Jucy (or Juicy) Lucy debate

From some Travel Channel folks. The ol’ debate rages on. But, this difference this time is someone is going to decalre a winner. Short notice for you 5-8 fans, but hey. Get out there anyway.Mike Mitchelson, editor, Foodservice News

A new series will be airing this Spring on the Travel Channel. Our host is visiting cities around the country learning about their iconic food dishes. Next up on our food journey: Minneapolis, MN for the “Juicy” or “Jucy” Lucy. If you’re a loyal customer of 5-8 Club we want you there February 8th. If you prefer your burger be from Matt’s Bar then come and show your support there on February 9th. No matter which side of the fence you may fall, we want you all together on February 10th at “The Cardinal Tavern”!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH at 5-8 CLUB
(5800 Cedar Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN )

5-8 fans, be there @ 5pm

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH at MATT’S BAR
(3500 Cedar Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN)

Matt’s Bar fans, be there @ 5pm

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH
“The Cardinal Tavern” (2920 E. 38th street, Minneapolis, MN)
5-8 AND Matt’s Bar fans, be there @ 3:30

Kostroski awarded 2010 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year

Yet another local restaurateur getting national—and James Beard—recognition: Cuisine Concepts founder Wayne Kostroski (Bar Abiline, Franklin Street Bakery, and former greats Goodfellow’s and Tejas), who also founded the Taste of the NFL—the organization for which he earned the award. Here’s the release:

—Mike Mitchelson, editor, Foodservice News

TASTE OF THE NFL FOUNDER WAYNE KOSTROSKI NAMED 2010 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR

New York, NY (February 1, 2010) – Just in time for this year’s Super Bowl, the James Beard Foundation has kicked off the 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards and announced today that Wayne Kostroski, Founder of the annual Taste of the NFL celebration, is the recipient of the 2010 Humanitarian of the Year award.  Mr. Kostroski will be honored at this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for culinary professionals, in an awards ceremony taking place on Monday, May 3, 2010 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.  The Humanitarian of the Year award is given to an individual or organization whose work in the realm of food has improved the lives of others and benefited society at large.  This year’s award is presented by the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism.

“We are thrilled to announce that Wayne Kostroski has been selected as our 2010 Humanitarian of the Year,” says Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation.  “Through the Taste of the NFL and his tireless efforts over the years, Wayne has created a national platform that continues to raise awareness and millions of dollars for hunger relief not just in the culinary community, but across the entire country.”

Mr. Kostroski founded the Taste of the NFL in 1992 in an effort to create a national platform that addresses the needs of the hungry and homeless by raising awareness and money through special events and programs.  Through the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers, the Taste of the NFL’s Party With A Purpose event takes place each year on the eve of the Super Bowl.  At the ticketed Party With A Purpose, thirty-two of the finest chefs from around the country (one from each NFL city) serve up their signature specialties alongside a current, Hall of Fame, or alumni player from each of the NFL teams, with 100% of the event’s proceeds going to support local and national hunger organizations. Since its inception, the Taste of the NFL has distributed in excess of $9 million.  The organization has also drafted a dozen NFL teams to create and execute events in their own cities to benefit local food banks and these events have generated more than $4 million to date.

“To be chosen to receive this award is the single most humbling recognition that I have ever received,” says Wayne Kostroski.  “I am truly proud of the work and results that Taste of the NFL has done, and to be recognized by the best of the best in the industry is a great honor.  The generosity of the entire hospitality industry in all the cities and communities across the country is something that constantly reminds me what a special industry I am fortunate to be part of.”

The Taste of the NFL has also contributed to culinary schools throughout the country and to individuals aspiring to a career in the foodservice industry.  Each year, the organization invites hundreds of students at the culinary schools in the Super Bowl city to work alongside the event’s participating chefs as they prepare for the festivities.  Over the past 18 years, Mr. Kostroski has seen many of those students become chefs and culinary professionals themselves, all because of the volunteerism and the inspiration that the Taste of the NFL events have provided.

The James Beard Foundation Awards are the nation’s preeminent recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries. The Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in each of the following categories: Restaurants and Chefs, Books, Journalism, Restaurant Design and Graphics, Broadcast Media, and special achievement awards.  One of the special achievement awards, the Humanitarian of the Year honoree is selected by the James Beard Foundation Awards Committee, which consists of the chairperson from each individual Awards program, members of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, and members at large.

The annual James Beard Foundation Media and Book Awards Dinner, an exclusive event honoring the nation’s top cookbooks, food journalists and culinary broadcast programs, will take place on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at Espace in New York City.  The following evening, the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception will take place at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, during which the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design and Graphics awards will be handed out, along with a number of special achievement awards.  All award winners receive a certificate and a bronze medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia.

The 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards are presented in association with All-Clad Metalcrafters; Premier Sponsor: Green & Black’s® Organic Chocolate; Supporting Sponsors: The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival, illy caffè North America, Inc., Louisiana Office of Tourism, Southern Wine & Spirits of New York, Stella Artois; Gala Reception Sponsors: Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Pernod Ricard USA, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water; Media Sponsor: The Wall Street Journal and with additional support from Chefwear.

About Taste of the NFL
Hunger Related Events (HRE) is a 501 c 3 that serves as the governing body of the Taste of the NFL and exists to raise awareness and dollars for hunger relief organizations involved in tackling hunger in America. Taste of the NFL addresses the needs of the hungry and homeless by raising awareness and money through special events and programs. Founded in 1992, the Minneapolis-based Taste of the NFL has distributed more than $9 million to local and national food banks across the country. For more information, visit www.TasteoftheNFL.com.

About the James Beard Foundation

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation’s blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook. Follow the James Beard Foundation on Twitter.

‘Dine and Fly’ event to help raise $50K for Haitian orphans

Restaurant owners (and others): I had a conversation last week with Dave Jarvis, co-owner of the Afton House Inn in Afton, Minn., about the item that follows. He’s the driving force behind this initiative, and is asking for gift-card donations. The orphanage in question isn’t a knee-jerk reaction to the earthquake, but was in its early construction phases before disaster struck. So, fear not your donations going to a tossed-together coalition. It’s going somewhere that already had—and has—a presence in that country. Read on, and if you haven’t made your own contributions, here’s another one to consider. Jarvis’s contact info is below.

—Mike Mitchelson, editor, Foodservice News

The release:

Minnesota restaurants have long been known for serving some of the finest cuisine in the country. Now the Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota Restaurant Community is banding together to serve the desperate needs of Haitian orphans who have lost everything by raising $50,000 to finish an orphanage in Boucan, Haiti, (about 10 miles from Port-au-Prince). In addition, funds raised will also provide critical food and medical aid to the people of Haiti.

Steve Jacobs, from the Stillwater Balloon Company and Dave Jarvis from the Afton House Inn are leading the way and currently accepting gift certificates in $25 and $50 denominations from members of Twin Cities Originals, Minnesota Restaurant Association and numerous other restaurants throughout the state.

In addition, the Stillwater Balloon Company is offering gift certificates ($245 value per person) for hot air balloon flights over the beautiful St. Croix Valley. Balloon rides are once-in-a-lifetime events that are remembered and treasured forever. This is a golden opportunity to give an incredible Valentine’s Day gift while helping the poorest of the poor to rebuild their shattered country and broken lives.

This week, on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 4 and 5, restaurant and balloon ride gift certificates will be available for purchase online at www.dineandflyforhaiti.com with first come first served, to raise the necessary funds for this important humanitarian project.   All proceeds will go directly to building the orphanage and provide food and medical supplies through Hope in the Light Ministries (www.hopeinthelight.org).

In addition to purchasing dining gift certificates, the public will also have the opportunity to purchase a gift certificate from the Stillwater Balloon Company. For $245 per person, donors will be able to experience the St. Croix Valley in an unforgettable hot air balloon ride. This is a golden opportunity to give an incredible Valentine’s Day gift while helping the poorest of the poor to rebuild their shattered country and broken lives.

Well over 50 restaurants from around Minnesota and Wisconsin are participating in this humanitarian effort including: Afton House Inn, Blue Plate Restaurant Company, St. Paul Grill, Murray’s, Theros Restaurant Group, TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse and more.

Questions, contact Dave Jarvis at 612-859-7912 or dave@aftonhouseinn.com.

Wadi meets Vikings’ fate on Iron Chef

The last night the dining room at Restaurant Max in Minneapolis was packed and the buzz thick, what with the Vikings’ game on and the anticipation of Saffron Chef and Co-Owner Sameh Wadi’s debut on Iron Chef America. Alas, both competitions went down to the wire, and the home teams suffered narrow defeats.

While Vikings fans are used to being tempted, brought to the precipice and then deflated, the room at Restaurant Max—filled with about 300 people (at least)—was genuinely shocked when the verdict came down in favor of Iron Chef veteran Masaharu Morimoto’s concoctions. The “secret ingredient”? Mackerel.

Wadi kicked ass, to be sure. And it appeared everything was going his way. His team, which included Restaurant Max Exec. Chef Nick O’Leary, performed flawlessly. And the judges reactions were overwhelmingly positive. And the collective groan from the crowd thought he had it, for sure. So what gives? It’s TV, man. But it was good fun nonetheless, and Wadi summed it up best at the end: “We showed that there’s talent here in the Twin Cities, not just in New York and California. It’s here.”

Pics and details to come.

—Mike Mitchelson, editor, Foodservice News

Saffron’s Sameh Wadi first Minnesota chef to compete in Iron Chef

Chef Sameh Wadi, owner of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge will be the first Minnesotan to compete on Iron Chef America when he appears on the show later this month. Chef Wadi will take on Iron Chef Masahara Morimoto to determine whose cuisine reigns supreme. The episode premiers on Food Network at 8 p.m. Central Time, Sun. Jan. 24.

Wadi flew to Kitchen Stadium in New York in July 2009 to tape the episode and has been sworn to secrecy about any specifics regarding the competition until now.

“This has been a surreal experience,” said Chef Wadi. “I’ve been watching Iron Chef since I was 15 years old. Ten years later I’m one of the competitors. It’s truly amazing!”

Competing on Iron Chef America is just the latest in an impressive string of national and local achievements for the chef that opened his restaurant just three years ago at the age of 23. In 2008 and 2009 Wadi was a semi-finalist for the coveted James Beard―Rising Star award.

In addition, last fall Chef Wadi won City Pages’ annual Iron Fork competition. In June he was invited to participate in the 24th annual Chefs’ tribute to Citymeals-on-Wheels at the Rockefeller Center in New York. Wadi was the only Midwest chef at this event working alongside such other notable chefs as Daniel Boulud,
Alfred Portale and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. That same month Chef Wadi also competed in the Walker Art Center’s annual CuisineArt 2009: From Palette to Palate museum fundraiser where his dish won the Duchamp Award for best interpretation and was the overall favorite of guest of honor, Wolfgang Puck.

These honors are in addition to Saffron being named Best New Restaurant by Mpls/St. Paul magazine and Restaurant of the Year by the Star Tribune when it opened in 2007.

Late last year Chef Wadi also launched his own line of gourmet spice mixes; Spice Trail by Chef Sameh Wadi. The spice blends are in response to Wadi’s fans wanting to know how they could recreate his vibrant flavors in their own cooking. Spice Trail spice blends are available at Saffron, as well as on the restaurant’s
website.

Iron Chef America “Chef Sameh vs. Morimoto” Food Network Air Times:
Jan. 24, 2010 – 8 p.m. Central
Jan. 25, 2010 – 11 p.m. Central
Jan. 28, 2010 – 7 p.m. Central

Saffron Restaurant & Lounge
Saffron is an upscale casual restaurant conveniently located in Minneapolis’ popular Warehouse District. It offers contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, featuring fresh, vibrant flavors. Signature dishes include Chef Wadi’s Lamb Shoulder cooked in a harissa sauce with house made lamb bacon and chickpeas, and a  Salmon & Clam ―Tagine‖ with saffron and preserved lemon. Saffron Restaurant & Lounge has been named one of ZAGAT’s Top American Restaurants for both 2009 and 2010.

Award-winning Executive Chef and owner Sameh Wadi is nationally recognized for his creative and engaging cuisine. According to Wadi, the restaurant’s cuisine is inspired by what he grew up eating and what is around him today.

“I cook with flavors from the Mediterranean while using a Midwestern-American sensibility,” explains Wadi.  “I feel that I’m an ambassador of my culture, so I love to introduce people to Middle Eastern cuisine – there is so much more than gyros and falafel!”

Saffron Restaurant and Lounge is open for dinner Monday through Saturday and is closed Sundays. Late night dining is available Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is located at 123 N 3rd St., Minneapolis. For more information or reservations, call: 612.746.5533, or visit: www.saffronmpls.com.


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