Luckylies

I did that once. We requested a corner when we reserved, were seated 30 minutes late, and almost led to a straight-away. We reminded them of our corner request, and were seated accordingly with smiles. ← yep. I requested the back corner, they said the'll try I really do think my taste in seating is unparalled really though, I'm quite particular sometimes.

your show always makes me so hungry!

So this year I'm doing my thanksgiving bbq style. It will be a bit more rugged and not so primpy as it will be at my dads house. I'll be cooking: BBQ Beef Brisket BBQ pork shoulder Deep fried Turkey Bourbon glazed ham Mashed potatoes Seared brussel sprouts Roasted beets w/ goat cheese American style baked beans w/ lardo coleslaw Gravy my bbq sauce Stuffing; NOT APPLE, NOT CHESTNUT. Sweet potato pie Challah as sweet onion rolls. Cannned cranberry jelly. easy peasy pie. What will you be making this year, as I'm prone to idea stealing.

I'm going for dinner on thurday night. I'll be interested to see how they handle a large party (3 people)

oh! Versus, which used to be OLN...

I wish that entire post could be my signature line.

So! This is the show schedule!!!!!!! I hope some of you watch and enjoy. It looks pretty cool, and I'm really happy I competed. I hope to compete again next year I hope they didn't make me look like a total dork...but that really woudn't be too far from the truth... 10/22/2006 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/23/2006 1:30 am - 2:30 am Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/24/2006 12:30 am - 1:30 am Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/25/2006 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/27/2006 11:30 pm - 12:00 am Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/28/2006 12:00 am - 12:30 am Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/28/2006 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/29/2006 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm Round One: Ray Lampe vs Ed Maurin & Lee Ann Whippen 10/29/2006 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 10/30/2006 2:00 am - 3:00 am Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 10/31/2006 12:30 am - 1:30 am Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 11/1/2006 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 11/2/2006 1:00 am - 2:00 am Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 11/4/2006 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Round One: Mike Davis vs Joe Davidson & Hillard Pouncy 11/5/2006 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Round One: Bryon Chism vs Adam Perry Lang & James Britt 11/6/2006 12:30 am - 1:30 am Round One: Bryon Chism vs Adam Perry Lang & James Britt 11/7/2006 12:30 am - 1:30 am Round One: Bryon Chism vs Adam Perry Lang & James Britt 11/8/2006 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Round One: Bryon Chism vs Adam Perry Lang & James Britt 11/12/2006 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Round One: Johnny Trigg vs Mike Wozniak & Mike Zofchak 11/13/2006 1:30 am - 2:30 am Round One: Johnny Trigg vs Mike Wozniak & Mike Zofchak 11/14/2006 1:00 am - 2:00 am Round One: Johnny Trigg vs Mike Wozniak & Mike Zofchak 11/19/2006 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/20/2006 2:00 am - 3:00 am Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/21/2006 1:30 am - 2:30 am Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/21/2006 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/21/2006 11:30 pm - 12:00 am Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/22/2006 12:00 am - 12:30 am Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/22/2006 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Round One: Bart Clarke vs Ernie Mellor & Emma Feigenbaum 11/26/2006 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Round One: Myron Mixon vs Jack McDavid & Sara Horowitz 11/27/2006 2:00 am - 3:00 am Round One: Myron Mixon vs Jack McDavid & Sara Horowitz 11/28/2006 12:30 am - 1:30 am Round One: Myron Mixon vs Jack McDavid & Sara Horowitz 11/29/2006 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Round One: Myron Mixon vs Jack McDavid & Sara Horowitz

Lutece was my first fancy restaurant. It both ruined me and created me. It is also the first place I ever got drunk. Or flirted with a chef (tarty little 7 year old). Ate a souffle, langoustine or wellington. Had my food wrapped like a swan when I left. I miss it too, very much. I am very happy to say I have thanked chef Saultner many times in my adulthood.

Ilan will win. Mark my words. not an inside tip, just a hunch.

yeah, I don't really find it much of a strech that they may favor Japanese clientele I made a reservation a week in advance, and I was seated at the bar... But if I opened an American restaurant in another country, I'd favor American customers too. It would add an air of authenticity. sucks, yes. Also, I think fleecing reservationists is wrong (but only if you want to go back to that place again) Really, when I'm out of town I'll lie, lie, lie for a reservation.

So true. Also, escolar is also called "white tuna" on menus so if youre scurred, avoid eating white tuna.

Well, how much cooking does the executive chef do? If you are sweating it out on the line with your crew, then do it, wear a little bakers cap (my favorite) but if you're in the office all day- or if you just point and yell...just make sure you know when the health inspector is in town!

ditto, perhaps we'll see eachother! The spains 10 thing was the only time I've ever run into a egulleter...can you believe that? I'm going tostart going to more events it was fun.... and back on topic...would most of you like to see more desserts on the menu? I wouldn't but that's just me, perhaps.... I could happily live without dessert most nights...wine, no.

Hear that, Ll? ← perhaps I should introduce her to my adorable boyfriend! and on topic.... I think the quail should dcome off the menu, it's underwhelming. Chef could put something new on...which I'd appreciate. Last time I ever say someone's cute on the internet...geez you'd think I was stalking the guy...

She started being a vegetarian (eventually moving on the veganism) in her early teens. So this is going to be the first meat she's had in, like, seventeen years. And it's serious meat to boot. So she's worried about how eating this meat might affect her, um, composure. Accordingly, she suggests we eat late and do the, um, intimate segment of the date before rather than after dinner. So I make the latest reservation possible at Wolfgang's (this is a weeknight). Nevertheless, as often happens, we sort of lose track of time during the, um, intimate segment of the date. By the time we realize what time it is, it's, like, five or ten minutes before our reservation -- and we don't want to be very late because they'd already extended us the courtesy of accepting an extremely late reservation from us, later than they normally like to seat anyone. So we rush over. We're in such a rush to get out that my date doesn't bother to put on any underwear, just throwing on a little black dress. We're late, and Wolfgang's (Luger's epigone that it is) has a reputation for waiter gruffness. So I'm kind of apprehensive about what kind of reception we're going to get as we stroll in seconds before the kitchen is supposed to be closing. Well, I'll tell you this. Waiters at Wolfgang's might normally be gruff. But if you want to get the most attentive, solicitous, nice service you could ever imagine, go there with (or as) a very beautiful young woman, wearing a little black dress with nothing underneath, who can say that this is the first time she's eating meat since she was a girl. They'll be eating out of your hand. ← BRAVO!!!!! My friends boyfriend (who's a vegatarian) only eats the meat I cook. ever. You'd never guess how jealous this makes both my boyfriend and his girlfriend ...especially when he follows me around the kitchen. And to be on topic. Jean Georges, Cafe Gray, Atlier, Daniel, Bouley are just a few that would accomidate you in the high price range.

New addition. Gnocco.

ooooooh tell the stoooorey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pleeeeeeaseeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Most anywhere expensive with a tasting menu will likely put you together one to match his. Serendipity is overrated. I don't really know why it's popular with tourists. If you like frozen mochachinos (sp?) then you'll get the concept behind the frozen hot chocolate. For cheap, italian is good. you get the pasta and he can eat meat. Otto.

I like my zuchinni, carrot etc cakes a bit greasy, but if they were buttery insted I wouldn't complain

This is definitely true. I used to recommend El Cid, which was consistently good, but the last time I went there it seemed to have dropped precipitously in quality. That was about 8-10 months ago. Anyone been lately? ← I used to love el cid too, but it's tapas, not dinner food, really. I haven't been in ages.

but of course.

agreed. industry opinion.

I bet you dad had a beard huh?

Yeah, whatever, all the same right... So all Blacks, Hispanics, whatever just want to work and get more money, not fame, promotion, fortune, celebrity etc? What gives you this impression? Yeah, professional kitchens are the picture of fairness and equal oppertunity. No really, If in YOUR PERCEPTION Blacks and Hispanics, and whatever, just wanted to go in and get the job done for more money, why would hard work, skill and dilligence matter at all- if THEY didn't want to move foreward. Saying someone works hard, but seems more than happy to pass on a promotion (other than more money. say) seems a bit nearsighted, no? Uh, my experience in the industry. Where do you draw your conclusions from? Why are hardworking people being passed up for promotions? Rascism exists! Sometimes stepping up to the plate is just not enough- someones got to throw you a pitch. ← Uh, my experience in the industry. Where do you draw your conclusions from?Ok, so we should promote on quotas, to fill niches, how about you bank rolling this establishment? As a exec and head chef, I promote on the ability to perform and the willingness to accept the responsibilities. Again I say, not every cook wants this responsibility. Why is this so hard to believe? Its prevalent in every other industry. If I had a majority of blacks applying for positions in my kitchens, then I would have a majority of blacks working in them, or any other race. But in my house, the cooking is technical, so there must be a base level of technical proficiency to step in at a cooking level. I promote from within, my dishwasher will soon move up to a cook position, but will he be head chef soon , no. Its a craft and take years to learn, will he have the patience to learn, who knows? Maybe you can give him a pep talk. Brazilians make up most of the kitchen crews in my area, some are motivated to ascend the ladder, and they do, others just want reliabilty and consistency with out the weight of resposibilty of leadership. They come in do their job great, and leave. Whats wrong with that? A great idea; Go out and ask these folks their opinions, everyone seems to be speaking for them instead. ← yeah. I AM one of them. Me a Black cook, yup, me. Culinary school, line cooking, editorial food...me. I know how I feel and my experiances, and guess what? they are totally valid and 100% the subject at hand. I am what we are discussing, so pehaps I should go give myself a pep talk after I get ignored for a promotion, or totally underpaid. It SUCKS to watch people with the exact same credentials or less move foreward or right past you. After a little while you stop making excuses for your loving bosses and try to examine what's really going on. hmm...maybe it's because I'm a woman? ← So now thats two crutches to carry you around. How about ability being the primary factor in promotion? Culinary school holds no weight. It s easy to find convenient excuses like race and gender when the sole issue that everyone looks to as the determining factor often is in fact skill and ability. All of the restaurant owners I know could care less about the make up of their staff, as long as they are qualified and skilled to do their job. ← Two crutches? Race and Gender? Crutches HELP people. I've never really felt as if I've been the beneficiary of affirmitive action based on either of these traits so lets just ride with the assumption that you meant something else. Anyway, I was being sarcastic. My point was that you can never really tell why you are being passed over for a promotion, it could be any number of reasons skill included...if I wsa unclear, my bad.