chef? If it’s Bobby Flay that you’re naming, then you will be happy to know that you can get more of him, this time on the radio. It seems that the demand for this celebrity chef is going nowhere but up. In spite of his numerous TV appearances, web site citations, and magazine features, his fans just seem to need more – and more – of him. Thus his most recent gig – a radio talk show.

Chron.com reports:

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is launching a talk radio show on which he will offer advice to men on everything from dating, dining, dressing and how to nail a tough job interview.

The star of numerous Food Network programs will host Bobby Flay Radio weekly on SIRIUS XM Radio starting Thursday. Flay is signed on for a five-week run, but says he is open to more if the two-hour show goes well.

While the call-in show will touch on everything from sports to current events, Flay says food still will be the focus.

“Food transcends so much now,” Flay said in a telephone interview. “It’s become so much part of lifestyle. How you eat, plate it, how you dress and how you live all have a lot to do with one another.”

Flay’s wife, actress Stephanie March, will join him on the show occasionally.

Interesting that he will be dishing out more than his daily dose of recipes, huh? Then again, he seems to have done extremely well in his life, he probably has a lot of advice to offer his listeners. What do you think about that, 2 hours of radio with Bobby Flay?

Originally posted on January 8, 2009 @ 11:43 am