Jaime Laurita: Celebrity Rockstar Chef

  Tattoos and Pearls. Chef Jaime Laurita and I have the perfect pairing of friendship.  He is like a brother to me and continues to inspire and encourage me on my culinary journey. A milestone moment was visiting Anne Willan, the founder of La Varenne Cookery, in her kitchen. We met several years ago when…

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Trends at The International Home and Housewares Show

What are the latest trends in housewares?  The 2017 International Home + Housewares Show featured more than 2,200 exhibitors including over 400 new companies and 62,000 total attendees from around the globe.  Although I couldn’t visit every  exhibit, I noticed some trends that resonated. Copper Cookware continues to be hot.  Consumers have a variety of options…

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Food and Film: Hidden Figures

  Let’s celebrate the Oscars by pairing food and film.  This year, I am only making one dish for one movie.  I think Hidden Figures will be the movie that wins!   It’s such an inspiring and true story of Katherine Johnson, a brilliant NASA employee who “helped put an astronaut into orbit around the…

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Tastes of the Holidays: Pumpkin Puree

Let the Tastes of the Holidays begin!  Pumpkin Puree is a delicious ingredient to feature in your holiday recipes, and it’s easy to make.  All you need is to roast a pie pumpkin and blend it with vanilla, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.  I made Pumpkin Puree for the first time, and it is delicious!…

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How to Create the Perfect Cheese Board

    Are you ready to present the perfect cheese board at your next dinner party?  Charles Duque, Managing Director of North America for The Cheeses of Europe shows us how to create a memorable and delicious cheese board.  “A lot of American consumers are a little intimidated by French cheeses,” says Duque.  He wants…

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Charity in the Kitchen: Pompe Disease

As we all know, charity begins at home, and the kitchen is the heart of the home.  It is my honor to use Kitchen Chat’s platform to highlight charities and special causes.  A dear friend of mine, Melissa Palmer, is such an inspiration.  She is battling a rare disease called Pompe.  During our kitchen chat,…

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A Safari of Flavor

Chicago is a culinary destination, and Safari Lounge will soon add an adventure of flavor to the Windy City.  During a recent kitchen chat,  Chef Tigist Reda, shared a peek into the menu and decor at the soon-to-open Safari Lounge.  This exotic venue will feature a fusion of “Ethiopia meets Caribbean” menu, all served in the…

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