Weekly Chef And Menu Report: The Week Of March 31, 2014
Every week, we take a look at some new chefs and menus that have appeared across the country. Here's this week's roundup:
Pret A Manger introduced new spring items catering to international tastes, including the "Coronation Curried Chicken" sandwich, spiced Indian chickpea featuring a curry yogurt sauce, and a hummus and garden vegetable sandwich.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese has added more real fruits and vegetables to its most popular lines of sweet and savory spreads, including its blueberry, strawberry, chive and onion, and garden vegetable flavors.
Chef Norman Van Aken will host a book signing for his newly-released memoir No Experience Necessary: The Culinary Odyssey of Chef Norman Van Aken at Flavorish Market on April 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free but requires an RSVP to secure a spot as there are only 40 available. Stop by the market or call 305-754-8787 to request a ticket.
A new food program has launched at New York City restaurant staples The Ainsworth and Ainsworth Park with new gourmet burgers, steaks, salads, and cocktails. New items include a mac and cheese burger, ribeye and lamb chops, and tuna tacos, as well as cocktails such as "The Hudson" with rosemary-infused Ketel One, Moet, lemon juice, and agave.
Franny's in Brooklyn is celebrating its 10th anniversary on April from noon to 10 p.m. with glasses of prosecco and dishes from its original menu from 2004.
Breakfast is now served at Tiny's and the Bar Upstairs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. with items such as kale salad smoothies, biscuits and gravy, and an egg sandwich with braised ham and Gruyère.
Greek and Mediterranean marketplace Blue Olive Market offers a three-course wine pairing menu every Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m., for $38 per guest. This week's menu features Ouzo poached oysters paired with Moschofilero white sangria, grilled rosemary lamb paired with Cap de Merle Bordeaux 2010, and a baklava trio paired with BLINK Sparkling Muscat of Alexandria.
Sylvain Delpique, who has previously worked at many respected restaurants such as L'Escale, Terrance Brennan's Artisanal, and the David Burke Group, is the new executive chef at 21 Club.
Aureole is hosting a Laurent Perrier Champagne dinner on April 5, in which the wine director Carrie Lyn Strong and Latapie of Laurent Perrier will walk guests through flights of LP champagne, which will be paired with a menu created by executive chef Marcus Ware. The five-course menu features warm, Beausoleil oysters paired with Ultra Brut, roasted John Dory paired with Cuvée Grand Siécle, "ruby red" shrimp agnolotti paired with a 2004 Brut, "La Belle Rouge Guinea Hen" paired with Cuvée Rosé, and for dessert, raspberry macarons, a mini crème brulée, and a manjari chocolate éclair.
Charleston, S.C.'s James London, who most recently worked at Hotel on Rivington's CO-OP in New York City, has joined The Elite Café as executive chef. A new chef's menu with new Southern dishes will release sometime mid-April.
Felipe Milanes, who most recently worked as chef de cuisine at Logan Tavern and Grillfish, has been appointed new chef de cuisine at Masa.
We're always looking for tips about new chefs and seasonal menus, so if you think there are any that we missed, let us know!