Filtering by Tag: Chef Talk,Middletown

Festivities Celebrations Passes It On In Love sponsored post

Features Fundraiser Catering Chef Talk

Jessica Ryan

For more than three decades, and under the leadership of Roe Chlala and Bill Kaliff, Festivities  has been an integral part of the community, catering  milestone celebrations from birthdays and weddings, to corporate events and galas. This award-winning catering and event design company has launched their newest venture through their foundation.  Located on the Festivities Campus, “Pass on the Love” is a retail store offering a curated collection of gently used, quality, design, décor and tabletop items that have been donated and are available for purchase for your next event or for your personal use.  “Buy it in love, pass it on in love” is the store motto.  Proceeds from all sales are to be donated to agencies that provide services supporting safe and healthy homes.  The first two recipient agencies are The Center for Family Justice and the Domestic Violence Program at the Greenwich YWCA.

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It's A Woman's World: Greer Fredericks, Restaurateur & Owner, Peaches

Features Interview Interview Chef Talk Best of CT Homepage

CTbites Team

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 Woman’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. This week, we feature Greer Fredericks, Owner of Peaches in Norwalk. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com. 

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It's A Woman's World: Bloodroot's Noel Furie & Selma Miriam

Features Interview Chef Talk Chef Interview

CTbites Team

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 Woman’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. This week, our focus turns to Noel Furie and Selma Miriam, Owners of Bloodroot feminist restaurant. Have a suggestion on someone you’d like to see featured? Email steph@ctbites.com. 

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It's A Woman's World: Red Bee Honey's Carla Marina Marchese

Features Interview Chef Talk Interview

CTbites Team

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. 

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It’s a Woman’s World: Connecticut Female Culinary Influencers: Silvia Baldini

Features Chef Talk Chef Best of CT

Jeanne Muchnick

The hospitality industry has always been cut-throat, especially for women, and more specifically for those behind the kitchen burners. Now that the gender conversation has exploded via the #MeToo movement, and with 2018 being proclaimed "The Year of the Woman," we at CT Bites choose to celebrate the influential and aspirational women among us. 

With March 8 marking International Women’s Day, this seemed like the perfect time to announce our new series "It's A Women's World"  featuring Connecticut female influencers who’ve blazed their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, starting a public relations, gourmet foods or catering business or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking broads have set a new definition of women’s work, forging new paths and setting examples for those who follow.

This week we’re starting at the top—with Top Chef Silvia Baldini of New Canaan’s Strawberry and Sage, the first female chef in Fairfield County to win “Chopped.” 

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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

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

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Fujiya Ramen in Middletown: Tokyo-style ramen with New York vibe

Restaurant Japanese Asian Ramen Middletown Openings Comfort Food

Middletown Press

Looking for great ramen? Middletown Press has the scoop on the new Fujiya Ramen...straight from Tokyo. 

Fujiya Ramen opened in August at 425 Main St. and already, the restaurant has become somewhat of a hangout for Wesleyan University students, according to Andy Liu, owner.

Whenever there’s an event at the school, students come out to the restaurant to socialize, eat and take advantage of the wifi, he said. The vibe of the eatery, especially when the students are congregating, reminds him of similar establishments in New York City.

“I go to New York a lot because in New York (ramen is) very popular,” Liu said. “Young people like it because ramen is really fast and pretty healthy food.”

Liu, who has been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years and also owns Sakura Garden in Windsor and Royal Buffet in Manchester, was impressed the first time he visited a ramen restaurant. “I said this is a really good idea — really modern,” he said.

He talked to a friend in Tokyo who has Fujiya Ramen restaurants in Tokyo, New Jersey and Albany, New York, and suggested they join forces. Liu found a head chef who was originally from Japan and his friend sent a crew from Japan, including additional chefs and servers, he said.

“That’s why our ramen (dishes) are different because we have people from over there,” Liu said. “It’s almost the identical ramen as in Tokyo.”

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Chef Tyler Anderson of Millwright’s Competes on Bravo's Top Chef Airing Dec 7th

Features Celebrity Chef Chef Talk

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Eleven years ago, I got hooked on Top Chef while… ironically… working out at the gym.  I don’t think the other gym-goers appreciated the decadent food visuals- I got a lot of side-eye- but I was mesmerized by the lightning fast pace of the challenges and the  culinary problem-solving.  That initial encounter blossomed into full blown fandom; I’ve interviewed chef-testants and dined at their restaurants.  It’s crazy to think that the latest installation marks the show’s FIFTEENTH season- and that one of Connecticut’s own chefs will be one of fifteen to compete for the coveted title.  Chef Tyler Anderson of Millwright’s in Simsbury will vie for Top Chef when the series debuts on December 7!

“One of the main reasons I went on was to represent the state of CT,” Anderson said.  “There are some Chefs, Restaurateurs and Artisans doing some amazing things in this state, I wanted to try and raise that awareness.”

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Two Stamford Chefs Compete on Same Episode of Food Network’s, “Chopped”

Features Celebrity Chef Chef Talk

Hey Stamford!

vThis just in from Hey Stamford!

Over the last several years, we’ve shared news with you about a handful of local chefs and restaurateurs who have competed on the Food Network’s competition show, “Chopped“.

Most notable have been Christian Petroni, Chef & co-owner of Fortina, who appeared as both a contestant and a judge.  Adam Greenberg, who was with Fortina when he first competed (and has since made his way to DC) competed on the show multiple times (coincidentally appearing again on December 5th).  And of course, there’s Aaron Sanchez,  a constant fixture on both “Chopped” and other Food Network shows.  You may recall Sanchez owned and operated Paloma in Harbor Point which has since closed their doors. On top of that, there’s also been a handful of local kids on the junior version of the show.

So that’s all pretty cool! But as far as I am aware, we’ve yet to see multiple Stamford chefs compete on the same show….. UNTIL NOW!

On December 7th, Stamford’s own, Steve Costanzo, owner & chef at Olio and Chef Jean J, chef & co-owner at Soul Tasty will put their culinary skills to the test on the SAME SHOW!

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Chef Brian Lewis To Open Modern Japanese Inspired Restaurant in Westport

Restaurant Openings Chef Talk Westport Japanese Homepage

Stephanie Webster

Chef Brian Lewis, of The Cottage, has an exciting announcement...

From the moment that we opened our doors and started cooking at The Cottage, I knew that we had really stumbled onto both a truly special town and adventurous clientele in Westport, one that really connected with my cooking and supported my full creative expression.

So as we turn the corner in completing our second year of cooking our most heartfelt local American Cuisine at The Cottage, with simply the best culinary and service team that I have ever had the privilege of working with, I am delighted to announce that we are now set to expand our other culinary passion – with a modern Japanese Izakaya meets Omakase restaurant in a treasured Westport landmark, The Vigilant Hose Company Firehouse, right across the river on Wilton Road.

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South Norwalk is Home to Ellie's Real Good Food Second Television Season 

Features Chef Talk

CTbites Team

Just when you thought you'd seen every type of celebrity chef show imaginable, along comes Ellie Krieger, New York Times best-selling author and nutritionist, whose public television show Ellie's Real Good Food is less about celebrity and more about real life...and real food.

For the second year in a row, Krieger chose the demonstration kitchen at Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen, in South Norwalk as her "home kitchen" for taping the cooking portion of her 13 episodes of Ellie's Real Good Food.  We say "cooking portion," because Ellie's Real Good Food does a whole lot more than simply feature her cooking. In every episode she also takes viewers on trips to schools, farmer's markets, innovative farms, vineyards and more, where she is on a mission to share healthy, time-saving strategies for menu planning, food shopping and cooking. 

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10 Questions w/ Chef Manuel Romero of Olea in New Haven

Features Chef Talk New Haven

Amy Kundrat

Born in Spain, Chef Manuel Romero of Olea in New Haven, was raised in a family that loved cooking traditional and tasty food. When he was a child, his family moved to the United States, and he developed a passion for cooking by watching, helping, and learning alongside his mother. He moved up the culinary ladder, and in 2014, Chef Romero opened Olea restaurant offering guests his innovative interpretation of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. His menu is masterful and his dishes are stunning. We spoke with Chef Romero about his hobbies, worst kitchen nightmare, and his guilty pleasures. 

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Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Chef Dan Kardos of Liberty Tavern

Features Interview Chef Talk

Jessica Ryan

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)?

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Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out: Christian Petroni of Fortina Pizza

Features Chef Talk Chef

Jessica Ryan

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? This column will be on ongoing feature. Past chefs featured have been: Chris Gonzalez of Hapa Food Truck, Cody Brown of Hoodoo BBQ & Matt Storch of Match & Nom Eez. This week, we speak with Christian Petroni of Fortina Pizza.

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Easter Cooking: Wild Alaskan Halibut A La Cataplana Recipe c/o Chef Renato Donzelli of Basso Cafe       

Recipe Features Recipe Seafood Chef Talk Holiday healthy

Stephanie Webster

Cataplana is a Portuguese seafood dish originating in the southern region of Portugal in Algarve, and it is about as traditional a Portuguese dish as you can get. It uses a copper cooking device also called a Cataplana which unique to the Algarve region. If you don’t have this vessel you simply can use a pan with a lid.

This dish we are going to make is a variation using a fresh fish like Halibut, littleneck clams, and Spanish chorizo. Cataplana is perfect for making this dish because it efficiently contains the flavor and heat of the contents in the dish to provide a uniquely flavored and scented dish, simply without any fuss.

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Where Do Local CT Chefs Eat Out? Chef Jon Vaast of Rothbard's

Features Chef Talk Chef

Jessica Ryan

Welcome to our 4th installment of "Where Do CT Chefs Eat Out?" 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? Thus far, we have uncovered the eating habits of Matt Storch, Cody of Hoodoo Brown BBQ & Chris Gonzales of Hapa Food Truck. 

This week, we speak with Chef Jon Vaast of Rothbard's.  

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Amis Trattoria Opens March 31 in Westport w/ Epic Italian: 10 Questions with Chef Brad Spence

Restaurant Italian Openings Westport Chef Talk Lunch Celebrity Chef Homepage

Andrew Dominick

You know that Bedford Square Building and Firehouse at 59 Post Road East in Westport that’s been under construction for a while? Well, it’s finally coming to fruition. On March 31, two occupants will crack the doors and open to the public, Anthropologie, and the place we’re here to talk about, Amis Trattoria. Why are we excited about this? Amis is owned by The Vetri Family, with Chef Marc Vetri at the helm, a chef who is widely regarded by his peers as one of the best Italian cooks in the U.S. If the whole women’s clothing and home décor concept and a restaurant opening in the same space seems confusing, well, there’s a story here. 

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One-Tray Chicken Dinner Recipe via Chopped Champion Silvia Baldini

Recipe Recipe healthy Chef Talk

Silvia Baldini

Mushrooms are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D and they promote immune boosting functions by increasing production of antiviral proteins. Some of my favorite mushrooms are Shiitake. They are simply delicious and they taste particularly divine in this, always fool-proof, oven roasted lemon and parsley chicken one-tray recipe. It takes 35 minute in the oven and minimal prepping. Even my children, those little rascals always poo-pooing mushrooms, after falling from their chairs laughing when they heard the word SHIITAKE, gobbled these ones down! 

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Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Chef Matt Storch of Match & Nom Eez

Features Chef Talk Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Welcome to our 3rd installment of "Where Do CT Chefs Eat Out?" 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? We began our series with Matt Storch of Match and Nom Eez. 

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