Celebrity Chefs

Antony Worrall Thompson Get’s A Zero

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When a chef achieves celebrity status, certain expectations arise from the masses. The first is that they can cook. The second is that should they have a restaurant business or be involved in one, their restaurants should be superb places that meet at least the basic minimum standards for health and food. They can have a rating of so so but never a zero. That is just unthinkable for many.

Unfortunately, Antony Worrall Thomspon’s latest pub has gotten a zero from the food hygiene inspectors. A spokesman for the health department for the West Wilshire District Council said that all they were interested in is ensuring that each place they rate meets the hygiene standards.

Thompson says that the rating was unacceptable. It was made in December when the pub was being run by a different chef, who has already been sacked. He points out that he merely set up the menu and had an agreement to make a once a year guest appearnce at the pub. It was the pre-christmas rush at the time and they were undermanned.

Would anyone say these are valid reasons? All that Thompson can do is improve the service and try to get a better rating the second time around.

Originally posted on March 2, 2007 @ 7:17 pm

New Star In Hell’s Kitchen

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There’s a new star in Hell’s Kitchen. Marco Pierre White is the new host of the show, taking over from Gary Rhodes and Jean Christophe Novelli. Word of this move was leaked last October but only confirmed the other day.

Marco Pierre White is the original super chef and is considered the Godfather of British cooking. He’d actually been retired for several years but was thankfully coaxed back into the kitchen by the network. White says that there will definitely be many changes taking place. He won’t be following in anyone’s footsteps but will definitely be making the show his own. He wants to change the image of the show. He notes that whenever people have spoken of the show, they never talk about the food. He says he wants the show to be inspiring, not a way to belittle people or put them down. He’s got a crew of 10 celebrities to work with on the upcoming season of Hell’s Kitchen.

White is well known in the professional cooking world. He trained many chefs including Gordon Ramsey, who first presented Hell’s Kitchen. When asked why he agreed to do the show, he said, “I am a person who loves my industry very much, and I don’t like the way my industry is being portrayed on TV at this point in time. I think people are capitalizing on it and not showing it for what it really is.”

When asked about Gordon Ramsey, he says that they used to be friends but that they are no longer on speaking terms. He says that he likes to surround himself with people who enrich his life. He has no use for those who have nothing to contribute to it.

Originally posted on February 22, 2007 @ 8:58 pm

Food Trip With Todd English

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Here’s a new show for everyone to watch out for: Food Trip With Todd English. The Boston Chef has taken a camera crew out with him as he goes out and about discovering new dishes that he will now recreate in his restaurant’s kitchen at the Charlestown Olives, with a special twist uniquely his own.

Sounds like every other cooking show you’ve ever seen? Give it a chance. You might find that though the format is similar to other shows, the content and of course the recipes are unique and definitely worth watching.

Already there are four shows lined up. Each episode is full of information that are really useful and practical. He begins with the episode he calls “Japan: The Freshest Of Fish”. Here he explores Tokyo and suchi. Viewers get to see the Itamae or Sushi chefs at work.

The next episode is “Nantucket: On the Waterfront,” followed by another visit to Japan, this time for “The World’s Best Beef”. The last of the set is set in the Big Apple to bring viewers a peek into what he calls “New York: The Surprise Inside”.
The show is set to air on January 13 at 2pm on WGBH.

[tags] chef,Todd English,cooking,TV Show,sushi,Japan, Nantucket, New York [/tags]

Originally posted on January 4, 2007 @ 6:17 pm

Anthony Bourdain In Ohio

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Anthony Bourdain has accepted a challenge from food writer, Michael Ruhlman of Cleveland Heights. He’s gone off to Ohio to find proof of life beyond the world’s largest rubber stamp and cow tipping (if you have no idea what cow tipping is, watch the movie Cars. They call it tractor tipping in the film).

Michael Ruhlman and Anthony Bourdain are actually friends. Ruhlman challenged Bourdain on his blog to come to his hometown, preferably during one of the colder months. The weather may be grim but that hasn’t stopped the celebrity chef or the “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: crew from getting there.

What has the celebrity chef been doing? He’s been winter skiing on Lake Erie, visiting the Lake View Cemetery which is where John D. Rockefeller lies buried and taking a tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of fame – the last in the company of Marky Ramone, drummer of the Chef’s favorite band, the Ramones. There’s even a mock drag race set between Bourdain and Ruhlman.

Of course no trip would be complete without food which is why he’s visiting Sokolowski’s University Inn to have some pierogi, checking out the exotic dishes at the West Side Market and trying the kielbasa at the Sausage Shoppe. He’ll also do some cooking with Michael Symon, Lola chef and Owner.

No date has been set yet for when this episode will be aired. Definitely though it brings good publicity to Ohio.

Originally posted on January 20, 2007 @ 9:35 pm

The Evolution Of The British Taste Buds

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jamie oliver.jpgIn a recent interview, Jamie Oliver has expressed that he feels that he is now ready to take on a new project. He would like to have a show that has more depth to it; something that would truly be BBC. He would like to have a show on the evolution of the British taste buds.

Oliver says that he would like to look at all of Great Britain, not just England. He says that he sees that there is much to be proud of, and that much of it occurs around food. He would focus on the food of Britain. He would like to bring in some specialists and showcase food and its relevance in history. At this point, though, he hasn’t decided on how to do the presentation yet.

For those wondering if he’s planning to leave Channel 4 to shift over their sister company, Oliver says that that won’t happen anytime soon. It is definitely something that he will work on though because he feels that the UK is now ready for this kind of show.

Originally posted on January 30, 2007 @ 11:34 am