Category Archives: Restaurants

Scenes from Chefs’ Holidays, Part II: With Lucques, Peet’s, CulinAriane and Wilshire

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The grand dining room at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA — You may know that Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques, AOC, the Tavern and the Larder, all in Los Angeles, is married to Chef David Lentz of The Hungry Cat in Los Angeles.

But you might not know exactly how the two met.

I knew part of the story, but not all of the details — until I asked Goin about it when I was the moderator for her cooking demo at the 28th annual Chefs’ Holidays event at the Ahwahnee Hotel.

Thankfully, she was a good enough sport to spill the beans before a rapt audience.

Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques on the demo stage.

“So, Suzanne…” I asked, “David just happened to be dining at Lucques. And your sister just happened to be dining next to him that night? And the two of them just started talking?”

Goin chuckled and said, “There’s a part of the story that David doesn’t like me to tell, so don’t tell him I’m telling you all this. He thinks it makes him sound like a stalker.”

Suzanne Goin's curried cauliflower with roasted carrots and tahini yogurt.

She went on to explain that in 1999, she was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs.” She appeared on the cover with the other honored chefs. She was the only woman among them.

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Valentine’s Treats at Baker & Banker, and More

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Red Hot Red Velvet and Strawberry-Champagne cupcakes from Baker & Banker. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)

Never too Early To Think About Valentine’s Day Treats

Especially when it comes to holiday treats from San Francisco’s Baker & Banker bakery.

While Chef-Owner Jeff Banker will be offering a five-course tasting menu on Valentine’s Day, his wife, Pastry Chef-Owner Lori Baker will be whipping up a bevy of specialty baked goods.

They include an adorable Conversation Heart Cake (red velvet caked with cream cheese frosting or dark chocolate cake with ganache frosting — both shaped like hearts; 6-inch one for $50 or 10-inch one for $85), as well as Red Hot Red Velvet cupcakes ($14 for four), Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes ($14 for four), and a passion fruit cheesecake with guava caramel (a 6-inch one for $30 or a 10-inch one for $50).

Passion fruit cheesecake. (Photo courtesy of Baker & Banker)

Reserve your picks ahead of time to ensure they’re available when you drop by the bakery.

Islands Opens First Bay Area Locale

The beach-themed burger joint, Islands, which started in Los Angeles, has opened its first Bay Area location — at the Crossroads Shopping Center, 20750 Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino.

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The New Edible Silicon Valley

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Don't miss my profile of Jesse Cool in the new Edible Silicon Valley magazine.

Haven’t you scratched your head over the fact that there was an Edible San Francisco, Edible Marin, Edible Monterey Bay and so many others — yet no Edible Silicon Valley magazine?

Wonder no more.

Now, there is one.

Edible Silicon Valley debuted its first issue this month.

Yours truly is proud to be a regular writer for the new publication. Enjoy my first story for the magazine, a profile of Jesse Cool, the Peninsula chef-restaurateur who’s been a long-time champion of sustainable, organic and local foods.

An experimental crop of organic wheat that Cool grew in her backyard.

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NY Chef Seamus Mullen Visits the Bay Area, Call for Local Food Entrepreneurs & More

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Chef Seamus Mullen to sign copies of his cookbook at two appearances. (Photo courtesy of the chef)

Meet Seamus Mullen

Seamus Mullen, chef of Tertulia in New York, will be signing copies of his cookbook, “Seamus Mullen’s Hero Food,” at two upcoming Bay Area appearances.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis a few years ago, he discovered that his quality of life improved dramatically when he based his cooking on 18 key ingredients, such as olive oil and fresh fish. Learn what other ingredients he favors, along with delicious recipes spotlighting them.

I became an instant fan of his “Mutti’s Blueberry Boy Bait” cake recipe included in the book. In fact, it was so good, I made it twice last summer. For the recipe, click here.

This simple and delightful blueberry cake recipe is featured in Seamus Mullen's book. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Mullen will be signing copies at Omnivore Books in San Francisco, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Jan 25.

The next day, Jan. 26 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., he will appear at Whole Foods in Napa, an event sponsored by Cooperfield’s Cooks.

Calling All Northern California Food Artisans

If you’re a Northern California food artisan, Andrea Blum, culinary artist at Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, wants to hear from you.

She has started a project called “My American Pantry” (MAP), in which she is mapping the lush landscape of artisan American food and drink — through aerial photographs.

Just take a look at the image here of 23 Bay Area artisans with their products — everything from seaweed to pies to eggs to chickens to alcohol.

Twenty-three local artisans pictured with their food products. (Photo courtesy of Kenny Blum Photography and Andrea Blum)

Blum’s hope is to celebrate the breadth of the American pantry by eventually creating a map, where people can go to click on the stories, recipes and products of these artisans.

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Hear the Food Gal on KQED’s Forum

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If you missed yesterday’s “Restaurant Roundup” on the airwaves of KQED’s “Forum” program, you missed out.

But not to despair.

You can catch the nearly hour-long podcast to hear what yours truly, along with Restaurant Reviewer Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle and Jonathan Kauffmann, San Francisco editor of Tasting Table, dished about Bay Area restaurants, chefs and dining trends.

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