“Try This at Home” and Foam that Cheese -- Richard Blais Signs Cookbook at FLIP Buckhead August 9

Siphon novel ideas, such as how to cheese foam your burger, off the pages of the ultimate guide to playing with food.FLIP burger boutique creative director Richard Blais will sign copies of his James Beard Award-nominated cookbook “Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate” on Sunday, August 9 from 1-3 p.m. at FLIP burger boutique in Buckhead. Bookless? Buy one there for $30. Tell mom that if Blais, a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, restaurateur and television celebrity, can toy with his food, you can, too. 

Nashville's Humming Now that FLIP burger boutique is Opening January 21 f

FLIP burger boutique patties up restaurant number five this month, opening its first Nashville location on Wednesday, January 21. FLIP creative director and television personality Richard Blais is the man behind the plan, same as at the Atlanta and Birmingham locations. FLIP Nashville chef Chris Cunningham and general manager Jason DeSpain welcome guests to enjoy FLIP's high-quality burgers, unique combinations and excellent service at lunch and dinner daily, served inside or out on the patio (weather permitting). Ho, ho! Light-hearted FLIP repurposes space in a former Hostess bakery warehouse, emitting a bun-tiful high-energy new life amid mod red and white decor. Menu items rotate with seasonal produce accessibility and feature creative starters and sides ($3.50-$12), salads ($6-$10), about 20 burger varieties ($7.50-$14) and Blais' signature nitrogen-infused dessert-type milkshakes ($5) and liquor-laced milkshakes ($10, adults only). Fun yet sophisticated FLIP burgers include the Earth + Turf mushroom and beef blend patty; the Southern, a chicken-fried beef patty with pimento cheese, bread and butter pickles and Coca-Cola ketchup; a chickpea Fauxlafel with pickled beets and pickled red onion; chorizo-spiced pork with hash browns, manchego and a fried egg; or the Shrimp, a blackened shrimp patty with tempura-fried lemon and Cajun-aise. Add a side of sweet potato tots with burnt marshmallow foam or crispy duck confit nuggets with maple-oy to your RBQ Angus beef and pulled brisket burger -- or protein pack a salad by adding a burger patty or seared chicken. An edgy drink menu yields beer, wine and specialty cocktails. Nashville's new FLIP burger boutique, located at 4111 Charlotte Avenue in the Sylvan Park neighborhood, offers ample free parking.

Richard Blais at Variety Playhouse

Richard Blais cooking demo at Variety Playhouse on June 27 at 3 p.m. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Thanks for the heads up Ryan!

America’s Next Top Chef?

With the recent cheflebrity of local Top Chef finalist and new Creative Loafing columnist, Richard Blais, several local chefs have decided to get in on the action. This Sunday, chefs from all over the state will line up to show casting directors that they’re packing more than their knives at the casting call for an upcoming season of Bravo’s hit series. With all the culinary talent Atlanta has packed into this city, many great chefs are not going to make the cut. And, since we all know that how one does on camera is just as important (maybe even more so) as how they do in the kitchen, many creative chefs who are the strong, silent type are going to appear to be side dishes next to natural performers.

Nevertheless, I'm excited at the prospect of having the chef of one of my favorite local eateries being showcased on the show! Atlanta has a lifetime supply of chefs who are at the top of their game and I hope Bravo recognizes it. Good luck to all the brave chefs who make it out to the audition and let’s all hope that the next Top Chef is one we Atlantans are proud to call our own and are fortunate enough to share with the rest of the world. Here is a brief list of chefs that I know are trying out. *(Feel free to add to the list if you know more!)

• Ben McPherson at Eclipse di Luna


• Craig Richard at La Tavola Trattoria


• Kevin Gillespie at Woodfire Grill


• Hector Santiago at Pure Vida


• Travis Collum at (the newly opened) Kozmo Gastro Pub

Bonne chance!

Caryn and I got up early this morning for some behind-the-scenes action in the FOX 5 TV newsroom. Chef Richard Blais was cooking up a tasty Oreo cookie confection that he will be serving tomorrow night at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's annual Chocolate! event. Leave it up to Blais to take an old favorite and add a little liquid nitrogen to it! To see Blais and other top Atlanta chefs, join us tomorrow night at Villa Christina from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event features a full dinner buffet, martini bar, silent auction, two bands, and, of course, all-you-can-eat-chocolate treats! Tickets are $65 in advance, $75 at the door.