It's A Woman's World: Red Bee Honey's Carla Marina Marchese Features Interview Chef Talk Interview CTbites Team March 14, 2018 Fairfield County is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why, with 2018 being proclaimed the Year of the Woman, we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us. Our new series, “It’s A Women’s World’ is devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths and setting examples for those who follow. How'd they do it? Read on. So far, we've highlighted Silvia Baldini, the first female chef in Fairfield County to win “Chopped,” This week, our focus turns to Carla Marina Marchese, founder of Red Bee Honey in Weston. Have a suggestion on someone you’d like to see featured? Email steph@ctbites.com. Read More
Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Chef/ Owner Stephen Lewandowski of Harlan Social, Harlan Publick & Harlan Haus Features Interview Chef Chef Talk Interview Celebrity Chef Jessica Ryan February 13, 2018 We continue our series, "Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out," with Chef/ Owner Stephen Lewandowski, who owns Harlan Social, Harlan Publick, and the recently opened, Harlan Haus in Bridgeport. On the rare day or night you’re off from the restaurant where do you prefer to have dinner (If home what is your meal or food of choice)?Tough question. I have 4 kids and when I do have that night off I like to hang with them and my wife so initially I would say we stay home and I will cook. My kids love chicken marsala so I tend to make this with penne pasta and an arugula salad. Simple but the kids love it. If we go out the kids really enjoy Sakura in Westport because of the hibachi. We have a good time and the staff is so friendly. We have been going there since we moved up here 5 years ago Read More
Zoni Foods, Delicious Plant-Based Frozen Meals: A Conversation with CEO & Founder Zoë Lloyd Interview Features New Haven Interview healthy Vegetarian Vegan Amy Kundrat January 09, 2018 What should I make for dinner? This daily lament is the million billion dollar question fueling a booming meal kit industry. Weekly deliveries of fresh ingredients with easy-to-follow recipes offer the promise of an easy weeknight dinner. However, a growing segment of this audience such as young professionals and busy families is seeking something even simpler, less time consuming, and healthier. Read More
Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Michel Nischan of Wholesome Wave Interview Features Chef Homepage Jessica Ryan June 22, 2017 I am honored that Chef Michel Nischan agreed to play along with us for our latest installment of Where do Chefs Eat Out? The chef and co-founder of The Dressing Room - one of the first farm to table restaurants in the state - shifted gears in 2014 to focus on Wholesome Wave, a not for profit he founded that provides healthy food choices to underserved consumers by increasing affordable access to fresh, local, and healthy items. A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to talk with him about this incredible project. What began as a dream in our own backyard is now thriving in 48 states. Read More
Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Chef Dan Kardos of Liberty Tavern Features Interview Chef Talk Jessica Ryan April 26, 2017 I've always wondered where the chefs from our favorite local restaurants eat when they finally get some time away from their busy schedules. What are some of their favorite places, locally and beyond? This column is on ongoing feature. Past chefs featured have included: Chris Gonzalez of Hapa Food Truck, Cody Brown of Hoodoo BBQ, Matt Storch of Match & Nom Eez, & Christian Petroni of Fortina Pizza. This week we speak with Chef Dan Kardos of Liberty Tavern. On the rare day or night you’re off from the restaurant where do you prefer to have dinner?( If home what is your meal or food of choice)? Read More
Where Do Local CT Chefs Eat Out? Chris Gonzales, Hapa Food Truck Interview Restaurant Chef Chef Talk Jessica Ryan January 03, 2017 I've always wondered where the chefs from our favorite local restaurants eat when they finally get some time away from their busy schedules. Do they prefer to go home and relax? Or do they like to go out? If the latter, what are some of their favorite places, locally and beyond? Do they might have any secret hole in the wall places and would they be willing to share these with us? This column will be on ongoing feature. We start our series with Chris Gonzales of Hapa Food Truck. Read More
10 Questions with Fjord Fish Market's Jim Thistle Ingredients Interview Recipe Chef Talk Fish Seafood Specialty Market April Guilbault October 18, 2016 Oh so many fish in da sea! And that’s only the beginning....what kind of fish do you want to prepare? Do you know how to prepare it? Oh, yeah, and where should you go to get this fish, short of heading out into open waters yourself? And wait, and here’s the $100,000 question: is the fish you are buying everything it says it is? Good grief. It’s almost easier dating and looking for *those* fish in the sea. Well, fear not, CTBites sat down recently with one of the Big Fish out there, Jim Thistle of Fjord Fish Market, and he helped guide us through seemingly murky waters... Read More
CTbites Joins Lidia Bastianich Shooting Her TV Series Lidia's Kitchen Interview Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 17, 2016 It feels like an ordinary morning in South Norwalk. Restaurants are opening their doors and a few pedestrians have started to meander down Main Street. People are easing into their daily routines. There is no fanfare or paparazzi… no indication that culinary legend Lidia Bastianich and her team have quietly taken over Clarke Kitchens to film the latest season of Lidia’s Kitchen! Lidia Bastianich’s extensive career is filled with an array of accomplishments. Her four New York City restaurants, Felidia, Becco, Esca and Del Posto, as well as Lidia’s Pittsburgh and Lidia’s Kansas City, have received widespread acclaim. She also joined forces with her son Joe Bastianich, Mario Batali, and Oscar Farinetti to open Eataly, an Italian food and wine marketplace. In addition to her achievements as a restaurateur, she is an Emmy award-winning public television host, cookbook author, broadcast production company founder, and businesswoman. Bastianich has chosen Norwalk to film 26 episodes for the fourth season of Lidia’s Kitchen. The television series, which is sponsored by Cento and Grana Padano, will air on PBS Public Television Network starting October 8, 2016. Each 30 minute episode revolves around a certain theme or ingredient and presents recipes based on it. Read More
Interview w/ Chef Zac Young, Executive Pastry Chef @ David Burke Restaurants Interview Celebrity Chef Chef Chef Talk Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 02, 2016 We recently gave you a sneak peek at Savor: A Celebration of Wine, Food, & Spirits, that will unfold in Hartford from April 7-9. The event’s Grand Tasting will give guests the chance to try hundreds of wine, spirits, and beers, indulge in dishes from area restaurants, and watch celebrity chef demonstrations. Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine will headline the event while proceeds go toward the Robert Irvine foundation. A few weeks ago, he spoke with CTBites and told us about the foundation, upcoming Food Network shows, his varied food projects, and what to expect this year. Savor just announced another addition to its celebrity chef line-up: Chef Zac Young. Fun, gregarious, and whimsical, Young currently works as the Executive Pastry Chef for the David Burke Restaurants. I became a fan of his when I watched him compete on Top Chef: Just Desserts. This past holiday season, his Thanksgiving “PieCaken” became a bona fide sensation. Read More
10 Questions w/ The Whelk's Chef Anthony Kostelis Interview Chef Chef Talk CTbites Team March 15, 2016 You eat at their restaurants, you love their food, but what do you know about the chefs who work to bring you culinary pleasure? Here are 10 Questions with The Whelk's Chef Anthony Kostelis. Find out what inspires him, his favorite chef, most memorable meal and more...Get to know your chef. What made you decide to be a chef? I had always been involved in restaurants in some form. My father had his own food distribution company. My first jobs were working a few shifts in the kitchens at one of his customer's restaurants. I moved on to the front of house when I was 18 or so. That landed me at Scoozzi in New Haven for a few years. It was there, that I decided to pursue cooking. I remember looking at my class schedule when I was enrolled at Southern Connecticut State University; I was totally uninspired by my class list. I just happened to have dinner later that day at my favorite restaurant at the time when I realized that food is what I am passionate about. Read More
An Interview with Cookbook Author and Baking Expert Abby Dodge Interview Author Book Cookbooks Amy Kundrat December 16, 2015 Classically trained pastry chef, baking expert, cookbook author, and baking instructor Abby Dodge is a Fairfield, CT native on a mission to “bake the world a better place one recipe at a time.” She is a long-time contributing editor to Fine Cooking magazine, founding its test kitchen. In addition to her contributions in print, Abby is also leads a baking boot camp called “Cakes and Pies” you can enroll in on Craftsy.com, and an avid blogger where she hosts the online community #baketogether.. I had the pleasure of interviewing Abby on the occasion of the release of her tenth and latest cookbook called The Everyday Baker. You won’t want to miss her advice for home cooks on baking during the holiday season (advice I am promising myself to heed this year!), which is transcends baking and is really applicable to all things in life. If you have questions for Abby, she has graciously agreed to answer your baking questions left in the comments section below. Read More
The National Opens in Greenwich: A Conversation with Chef, Restaurateur, & TV Host Geoffrey Zakarian Interview Restaurant Celebrity Chef Greenwich Opening Amy Kundrat November 21, 2015 The National, the newest restaurant from celebrated chef, restaurateur, TV host, author, and philanthropist Geoffrey Zakarian, is now open in the heart of downtown Greenwich, at 376 Greenwich Avenue. We were invited to sit down with the chef just 24 hours after he opened the doors to the public. Sitting in a corner banquette, our candid conversation spanned his 30-year career, including his love for Greenwich, formative culinary influences, and his advice for aspiring chefs. The National feels like an extension of Zakarian himself. They both exude a studied yet casual New York elegance, are utterly charming, and yet quite approachable. A former Greenwich resident, it is no surprise he chose to open the restaurant within this community he knows so well. The modern american bistro feels at home on the Avenue and inside, boasts the welcoming charm of a neighborhood café with a seasonal menu positioned to please. Read More
10 Questions w/ John Barricelli @ Sono Baking Company's 10 Year Anniversary Ingredients Interview Bakery Chef Talk Stephanie Webster August 18, 2015 This summer marks the 10 year anniversary for Sono Baking Company. To celebrate the milestone of this beloved local bakery, we sat down with owner, John Barricelli, to talk about the business of baking and his plans for the future. What made you decide to launch Sono Baking Company? We launched Sono 10 years ago because we found that the need for baked goods and breads were hard to find in this area....everything was being brought up from the city....I always wanted to bake bread in a big oven early in the morning with no days off! Has the business of baking changed in the past 10 year? How? The business has not changed, but competition has grown a little....we still think we are superior to anything out there...we bake fresh everyday....bake locally, distribute locally. Read More
Michel Nischan: Connecticut’s Humanitarian Chef Interview Westport CTbites Team May 12, 2015 As we go to print on this article, chef, CEO and humanitarian Michel Nischan is in Chicago receiving another James Beard Award, as Humanitarian of the Year. This honor has been bestowed on few, including Art Smith, Emeril Lagasse and the late Charlie Trotter. The award signifies Michel’s commitment to making a difference in how and where we buy food, food education, and Wholesome Wave programs that offer affordable access to all consumers, especially the food insecure. As a longtime Westport resident, I have fond memories of The Dressing Room next to the Westport Country Playhouse. The buzz surrounding the restaurant when it opened in 2006 was driven by the friendship and collaboration between the co-owners, Paul Newman and chef Michel Nischan and their shared beliefs about food. Together they contributed to Connecticut’s nascent farm-to-table movement, not only sourcing from local farms and purveyors, but also listing their products as part of the menu. Paul could be found there many evenings with his wife Joanne, and family and “sightings” were always a treat to patrons. Read More
Meet Walrus + Carpenter's Pitmaster, Ben McCrea, The Man Who Makes The Meat Interview Restaurant American BBQ Bridgeport Lunch Sarah Green May 06, 2015 Ben McCrea is a gentle-giant of a man, but don't let his warm, friendly facade fool you. Underneath that kind-hearted shell is a mean, Auss-een, grilling machine. In the WAY back of the lot on Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport that Walrus + Carpenter calls home, is the perch where Ben keeps watch. His job... smoking all types of meat to perfection. But what makes the man that makes the meat?Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Ben gained his skills from watching his grandfather grill on the "barbie," but becoming a grill master wasn't his first passion. Ben came to the States as a boxer and did very well in that 'arena.' However, boxing is a short career and Ben knew something more awaited. What he didn't know was that it would be a smoker with a 500 gallon propane tank, commissioned by Walrus co-owner Joe Farrell (along with Adam Roytman.) Read More
Women's Business Council Hosts Amy Kundrat of CTbites & Sneaky Chef Author Missy Chase Lapin Interview Restaurant Events CTbites Team April 08, 2015 The Women's Business Council of Danbury is hosting their fifth annual Conversations with Extraordinary Women on April 23 at 5 to 8 pm at the Matrix Conference Center in Danbury, including CTbites' Executive Editor Amy Kundrat and best-selling author of Sneaky Chef Foods, Missy Chase Lapine. Read More
Three Interviews with Connecticut James Beard Award Semifinalists Interview Chef Talk Washington Amy Kundrat February 21, 2015 Chefs Tyler Anderson, Bill Taibe, and Joel Viehland were recently recognized by the James Beard Foundation as semifinalists in the 2015 Best Chef: Northeast category. On the occasion of their nomination, we asked each of them to answer a few questions, from the serious (key influences and mentors) to the hypothetical (a CTbites blank check to open a new restaurant). Want to know where Chef Tyler Anderson's next restaurant could be, who Chef Viehland would love to cook for, and who is one of Chef Taibe's biggest influences (hint: he is a chef in one of his kitchens)? Read on for this and more from three of Connecticut's best chefs. Read More
Award-Winning Author & Food Critic Mimi Sheraton in Conversation with Chef Matt Storch Interview Author Westport CTbites Team February 12, 2015 Mimi Sheraton, award-winning author and former restaurant critic for The New York Times, will be at the Westport Public Library on Saturday, February 28 to discuss her new book, 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List. Sheraton's appearance will be a conversation with Matt Storch, chef and owner of Match Restaurant. About Mimi Sheraton Mimi Sheraton is a journalist, restaurant critic, lecturer, IACP and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author, and the woman about whom famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten declared, “Her knowledge knows no bounds, her glossary of flavors is ultimate. Her opinion is like gold.” The former restaurant critic of the New York Times, Read More
Meet The Whelk's New Chef de Cuisine, Anthony Kostelis Interview Restaurant Chef Chef Talk Westport Stephanie Webster November 19, 2014 How does it feel to be hired as the new Chef de Cuisine for one of Fairfield County’s most successful restaurants? Chef Anthony Kostelis, of The Whelk in Westport, would say it is like a dream come true. In fact, ever since Kostelis started working with Bill Taibe in 2010, he knew he didn't want to be anywhere else. Kostelis’ love of food began at the ripe age of 15 when he started work in a Manchester pizza restaurant. Half Greek, half Italian, and the son of a food purveyor for high end ingredients, Anthony seemed fated to head down a culinary path. By age 20, he was working in New Haven as a server and bartender at Ibiza, when he decided to leave college and pursue his real passion, cooking. Working his way through the CIA, he was mentored by Executive Chef Jeff Caputo of Scoozzi, also in New Haven, who took him under his wing and “set me up for success,” says Anthony. Read More
An Interview w/ Adam Richman via CTbites' & Serendipity Blogger Lounge Interview Celebrity Chef Chef Talk Greenwich Wine + Food Festival Stephanie Webster October 15, 2014 Good times were had at this year's Greenwich Wine + Food Festival as National and local celebrity chefs sat down with Chef Matt Storch and Serendipity Editor, Danielle Manion at the CTbites & Serendipity Blogger Lounge. Here is the first installment, our interview with the formidable Adam Richman, made famous with his hit show "Man V. Food" on The Travel Channel. Adam even has some great local restaurant recommendations! Read More
