I spoke with Rene Redzepi, chef and co-owner of Noma, after his restaurant was announced as the world’s best by the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” This marks the third consecutive year the Copenhagen restaurant has taken home the top place at the awards. You can watch the interview here:
I talked to Thomas Keller today after two of his restaurants made the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list: Per Se in New York (#6) and The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. (#43). In addition, Keller also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the food industry. You can watch the interview … Continued
The “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” announced Denmark’s Noma as the world’s top restaurant for the third year in a row today in London. The votes were cast by members of the Academy representing 27 regions around the world. Each region consists of a 31-member panel made up of food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and gastronomes. … Continued
I’m in London this weekend, attending meetings for the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” sponsored by San Pellegrino, which will hold its annual awards ceremony later today (about 2 p.m. Chicago time). I’ve been on the judging Academy the past few years, overseeing the Canada/Mid-USA Region. Organizers have divided the globe up into 27 regions, with each … Continued
Every great road trip experience is marked by dinner at a historic, family-owned diner after a long day of driving. To commemorate the spirit of food and travel, the Greater Midwest Food Alliance is presenting Road Food: Exploring the Midwest One Bite at a Time, a three-day conference that begins today and runs through Sunday. … Continued
If you enjoy cheese, bread and wine, then you do not want to miss out on the second annual Pastoral’s Artisan Producer Festival tomorrow at the Chicago French Market. Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine was one of five retailers selected to win the Outstanding National Specialty Food Retailer of the Year award given out … Continued
If you really wanted to splurge on mom, you could obviously go to the Four Seasons or some all-you-can-eat extravaganza, but those kinds of meals are going to set you back at least $60 per person or more (plus tax & tip). I say let’s set a $40 ceiling, and spend the rest on some … Continued
Few people in Chicago know their Belgian beers as well as Michael Roper. As the owner of The Hopleaf, he has given these complex, nuanced beers a grand stage, and he is always more than happy to talk to patrons about them. But this week, he’s sticking to an old favorite: Orval. They only … Continued
I was feeling inspired this weekend, due in part to two factors. One, I had read the New York Times’ Dining section last Wednesday, which was all about pizza, and right off the bat, Mark Bittman assured us that anyone could make decent pizza dough. I had always known this, of course, I just didn’t … Continued
Soccer.. football.. call it whatever you want. But regardless of its many cultural variations, one fact remains constant no matter where you are: Soccer and food go hand in hand. On Saturday, you can watch a live soccer match and enjoy Spanish food and drink at Cafe Ba-Ba Reeba in Lincoln Park. The restaurant will … Continued
That picture above looks pretty splendid, huh? It was taken two summers ago at the Dietzler Farm in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, part of the annual “Outstanding in the Field” tour. The tour bus (literally) snakes its way across the country all summer, pairing up local chefs with local farms, and usually hits the Illinois/Wisconsin/Michigan farms in … Continued