Alinea chef, Grant Achatz, and business partner Nick Kokonas release compelling memoir

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Grant Achatz was at the top of his profession by the age of 32 when his Chicago restaurant, Alinea, was named the #1 restaurant in America by Gourmet magazine. Within months, however, his bubble would burst when he learned he had Stage IV squamous cell carcinoma--tongue cancer. The diagnosis couldn't have been worse. At best, doctors told him, he would lose his tongue and the ability to talk and taste, but live for a couple more years. Instead, Achatz opted to do things differently, and better. 
 
Life, on the Line: A Chef's Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat is Achatz's candid, compelling, sometimes thrilling account of his love affair with food, his drive to be the best, and his pursuit of a style all his own. Having discovered that style, and then shaped it from the most minute detail into a world-class restaurant, Achatz faces his epic battle with tongue cancer. Despite temporarily losing his ability to taste, Achatz manages to keep working, and with the support of his business partner, Nick Kokonas, and his top-notch staff, maintains the integrity of his business. Within a year of being given a hopeless diagnosis, he is cancer-free and wins the James Beard award for Best Chef in the United States. 
 
Achatz's passion for cooking began in his childhood and never wavered. Life, on the Line offers fascinating behind-the-scenes details of his rapid but purposeful journey from flipping eggs in the window of his grandmother's restaurant to the creation of one of the best restaurants in the world. Even more, however, Achatz lets readers in on the concept-to-reality thought process and will power that it takes not just to succeed and survive but to flourish against all the odds.

Before opening Alinea in 2005, Achatz was sous chef at the French Laundry in Napa Valley and the executive chef of Trio in Chicago. He was named one of the best new chefs in America by Food & Wine in 2002, received the James Beard “Rising Star Chef Award” in 2003, and the James Beard “Outstanding Chef Award” in 2008. In 2008, his cookbook, Alinea, was the #1 selling restaurant book in America and won the James Beard award for “Outstanding Cookbook from a Professional Point of View.”
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The Vidalia onion finally to get its due respect: museum to open April 29 in Georgia

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Soon Vidalia onion enthusiasts around the country will be able to explore the history of Georgia’s beloved state vegetable and the growing region that has made it so famous with the official opening of the Vidalia Onion Museum on Friday, April 29, 2011. The noon event is slated to include high-profile chefs and offers attendees a fascinating look into what makes the Vidalia onion so special.  


 “We have worked for five years to unearth each unique layer of the Vidalia onion story and then portray those layers creatively for visitors,” says Vidalia® Onion Committee executive director and museum chairperson Wendy Brannen.  “When we first hired a museum consultant, they asked, ‘Really, an onion museum?’ But they quickly realized we’re not just any onion, and this isn’t just any story!” Brannen adds.

The museum is housed in the same building as the Vidalia Onion Committee, Vidalia Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Vidalia® Onion Business Council and gives guests a truly unforgettable interactive experience.  The 1,300-square-foot space is filled with an array of educational exhibits that highlight the sweet onion’s economic, cultural and culinary significance. 

In addition to the museum’s grand opening, the Vidalia Onion Festival takes place that same weekend. For more information about all of the festival events, visit www.vidaliaonionfestival.com. 

The Vidalia Onion Museum is located at 100 Vidalia Sweet Onion Drive and will open to the public on Friday, April 29 at 3 p.m.  The museum’s regular operating hours will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Saturday hours available for tours.  For more information, visit www.vidaliaonion.org or call 912-537-1918.
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NRA Research Reveals Restaurants to Welcome 70 Million Diners for Valentine’s Day

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Seventy million Americans will celebrate Valentine’s Day at a restaurant this year, according to the National Restaurant Association. The Association’s new consumer research shows that about one-third of consumers (31 percent) say they will dine out this February 14.

“There is no better way to celebrate romance than to share a great meal at a restaurant – and millions of Americans will do just that this Valentine’s Day,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “When it comes to choosing a restaurant for that special meal, consumers’ top three deciding factors are the familiarity of a favorite eatery, a romantic setting, and special menu offerings.”

Younger adults are more likely to enjoy a special Valentine’s Day meal at a restaurant than older adults; 33 percent of 18-34-year olds, and 39 percent of 35-44-year olds say they plan to dine out for a Valentine’s Day meal, compared with 27 percent of those 55 and older.

When it comes to factors involved in choosing where to dine out for Valentine’s Day, most consumers (42 percent) say they pick their favorite restaurant or their companion’s favorite restaurant for their special meal. Twenty-one percent select a restaurant with a romantic atmosphere, followed by restaurants that offer special menus or promotions (13 percent), restaurants picked by their companion (12 percent), and a restaurant they haven’t been to before (11 percent).

For younger consumers, a romantic atmosphere carries more weight when choosing a restaurant on Valentine’s Day than it does for older adults. Thirty-nine percent of 18-34-year olds said that was the most important factor for them, compared with only 8 percent of those 65 and older.

The Association also surveyed member restaurants on what type of promotions they would offer around Valentine’s Day, and the most common responses were special menu items (63 percent), prix fixe menu (45 percent), celebratory beverages or desserts (34 percent), flower/candy (28 percent), and entertainment/music (13 percent). In addition, 63 percent considered Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday – a typically slower day of the week – an advantage.

Previous research by the Association shows that Valentine’s Day is the second most popular holiday to dine out, after Mother’s Day. 

 
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The Field Museum in Chicago Launches Monumental Food Sustainability Program

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Showcasing their leadership and long-time commitment to environmental conservation, The Field Museum will be the first cultural institution to implement a program of this scope – integrating a sustainability strategy in the Museum’s next foodservice contract for its in-house restaurants. The Field Museum strategy is a component of a program called, Beyond Green: Sustainable Foodservice for Cultural Institutions, which also addresses monitoring of the strategy once it is implemented. The ten year strategy was created under the guidance of Chicago-based sustainability consulting firm, Greg Christian Consulting (GCC).

 
As the first institute-driven program to dedicate such robust efforts to sustainability, The Field Museum sees great promise as Beyond Green:

  • Drives quantifiable sustainability practices for the future by putting goals of the strategy into foodservice contracts.
  • Is tailored to the needs of the individual institution and,
  • Demonstrates an aggregation of prominent environmental foodservice standards, including Green Restaurant Association, Green Seal Environmental Standard for Restaurants and Food Services (GS-46), and APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) Standards for Green Meetings and Events.
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The February Issue of Chef Digital is Now Available

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Dear Chef Reader,

Welcome to Chef Magazine's February Digital Edition.
 Chef's February Cover
 Check out the online-exclusive articles in this issue: 

  • Double Duty
    Snacking as meal replacement has been designated a hot trend for 2011, according to The Food Channel. In order to help maximize these snack sale opportunities, Chef offers a selection of menu ideas that could be listed as either an appetizer or a small bite. With wine pairings by Marlene Rossman


    • The Chef digital magazine includes all the same great content as the print edition, but also offers online exclusives and enhanced capabilities that allow you to:

    • Easily share articles via e-mail
    • Click on hyperlinks in both articles and advertisements to obtain further resources
    • Zoom in and out of articles and advertisements
    • Instantly search by keyword for the content in the current issue or the archives
    • Print articles and/or download for offline viewing
    The best part is the Chef digital edition requires no special downloads or applications to view the magazine online in its entirety.     

    Click HERE to begin reading now!

    We hope you enjoy this issue.
    Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and feedback at chef@talcott.com.

    Sincerely,
    The Chef Team
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    Three Restaurants Win National Beef Backer Awards in Denver

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    On February 3rd,  the Beef Checkoff Program announced winners of the 2010 National Beef Backer Awards at the 2011 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & NCBA Trade Show in Denver, Colo. Each year, three restaurants are recognized for their efforts in menuing and marketing beef. This year’s national winners included The Hitching Post I & II (Buellton, Calif.) in the “Independent Restaurant” category, Home Style Dining LLC Ponderosa® and Bonanza® Steakhouses (Plano, Texas) in the “Chain Restaurant” category and Red The Steakhouse (Miami, Fla.) as the “Innovator of the Year.”
    additional steaks. 
    2010 National Foodservice Beef Backer Award Winners: Peter Vauthy, exec. chef/partner, Red the Steakhouse; Rosemary Staltare, director marketing and sales, Red the Steakhouse; Bob Ostini, chef, The Hitching Post I and II; Bill Ostini, owner/operator, The Hitching Post I and II; Tamara Jones, president/CEO/CFO, Homestyle Dining LLC; and Jon Rice, exec. vice president, Homestyle Dining LLC
    Restaurant operators interested in entering the 2011 Beef Backer contest should contact their state beef council.




     
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    ACF Members Participate in Orange County Public Schools' 'Chefs Move to Schools' Program Debut

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    Hundreds of students wearing chef’s hats filled the auditorium of Edgewater High School, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 28, 2011, and watched classmates, school foodservice managers and volunteer chefs demonstrate new “chef-inspired, kid-approved” recipes that will debut in Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) cafeterias this year.
    Among the volunteers taking the stage to work with students were six American Culinary Federation (ACF) members—Ed Colleran, Marcos Colon, Bryan Frick, CEC, AAC, Steven Jayson, CEC, AAC, Gary Jones and Chris Skolmutch. Chefs began working with 15 elementary, middle and high schools in September 2010 in a Chefs Move to Schools pilot program, nine schools participated in Friday’s event. The Chefs Move to Schools program is part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, and calls on chefs to work with local school districts to find creative ways to offer healthier menu items. OCPS, the nation’s 10th largest school district, was selected to host a national pilot program.

    “Here today is the greatest model I’ve seen yet,” said Sam Kass, assistant White House chef and food initiative coordinator. “This is exactly what it [the Chefs Move to Schools program] is all about. It’s more than I dreamed—young people taking ownership and taking leadership in accomplishing the first lady’s goals.”

    After an “Iron Chef”-style opening, with music, fog and plenty of excitement, two groups of students took the stage to debut healthier lunch items—including pizza rolls with a spinach tortilla, hummus, marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and crushed red peppers, and fish tacos with tilapia, shredded carrots, red and green cabbage, bok choy and avocado in a whole-grain tortilla. Chefs and foodservice managers collaborated to create healthier recipes that students would enjoy. Kass told students that for the recipes demonstrated to be successful, they must urge their classmates and friends to try new foods.

    Dr. Janey Thornton, deputy undersecretary, food, nutrition and consumer services, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), also attended the event to congratulate the district on its progress. She noted that in school cafeterias, recipes must be fast, easy and able to be prepared in large quantities.

    Chefs from ACF, the International Corporate Chefs Association, Research Chefs Association and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs will continue to work with Orange County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services in 2011, and hope to debut the healthier menu items in more schools across the district.

    To learn more about the Chefs Move to Schools program, click here.

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    From the Sugarmakers of Vermont: Experience the possibilities today!

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    SPONSORED POST


    Pure Vermont Maple, it's not just for pancakes! Vermont Maple Sugarmakers challenge you to Experience Vermont Maple in new ways. From the purest of maple products like maple cream, candy and granulated maple sugar to value added products like maple grilling and barbeque sauces, mustards, salad dressings and marinades, maple brings the official flavor of Vermont into all your favorite dishes.

    Always Pure, Natural and Delicious. Imagine the Possibilities.
    For more information and recipes visit www.vermontmaple.org.

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    Article: "Asian carp as a delicacy? That's a notion that just might fly"

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    Chef came across a recent article on Startribune.com by John Tevlin about flying carp which is pasted below. Would you consider adding these "attractive," airborne fish to your menu?
    Image courtesy of Treehugger.com

    A few days ago, a guy named John Goss passed through town, bearing one of the coolest job titles around: Asian carp director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

    Goss was here to talk about the encroaching menace that is the flying Asian carp, those mean-spirited aquatic terrors that fling themselves out of the water and attack boaters and water skiers. They are becoming a serious threat, and he is proposing a serious solution that is part Rachael Ray, part zombie movie: When faced with an intractable enemy, eat them.

    As the old saying goes, "When life gives you slimy, voracious, bug-eyed monsters, make slimy, voracious, bug-eyed monsterade."

    Goss wants to start marketing the invasive fish to China, and perhaps even to Americans.
    Coincidentally, according to a story out of Tokyo, the Japanese have begun doing the same with their own invasive species: catfish. You can now buy catfish burgers on street corners, and catfish with red beans and rice. The story called them "potentially delicious pests."

    One person's invasive species is another's signature dish.

    I wondered how carp would play on the Minnesota palate and psyche. I asked several people who they think of when they see the Asian carp. Answers ranged from Adm. Ackbar of "Star Wars" to artist Frida Kahlo. I see an upside-down Jack Black.

    But don't tell that to Reggie McLeod, editor/publisher of Winona-based Big River Magazine. He has held two Carp Connoisseur Challenges, seeking carp recipes, and is planning a third.

    So far, sadly, he hasn't had a single entry.

    That didn't stop McLeod from hosting a carp feast where his colleagues brought everything from smoked carp to a Thai stir-fry and a Greek soup.

    "They were very good," he said.

    While common carp are fatty and hold a strong taste, Asian carp are mild and flaky, not unlike cod or walleye. "It's just cultural prejudices," he said.

    McLeod is excited about a rumor that a restaurant in Trempealeau, Wis., added carp to its menu. But, of course, that's western Wisconsin. They'll eat anything. Cheese curds and pickled herring are considered gourmet (gore-met).

    But how might a big-city chef prepare and market such "potentially delicious pests" as flying carp? Sell the carp story to the table, says Lenny Russo of Heartland restaurant in St. Paul.

    "Have the waiter tell them they are popular in Europe and Asia and were called the fish of kings," said Russo. You could also use guilt -- save our rivers, eat carp.

    Russo, who recently sold out a "fried pig's ear salad," might soak the carp in buttermilk and roll it in cornmeal before cooking, then serve it over a bed of slaw: "I think you'd have a real winner there."
    Hell's Kitchen seems a natural fit for the monster.

    Owner Mitch Omer -- surprise -- sent me a philosophical treatise on the subject, titled "Carpe Diem, Seize the Carp."

    "The Chinese live 6 years longer, and have 1,024,453,450 more people than we do," he wrote. "See where I'm going here? That means that the Chinese, on average, live 6,146,720,700 more years than we do. They don't get there by frequenting the drive-thru. They do it by eating fish. Lots of fish. And for more than a millennium, they've been doing it by eating this fish, the Asian carp. Although I don't think they call it Asian carp in China. That would be like us calling it "the United States salmon."

    Environmentalists can gripe, Omer says.

    "Me, I'm going to motor down the river with a $17 net and fill my stringer."
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