• Last updated 2/26/13 by Jim

Behind the Burger: Burgatory, Pittsburgh by Jim Berman CCI     Is the twelve-course degustation menu going by way of Baked Alaska and Tomatoes in Aspic? Perhaps, so. Perhaps the local movement will embed and hang tough; the way we ate 200 years’ ago is new again. Bold plates of quality ingredients is the rage. Only this time around, it is because we want to, not just because we have to; going back to our roots, as if we ever are able to abandon them, if you will. Roots, by definition, provide footing, vital life-giving juices and at the end of the day, a... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by ckoetke

Part II Basics with the chef knifeMost chefs would probably agree that the chef knife is their most important weapon in the arsenal of kitchen tools. It is the professional chef's constant companion, a reliable side-kick. Aside from basic workhorse cutting, the chef knife is an extremely versatile knife capable of performing a wide range of different jobs. The chef knife can cut very delicate items as well as break small bones by using different ends of the blade. It can also dice, mince, or if necessary, reduce something to a virtual puree. I have even seen chefs in... read more

• Last updated 9/16/10 by Alejandro Foung

If you were asked to name a commodity of Hawaii, you might likely respond with pineapple, or maybe even cane sugar.  However, with few exceptions, pineapples and sugar cane have not been widely grown commercially on the islands for years.  There is one item, however, that is not only growing, but thriving on the Hawaiian islands—coffee.    Hawaiian coffees are nothing new.  In fact, Kona coffee has enjoyed such storied success that it is synonymous with “Hawaiian coffee.”  Unfortunately, this generalization leads many to conclude that Kona coffee... read more

• Last updated 11/11/12 by Pete

By Chef Peter Martin   As a young chef, I read countless cookbooks to expand my knowledge and help me develop my own style of cooking.  While I have many favorites there are probably only a few that really helped to truly define me as a chef.  One of those books was Steven Raichlen’s “The Barbecue! Bible.”  I had been dabbling in barbecuing and smoking foods for a number of years by then, but it was while reading that book that I became inspired to really delve into the world of barbecue and learn all its aspects and nuances.   Needless to say, in the... read more

• Last updated 1/18/12 by JustPJ

I am a cook.  Not a Chef, not a professional by any means, but a simple been cooking since I was a little girl, cook for home and family, supper on the table every day, at home cook.  There is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I was very proud of the praise my family and friends often gave me on my homemade rolls, on the pound cake recipe which won me 2 blue ribbons at the local fairs, at the cinnamon buns which stopped people in their tracks when they had one, the eggplant parmesan that would bring my father and mother in law (God rest their soles) in a matter of... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by pbrown

Dateline: October 18, 2002 Location: On the road in New England, USA   I am frequently asked about working on Yachts; "How do I get the job?" "What is it really like working on a yacht?" "How much does it pay?" My life as a Charter Yacht Chef began back in November 1994 while I was "moonlighting" as a Catering Chef in Austin, Texas. After almost twenty years as a professional Chef, primarily working the Resort Circuit, I had accepted a position as a minor bureaucrat with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. I had made the move as a "career change" but after two... read more

• Last updated 8/24/11 by phatch

Passion of a Chef   With the advent of the internet, food channels, cooking shows, and celebrity chefs on TV, cooking has suddenly become some sort of glamorous. Out of the blue, culinary schools are springing up like mushrooms, packing to the brim with eager-eyed youngsters looking for a quick and easy road to fame and money.           But is it really that easy?   Passion of a Chef – Starting Out These youngsters started out excited and raring to go. But after some time in the killer restaurant industry, reality hit them hard when they... read more

• Last updated 8/2/10 by Nicko

Written by Pam Grant   With the holiday season fast approaching; our minds turn to thoughts of big holiday meals. Those meals, more often than not, involve some type of large bird as the main course of the meal. How can you make the same old turkey dinner with all the trimmings special this year? Have you tried making your own homemade cranberry sauce? What a wonderful way to make your friends and family feel welcome than to have a fresh new vibrant flavor on the table. I am one of these people who would always say," No thank you." when the dish of canned... read more

• Last updated 5/25/10 by Nicko

With fourteen restaurants, eight cookbooks and a host of television shows, including the ever-popular Iron Chef America, Mario Batali is arguably one of the most recognized and respected chefs working in America today. This, combined with his larger-than-life personality is the reason that he has received accolades like GQ Magazine’s Man of the Year and the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef.   Recently ChefTalk.com had the honor of having Mario Batali visit our community to answer a few questions. Although Mario couldn't get to all our questions (he is a busy... read more

• Last updated 12/13/10 by ChefTalk.com

    Breville Je98xl Juice Fountain Plus Juicer   Reviewed By Peter Martin Donated by www.everythingkitchens.com     I recently had the opportunity to try out the new Juice Fountain Plus juicer from Breville.  I had been contemplating adding a juicer to my kitchen for awhile now as part of my plan to start leading a healthier lifestyle.  While the healthier lifestyle hasn’t really come to fruition-and who can blame me, with the holidays coming up-I have had a lot of fun experimenting with my new juicer.     For the benefit of those new to this... read more