It may be called Below Deck, but Bravo’s nautical reality series is riding high. The original show just wrapped on its seventh season, following the adventures of 49 yachties and hitting the 100 episode mark along the way. Its success has inspired two spin-off shows: Below Deck Mediterranean, which has been on for four seasons, and the brand new addition to the franchise, Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
Despite the constantly changing crew, Chef Ben Robinson has become a familiar face. He’s served up delicious food from the galley on 4 seasons on Below Deck and most recently stepped in to save the day on Below Deck Mediterranean. While he achieved fame from reality television, he is a true chef who started cooking at the age of 5. CTBites had the opportunity to sit down with him at the Mohegan Sun Wine & Food Fest to chat about his culinary start, his time on the show, and his exciting plans for the future.
Leo Kelly, a 6 year old first grader in Fairfield CT has dreams of becoming “King,” well, the Shirley Temple King that is. Leo aspires to be the childhood arbiter of all things Shirley Temple (yes, the popular childhood beverage) , and he is making his way around Fairfield County doing just that. You can find him on Instagram at @theshirleytempleking, so heads up local restaurants owners. Time to get your Shirley Temple game on fleek.
In addition to blazing trails with restaurants (Thali, INDIA, Indian Kitchen) Chef Prasad has begun to make his fans swoon on a more intimate level with a regular cooking school series. What a special treat. I recently went to one of his Sunday classes and came away with a whole new passion for Indian cuisine. And believe me, I’ve already been a giant fan for years. (Jackson Diner, Queens anyone? I lived in Jackson Heights for ten years).
Join the culinary professionals that lead the kitchens of Westport restaurants Terrain Cafe and Amis at Stamford Museum & Nature Center as they show you the joys of sourcing and cooking with the best in seasonal and sustainable ingredients. From salads and appetizers to entrees, pastas and desserts, this six-part series (January 27 through March 9.) takes you through the methodology of creating show-stopping dishes as you also learn how to source the best ingredients right in your own backyard.
Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us. Our ongoing series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ is devoted to CT 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 the talented Chef/Owners Noemi & Sarayy Ruiz, two sisters who ownGaudi Tapas & Bar in Danbury. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
This week on The CTbites Hot Dish Podcast , we chat with Chef Plum, host of the successful podcast “Live With Chef Plum,” as well as “Edible On The Road” (streaming on Amazon), and finally…the TV series, “Random Acts of Cooking.” What’s on the podcast menu? We discuss the role of food as a connector, the importance of philanthropy, and…well…we laugh a lot. Join the conversation. Listen here.
It’s a sweltering hot Sunday in July and a dozen of us are standing outside of Hoodoo Brown BBQ at quarter to eight in the morning. A father-daughter duo came in from the Upper East Side, one guy came from Queens, others made a 45-minute drive down from parts of the Hudson Valley or from various parts of Fairfield County, the rest sped over from up the street. At that time, Hoodoo Brown was still over three hours away from opening its doors to customers craving their Texas-inspired barbecue, so what the heck were we all doing there?
You’ve arranged to keep the kids busy all summer long with camps and lessons, sleepovers and maybe a bit of volunteer work here and there, but what about some fun for YOU? Those kids shouldn’t get all the fun. And because we are, eh-hem, adults, learning a few new things alongside that good time is always a welcome bonus. Cooking classes are a unique way to have a memorable evening. You can go solo, with a friend or a group. Choose the flavors or the skills you are interesting in knowing more about. Then walk away with a full belly, new information and probably a few laughs under your chef’s apron. What the heck are you waiting for? Remember too, these are great gift ideas as well. Friend with a birthday during the summer? Treat them! It’s like dinner out but so much better. Pencil in some time for yourself this summer and treat yourself..like a kid.
Here is our Guide To Adult Cooking Classes in Connecticut.
Two of CT's leading chefs, and long time colleagues, Bill Taibe & Dan Kardos, discuss what it takes to stay at the top of their game. Host Marysol Castro explores what it takes to maintain their sanity, life in the kitchen, how social media has changed the restaurant business, and what they want their guests to know when they dine at their restaurants. Listen here!
Hot summer days and you don’t feel like cooking. The stove, oven, even the grill…it’s all so hot. But hold on a minute there, maybe *you* don’t have to! With a little foresight (read: now), your kids can learn to cook this summer, get inspired and whoa-oh, looks who’s not in the kitchen anymore?! Beyond your parental joy, though, kids will enjoy learning cooking skills, whipping up some pretty cool menus from around the globe and even having a cooking competition or two just to test their mettle. Just be sure to sign up your aspiring chefs soon, these classes and camps fill up quicker than hot grease will jump out of a pan!
This week on the CTbites Hot Dish Podcast we sit down with Chef Matt Storch, owner of Match, Match Burger Lobster & Match Taco. We discuss the restaurant biz, cooking for Julia Child, the importance of travel, the origins of the famous "Match Burger," favorite restaurants (you'll wanna write these down), and his 45 course dinner at El Bulli. Listen here!
Our 2018 series, “It’s A Woman’s World’ was devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who forged their own paths in culinary fields long dominated by men. In 2019, we continue to celebrate trailblazing women throughout the state of CT.
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 Kristin Eddy, Pastry Chef for Tyler Anderson’s Millwright's, Porron & Piña, and The Cook and The Bear. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
Our own CT Chef, Robin Selden, of Marcia Selden Catering & Events, was one of the featured voices Forbes looked to to define the 11 trends reshaping food and restaurants in 2018. Trends included, Cooking with Cannabis, The Greening of Restaurants, Fine Dining Goes Casual, Affordable Wine Lists, Year of the Woman, Oat Milk and more.
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 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.
How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Jodi Bernard, Director of Operations at Fortina Pizza. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
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.
The life of a Top Chef judge, Food + Wine writer, author, and culinary personality is exciting. Gail Simmons regularly travels- and around the world at that!- to film television shows, headline events, find inspiration, and uncover new recipes. At the same time, Simmons is a wife and a mother of two. Sometimes she just wants to go home. Her new cookbook, Bringing It Home, bridges the gap between her personal and professional lives. Drawing from all of her experiences, she’s created dishes that instill feelings of comfort and belonging.
Terrain Garden Café in Westport served as the perfect backdrop to bring Simmons’s vision to life.
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 Linda Kavanagh, President, MaxEX PR. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
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 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.
How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Kaline Capps, Executive Chef, Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant in Norwalk. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
Evarito's Mexican Kitchen & Bar is the latest addition to South Norwalk. Ken Tuccio sits down with Christian Burns, the mind behind the spot, to talk about his background in the culinary world and how it all led to what he's doing now with Evarito's. Listen here.
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 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.
How'd they do it? Read on. This week, we feature Jes Bengsten, Chef at Terrain Garden Café. Stay tuned to see who’s next. And feel free to send suggestions for your candidates to steph@ctbites.com.
