Behind the Scenes :: Bocuse d’Or 2012 Chef Competition at CIA

Bocuse d'Or USA 2012
Bocuse d'Or USA 2012

This past Sunday I was a lucky attendee of Bocuse d’Or USA 2012 – the premier Chef competition by Chef Paul Bocuse and The Bocuse d’Or Foundation, this year held at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. The competition is a 3 day event to reveal the USA contestants for the 2013 international culinary competition held in Lyons, France.

Master Chefs at Work
Master Chefs at Work

Each team is given 5 1/2 hours to create two elaborate platter presentations, one centered around seafood and one on meat, each accompanied by three original garnishes.

Team 3 meat platter
Team 3 meat platter

The platters are presented before 24 judges, each among the most esteemed chefs in their country. The dishes are judged on overall harmony of flavors in the dish, presentation of the platter and techniques employed by each Chef and their teams.

Chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud
Chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud

The competition’s officials included Thomas Keller, Executive Chef of The French Laundry, Daniel Boulud of Daniel in NYC and Jerome Bocuse, VP of The Bocuse d’Or Foundation.

Culinary Council Chefs
Culinary Council Chefs

Other notable Chefs participated in the event who are on the Culinary Council: Grant Achatz of Alinea, George Mendez of Aldea, Michael White of Ai Fiori/Marea and Chris Hastings of The Hot and Hot Fish Club and more.

Bocuse D'Or 2012 Finalists
Bocuse D'Or 2012 Finalists

This year’s winner was Richard Rosendale, executive chef of The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and a certified master chef – see the exclusive interview with Richard and recap of the eventby Eater NY. This year’s other 3 finalists were William Bradley – Chef Instructor of Le Cordon Bleu, Danny Cerqueda – Executive Sous Chef of The Carolina Country Club and Jeffrey Lizotte – Chef de Cuisine of on20.

KitchenAid
KitchenAid

Special thanks to event sponsor @KitchenAidUSA for inviting me to attend the event at CIA as a VIP to experience the excitement of the competition!

Mediterranean Snacks
Mediterranean Snacks

We sampled amazing gourmet food – shrimp burgers, falafel and hummus, baba ganoush, foie gras, cheese and Bridor croissants, short ribs,

Champagne Bar
Champagne Bar

French champagne by Nicolas Feuillatte and lattes and cappucinos by Nespresso. It was an amazing event filled with USA’s top culinary talent and I wish all the Chefs the best of luck in next year’s 2013 competition in France!

Kristen with Chefs
Kristen with Chefs

I also had the pleasure of meeting Chef Denny Tratham of Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC and Chef Billy Skiper of Sodexo/Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, GA.. It was such a beautiful day we had to take the French champagne outside!

Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park NY
Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park NY

Check out all of the behind-the-scenes photos of the event in the slideshow below:

Check out a streaming video of the live event:

Roadtrip! Food and Fun :: Boston & Martha’s Vineyard

VIEW SLIDESHOW OF PHOTOS FROM BOSTON

Boston Waterfront
Boston Waterfront

I took the most amazing trip to Boston and Martha’s Vineyard over Labor Day holiday and fell in love. Boston is one of those places that feels like a big city but is actually pretty small and low-key if you ask me. I loved the slower pace, the still quietness of the South End on a Saturday night. The views of the harbor, the blue and white hues of sailboats and water surrounding the city’s edge. The amazing Italian food in the North End, the historic architecture all over the city and along the Freedom Trail, and the beautiful campus of Harvard University.

Charles River Sunset
Charles River Sunset

Watching the sunset at dusk over the Charles River. Amazing lobster and seafood on the harbor with views to match…and for a big city girl like me, I think I could live here one day.

The Colonnade Hotel Rooftop Pool
The Colonnade Hotel Rooftop Pool

We stayed at the amazing Colonnade Hotel (with a rooftop pool and bar!) in Back Bay.

Shop in Back Bay, Boston
Shop in Back Bay, Boston

The next day, we headed to Newbury Street in Back Bay for shopping…

Public Gardens, Boston
Public Gardens, Boston

then we wandered through the Public Gardens, heading to historic Charles Street to see all the beautiful old homes in Beacon Hill

The Hill Tavern
The Hill Tavern

before we stopped at The Hill Tavern for drinks and lunch.

Old City Hall
Old City Hall

We spent most of the day hiking the Freedom Trail to see all the old historic buildings and sites around town.

Shrimp & Polenta, Sibling Rivalry
Shrimp & Polenta, Sibling Rivalry

That night we had amazing dinner in the South End at Sibling Rivalry and had some delicious seafood.

Harvard University
Harvard University

Our last day there, we made our way to Harvard University and trekked around Cambridge! Boston is definitely small enough to see in a few days, but the views and slower pace will make you want to stay a lot longer.

Here’s a few places I went to that you don’t want to miss on your next trip to Boston:

The North End, Boston
The North End, Boston

North End (Boston’s Little Italy): If you are in the mood for Italian food and pastries, this is the place to go. Just head straight to Hanover Street and you’ll find a multitude of shops, restaurants and cafes, delis, pizzerias, bakeries, pubs and taverns. Many have lines out the door on a Friday night so reservations are highly recommended!

Lucca, The North End Boston
Lucca, The North End Boston

We had an amazing dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant called Lucca on N. Hanover Street (Grilled Veal with Truffled Mash and Asparagus) and Lobster Tagliatelle!

Cannoli from Mike's Pastry
Cannoli from Mike’s Pastry

Then we hit Mike’s Pastry for amazing cannolis and gelato. Um, YUM!

Giacomo's, The North End
Giacomo’s, The North End

Here’s a list of my favorite places in The North End that you don’t wanna miss: Lucca, Strega, Neptune Oyster, Giacomo’s, Fiore, Cantina Italiana, Dino’s Pizza and Subs, Mike’s Pastry, Modern Pastry.

Newbury Street, Back Bay
Newbury Street, Back Bay

Back Bay/South End These are two of Boston’s nicest neighborhoods in my opinion. Back Bay is the best place for shopping, art galleries, gardens, cuisine and culture in Boston. There are gorgeous historical homes and churches, clothing boutiques, spas and salons and fabulous restaurants to explore. Head to Newbury Street and make your way to the Public Garden to check out the Swan boats or just hang out in the park. The Charles River Esplanade is a great place to get a gorgeous view of the harbour and stroll along the river on a sunny day.

Sibling Rivalry, South End
Sibling Rivalry, South End

The South End is a tree-lined neighborhood known for its fine dining, art galleries, open market, restaurants and high end martini clubs and jazz bars. Head to Tremont Street and check out Sibling Rivalry, Stella, Tremont 647 for a nice dinner.

Enjoying a Blueberry Martini @ 28 Degrees
Enjoying a Blueberry Martini @ 28 Degrees

Then hit 28 Degrees for some great martinis..

The Beehive
The Beehive

and The Beehive for amazing live jazz and blues.

Seaport, Boston Harbor
Seaport, Boston Harbor

Waterfront/Seaport District – If you want a great view of the Boston Harbor, then you need to go to Waterfront and Seaport District. You can start in the North End near the Bunker Hill Bridge and then continue around Atlantic Ave to Christopher Columbus Park and view the harbor islands. From here you can walk to the Aquarium where there are several cruise lines that take you around the harbor. Head down to Rowes Wharf to check out the show cruise ships and Boston Harbor Hotel and Towers and then cross the old Northern Bridge to the Seaport District.

Legal Seafood
Legal Seafood

The two places I recommend for Waterfront Dining are the famous seafood restaurants Legal Sea Foods and across the street the Legal Test Kitchen

Shrimp Cocktail at LTK
Shrimp Cocktail at LTK

(we ate at LTK and I had the most amazing Shrimp Cocktail

Truffled Lobster Mac & Cheese, LTK
Truffled Lobster Mac & Cheese, LTK

and Truffled Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese – to die for!)

Tia's on the Waterfront
Tia’s on the Waterfront

For casual dining and terrific cocktails on the harbor, there’s no other place than Tia’s Restaurant and Bar on the Waterfront! Closer to the North End than the Seaport, but awesome place for happy hour and watching the sunset..

Martha’s Vineyard, MA

VIEW SLIDESHOW OF PHOTOS FROM MARTHA’S VINEYARD

Vineyard Haven Harbor, MV
Vineyard Haven Harbor, MV

If there is ever a place I would like to go after retiring myself from the hustle and bustle of New York City, Martha’s Vineyard has to be top of my list. This charming island is the epitome of beautiful architecture, history, charm, quietness, tree-lined streets, locals, antiques and oh, seafood.

Vineyard Haven, MV
Vineyard Haven, MV

We took a train to Woods Hole from Boston and then took a ferry to Vineyard Haven, a lovely area of the island full of shops, restaurants, beautiful homes and even more stunning views of the ocean.

Black Dog Tavern
Black Dog Tavern

We strolled the streets for awhile and then made our way to the famous Black Dog Tavern, a restaurant and pub established in 1971,

Black Dog Clam Chowder
Black Dog Clam Chowder

famous for their Quahog (Clam) Chowder. Read my full review and get the recipe here!

The Edgartown Inn
The Edgartown Inn

Then we made our way to Edgartown, a quiet, beautiful little village on the island to check in to our Bed & Breakfast, The Edgartown Inn.

South Beach, Martha's Vineyard
South Beach, Martha’s Vineyard

We decided to hit the beach immediately, so we headed to South Beach, the smaller, quieter beach on the South side of the island.

The Edgartown Lighthouse
The Edgartown Lighthouse

After relaxing and watching the sunset, we decided to head over to the Edgartown Lighthouse

House in Edgartown
House in Edgartown

and take in the views of the beautiful old homes,

Edgartown Harbor
Edgartown Harbor

harbors and the Harbor View Hotel.

Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque

That night we hit The Seafood Shanty for some delicious Lobster Bisque, Seafood Pasta, and Grilled Scallops and Shrimp. Situated right on the harbor, this is a great place for fresh seafood and great waterfront views. The prices are pretty reasonable too! After we stuffed our faces, it was time to have some fun.

The Atlantic Restaurant
The Atlantic Restaurant

We headed down to a fun area near the harbor and stopped at a local pub, and ran into a wedding party who pretty much took over the whole center of town. To top off the night, we went to the Atlantic Fish & Chop House for a drink and headed back to crash out!

Vineyard Breakfast at Edgartown Inn
Vineyard Breakfast at Edgartown Inn

The next day it was raining so our plans to hit Aquinna Beach on the other side of the island were ruined, but we had an amazing “Vineyard Breakfast” at our B&B with homemade apple cinnamon coffee cake,

Awesome Breakfast at Edgartown Inn
Awesome Breakfast at Edgartown Inn

scrambled eggs and bacon and some juice and coffee. Such a cute place!

Chappy House
Chappy House

We walked off breakfast by strolling around on N. Water Street for awhile..

Main Street, Edgartown
Main Street, Edgartown

and then we took a stroll down Main Street to check out more beautiful old homes, bookstores, shops and antique stores before we had to leave.

Murdicks Fudge, Edgartown
Murdicks Fudge, Edgartown

One of my favorite finds was Murdick’s Fudge – delicious creamy fudge in about 10 different flavors! Who can resist that?

The Vincent House
The Vincent House

The Vincent House was also really cool – the original home built in 1672 was actually transported into Edgartown and you can tour the house to see the classic Vineyard architecture and antique furnishings.

The Vincent House, MV
The Vincent House, MV

Imagine cooking in a big old fireplace like this–Love the cast iron pots!!)

VIncent House Garden
VIncent House Garden

This was definitely one of the most fun trips I’ve taken in a while..and I’ll most definitely be back (maybe for good!)

Edgartown Harbor
Edgartown Harbor

A Taste of Martha’s Vineyard: Black Dog Tavern’s Clam Chowder

On Labor Day weekend I fell in love. With Martha’s Vineyard, that is. And an amazing clam chowder from a famous little place called The Black Dog Tavern in Vineyard Haven on the harbor. The Black Dog’s story began in 1971 on the beach in Vineyard Haven when Captain Bob Douglas opened an 88 seat restaurant named for his beloved black dog. The tavern has grown from a small island haunt to a nationally renowned restaurant with stores and merchandise branded in the Black Dog Tavern name. No trip to the Vineyard is complete without a meal at The Black Dog, especially to try their infamous Quahog (Clam) Chowder that’s been on the menu since 1971!

Black Dog Tavern ChowderQuahogs are hard shell clams, different from soft shell clams, otherwise known as “steamers”. This recipe is from The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook that I acquired on my recent trip. It is fairly easy to make, and a little more time consuming if you are using fresh clams but totally worth the effort for that fresh flavor. It’s rich and creamy, has a touch of thyme and paprika and lots of delicious clams, potatoes, celery and onion making it the perfect chowda’ for a Fall afternoon.

Serve with crusty bread, oyster crackers or croutons and a glass of white wine or a locally brewed ale. Now all you need is the gorgeous view of Martha’s Vineyard harbor to make it a true New England experience!  Oh, and stay tuned for the full report and photos of my Boston and Martha’s Vineyard Labor Day weekend trip. More foodie fun to come! Enjoy.

A Taste of Martha’s Vineyard: The Black Dog Tavern’s Quahog Chowder

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 oz salt pork, rind removed (or 8-10 slices of bacon, diced)
  • 2 c diced onion
  • 1 c diced celery
  • 3 c diced potatoes
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 c shelled quahogs with juice - 6 lbs in shell (or use jarred whole baby clams)
  • 1/2 c salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 qts. light cream (or 1 qt heavy cream + 1 pint half and half)

Instructions

  1. Dice the salt pork or bacon and saute in a large pot until translucent. If using bacon, saute over high heat until cooked through, then drain fat except for 2 tbsp. and return to the pot. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes.
  2. Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the clam juice and add the potatoes and seasonings. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is bubbling, add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is called a "roux".
  4. Roughly chop the quahogs, reserving any liquid (if you use whole baby clams you can skip this step).
  5. When the potatoes are tender, add the quahogs to the large pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
  6. Stir in the roux and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This is your chowder base.
  7. In a separate saucepan, scald the cream by heating it on high until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Do not boil.
  8. Stir in the hot scalded cream into the chowder base, mix together, and remove from the heat.
  9. At The Black Dog, they serve it topped with croutons and a dollop of butter, accompanied by oyster crackers or crusty bread. Garnish with paprika and enjoy!
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2011/09/a-taste-of-marthas-vineyard-the-black-dog-taverns-quahog-chowder/

Dice the salt pork or bacon and saute in a large pot until translucent. If using bacon, saute over high heat until cooked through, then drain fat except for 2 tbsp. and return to the pot. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes.

Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the clam juice and add the potatoes and seasonings. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Roux

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is bubbling, add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is called a “roux”.

Roughly chop the quahogs, reserving any liquid (if you use whole baby clams you can skip this step).

When the potatoes are tender, add the quahogs to the large pot and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the roux and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This is your chowder base.

Scalded Cream

In a separate saucepan, scald the cream by heating it on high until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Do not boil.

The Black Dog Tavern Quahog Chowder

Stir in the hot scalded cream into the chowder base, mix together, and remove from the heat.

B.D. Quahog Chowder

At The Black Dog, they serve it topped with croutons and a dollop of butter, accompanied by oyster crackers or crusty bread. Garnish with paprika and enjoy!

Serves 8 to 10.

The Black Dog Summer Vineyard Cookbook

The Black Dog Tavern Martha's Vineyard

The Black Dog Tavern Martha's Vineyard

The Black Dog Tavern

View of Martha's Vineyard harbor from The Black Dog

The Black Dog Tavern

More Clam Chowder Recipes you may enjoy:

Thick and Creamy New England Clam Chowder – Food.com

Epicurious Clam Chowder Recipe

Dave Lieberman’s Clam Chowder

El EspĂ­ritu de Cartagena

Video: The Spirit of Cartagena, Columbia

Cartanega

Video shot and edited by David Sciascia, Creative Director

Watch the full video here

This is a gorgeous video created and edited by the talented David Sciascia, a brilliant Creative Director living in NYC, originally from New Zealand.  The video was shot in Cartagena, Columbia when David visited for three weeks to learn Spanish and decided to capture the essence of this village through interviewing local subjects to tell the story. His narrator and main subject Mario Diaz, tells his personal story and experience of Cartagena, and takes you through this magical place. The video displays its beauty and unique character through nature, local residents, artisans and food vendors, back streets and architecture to truly represent the “Spirit of Cartagena”. The footage and music are raw and refined, yet authentic, and will make you want to experience Cartagena for yourself!

Find out more about David Sciascia and his work on LinkedIn or Facebook