Latest news with #AnthonyBourdain
Spectator
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The confusion of fusion food
There's a joint in east London that describes itself as a 'family-run osteria' and posts about the 'Italian tradition of generous hospitality and simple, beautiful food'. The menu is a combination of several Italian dishes with Japanese ingredients, and I can't think of anything more inappropriate. One of the dishes described as dolce (meaning 'sweet') is a cheese panna cotta with herring caviar. This restaurant has soy sauce nudging the balsamic. Is there no end to the revolting madness that is fusion food? I can understand why young chefs – those tattooed to within an inch of their lives – think they are a cross between Anthony Bourdain and Marco Pierre White and love the idea of mixing miso and chocolate pudding. It has all gone too far. Yes, I hear you object, but who was it that invented salted caramel? Or chilli and chocolate? If Italians had not discovered tomatoes in 1500, the red-sauce joints would not exist and where would we be without bruschetta? Yes, food evolves, and there are some great combinations and discoveries that work beautifully. But some decidedly do not. The food of the Dongbei region of China is cooked according to the available ingredients and the climate, with maize and wheat, meat, pickled vegetables and potatoes predominating. Try fusing that with Sicilian dishes made using ingredients grown in abundance in the sunshine. It's a culinary disaster. Some things should simply never be put together on a plate. I know there are restaurants that don't describe a nation or geographical location as inspiration for their menu. They might just call it 'modern European', which means pretty much anything from the plov (rice, grated carrots and onion) of Uzbekistan to the cheese fondue of Switzerland. But spare me the Korean-Mexican combination I happened upon in a small town in France. Pure hell. Food from south India – for example, coconut masala dosa – should not be paired with that from Alaska, such as berries or reindeer sausage. Soul food is already a fusion of flavours from west and central Africa, western Europe and indigenous cuisine of the Americas, with its hearty flavours such as spicy chicken, black-eyed peas and sweet potato pie. It should never be put anywhere near Cantonese egg-fried rice and wonton soup. However, my greatest gripe is Asian tapas. Spain is already fairly fusion in that it blends flavours and ingredients from its North African neighbours, but the idea of having some delicious smoked almonds, tortilla and pimientos de Padrón served alongside spring rolls with plum sauce is the stuff of nightmares. But it's a nightmare that has come true in the depths of south London. I've avoided crossing the river for food since I found out. Tex-Mex, with its beefy, cheesy, spicy combinations, works because it is cooking born of cultures living side by side. Other dishes originate through convenience and circumstance. Fish and chips, for example, came from Jews in 15th-century Portugal, who found a way to preserve fish by cooking it in batter the day before the Sabbath (when no cooking is allowed). It was eventually paired with chips when, as rumour has it, a young Ashkenazi (from eastern Europe) immigrant opened the first British chippy, aka fish and chip shop, in London in 1863. The point is that these two foods go brilliantly together – whereas Japanese pickled ginger on pizza does not. Pan-Asian restaurants like Sexy Fish – which one reviewer likened to 'a millionaire's TGI Fridays' – seem to shove anything on the menu so long as it vaguely resembles something that originated from the vast East Asian continent. Flavour Bastards, a London fusion gaff which thankfully closed down shortly after opening, boasted of dishes such as South Indian-style white lentil doughnuts with Spanish chorizo and Italian pecorino. A few years back, I found myself working in Dubai and popped into the infamous Friday brunch, served in five-star hotels across the city. Seeing 18 separate food stations – from Italian to Indian and British Sunday roast – was a revelation. I noticed people balancing plates with more countries represented via the food on them than in the United Nations. Mix and match was encouraged, with chefs on each station – for example, the Cantonese dim sum counter – pointing to the Irish stew and soda bread next door, insisting it all goes together. Culinary innovation is one thing. Spaghetti with chicken tikka masala is quite another abomination. Fusion is a crime against food.
Miami Herald
16 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Beloved local family diner closing after nearly 40 years
I love the Hulu show "The Bear." And considering the show has won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes and been renewed for a fourth season, I know I'm not alone. There is nothing like a good restaurant drama, even though they all make working in a kitchen look like utter hell. "Burnt" - the film inspired by the life of Anthony Bourdain and his troubled past - the satirical "The Menu," or the British series "Boiling Point" ... all of these shows depict restaurant work as stressful, chaotic, and rife with mean people. The restaurant business is so notoriously difficult that it's a wonder new restaurants open at all, especially considering the thin profit margins they generate. In today's climate, with all of the elements necessary to run a restaurant - food costs, rent, transportation, labor - getting more expensive by the day, restaurant closings seem to be happening with the same frequency as restaurant openings. Image source: Siamionau Pavel for Shutterstock While we often think of fine dining spots in big cities or celebrity chef ventures as the most at-risk, independent neighborhood restaurants, even the successful ones, face their own pressures. This makes the closure of Rick & Ann's Restaurant, a beloved family spot in Berkeley, all the more bittersweet. The East Bay institution, in the shadow of the historic Claremont Hotel, will serve its last meal on August 3, 2025, ending a 36-year run, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. Known for its comforting brunch fare, friendly staff, and loyal customer base, Rick & Ann's has been a cornerstone of the Berkeley dining scene since 1989. Founded by Ann Lauer and her late partner Rick DeBeaugrine, the restaurant quickly became a go-to destination for breakfast and brunch, drawing customers from across the Bay Area and beyond. Related: Iconic Las Vegas Strip eatery permanently closes after long run Menu staples like red flannel hash, potato-cheese pancakes, and gluten-free coffee cakes were perennial favorites. Over the years, the restaurant became known not just for its food, but also for its hospitality. Diners were greeted by name, and many of the staff had been with the restaurant for decades. In August 1997, a local food critic wrote that the restaurant "maintains the feeling of someone's home." The warm, casual vibe - paired with its proximity to UC Berkeley and the Claremont - helped Rick & Ann's become a fixture for college students, families, out-of-towners, and the occasional celebrity guest. Alicia Keys reportedly dined there. So did Guy Fieri. In an interview with Berkeleyside, Lauer explained that she's ready to retire and that the restaurant's lease is up. Rather than try to renew or relocate, she's chosen to end on a high note. Rick & Ann's weathered the pandemic, staffing shortages, rising food costs, and the grief of losing co-founder DeBeaugrine in 2020. Through it all, the restaurant remained consistent and deeply loved by the community. While Rick & Ann's is winding down, Lauer is not stepping away from food entirely. Her catering company, Ann's Catering, will continue and is building a new commercial kitchen to handle growing demand. More Food: Applebee's brings back all-you-can-eat deal to take down Chili'sPopular Mexican chain reveals surprising growth plansStarbucks CEO shares plan for a whole new menu For longtime customers, the announcement has been met with sadness and nostalgia. Generations of Berkeley families have celebrated birthdays, graduations, holidays, and weekend rituals at Rick & Ann's. "This place is a part of our family," one customer wrote on social media. "We've been coming since the '90s. It won't be the same without it." Related: Iconic Las Vegas Strip eatery permanently closes after long run Rick & Ann's isn't the only longtime restaurant to close in recent months. In San Francisco, the iconic Fog City closed in May 2025 after 40 years. Las Vegas has seen two celebrity-chef eateries close recently. And on a national scale, chains like Red Lobster and TGI Fridays have shuttered dozens of locations amid bankruptcies and declining foot traffic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 34.6% of restaurants survive more than 10 years, as reported on So for an independent business to last nearly four decades - and go out on its own terms - is a rare achievement. Fans still have a few months to stop by and say goodbye: The restaurant's final day of service is set for August 3. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
CBS News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Anthony Bourdain movie "Tony" is filming in Massachusetts this week
"Tony," a new movie about the life of the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, is filming in Provincetown, Massachusetts this week. The town posted a filming schedule on Facebook, with shooting taking place at some notable locations around the summer vacation hotspot. "There will be intermittent road closures and traffic holds, primarily along Commercial Street, to accommodate filming activity," the town wrote. "Please plan accordingly if traveling in these areas." Anthony Bourdain movie filming in Provincetown Here's the filming schedule for "Tony." Monday, June 2 MacMillan Pier 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, June 3 229 Commercial Street Alley & Beach Masonic Place Portuguese Bakery 11 a.m. to midnight Wednesday, June 4 - Thursday, June 5 Old Colony Tap & Lobster Pot Noon to 1 a.m. Thursday, June 5 - Friday, June 6 Spiritus 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, June 6 Various locations around town 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Anthony Bourdain movie "Tony" is the third film from entertainment company A24 to be shot in Massachusetts in the past two years. The others were "Janet Planet" and "The Drama." Bourdain was known for showcasing restaurants around the world before his death in 2018, but some say he got his start in Provincetown, where he worked as a dishwasher at The Lobster Pot in the 1970s. Dominic Sessa, who filmed the Oscar-winning movie "The Holdovers" in Massachusetts, is starring in the film as a young Bourdain, Variety reports. Antonio Banderas is also reported to be part of the cast.
SBS Australia
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Looking for unusual food inspiration? You've come to the right place
L-R: Moe Cason, Marion Grasby and Stanley Tucci. Credit: SBS On Demand. "I don't even know what this is, but it's good," says the late Anthony Bourdain in Parts Unknown during a meal on visit to Colombia. "When you travel, you find your treasure," says food lover Ruchi Shrivastava in Hidden Flavours of India . If you, too, like to discover new flavours, dishes and food experiences, then the cooks, chefs and passionate food-lovers who bring their experiences and recipes to SBS Food have a world of flavour waiting for you. Just as the SBS network celebrates stories and series that challenge, entertain and delight (check out the We Go There Hub at SBS On Demand to see a celebration of fresh, bold and exciting content – including that ad!), we bring you endless opportunities for arm-chair travel to delicious destinations and recipes to help you explore flavours that are new to you. Viewing snack sorted: think outside the usual with a salty-sweet popcorn that embraces the flavours of a Korean hotteok (stuffed pancake). "I am very adventurous, but sometimes I have a real fear. I think this is one of those times," jokes Stanley Tucci, as he contemplates eating what he calls a kind of Sardinian haggis (of course he eats it, and promptly declares it "really good") in Searching for Italy . Food is a wonderful way to discover the world, and if you can't jump on a plane or boat right now, then joining wandering food lovers such as Tucci is a wonderful way to get a taste of the world. Two more suggestions to get you started: In Hidden Flavours of India , Ruchi Shrivastava visits a part of her India that she's never been to before, exploring it through food. In World of Flavour , 'Big Moe' Cason travels the globe searching out different kinds of dishes cooked over an open flame. Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy World of Flavor With Big Moe Cason Pacific Island Food Revolution Dive into the origins of treasured national dishes, regional favourites and family recipes. In Southeast Asia on a Plate , learn about the origins of rendang and how the many varieties of sweet kueh reflect a history of war and migration. Travel Scandinavia in Tareq Taylor's Nordic Cookery , discovering the flavours of local dishes and ingredients, and the stories behind them, from Swedish princess cake to eel fishing. Southeast Asia On A Plate Tareq Taylor's Nordic Cookery Marion Grasby's Flavours Of Heart & Home Cook Like an Italian with Silvia Colloca Inspired to explore new flavours in the kitchen? SBS Food has a world of recipes to help you do just that! Explore recipes by cuisine, celebrations and special occasions or ingredient . Or if you've been enjoying the fantastic food and chats of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw , we've got all of those recipes, too (find the latest, or explore by season here ). The Middle East meets South Asian cuisine with this falafel curry from Adam Liaw. Watch now Share this with family and friends
Toronto Star
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Take a nostalgic tour of Montreal's iconic foods, from a famous plate of lobster spaghetti to the battle of the bagels
Canadian Travel Only in Canada is a new travel series that acts as a love letter to the bucket-list destinations and experiences in our beautiful country. Look for the Only in Canada series every week. There's nothing precious about the presentation at Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal's legendary temple of Quebecois decadence, but there's a flair for the dramatic. The signature canard en conserve (duck in a can) arrives as described, a server cutting off the lid tableside and spilling out the goods: a half duck breast, hunk of foie gras, butter-braised cabbage and roasted garlic, in a puddle of balsamic demi-glace. Chances are you've heard about this place and this entrée, one of the city's signature dishes (as long-time Montreal restaurant critic Lesley Chesterman has proclaimed). Culinary tourists everywhere were tipped off by a 2006 episode of 'No Reservations,' wherein Anthony Bourdain declared chef Martin Picard 'a personal idol,' and Au Pied de Cochon one of his 'very favourites in the world.' This city has no shortage of dining destinations, and last week Michelin finally bestowed stars in Quebec for the first time. Montreal earned three one-star ratings (awarded to Europea, Mastard and Sabayon) — a frankly underwhelming tally that had the local press questioning if Michelin really gets Montreal at all. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Au Pied de Cochon's decadent canard en conserve. The ingredients are sealed in a can, then cooked in submerged water for 27 minutes. Au Pied de Cochon The better judges? Montrealers. You don't need a Michelin guide to know about Joe Beef, for example, which competes with Au Pied for irreverence and indulgence. (To be clear, both did make Michelin's list of 'recommended' places, akin to honourable mentions.) Joe Beef is widely recognized as one of the city's most influential restaurants, where diners clamour for the steaks and the cream-drenched lobster spaghetti, probably the most popular dish. If you want a taste of the places that reflect the city or helped define the food culture, look to the venerable institutions that are still going strong, decades on. And if you can, tour around with a passionate local. 'We have such a unique culture here that doesn't feel like the rest of Quebec and also doesn't feel like the rest of Canada. It has shared connections with Canada and Quebec, but there's a 'Montrealism' that's purely Montreal,' says Thom Seivewright, the guide also known as @montrealexpert on Instagram and founder of Tours Montréal. He shows travellers around town on themed or custom, private walking tours, highlighting places like Chez Tousignant (a decade-old 'tribute to Quebecois junk food,' specifically casse - croûte staples such as poutine and hot dogs) or the Jean-Talon Market, an impressive open-air cornucopia that dates back to 1933. 'It's a producers' market — you can't sell here unless you produce something,' says Seivewright. Like so many places in Canada, Montreal was transformed by waves of immigration. This was once home to the country's largest Jewish community, and you can credit this history for the Eastern European foods now synonymous with the city: smoked meat and the bagel. Schwartz's Deli is a Montreal institution that opened in 1928. Smoked-meat fans still line up for the brisket on rye. Eva Blue/Tourisme Montréal Particularly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jewish immigrants from countries like Romania arrived, importing their knowledge of preserving meat in this era before trusty fridges. Reuben Schwartz was one such newcomer, establishing Schwartz's Deli in 1928. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Reputedly it's now the oldest deli in Canada. The decor remains a blast from the past, the secret recipe has stayed true to the original, and the crowds keep coming for the piled-high brisket on rye. Céline Dion is a fan (and part owner). In nearby Mile-End, St-Viateur and Fairmount continue to vie for the title of Montreal's best bagel. There are duelling lineups, historical claims, celebrity endorsements. Fairmount boasts that it's Montreal's first bagel bakery, dating back to 1919. St-Viateur, opened in 1957 and once frequented by Leonard Cohen, brags it's 'the longest running bagel shop.' St-Viateur is one of the city's most famous bagel shops. It has a long-running rivalry with nearby Fairmount, another icon. Eva Blue/Tourisme Montréal Bagels at both are rolled by hand, boiled in honey water (unlike New York's girthy, more savoury style), and baked in wood-fired ovens the old-fashioned way. Fairmount's version tends to taste sweeter, at least sometimes, especially when eaten hot and fresh, depending on who's judging. 'It's so close, and I'm not just trying to be diplomatic,' says Seivewright, who runs a two-hour tour dedicated wholly to the Montreal bagel, complete with a blind taste test to decide the winner. Whichever way you lean, this may be the most essential Montreal food tradition of all: debating (and disputing) what's most delicious here. Wing Sze Tang travelled with some trip support from Tourisme Montréal, which did not review or approve this article.
