Chef Kevin Rathbun and Linton Hopkins Bring Heat to the Kitchen at Atlanta Eats Live! Showdown

Move over, Jagger, chef rock stardom has taken the world by storm. Culinary connoisseurs are craving for open kitchens, TV shows, destination dining and "best of" events, to name a few. Groupies turned foodies, everyone is eating up seasonal creations and intoxicating libations. Bringing flavor to the city, Atlanta Eats Live! hosts 30 iconic Atlanta restaurants, entertainment and renowned chefs at Alpharetta's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Sunday, October 6 from 5-10 p.m. The colossal event honors Kevin Rathbun and Linton Hopkins for their contribution and commitment to the culinary community both near and far. "Atlanta Eats" television show host Steak Shapiro and WGST "Atlanta Eats" radio show host Mara Davis come together for a chef showdown between Rathbun and Hopkins. The heat is on in the kitchen as the two rock stars compete during the live entertainment lineup of cooking demos, chef karaoke and music from the all-chef band Five Bone Rack. Article 14, Lure, No. 246, The Optimist, Ray's on the Creek will have the drinks flowing for an over-21 audience. Tickets are $125 per person; includes all food, beverages and entertainment. Come have fun and know that your eating and drinking efforts benefit Staplehouse - The Giving Kitchen.

Roasting, Tweeting and More - Oh My!

No doubt you've already heard about the Legends of Atlanta Hospitality Roast on Monday night - Chef Gerry Klaskala joining Anne Quatrano and Kevin Rathbun in the honoree chairs for this memorable evening benefiting the Atlanta Community Food Bank. BUT, have you already heard about the fantastic Twitter contest the ACFB is hosting in conjunction with this fun event?

The ACFB is having a giveaway on Twitter this Thursday (yes, tomorrow). At 2 p.m., a Tweet will be sent out with a video that has a question to answer. Respond within 30 minutes on Twitter with your answer and the hashtag #ACFBRoast, and you could win a really sweet prize courtesy of one of these amazing chefs or The Cook's Warehouse. Details and rules are on ACFB's Roast page. Start following ACFB on Twitter today to win!

LOCAL CHEFS PARTY IN THE KITCHEN FOR A GREAT CAUSE

The 7th Annual Party in the Kitchen event at Mason Murer Fine Art is tonight, September 9th, and some of Atlanta’s finest chefs will be on location to help raise funds and awareness for Open Hand, a nonprofit organization that packs and delivers more than 5,000 meals daily across 17 Georgia counties for individuals living with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Tonight guests can catch a glimpse into the future of Open Hand since Mason Murer is located right next to the site of their new campus. The evening will include live music, dancing, and food prepared onsite by local chefs Gerry Klaskala of Aria and Craig Sauls of The Original El Taco. Plus, an exciting new addition to this year’s event will be a silent auction, where the grand prize is a meal for a lucky party of 12 prepared in the winner’s home by Peter Kaiser, Gerry Klaskala, Kevin Maxey, Kevin Rathbun, and Shane Touhy! Reserved admission is $150 for a single event ticket or $500 for two Patron tickets (which includes event admission plus access to the exclusive Patron reception at 6:00 p.m. where patrons can meet and greet participating chefs). Event parking is complimentary. Purchase tickets at ProjectOpenHand.org.

Katie Birmingham of Noon Midtown Talks Food Tomorrow on 11Alive's Atlanta & Co.

Get restaurant tips from the pros by watching Noon Midtown’s Owner/Chef Katie Birmingham on “Atlanta & Company’s” Metromix Meals segment airing around 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, January 6. Katie will join Kevin Rathbun to discuss their favorite places to eat in Atlanta. If you miss Wednesday’s showing, catch the segment online the following day to hear Katie dish about where she eats when she’s not at her own restaurant.

To get a taste of Katie's cuisine, head to Noon Midtown, located at 1080 Peachtree Street, Suite 6, on Crescent Avenue between 11th and 12th streets; 404-496-4891.

Chefs Know How to Party!

Yesterday, I attended Share Our Stength's Taste of the Nation event. I had been looking forward to the event, held at the Georgia Aquarium, for quite some time. Participating chefs included John Metz of Aqua Blue; Gerry Klaskala of Aria; Micah Willix of Ecco; Keira Moritz of Pacci (pictured below), Kevin Rathbun and Scott Serpas.
While I had a great time rubbing elbows the likes of Kenny Rogers and his lovely wife Wanda (below), and “sampled” much more than I should have, there is another, less publicized part of the evening that stole the show for me.
The chef after party is where the chefs go to let their hair down, and apparently, let their diets down, too. The night was full of catching up with old friends, making new ones and relaxing after a great Taste of the Nation event.
On the menu: Cheese Wiz and crackers, Slim Jims, Pringles, Gummy Bears on a stick, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, pimento cheese sandwiches, Ho-Hos, Twinkies, Little Debbie Oatmeal sandwiches and Cracker Jacks. But, the night was all about everyone’s favorite menu item: Jell-o shots with Pop Rocks!! Who’d have thought a childhood candy like that could be the star of a party of chefs!?
With a menu that sounds eerily like my 9th birthday sleepover, a room full of chefs and a belly full of tastings from Atlanta’s most celebrated chefs, I had a full night! Can’t wait until next year; I heart chefs!

Hmmm...Chocolate!

The official countdown is on!! One week to go. That’s right, only seven days left before the one night a year I give myself permission to overindulge in the most decadent event that Atlanta has to offer… and tell myself “it’s for a good cause.” Chocolate! 2008, a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is Thursday, June 19, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. I have been spending a little extra time on the treadmill lately, since I know this event will send me home a few lbs heavier than when I arrived (and not just because of the silent auction winnings I’ll be carrying). Here is a pic of me at a previous Chocolate! event with Wynn, who I affectionately refer to as “Gerber Daisy Guy” (I’m sure it’s obvious why).

The evening, which will be sponsored by glaceau smartwater®, will include a chocolate martini bar, a chocolate lager and a chocolate cappuccino tasting, full dinner buffet, silent auction and, of course, enchanting creations from 20 of Atlanta’s best pastry chefs. Participants include Fifth Group Restaurants®, Home, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Rathbun’s, Villa Christina, the evening’s gracious host, and more.

Here is a pic from a party I recently attended for the host committee, co-chaired by Wes Moss, from The Apprentice, and his cohort, Charles Hodges, at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Buckhead. (Gerber Daisy Guy and me, again!) He promised me a dance at the event. Wynn, I’m holding you to that!!!

Come out and join us. Tickets are only $65 in advance and $75 at the door. Click here to purchase tickets online.

For more information, contact CFF at 404-325-6973, or visit their website.

Villa Christina is located at 4000 Summit Boulevard; 678-686-4272.

La Tavola Trattoria's "La Grassa" Menu Will Have You Licking Your Plate!

I decided to make this past Sunday night an all-out culinary celebration by trying the special “La Grassa” (which means “the fat one” in Italian – a nickname for the city of Bologna) menu at La Tavola Trattoria before hunkering down to watch Atlanta’s very own Kevin Rathbun battle Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. The evening turned out to be a double victory! Beginning with a round of drinks off the restaurant’s cocktail menu, my friend and I tried the Limonada and the Rose Marie Martini (pictured left to right) – both are extremely refreshing.
We started out with the blood orange salad and the tagliata di manzo (seared, thinly shaved beef with Parmigiano-Reggiano, arugula and balsamic vinegar). The beef – a very meaty portion I must say! – was amazing, and the salad was a nice, fresh way to whet the appetite. We also sampled the capellacci (sweet squash ravioli in capon broth) and boccocini (chicken, sausage, cipollini onions, potatoes, rosemary and balsamic vinegar). The boccocini (pictured at the top of this post) was my favorite dish – hearty and comforting with just a hint of sweetness. For dessert, the cinnamon and clove budino (similar to custard) is a light and flavorful way to end the meal without feeling like you need to be rolled out of the restaurant! This special menu (available a la carte or as a prix fixe option) will be offered through this Saturday, March 1 and should not be missed! For those of you who want to commemorate the experience - or if you find yourself a bit larger on the way out than when you first sat down to dinner – I spotted La Grassa t-shirts available for sale at the hostess stand! If you aren’t able to make it to the restaurant by March 1, you can watch Chef Craig Richards’ instructional video on how to make the boccocini at home.