France - L.A. Culinary Connection March 11th to 14 - It's All About The Cuisine, Bébé

Sponsored Post

Over twenty Michelin-Starred Chefs and James Beard Award Nominees and Winners represented in second annual culinary showcase at L.A. LIVE, March 11-14, 2015

All-Star Chef Classic showcases renowned domestic and international chef talent in a series of interactive dining experiences, bringing over 3,500 fans 'kitchen-side' for unparalleled access to their favorite chefs—the first ever event showcase of its kind in the food festival landscape.

Six immersive, chef-led dining experiences will take place at L.A. LIVE's custom-built Event Deck, including the bespoke Restaurant Stadium and Chefs' Tasting Arena for a three-part Masters dinner series dedicated to French, British, and American talent; the Grill & Chill, a celebration of open-flame cooking; Kitchen Kids, a record-setting large-scale cooking class for kids and Cook for the Cure to spread awareness and benefit those fighting cancer and celebrate those who have won the battle.

The 2015 All-Star Chef Classic will include more than 25 internationally-renowned chefs and personalities:

Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles), Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris), David Toutain (Restaurant David Toutain, Paris), Sven Chartier (Saturne, Paris), Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Los Angeles), Daniel Patterson (Coi, San Francisco), Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar, New York), Michael Cimarusti (Providence, Los Angeles), Jenn Louis(Lincoln, Portland), Suzanne Goin, (Lucques, Los Angeles), Waylynn Lucas (fonuts, Los Angeles), Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal, Son of a Gun, Los Angeles), Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, New York), David Lefevre (MB Post, Manhattan Beach), Aarón Sánchez (Paloma, Stamford), Wylie Dufresne (wd-50, Alder, New York), Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques, Tavern, Los Angeles), Josiah Citrin (Melisse, Los Angeles), Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry Café & Bakery, Santa Monica), Carolynn Spence (Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles), Mark Hix (Hix, London), James Lowe (Lyle's Restaurant, London), Daniel Doherty (Duck and Waffle, London), Skye Gyngell (Spring, London), and Bryn Williams (Odette's, London).

Celebrating the passion, innovation, and community of great food and cooking with the industry's most venerable personalities, the 2015 All-Star Chef Classic lineup includes:

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

French Masters Dinner

Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m. 
Prices: $275-$425

The "French Masters Dinner" features four of today's culinary leaders in French cuisine, hosted by Master of Ceremonies, Billy Harris. The chefs will prepare a five-course dinner for a select group of seated guests, along with an elegant pairing of French wine.

Featured chefs include:

• Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles)
• Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris)
• David Toutain (Restaurant David Toutain, Paris)
• Sven Chartier (Saturne, Paris)

Thursday, March 12, 2015

American Masters Dinner

Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Cuisine for the Cure

Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 11:30 a.m. / Lunch Begins 12 p.m.

British Masters Dinner

Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Kitchen Kids

Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 10 a.m. / Event Begins 10:30 a.m.

Grill and Chill

Location: Chefs' Tasting Arena
Doors Open 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. 
Prices: $125-$225 – Special Price "France in LA" $100

The "Grill and Chill" event celebrates the pleasures and spectacle of cooking over an open flame in the Chefs' Tasting Arena, bringing the outdoor grilling experience to guests for a curated tasting tour of dishes from a diverse group of chefs. In addition our 'Chilling' Chefs will serve a delicious variety of cold dishes – from salads to desserts to pastries.

Featured chefs include:

• Michael Cimarusti (Providence, LA)
• Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Los Angeles)
• Waylynn Lucas (fonuts, Los Angeles)
• Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo (Animal, Son of a Gun, Los Angeles)
• Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, New York)
• David Lefevre (MB Post, Manhattan Beach)
• Aarón Sánchez (Paloma, Stamford)
• Wylie Dufresne (wd-50, Alder, New York)
• Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques, Tavern, Los Angeles)
• Josiah Citrin (Melisse, Los Angeles)
• Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris)
• Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles)
• Carolynn Spence (Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles)
• Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry Café & Bakery, Santa Monica)
• Jenn Louis (Lincoln, Portland)
• Sherry Yard (Helms Bakery, Spago)
• Mark Hix (Hix, London)

@LocalFoodWine

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin

Episode 2 GOODfood+wine aka Paris GOODfood+wine Airs February 15th

Episode 2 GOODfood+wine aka Paris GOODfood+wine Airs February 15th 2015

by Paige Donner

If you read French and keep on top of French culinary news, you may already have bookmarked several of these articles that buzzed around the social media waves these past weeks, namely how France is mounting a campaign of Gastro-Diplomacy. 

Well, we here at GOODfood+wine (aka Paris GOODfood+wine) applaud these efforts. In fact, I wholeheartedly embrace the synergy of the first episode airing the very same month that the French government officially launched the spearheading of their formal worldwide communications campaign about the abiding merits of French cuisine.

EPISODE 2 AIRING ON WRP Sunday, February 15th, 2015

The second episode of Paris GOODfood+wine (aka GOODfood+wine) airs this Sunday on World Radio Paris.  If you live outside Paris and don't get the station on your radio dial,not to worry. You can catch the episode on replay, along with Episode 1 as well, at WRP/ListenAgain.

Chef Yannick Alléno Paris/ Pavillon Ledoyen 3 Etoiles Michelin/ Février 2015

By the way, Chef Yannick Alléno is the Paris chef who was just awarded a third Michelin star for the restaurant he bought last year, Pavillon Ledoyen. You will hear more about it, plus an interview I did with him about his love of wine, in this episode, Episode 2 of Paris GOODfood+wine. 

EPISODE 2 - The show lineup:

In this Episode of Paris GOOD food+wine, we'll be hearing from Alec Lobrano, our featured guest restaurant reviewer and author of Hungry for Paris. He'll give us the scoop about Chef Yannick Alleno's re-envisioned Pavillon Ledoyen. The Pavillon Ledoyen is an iconic Parisian restaurant that this supertstar chef recently installed himself in as Executive Chef and owner.

Next you'll hear an interview I did with Chef Alléno himself about his love of wine and his winemaking collaboration with Côtes du Rhône organic wine champion, Michel Chapoutier.

Frédéric Lalos, Master Baker

Then you'll get to hear an interview our contributor and pâtisserie specialist, Gabrielle Mondesire, did with Frédéric Lalos, a baker whose praises are sung throughout Paris and even throughout France.

Krug Sounds

Lastly, if music be the food of love, then Krug has a corner on it. At least that's the sense you get when you listen to Krug's President, Margareth Henriquez, who explains to us why men prefer tannins and women tend to naturally take to the sing-song of champagne.

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin

Valentine's Day Incites Passion For...Chocolate!

by Paige Donner

This Valentine's Day why not indulge in a bit of self-love?  Yes, I mean CHOCOLATE!

The good thing about eating chocolate is that it's actually included in the grouping of Nature's Super Foods. 

Gotta love nature! 

If you happen to be in Paris, you can pick up some fancy sweet chocolate treats at the most gourmet of gourmet shops that Parisians like to keep all to themselves: Méert.

These photo below are just a couple of examples of what you can find there. 

Méert Valentine's Day Gift Box - Chocolate!

Méert Valentine's Day Gift Box - Chocolate!

This sweet treat is the specialty on offer at the picturesque, lovely, and very traditional Café de la Paix, just in the shadows of the Palais Garnier, the Opéra de Paris. 

©T.CARON- Café de la Paix Saint Valentin

And if you read French (or use an online translate app)  and want to try out a fabulous recipe for making your own holiday chocolate bonbons full of taste and passion, this comes courtesy of Le Cordon Bleu, the wonderful cooking school in Paris that once welcomed even Julia Child. 

Happy Valentine's Day - photo courtesy Le Cordon Bleu

La Saint-Valentin approche ! Voici une bonne occasion de préparer soi-même ses chocolats pour les offrir à l'être aimé et de tester la technique du tempérage du chocolat, clé de la réussite de vos bonbons.

Pour 40 bonbons Dans cette recette : chocolat de couverture 70 % beurre de cacao coloré pulpe de fruit de la Passion poudre d'or alimentaire Trimoline®

Ingrédients

Caramel passion 50 ml d'eau 90 g de sucre 15 g de Trimoline® (sucre inverti) 30 g de beurre 45 ml de crème liquide 50 g de sucre 30 g de pulpe de fruit de la Passion Moules et enrobage 20 g de beurre de cacao coloré (facultatif) poudre d'or alimentaire 400 g de chocolat de couverture 70 % Note: 2 moules à chocolat en polycarbonate de 20 empreintes

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin

I Love Lemons, Frozen Too

Reblogged by Paige Donner

I have a major lemon addiction. I confess. And it's not just during detox time, after the holidays. It's a year-round thing. Lemonade in the summer, hot water, lemon and honey in the winter. So what joy to find that, like the bouillon craze sweeping East Coast USA, there is a parallel frozen-grated-lemon craze for us who like the lemon-y appeal of things.

Lemon Health!

What's the major advantage of using the whole lemon other

than preventing waste and adding new taste to your dishes?

 lemon peels contain as much as 5 to 10 times

more vitamins than the lemon juice itself.

And yes, that's what you've been wasting.

 

from now on, by following this simple procedure of

freezing the whole lemon, then grating it on top of your dishes,

you can consume all of those nutrients and get even healthier. 

  
It's also good that lemon peels are health rejuvenators

in eradicating toxic elements in the body.

  
Place your washed lemon in your freezer. Then grateit on your meal every day. It is a key to make your foods tastierand you get to live healthier and longer! That's the lemon secret!

Better late than never, right? The surprising benefits of lemon! 
Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells.

It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy. 

 

  
Why do we not know about that? Because there are laboratories

interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits.
  
You can now help a friend in need by letting him/her know

that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease.

Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the

horrific effects of chemotherapy. 

 

 

7 Reasons why you must drink warm lemon water every morning
  
How many people will die while this closely guarded secret is

kept, so as not to jeopardize the beneficial

multimillionaires large corporations?

  
As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. 

  
You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the

pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc...

It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting

is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors.

  
This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types.

Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer..

It is considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against

bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal

parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is

too high and an antidepressant,

combats stress and nervous disorders.

The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from

one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says

that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the

extracts revealed that It destroys the malignant cells in

12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas...

The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world,

slowing the growth of cancer cells. 

 

 

 

And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells.

 

So, give those lemons a good wash, freeze them and grate them. Your whole body will love you for it!

 

* Note This is a reblogged post. I have not verified the veracity of these claims made here.

 

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin

Food (& Wine) Books by French Authors Make Good Gifts

by Paige Donner

Any season is a good season to give the gift of an exquisite, illustrated book about food and/or wine. Here you will find three selections, all of which are authored by French experts in their fields of food and wine, Gérard Bertrand (wine), Eric Kayser (pâtisserie) and Régis Marcon (mushrooms). The books are printed in French, for now, but with such exceptional picture illustrations, they very easily span the cultural divide.

 
​

Champignons by Régis Marcon

Selected here are Régis Marcon's book about Champignons, and I mean all kinds. This Loire-based three-star French chef came out with his book from Martinière publishing in 2013. In early December he won another accolade for it, this time from Champagne Collet who holds a culinary book competition every year, the Livre de Chef. The event's official name is Champagne Collet du Livre de Chef and you can read more about it here and more about the illustrious chef Régis Marcon's 416 page book about mushrooms, here.

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre 2014 Book by Régis Marcon, Champignons, photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre Chef Régis Marcon middle, Olivier Charriaud, ceo champagne collet, far left photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre book selection December 2014 photo by Paige Donner

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre chef Régis Marcon left, champagne collet ceo Olivier Charriaud, right photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 *Author's note: as a stunning example of the cultural communications chasm that still exists between France and the rest of the culinary world, imagine standing in a room of food and wine journalists at a chef's book award event in France and having everyone swear to you that they've never heard of Zagat's! No kidding. The main problem with this scenario is not ignorance, since not everyone can know about everything, even when it comes to such important food and restaurant Bibles as Zagat's (which does, officially, have a presence here in France, even since Google bought them out a few years ago). No the real problem with that scenario is the self-assured smugness of local, francophone culinary journalists and marketing/export teams who insist that if they haven't heard of something, there is no merit to it. I assure you, however, that even though my anglo restaurant and food critics friends got a thorough kick out of this anecdote, to stand in a room full of culinary journalists (mainly francophone but also New Zealand and Australian) and have them all glare at you when you insist that Zagat's is, most definitely, a foodie's Bible and is of great import in our world, is NOT a fun experience.

It is these cultural divides, no, strike that, communication chasms, that I will continue to tackle in my newly expanded radio program, Paris GOODfood+wine. You can listen to that on World Radio Paris.

By the way, the only thing that saved my neck from the threatened lynching at the above noted event was that, thank goodness, the CEO of Champagne Collet had spent a bit of time abroad and did know about Zagat's, knew it well, in fact. But imagine, the only one in a room full of culinary professionals, wine marketing and export pros, and food-wine journalists (for the French market) who did! YOWZA!

Next up:

L'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser

Boulanger Eric Kayser is the darling of the fresh bread world here in Paris. He also has five or maybe even six now, bakeries in NYC. All of which are flourishing.

This new book of his focuses on his pâtisserie offerings. It follows his previous book release in 2013 that was all about the bread. With 20,000 books sold, it has seen great success.

This new book, just released in time for the end of year festivities,  is all about his simple cakes achieved with great finesse. You will find 70 recipes and tons of mouth-watering photos in the book of things like: strawberry macarons, caramel cakes garnished with nougatine mousse along with the traditional French offerings of fraisier, éclairs, mini-financiers and other assorted cakes and fine pastries.

Find out more at Maison Kayser.

 

L'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser book photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Eric Kayser l'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser book signing December 2014 Paris photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Eric Kayser signing l'Atelier Gourmand new book December 2014 Paris photo by Paige Donner copyright

Gérard Bertrand, Le Vin à La Belle Étoile

Last, but not least, is the book for wine lovers, especially of France's southern wines. Former rugby star turned wine mogul, Gérard Bertrand, has just released his book, Le Vin À La Belle Étoile.  The success of the marketing of his wines in the U.S. in recent years has defied previous market trends, introducing the American consumer to affordable French wines. Bertrand is also a champion of bio-dynamic wines and a lover of jazz music.  My video interview HERE.

Local Food And Wine

FOLLOW US ON TUMBLR * FOLLOW US ON TWITTER * LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

♥Chérie Du Vin

Gastronomy + Paris Luxury Sightseeing Bus = Bustronome

by Paige Donner

Move over foodtrucks, because France has re-envisioned the gourmet food-on-wheels concept and it's called the Bustronome.

Only in Paris!  This surely qualifies as one of those Only in Paris experiences.  The French, as you know, seem never to be satisfied with exhilarating experiences unless -and until - a healthy dose of good food and wine has been added to the mix.

 

This is one of those exhilarating experiences.

And a great big healthy dose of food and wine has been added to the mix here on Bustronome, the gourmet bus tour of the sacred sites of Paris that is sure to delight even the most reticent of foie gras lovers.

 SEE SLIDESHOW HERE

 

 

Bustronome Founders Jean-Christophe Fournier and Bertrand Mathieu

 

Bustronome Dinner menu (summer)

 

Bustronome - chef and team, Wow! Bravo!

 

Bustronome - ingenious way of keeping the glasses from slipping!

 

Bustronome fan (yours truly)

 

Bustromone Founders Jean-Christophe Fournier and Bertrand Mathieu

 

 

Founder Jean-Christophe Fournier and Head Waiter

 

 

 

The bus excursion starts off at the Etoile, aka the Arc de Triomphe. You can't miss the elegant big black bus that is parked there awaiting its passengers. The bottom level of the double-decker bus is outfitted as a chef's kitchen. The panoramic glass roof-covered and cozy upstairs seats about 40 comfortably in 4-top and 2-top tables, with an aisle inbetween both right and left window seatings.

Certainly the heros of the evening are the chef and his team, laboring below in a very coolly-equipped kitchen as the bus tools its way through the Parisian evening traffic. And the waiter who not only jogs up and down the flight of stairs all night long but carries trays of hot and heavy platters of this four-course meal.

The tables are customized with stylish plexiglass holders that keep your water and wine glasses in place. The dishes are weighted by their design, with your entrée coming in a covered stone pot, which keeps it from careening around on the table.

The evening is planned for about 2 1/2  hours but you should allow for up to four. The bus stops at some of the highlight points, such as in front of  the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame and at Place de la Concorde, allowing for passengers to get off and enjoy some fresh air (and smokers to get their fix).

Other iconic landmarks on the Bustronome's route include Musée d'Orsay, Opéra Garnier, Grand Palais, Saint-Michel and the Louvre.

AND they even have a lunch option, too. Prices for lunch (drinks included)  start at €85 pp. For that you have an appetizer of shrimp in coconut milk, garnished with mint leaves; duck foie gras served with tomato chutney; sea bass filet cooked with thyme, spring vegetables and soucis flowers; another main course of roasted veal served with baby carrots and mashed potatoes; then for the cheese course a selection of Rocamadour goat cheese drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with rosemarky and garnished with dried apricots; Dessert is a chocolate cake with a melted chocolate center served with Sacher cookies and Arabica coffee with little flavored cocoa bits.

Champagne aperitif and wine pairings are included.

AND you have Paris at your feet, all evening long... More INFO here.

Local Food And Wine

FOLLOW US ON TUMBLR * FOLLOW US ON TWITTER * LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

♥Chérie Du Vin

 

 

Cité du Champagne

by Paige Donner

Every year in September France celebrates their Heritage Days, called the Journées du Patrimoine. This year, I dared to take a preview peek at one of the few new fabulous developments in Champagne.

Champagne Collet, also known as COGEVI, was the first Co-operative established in Champagne. It remains a Top Ten champagne producer, globally.

The oldest co-operative in Champagne, known now as Champagne Collet, located in the little village of Aÿ , has just finished its thorough renovations and construction of elaborate exhibit facilities that depict both the history of champagne in the region and their development as a Top Ten champagne producer.

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin

This champagne house, Champagne Collet, was first established as a Co-operative in 1921. It is the oldest Co-operative in Champagne.

View of Champagne de Castellane Tower in Epernay as you cross the bridge into Epernay coming from Ay, Champagne, France. This photo was taken just during the end of harvest 2014, at the golden hour. 

 All photos by Paige Donner copyright 2014 

The significance of its location in Ay, France, which sits just between Reims and Epernay, both dominant champagne producing towns in the region, is that it is the historic setting for the champagne growers' revolt that took place early in the 20th c. here.

Part of the fabulous exhibit that their facility now houses shows historical photographs and even an old (restored) film that gives accounts of this event. The event served to shape the history of the region and even the wine itself, which has so famously become known around the globe as champagne.

The cellars are also not to be missed. Their vintage cuvées are displayed with elegant accompaniment of local celebrated photographer's, Michel Jolyot's, photos. 

Since it is not yet officially open to the public, I am posting only a few photos here for now. When it does open its doors for public entry, it is definitely not to be missed. And the little town of Aÿ is one of the most beautiful little villages in Champagne. It is also home to Bollinger and Deutz among several other top-class champagnes.

Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook

♥Chérie Du Vin​

​