Latest news with #Ester
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Nigella Lawson reveals the 'must-visit' Sydney restaurant behind the 'most wonderful meal of my life'
The Sydney restaurant is a firm favourite among off-duty chefs and foodies The TV personality named her top dishes and has already vowed to return Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has shared a glowing review of a Sydney restaurant for serving 'the most wonderful meal of my life' - and has already vowed to return before she departs Australia. The visiting British food icon dined a week ago at Ester in Chippendale, a trendy restaurant headed up by chef Mat Lindsay that may be a hidden gem - not widely known among the general public but revered by off-duty chefs and serious foodies. The TV personality gushed about Ester for remaining 'unfailingly the most exciting kitchen in the world' after visiting the little-known hotspot with two friends. 'I had the most wonderful meal of my life. I know I say that every time I go to Ester (and it's always true) as each time is a fresh occasion for delight,' Nigella said. The 65-year-old specifically highlighted some of the restaurant's 'exceptional dishes', explaining that her dining experience commenced with 'impeccable' oysters to start. Also on the menu was the 'legendary fermented potato bread with salmon roe and beguiling jelly-topped kefir cream' - a signature dish renowned at the restaurant. Known for taking and sharing pictures of her meals, the culinary icon admitted she was 'too wrapped up in the conversation to photograph everything' that night, but said she did manage to capture some of her favourite dishes. Among the dishes were the 'madly good Sommerlad chicken dumplings - bulgingly plump and sensationally savoury in their rich, smoky broth'. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has shared a glowing review of a Sydney restaurant for serving 'the most wonderful meal of my life' Nigella Lawson shared some of the standout dishes from her recent dining experience at Ester, specifically highlighting the 'impeccable oysters' (left) and 'exquisite pippies' (right) Nigella also called out the 'exquisite pippies' as a standout. The TV cook said the seafood dish was served in a 'liquid that tasted saltily like a gravy drunk on its own magnificent meatiness'. To round out the decadent meal, Nigella and her friends enjoyed a 'superbly elegant but winkingly bright crèpe caramel'. If her mouth-watering description of the dishes weren't proof enough, Nigella capped off her post by declaring that she had already made plans to return to the restaurant. 'Have already booked a table for my last night here before I fly back home, as this food is too good not to revisit,' she said. In addition to personally calling out and thanking specific Ester employees, Nigella added that 'everyone affiliated with this miraculous venture does it - and the whole of hospo - great honour, stamping every moment with memorableness and meaning'. The celebrity chef's glowing review also revealed that she'd dined at Ester in esteemed company – sharing the table with Australian novelists Helen Garner and Charlotte Wood. Charlotte, who's known for her novel The Natural Way of Things, replied to Nigella's post by describing the evening as 'a life highlight for several of us at that table'. 'Everything was incredible including star company,' Charlotte said. Nigella Lawson recently visited the award-winning restaurant Ester, which is known for its wood-fired modern Australian fare Nigella concluded her recent decadent dining experience at Ester with this 'superbly elegant but winkingly bright crèpe caramel' ReceipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi also responded to Nigella's post with an elongated: 'Yuuuuuummmm!!!' The beloved Australian food blogger also recommended that Nigella check out Ester's sister restaurant, Poly. 'Get everything on the smalls list,' Nagi advised. The high level of praise that Nigella heaped on Ester should hardly come as a surprise given that she'd previously named it a must-visit when she's in town. The British food icon told Gourmet Traveller earlier this year that the surprising yet delicious creations at Mat Lindsay's restaurant are 'extraordinary'. The award-winning restaurant is known for its relaxed yet stylish interiors and wood-fired modern Australian fare. The World's 50 Best Restaurants panel called it one of Sydney's hottest dining destinations, noting: 'The fit out is minimal, mood informal and selection of wood-fired small plates ruthlessly streamlined. Bag yourself one of the hottest seats in Sydney.' Ester offers an à la carte and set menu for lunch and dinner, with set menus only available on Saturday evenings, starting from $145 per person. The fermented potato bread served with salmon roe and kefir cream (pictured) is a signature dish at Ester Culinary icon Nigella Lawson has been frequenting a number of Sydney food institutions while she's in town, including Fratelli Paradiso, Sean's and Small's Deli Signature dishes include the woodfired oysters with chicken fat butter, the blood sausage sanga, and the fermented potato bread - a dish that chef Josh Niland previously described as a 'timeless masterpiece.' Since arriving in Oz, Nigella has been making the most of her visit by checking out several of Sydney's foodie hotspots. After landing in mid-May, her first port of call was to local institution, Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point. Sharing the details of her visit to social media, the British culinary queen revealed it was a personal tradition to make it her 'first stop in Sydney'. Nigella also paid a visit to North Bondi beachside restaurant Sean's, describing the venue as a 'perfect Sydney Sunday spot'. But it's not just upmarket dining venues that have caught the celebrity chef's attention. The Domestic Goddess also made a 'customary pilgrimage' to Small's Deli, a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop in Potts Point. There, she ordered a show-stopping sandwich called The Toto. Describing the 'outrageously good' sandwich, Nigella explained that it's 'spread with lemony butter bean purée and pesto, it's bulgingly stuffed with mortadella and mozzarella, exuberantly sprinkled with chopped toasted almonds, and topped with peppery rocket.' The question on every Sydney foodie's lips is: Which restaurant will Nigella show up to next?
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Caravan' Review: Tender Debut Feature Focuses on a Single Mom's Experience with Her Disabled Son
Zuzana Kirchnerová's road-trip movie 'Caravan' opens with a series of idyllic holiday scenes. A wide shot of a tranquil swimming pool. A beach ball, close up, with iridescent sequins inside. Lambent rays of sunshine bouncing lazily off the surface of the pool. A breathy voiceover whispers, 'It's going to be nice, David. You'll see.' The whisperer is revealed as a mother, reassuring her child as they lie next to each other in bed under a white sheet. If Terrence Malick directed a commercial for an Italian holiday home, it would go something like this sequence. However, the idyll is a short-lived mirage. Filmed mainly in Italy's Reggio Calabria, as well as Bologna and the Czech Republic, this is the story of 45-year-old single mom Ester (Ana Geislerova) and 15-year-old David (David Vodstrcil), whose holiday with comfortable middle-class friends is disrupted when the pair are asked by the family they are supposed to be staying with to move into a caravan. This unexpected request is precipitated by the friends' inability to cope with David's behavior: He is intellectually disabled, and this sometimes results in explosively physical outbursts. Exhausted and piqued after overhearing a patronizing conversation about David, Ester leaves in the caravan, taking her son on an impromptu drive, during which they are joined by livewire free spirit Zuza (Juliana Brutovska). More from Variety Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza Get Raunchy in Ethan Coen's Detective Movie 'Honey Don't!', Earning Rowdy 6-Minute Cannes Ovation 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza' Review: An Altruistic but Scattered Palestinian Crime Farce 'Honey Don't!' Review: Margaret Qualley Is Back, with Even More Panache, in the 'Drive-Away Dolls' Companion Piece No One Asked For. But It's Throwaway Fun 'Caravan' marks the return of Czech filmmaking to the official selection at Cannes after a gap of 30-odd years, and so far, Kirchnerová is also the only Czech filmmaker ever to win the Premier Prix at the Cinéfondation in Cannes — back in 2009. So what took her so long to capitalize on that win? The focus of her body of work to date on the obligations of female caregivers likely provides the answer. Building on short-film work about a teenage girl's struggle to provide care for a bedridden grandparent (Baba), and a docu-drama following four women through pregnancy ('Four Pregnancies'), 'Caravan' is a film firmly rooted in the experience of what it is to provide fulltime care for another human being while also trying to exist as yourself. In Ester's case, the self is what bears the brunt of her labor, her existence as anything beyond caregiver gradually eroded, with no end in sight. Partly as a result of the road-trip format, 'Caravan' isn't tightly plotted, with vignettes unfolding in fairly interchangeable order as Ester, David and Zuza attempt to make their way in the world. The subject of sex rears its head in a number of ways, sometimes in relation to David's status as a curious teenager, but more often around his mother, as Ester tries to navigate what romance might look like for someone in her situation. Dating as a single parent is already fraught with the dilemma of how, when and if to disclose the existence of your child, a decision as much about the child's welfare as anything else, but which also tends to confer the status of a secret that must be managed on single parenthood. Ester is dealing with very particular circumstances on top of this, managing her son's experience of the world in a way that is different from the majority experience of parenting a teenager. One standout scene in Ester's own love life handles an ambiguity around sexual consent in a way that feels altogether unique: Ester is propositioned by an old farmer who has employed her and Zuza as casual laborers. At first unsure, Ester allows the guy to touch her, and as a viewer the scene is ambiguous. To Zuza, when she stumbles across them, this is clearly a dirty old man coercing her friend, and she reacts with forthright anger, whisking Ester away and off the farm. Shortly thereafter, Ester breaks down in tears, doubling down on the ambiguity of the viewer experience, before she clarifies: She was actually enjoying herself. Zuza is all apologies and laughter. David, meanwhile, is 'getting that peach fuzz on the chin', as Zuza puts it, and knowing exactly how to handle his burgeoning interest in other bodies is a question the film leaves fairly open. Rooted in Kirchnerová's own life raising a child with Down syndrome and autism, the film has a fundamental tenderness running throughout, while tougher scenes earn their place at the table with their sense of authenticity and personal testimony. Like a small child, David expresses his anger physically and without restraint, though he has the strength of a robust young man. He expresses his anger without any filter, but this isn't his fault — which doesn't change the fact that his punches and scratches cause serious damage. Watching Ester attempt to navigate this with love but little external support is undeniably tough. Nothing here is going anywhere narratively unexpected, but that's okay. With some films, the pleasure is all in getting there, and with others, the same is true of intentional discomfort. This is a film bent on taking you on a sometimes sentimental but frequently painful journey, and it does so in a generally clear-eyed way, born of experience. 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Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
5 fallen Florida firefighters will be honored this weekend. Here's who they are
This weekend, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will honor 70 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2024. Five of them were from Florida. The 44th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will also honor 70 more firefighters who died in previous years. 'Each of these 140 firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others – a profound sacrifice that defines true heroism,' Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the NFFF said in a release. 'Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to come together to honor their bravery, to stand beside their families, and ensure their legacy lives on in every community they so selflessly served.' There will be two events open to the public at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland: a candlelight service on Saturday, May 3, and a memorial service on Sunday, May 4. Both events will be livestreamed. Private events will be held for the families and fire departments of the honored firefighters, the NFFF said. In 2001, then-President George W. Bush signed Public Law 107-51 requiring the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff on all federal buildings to memorialize fallen firefighters each year, coinciding with the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. "When you lower your flag this year, you will recognize the brave men and women who died protecting their communities from natural and manmade emergencies and disasters and those who carry on the proud tradition," the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation said. As of April 30, President Trump has not yet issued a proclamation for 2025, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet issued a proclamation ordering state flags to be lowered to half-staff. On April 25, DeSantis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff to honor fallen law enforcement officers around the state. Here are the Florida firefighters who will be honored at the events. Information provided by the NFFF. Ester, 51, died on May 10, 2024, after a 3½-year battle with cancer. He devoted his life to the service of his community, starting with the Harbor City Volunteer Ambulance Squad and then the Satellite Beach Fire Department before joining the Melbourne Fire Department, where he retired as a lieutenant. Ester also served as a flight paramedic for First Flight and trained and mentored paramedics. Ester is survived by his wife, Amy; his children, Eyan and Brett; and his stepchildren, Jordan, Trent, and Averi. Geld, 65, died on December 23, 2023, from complications of cancer. He began as a volunteer firefighter, ultimately joining the Melbourne Fire Department in 1988, where he trained others, built props for firefighter safety during training, and ran the driver development program. Geld also provided training at Florida Fire Training Institute and Eastern Florida State College. Geld is survived by his wife, Jackie; children, JR (Nikki), Jason (Courtney), John, and Andy; and grandchildren, Rory, Brinn, Charlee, and Connor. "Nate" Leonard, 43, died on January 12, 2022, from complications of cancer. Since joining the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department in 2007, Leonard has earned a Unit Citation, three Lifesaving Commendations, and a Meritorious Duty Commendation. He served for many years on the department's Dive Rescue Team. Leonard is survived by his wife, Nina; his parents, Jim and Marilyn; and his sister, Valerie. O'Shea, 44, died on April 13, 2024, from an aortic aneurysm. He began his 20-year career with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department in 2003, calling it 'the best job ever.' O'Shea saved countless lives, helped deliver at least eight babies, and even rescued several kittens along the way. O'Shea is survived by his wife, Melanie; his son, Simon (18), and his daughter, Lily (11). Tucker, 53, died on April 23, 2023, after a 22-month battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. As a young boy, Tucker responded to calls with his grandfather, a forestry service employee who started several volunteer fire stations in Alabama. He went to serve 19 years as a firefighter and EMT. When Pasco County moved forward in cancer prevention, Tucker got the specialty certificates needed to work on their decontamination truck that rolled out in April 2020 and later moved to their special operations truck. After his cancer diagnosis and treatment, Tucker moved to light duty but continued helping to train firefighters and make improvements in the training center. A new burn tower in the Pasco County Fire Rescue training center has been named for him. Tucker is survived by his wife, Wendy; his son, Austin; his mother and stepfather, Carolyn and David McKoy; and his father and stepmother, Jerry and Theresa Tucker. The candlelight service will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 3, 2025. A memorial service will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 4, 2025. The NFFF will live stream both events on their website ( YouTube channel, and Facebook page. Even if you can't make it, there are ways to pay tribute to this year's honored firefighters. Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters (April 27 - May 4: Light your homes, businesses, landmarks or fire departments with red lights. Bells Across America (May 3-4): Sign up to ring bells across the country. Sound the Sirens (May 4): At noon, many fire stations will sound their sirens in honor of fallen firefighters. Sign the Remembrance Banner: You can pay tribute to a specific firefighter or share a story. Four of the five honored Florida firefighters died from cancer or complications from it. Firefighters put themselves at risk from more things than raging flames. Multiple studies have shown increased risks for cancer due to the smoke and hazardous chemicals firefighters and EMT personnel are exposed to in the line of duty. When houses burn, carcinogens are released from the many synthetic and plastic materials in the home that can be inhaled or absorbed into the skin. Older homes may still have asbestos insulation, and diesel exhaust can be a factor. According to research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population. Cancer was responsible for 70% of the line-of-duty deaths for career firefighters in 2016, the Firefighter Cancer Support Network said. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Fallen Firefighters Memorial to honor 5 Florida men who died in 2024
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Sydney restaurant Nigella Lawson can't wait to visit as she prepares to return - and it's a firm favourite with Australia's top chefs
Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has revealed the Sydney restaurant she can't stop thinking about as she prepares to return to Australia - and it's no surprise it's a spot beloved by some of the country's top culinary names. The British food icon told Gourmet Traveller that Ester in Chippendale is at the top of her must-visit list, praising chef Mat Lindsay as 'extraordinary' for his surprising yet delicious creations. She recalled being convinced by a waiter named Ollie to try Ester's famous chicken fat oysters - a dish she initially thought sounded unappealing but ended up adoring. 'I love oysters anyway, but these were extraordinary,' she said, adding that while the concept might sound improbable, the flavours completely won her over. Lawson isn't the only star chef singing Ester's praises. Neil Perry, one of Australia's most celebrated restaurateurs, said Ester is his go-to for a long, lazy Sunday lunch. 'I'm having whatever Mat is telling me to have. I like it this way as the food is so good, it's too hard to choose,' Perry said. The award-winning restaurant, known for its relaxed yet stylish interiors and wood-fired modern Australian fare, has become a firm favourite among off-duty chefs and serious foodies alike. The World's 50 Best Restaurants panel called it one of Sydney's hottest dining destinations, noting: 'The fit out is minimal, mood informal and selection of wood-fired small plates ruthlessly streamlined. Bag yourself one of the hottest seats in Sydney.' Ester offers an à la carte and set menu for lunch and dinner, with set menus only available on Saturday evenings starting from $145 per person. Signature dishes include the woodfired oysters with chicken fat butter, the blood sausage sanga, and the fermented potato bread - a dish that chef Josh Niland recently described as a 'timeless masterpiece.' Niland, the mastermind behind Saint Peter and the Fish Butchery, raved about Ester's potato bread to Broadsheet, calling it his 'favourite' snack in all of Sydney. Mat Lindsay's restaurant continues to attract glowing reviews from diners too, many of whom specifically seek it out after hearing about the legendary potato bread. 'I came here because I stumbled upon a mention of potato bread. It is definitely the star of the show,' one reviewer said. Another gushed, 'Every dish was a treat for the taste buds, but a few stood out to me in particular. The fermented potato bread with salmon roe and kefir cream was a unique and flavorful combination.' A third simply said: 'The potato bread and condiments were next level amazing. It exceeded all the hype.' Beyond the potato bread, regulars also rave about the wagyu flank with burnt onion, woodfired leeks, and the Yamba king prawns served with fermented shrimp butter. All of Ester's dishes highlight Lindsay's ability to take humble ingredients and elevate them into something unforgettable. With both local legends and international stars lining up to score a table, it's clear Ester has cemented itself as one of Sydney's true culinary treasures.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thornridge alumna, Phoenix native in line to lead Governors State University
Joyce Ester, a native of the south suburbs, has been tentatively chosen as the new president of Governors State University, according to the University Park school. Ester, president of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, is originally from Phoenix and attended Thornridge High School in Dolton. She was among three finalists for the GSU position and would become the university's seventh president, following Cheryl Green. Green was president for four years and ended her tenure March 1. Ester has been president of Normandale since 2014, and her last day there will be June 3, according to the school. Governors State said it had received 62 applications for the president's position, and that Ester was one of three finalists interviewed in late February. The board of trustees is expected to vote April 24 on Ester's appointment, the university said Tuesday in a message to faculty, staff and students. Subject to board approval, Ester would assume her role at GSU on July 1, the university said. James Kvedaras, board chairman, said in a statement he and the board 'are honored to begin a new chapter in the university's history with the inspired leadership of Dr. Ester.' 'I look forward to joining this community who is dedicated to student success and whose core value of 'deliberate university focus on student achievement of academic, professional and personal goals' resonates deeply with my own,' Ester said in the statement. Normandale Community College is the largest college and third largest institution in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, serving more than 14,000 credit students and more than 2,000 noncredit students annually, according to Governors State. Under Ester's leadership, Normandale saw an 18% enrollment increase among students of color between 2015-2020 and has continued to be one of the top transfer institutions in the state, according to GSU. Ester brings more than 30 years of experience in various roles throughout academia that addressed academic and student affairs, faculty and staff governance, and financial management, according to the university. Before joining Normandale, Ester was president for two years of Kennedy-King College, one of seven schools that comprise City Colleges of Chicago. Ester was honored as a city of Bloomington Pioneer in 2023 for her impact on the local community and the college's equity initiatives, according to Normandale. She was also selected as a 2024 Women in Business honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, according to the college. Ester holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a master of arts in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara; and a bachelor of arts in Sociology from Northern Illinois University, according to her biographical information.
