Pastry Chef Kim Wood of French Bakery, Le Banh Patisserie in Simsbury is competing on the upcoming season of Spring Baking Championship, premiering Monday February 28th at 8PM on Food Network and streaming on Discovery+.
Molly Yeh is bringing the farm straight to Spring Baking Championship putting her own colorful spin on every challenge this season, inspiring the bakers to create eye-popping, delicious, and Spring-forward treats to impress judges Duff Goldman, Kardea Brown and Nancy Fuller. Only one lucky baker will be crowned this year's Spring Baking Champion and walk away with $25,000!
Twelve bakers enter the Spring Baking barn and are challenged to create delicious desserts featuring the freshest fruit and flowers the farm has to offer. You know who we’re rooting for!
Chef Emily Mingrone of Tavern on State in New Haven will get involved in some competitive “Pork-y fun” on Food Network’s CHOPPED, May 26th, 9PM. The battle: High On The Hog.
Tune in to watch the competition. Chefs are elated to get a “nose to tail” pork theme for their battle, and the gorgeous cuts of premium meat in the first basket don't disappoint. A Bloody Mary with a special surprise adds to the porky fun in the second round. Then something fizzy and something "offal-ly" difficult to incorporate in a dessert are part of the final challenge.
Chef Eric Felitto of Tasty Yolk has some big news to share. May 5th is his 35th birthday, (also Cinco de Mayo), Tasty Yolk’s 4 year anniversary, AND….wait for it…he will be competing for the world to see on Food Network’s Chopped Champion. Big day eh?
His episode of Chopped Champion will air at 9pm on May 5th. When asked about the experience Felitto said “it was definitely intense. The whole episode was based off of the showmanship a fight night, so there was a lot of filming and trash talking before we even cooked anything.” “They didn’t come to the restaurant to shoot like they did when I competed in 2018. Instead they had us shoot selfies on our phones…and then filmed it as if we were literally showing up to a fight.” “It was a great experience, and I was pumped when they called me back for the Champion round.”
Felitto couldn’t share any details, for obvious reasons, but he did share one of the “secret” ingredients…ESCARGOT!! Oh boy…Have fun with that.
Chef Felitto says he will probably run a special at the store front location on May 5th to coordinate with the airing. Stay tuned for more details and tune in on The Food Network.
Chef Matt Storch of Match and Match Burger Lobster & his older sister Lisa Storch, of Catch a Healthy Habit, Café battle it out on BEAT BOBBY FLAY, Sunday, April 26, 10pm on the Food Network.
Cheer on CT’s own Chef Brian Lewis, of The Cottage and OKO, as he competes on Beat Bobby Flay, airing Thursday, May 30th @10PM.
“We taped this episode months ago and I’m excited for everyone to see this episode of ‘Beat Bobby Flay.’ Just as I cook my heart out in the kitchens at OKO and The Cottage, I gave it my all for the competition. Tune in to see if I had the chance to go head to head with Bobby!” says Chef Lewis.
The episode is intriguingly titled “Bye Bye Birdie,” and features Food Network's Michael Symon and Jet Tila working hard to outsmart their good friend Bobby Flay. They bring in one of his proteges, Chef Rebecca Weitzman, and fine dining's finest, Chef Brian Lewis, to muscle Bobby out of his kitchen.
Beb! It’s the CTbites’ Hot Dish Podcast Episode you’ve all been waiting for. This week we sit down with Next Food Network Star, Chef Christian Petroni…oh yeah…he also owns Fortina Pizza (all 5 locations). Petroni gabs about his summers in Italy, growing up in the Bronx, how he “learned” to cook, and the epic importance of cheesy garlic bread. Join us chez Webster, and have a listen here.
Ryan Durant, owner and executive chef of Assaggio in Branford, has been picked to compete for the title of "Sexiest Chef Alive" on the People Magazine/Food Network joint venture show by the same name, airing November 1st. CTBites spoke with chef Durant about the experience.
How did you get involved with the show?
People magazine randomly called me, one of the servers picked up the phone and they said it was something with the magazine's sexiest man issue. It had to do with a cooking segment I did on "Better Connecticut" with Scot Haney three years ago.
This corned beef related news just in from WestportNow.
Westport’s Main Street is getting a Deli back. Rye Ridge Deliwill open next year in space long occupied by Oscar’s Delicatessen, 159 Main St.
Partners Mike Ventorino and Scott Martin today in the future home of Rye Ridge Deli and Restaurant at 159 Main St.. Partners Scott Martin and Mike Ventorino will open the third Rye Ridge Deli sometime early next year, they said today. Other Rye Ridge Delis – described as a New York Kosher-Style Deli and Restaurant—are in Rye Brook, N.Y. and Stamford.
Oscar’s closed in August a week before the death of longtime owner Lee Papageorge after a 42-year presence on Main Street. “I got a lot of calls after it closed, asking me to take a look at it,” said Martin, an eight-year Wilton resident. “We signed the lease around Halloween.”
Located in the heart of historic South Norwalk,Zapata Mexican Restaurant crafts authentic Mexican cuisine in an area rich in history and vibrant in color, Zapata Mexican Restaurant proudly contributes to this energetic environment. This is our second location, the original is located in Palisades, NY where our family-owned and operated restaurant has thrived for over 20 years. Many of our customers come in and ask why SONO? The answer is simple, SONO lacked an authentic Mexican restaurant with fresh ingredients, amazing margaritas, and smiling faces. Freshness is what we believe in and what we thrive on. We personally choose all our produce, and all of our ingredients. We are in a society where fresh and healthy is key! To ensure the highest quality, we also cook all of our products with olive oil to keep it healthy and always tasting delicious.
There’s a new Latin pulse beating on West Park Place in Stamford and it goes by the name ACUARIO (Aquarium, in Spanish.) Funky, warm and charming, the new Peruvian jaunt is the latest culinary jewel from the treasure box of Saida and Nicolas Oshiro, who opened the original ACUARIO in Port Chester in the 1980s. This new ACUARIO is in the worthy hands of Oshiro offspring, Eduardo, and his wife, Beth, and they know what’s cookin’. We’ve dined at ACUARIO twice and each time the restaurant has been packed, with many patrons speaking Spanish - ALWAYS a good sign.
Join us for a spooktacular CTbites Lunch Event @ Sugar & Olives on October 26th. Chef Jennifer Balin is going all "pumpkin" on us with this exciting $20 prix fixe menu (including lobster risotto and a clever twist on the pop tart). Sugar & Olives is known for fresh flavors, locally sourced organic fare, and desserts that are worth the extra gym time...not to mention the beautiful ultra modern lounge-worthy dining space. Check out the menu below:
Seatings will be @ 12 & 1PM. Call 203.454.3663 for reservations.
Yesterday's event at The Boathouse was the perfect kick off to the 2010 CTbites & Suzysaid lunch season. The rain may have put a damper on the beautiful patio dining but it did not dilute the enthusiasm in the packed room as we eagerly awaited our first course. Chef Holzwarth surprised lucky diners by adding an unexpected starter to the already intriguing menu. "It felt like a soup day" he stated as bowls of creamy oyster soup plated with a single perfectly roasted oyster in red wine vert jus began to circulate. Crunchy breadcrumbs punctuated the silkiness of both crustacean and chowder. Who doesn't like a surprise…especially when you can eat it?
The CTbites & SuzySaid lunch events are back, and on Tuesday, September 28th we're debuting the season with a very special venue just right for savoring the summer harvest,The Boathouse @ Saugatuck. Chef John Holzwarth, of NYC's Felidia and Westport's The Dressing Room fame, will be preparing a $20 prix fixe for CTbites readers that highlights John's commitment to using locally sourced ingredients in innovative ways.
Come out and meet your CTbites community. You won't want to miss this one!
For reservations, call 203.227.3399.Check out the mouthwatering menu below:
CTbites and SuzySaid readers met up once again to enjoy a decadent prix fixe menu...this time at Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistroin Norwalk. The small size of this dining space, and Chef Troilo's presence in his open kitchen made this a particularly cozy event. Diners from various tables introduced themselves to one another, and new foodie friends were made. The sun was shining. We had bottomless homemade lemonade. All was good with the world.
Chef Troilo created a beautiful $15 prix fixe menu, and with three diners at my table I was able to taste everything...just the way I like it.
As promised, our next CTbites / Suzysaid lunchevent has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th @ Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro. Many of us in the CTbites community have been long time fans of Rob Troilo's sublime cuisine, and now he will serve up a meal especially for our readers. You know it's going to be good.
For anyone who has dined with Rob before, you know the space is small, so call now to make your reservations at (203) 229-0035. Check out the delicious $15 prix fixe menu below...
Choice of entree:
Seared Tuna Nicoise Style - with black olive tapenade, green beans, anchovies and a dijon vinaigrette
Caesar Salad with Organic Chicken - brioche croutons and parmesan crisp
Spring Vegetable Risotto with fresh favas, english peas, asparagus and mascarpone
Our 4th CTbites lunch event at The Dressing Room was a huge success. CTbites readers filled the elegantly rustic dining room of this classic Westport eatery. With this beautiful backdrop, people met up for a quiet lunch or connected with large groups of girlfriends (those parties were considerably more boisterous). The CTbites masthead was well represented with almost everyone in attendance, and there was a nice steady buzz as people settled down to the business of eating.
The lunch began on a festive note with specially selected organic wines and a sweet, but not cloying, signature Proseco cocktail. This "Sweetheart" drink featuring Wild Alpine strawberries is the brain child of John Cronin whom you will often see behind the bar, and it has achieved beverage fame.
Jon Vaast, the new Executive Chef at DR, created a Spring menu with great local ingredients and refined flavors.
Wednesday, March @24th, come join CTBites and SuzySaid for a special lunch event at The Dressing Room. This 3 course prix fixe menu is only for our readers, and a great value at $18. $6 Specialty cocktails and wine will be offered. If you haven't sampled their new menu, this is the perfect opportunity.
Check out the custom menu below.
Diners will get FREE goody bags with eatable treats from local vendors as well as special value coupons.
Call NOW to reserve your spot and tell them CTbites sent you. (203) 226-1114. Lunch will be served from 11:30-3.
SuzySaid & CTbites are teaming up again for our monthly lunch event. On February 23rd, we will be meeting up at Cafe Tavolini in Bridgeport for a special $15 prix fixe lunch. CTbites has yet to review this one, so help us find the words by sampling the cuisine and submitting your opinion. We're looking forward to seeing you there.