TRAVEL/FOOD : Page 61 of 96 : On the road and at home, it's always about food and fun!

INTRODUCING KONTIKI EXPEDITIONS: SUPERYACHT LUXURY CRUISING ALONG COASTAL ECUADOR

Beginning late March 2022, Kontiki Expeditions will set forth on an eight-day exploration of the seldom-visited Ecuadorian coast, allowing for a rich cultural adventure and an exclusive voyage. With only nine staterooms and excursions to sparsely populated coastal ports, social distancing on the 132-foot M/S Wayra is the norm rather than the exception. Kontiki Expeditions is the first water-based member of Small Luxury Hotels and a proponent of sustainable, “neo-luxury” travel.

Kontiki Expeditions is a new concept in luxury ocean cruises focusing on conscious travel and immersive water and land experiences. Carrying a maximum of 18 guests, Kontiki’s 128-foot superyacht M/S Kontiki Wayra travels two routes along the Ecuadorian coast immersing guests in the country’s wealth of birds, animals, flora, fauna, indigenous foods and cultural traditions while adhering to a “neo luxury” philosophy of sustainability and giving back to the communities visited. The yacht’s small size and routes allow access to smaller ports and villages starting from or ending in Manta or Guayaquil. Guests will visit small towns and nature reserves while experiencing the adventure of an expedition cruise.

Concierge Customized Services

Prior to each cruise, a Kontiki concierge will reach out to determine each guest’s culinary and activity wishes, creating a bespoke experience that allows for activities to meet varying interests. Additionally, the yacht can be booked as a full charter tailored to the desires of a group.

“We have the luxury of delving deeply into the areas we visit,” says Carlos Nuñez, CEO and founder of Kontiki Expeditions. “Guests, more than ever, are looking for smaller environments on board and on land, with fewer people and less exposure to risk. We are proud to offer our luxurious yacht and crew to create an experience that is enriching, exciting and safe.

“Environmental protection is critical when it comes to cruising. We adhere to strict sustainability standards on board, at sea and on land. We are also committed to a variety of social programs including sponsorship of the Real Madrid Foundation to promote values to children through sports.”

The Expeditions – Specifics

The new Kontiki Expeditions yacht, M/Y Wayra offers two eight-day itineraries, The Toquilla Expedition and The Spondylus Expedition, in which Kontiki will transport guests to untouristed areas in Ecuador to explore and celebrate the indigenous cultures within a context of wellness.

Programs and excursions are led by 13 crew members and two local experts committed to sustainability and conscious travel. Onboard, wellness professionals, naturalist guides and a local chef who creates farm-to-table and sea-to-table cuisine add to the distinctive Kontiki expedition. Gastronomic experiences featuring local chocolate, seafood, and produce will be enjoyed both onboard and on land.

The superyacht is a testament to luxury with a sundeck, gourmet salon, two outdoor lounges, bar, hot tub, massage, yoga, and a gym and fitness area. Staterooms are stylishly appointed with an eye to comfort using local, sustainable materials, decorated with a sense of place. Automated lights, A/V and A/C plus unlimited WiFi add to the luxury. A nearly 1:1 crew to guest ratio allows for personalization and attention to guest needs and interests, from packing and unpacking luggage to creating a special meal or activity.

Stops Along the Way

Guests can expect to see the country’s beloved blue-footed boobies along with sea lions and howler monkeys… without the crowds. Mixing float time with the use of water toys and water activities including diving, snorkeling and SUP, Kontiki will visit small coastal ports where locals will join Kontiki staff in leading visits. Daily on-board schedules rotate with cooking classes, wellness activities, and chocolate and coffee tastings.

A visit to a cocoa farm to learn about chocolate making and enjoy a chocolate tasting
A gastronomic experience with ancestral cuisine and a cooking demonstration
Visit to a New Latitude vineyard for a special tasting
Hiking with wildlife spotting in the Pacoche Humid Forest and nature reserve
Visit to the artisan Toquilla straw hat weavers
Visit to San Lorenzo lighthouse for amazing coastal views and visit to the turtle nesting site
Sailing to Isla de la Plata for a day of marine activities and a wildlife hike
Visit to ancient community of Agua Blanca with a wellness-oriented swimming experience in the sulphurous lagoon
Visit to Los Frailes beach to the marine beach club for marine golf, kayaking, diving, paddle boarding and more

Excursions and Islands

Kontiki Expedition excursions include hands-on experiences and observations of lifestyles, handicrafts, cuisine and traditions:

Islands and inland areas visited include Bahia de Caraquez, San Mateo, Pile, San Lorenzo, Isla de la Plata, Agua Blanca, and Puyango where local communities welcome Kontiki passengers and indigenous blue-footed boobies, howler monkeys, cuzumbos, silver rays and hummingbirds abound.

Guest and crew health and safety are priorities and sanitization and wellness protocols are summarized on Kontiki’s website at https://kontikiexpeditions.com/en/health-policy/.

Pricing begins at $7245 USD per person per week, based on double occupancy, and includes all activities, meals, transfers to and from ports, park entrance fees, guided expeditions and more. Solo traveler rate and private charter rates are also available.

ABOUT KONTIKI EXPEDITIONS – “NEO-LUXURY” SMALL-YACHT EXPEDITIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS TRAVELERS

The first water-based member of Small Luxury Hotels, Kontiki Expeditions is a pioneer in conscious luxury travel, offering immersive and sustainable superyacht expeditions. Sailing the untouristed Ecuadorian coast, the nine-stateroom Kontiki Expeditions yachts introduce a maximum of 18 guests to the richness of the land and sea.

On-board crew include a local chef, naturalist and wellness experts. Multi-stop itineraries feature hiking, snorkeling, meetings with locals, in-depth cultural explorations, wellness activities and gastronomy. Kontiki Expeditions travelers experience the country’s biodiversity – including its famous blue-footed boobies and howler monkeys — all in a protected environment where sustainability and uncrowded venues are paramount. Kontiki prides itself in giving back to the communities visited with resources and education.

Health protocols prior to boarding, on ship, on land, and prior to departure are strictly followed. The Safe Travels accreditation by WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) has been achieved for all sailings.

For more information, visit www.kontikiexpeditions.com/en, call +5933984364149; email info@kontikiexpeditions.com or join in the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. For a sample of where Kontiki Expeditions will voyage, visit https://vimeo.com/376273581/a70b344db1.

A Kids Paradise of Fun: Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas

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Las Vegas is often known as an adult paradise, but grown-ups aren’t the only ones having fun. When it comes to kids, there’s a ton of opportunities at Caesars Entertainment for kids of all ages at both the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.

· VooDoo Zipline at The Rio: For families with older children, the Zipline at Rio is the #1 thrilling attraction in Las Vegas! At 500 feet high and 33 miles per hour, you can ride the tallest, fastest zip-line in all the city. Two guests at a time soar in between the Rio Hotel’s Masquerade and IPanema Towers. Kids must be 48 inches tall to ride. For more information and tickets please visit here.

· Piff the Magic Dragon at Flamingo Hotel:

For the past five years, Piff has headlined in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. As first seen on “America’s Got Talent” Piff keeps people of all ages laughing. Piff the Magic Dragon performs nightly with Mr. Piffles, the world’s only magic chihuahua. Tickets to the show can be found here.

· KISS by Monster Mini Golf at The Rio

KISS by Monster Mini Golf is a unique “KISS themed” attraction. This mini golf course boasts 13,000 square-feet of indoor glow-in-the-dark fun with an 18-hole miniature golf course. The space is filled with state-of-the-art video, design and never-seen-before KISS props. Tickets to this attraction can be found here.

· The Wildlife Habitat at Flamingo Hotel: Fun and Free!

This Wildlife exhibit is open from 8:00am-2:30pm and is the perfect attraction for kids of all ages. This four-acre garden is an ideal location to adventure with the family. Complete with meandering streams, waterfalls, exotic birds, turtles and fish. With no cost to enter, the habitat is a fun experience for the whole family. It’s free. Simply show up during operating hours. No reservation or ticket is required.

Additional information can be found here.

Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp Opens at the San Diego Zoo

California, Family Excursions, Nature

New at the San Diego Zoo is their Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, a 3.2-acre state-of-the-art, multi-ecosystem experience designed to provide guests of all ages with an up-close look at nature while offering a fresh, high-tech interactive opportunities designed to nurture empathy for wildlife and encourage future caretakers of the planet.

Inside Basecamp, Zoo guests will visit with a variety of fascinating species and engage on a deeper level by utilizing full sensory and multifaceted elements, including “parallel play” opportunities from climbing and crawling around a massive tree house, to exploring through amazing water play elements; experiencing interactive touch screen games, using microscopes to reveal natural wonders, and specialized animation that utilizes artificial-intelligence (AI), dynamic lighting and whole-room scented environments.

“Wildlife Explorers Basecamp speaks to the budding conservationist within us all and shows us the marvels of the natural world,” said Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Through these gates millions of world changers will begin their journey with nature, and demonstrate the power of empathy and compassion as they join us to become allies for wildlife”.

Wildlife Explorers Basecamp encompasses eight buildings and habitats dispersed throughout four zones, featuring wildlife that live in these ecosystems: Rainforest, Wild Woods, Marsh Meadows and Desert Dunes.

Rainforest Zone

The Rainforest zone is centered around the 10,000-square-foot McKinney Family Spineless Marvels building, where guests will experience invertebrates—including crustaceans, arachnids and insects—such as leafcutter ants, spiders, scorpions, stick insects and more. Inside, there is a pollinator experience with giant beeswax-fragrant honeycombs and an observation pane that gives guests the chance to see the workings of a real-life beehive. The projected migration flyover encounter showcases various insects, including migrating monarch butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies as part of a large meadow scene that curves along walls and encompasses a domed ceiling.

Wild Woods, Prebys Foundation Discovery Bridge and Tree of Dreams

The Wild Woods area offers guests the chance to visit with unusual wildlife species, such as coatis and squirrel monkeys, which are both native to Central and South America. The space features the striking Prebys Foundation Discovery Bridge and a 20-foot-tall Tree of Dreams—a tree house designed as an ancient oak. This dynamic and detailed nature-play tree provides multiple points of access for guests—from a suspension bridge and net tunnel to a spiral staircase—and a parallel play experience to the squirrel monkeys that live in the adjacent habitat. Water play is another focus of this woodland-themed zone, which includes a waterfall that flows into a gentle meandering stream, an exhilarating splash pad, unpredictable water jets, and a bluff area with a boulder scramble made to encourage exploration.

Marsh Meadows

Marsh Meadows aims to evoke a sense of visiting marsh-like habitats, including swamps and estuaries. The pathway through this area was designed to help convey a sense that guests are inhabiting the marsh along with frogs, fish and other wildlife that lives there. The central hub of Marsh Meadows is the Art and Danielle Engel-funded Jake’s Cool Critters building—a two-story herpetology and ichthyology structure with more than 7,000 square feet of immersive environments, digital media, learning opportunities and educational classroom spaces, created to engage wildlife explorers of all ages. The wildlife here includes snakes, amphibians, crocodilians, turtles and lizards, including endangered Fijian iguanas.

At the nearby Rady Ambassadors Headquarters, guests will meet wildlife from all over the planet, including a two-toed sloth and a prehensile-tailed porcupine, and learn more about how everyone can help conserve them in their native habitats.

Desert Dunes

Finally, Desert Dunes, a dry desert wash-themed area, offers fun boulder play prospects for climbing, scrambling, hopping and more. Reptile sculptures and petroglyphs can be found among the rocks, while cool caves provide shaded areas where guests can beat the heat, like their desert wildlife counterparts—including the fennec fox, prairie dog and burrowing owl.

Sustainability and Conservation

Conservation is at the forefront in the design of Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, as builders worked to incorporate advanced sustainable materials throughout. A portion of the Spineless Marvels building was made with ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)—a fluorine-based plastic that is created to be more resistant to corrosion. The system is 100% recyclable, and consists of a series of custom-sized Teflon multilayered “air pillows”—which, when filled with air, provide solar insulation while also reducing the need for artificial lighting. The Zoo’s talented horticulture team worked to identify more than 100 trees from the previous habitat to preserve and replant within Basecamp.

For more information about Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, its many features, the wildlife that lives there and how you can help San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance conserve wildlife and build a world where all live thrives, visit the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp webpage. Wildlife Explorers Basecamp is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo.

About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and creating a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action.

The work of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance extends from San Diego to strategic and regional conservation “hubs” across the globe, where their strengths—including the renowned Wildlife Biodiversity Bank—are able to effectively align with hundreds of regional partners to improve outcomes for wildlife in more coordinated efforts. By leveraging these tools in wildlife care and conservation science, and through collaboration with hundreds of partners, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has reintroduced more than 44 endangered species to native habitats.

Covering the Globe

Each year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television programming, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Success is made possible by the support of members, donors and guests to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, who are Wildlife Allies committed to ensuring all life thrives.

Dorie Greenspan: “The most unusual cake recipe I’ve ever made.”

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I love receiving Dorie Greenspan’s newsletter every week and thought I’d share the link so you can subscribe as well as try out her recipe for this week. The great thing about Dorie–well, really there are many things that are great about Dorie including her wonderful cookbooks including the latest Baking with Dorie is that she includes extensive notes for each recipe to help make it as perfect in your kitchen as it is in hers–though I have to believe that anything the comes out of Dorie’s kitchen has to be much more sublime than what I do. But still if I can even get close, I’d delighted and so are my guests.

Now let’s read what Dorie had to say this week:

Hello! Hello!

I find myself thinking of my family more as the news from Ukraine keeps getting worse. I want to hold my little family closer, hug them tighter and feed them more. There’s no proof that cookies are a cure, but there’s no proof that they aren’t, so I choose to believe in the power of baking and sharing. And the sweetness of it.

Since I made the Goose Feet Cookies (you can find the recipe here, in last week’s newsletter), I’ve been cooking and baking recipes from Russia and Ukraine. Someone commented that the people of Ukraine don’t need me to bake cookies, they need help. And of course, that’s true. I am continuing to donate to organizations that provide vital help, but I am also continuing to bake and to share what I bake because it helps people I love. This week, I pulled two cookbooks off my shelf and made something from each.

Cookbooks

Black Sea: Dispatches and Recipes Through Darkness and Light by Caroline Eden, is about six places on the Black Sea, including Odessa, where my father-in-law was born. I read about the cafés of Odessa, about the richness of its literary history and the bustle of life, and I made a soup that brought back a flood of memories. I’ll tell you about it in a coming post.

And I reread Darra Goldstein’s Beyond the North Wind and baked Sasha’s Grated Apple Cake from it. Darra is a professor emerita of Russian at Williams College and a cookbook author I’ve admired for years. Still, as I set out the ingredients to make this cake, I wasn’t at all sure it would work and I had barely an inkling of what it might be like.

NO BATTER? REALLY?

All of the liquid in this recipe comes from grated apples and the bit of lemon juice you use to keep the apples from darkening. There are no eggs, no milk and no reason to think that by mixing together flour, farina (yep, Cream of Wheat cereal), sugar, baking powder, salt and some spice, you’ll end up with “cake”. But you do! You sprinkle this dry mixture between layers of apple, dot the top with tiny pieces of cold butter, bake for an hour and then marvel at the transformational magic of heat.

Is it cake as we usually think of cake? Not really. You don’t have thick fluffy layers of sponge, but you do have a very moist cake with the full flavor of spiced apples and a texture that’s reminiscent of great pie. Just as the farmer’s cheese dough for the Goose Feet Cookies reminded me of the bow ties my aunt made decades ago, this recipe made me think of my Russian Grandmother’s apple cake, a recipe I tried to recreate in Baking From My Home to Yours.

My mother had told me that my grandmother made the cake with the same dough that she used for her cookies. I remember her cookies as being a bit crisp and I remember her cake as being a bit soft. Of course, I was very young and memory plays tricks on us through the years. But tasting this recipe, I had an instant in which I thought I’d unlocked the secret to my grandmother’s cake: Perhaps she grated the apples! The texture of this cake and the softness of the fruit filling seemed so like the cake of my childhood.

After Mary Dodd tested the recipe, she told me that it reminded her of simple recipes that her great-grandmother made. She called the cake “humble but perfect” and said she would be making it often. Just as I will.

You don’t need fragments of memory to love this cake. It may just make memories of its own. Please let me know. I love to hear your stories.

Bake for yourself. Bake for the people you love. I’ll see you on the other side of the weekend.

XOXO Dorie

Sasha’s Grated Apple Cake

Serves 8

Notes:

Pan size: The recipe calls for an 8-inch springform pan, a pan that’s not very common. So while I used an 8-inch springform for my cake, Mary Dodd used an 8-inch cake pan for hers. Both worked perfectly. Don’t be tempted to use a 9-inch pan – there isn’t enough batter for it.

The butter: You’ll need about 7 tablespoons of butter to dot the top of the cake, but it’s good to have another tablespoon at the ready. Check the cake after it’s baked for about 30 minutes – if you see a few dry spots, cover them with more bits of butter.

Farina: You’ll find farina – the best-known brand is called Cream of Wheat – in the hot cereal aisle of your supermarket. It’s an old-fashioned breakfast cereal – it’s like porridge when it’s boiled – and there isn’t a substitute for it here.

The spice: Cardamom is what Darra calls for. If your cardamom is fresh (I know, it’s supposed to be, but if you’re like me, you might sometimes forget to replace older spices), then 1/2 teaspoon will provide robust flavor and fragrance. I love it, but it may be too much for you. Or cardamom might not be your spice of choice. Pick the spice you love and decide how much of it you’d like.

The dried fruit: Darra suggests dried apple rings. I don’t usually have those, so I used dried cranberries. Mary used golden raisins. Really, any dried fruit that you like and that you think will go with apples, will be fine here. Just remember to snip (or chop) the fruit into small pieces and to make sure that the fruit is soft. I “plump” the fruit by putting it in a bowl of very hot (or boiling) water for a couple of minutes, then draining and patting it dry.

INGREDIENTS

7 to 8 tablespoons (100 to 113 grams; 3 1/2 to 4 ounces) very cold unsalted butter (see above)
3/4 cup (102 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (90 grams) fine farina or Cream of Wheat, not instant (see above)
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger or the spice of your choice; less to taste (see above)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 pounds (680 grams), 3 to 5 (depending on size), tart apples, such as Granny Smiths, halved and cored, but not peeled
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup (100 to 125 grams) moist, plump dried apple rings, finely chopped, dried cranberries or raisins (see above)

DIRECTIONS

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees F. You need either an 8-inch springform or cake pan (see above). If you’re using a springform, butter the pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (just to catch any drips). If you’re using a cake pan, butter the pan, line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment. (Mary had parchment with little handles – if you have those kinds of parchment rounds that’s nice, but the cake is very fragile, so pulling it up by the handles is iffy business. It’s better to invert it – see below.)

Cut 7 tablespoons of the butter into tiny pieces and keep them in the refrigerator while you put the cake together. Keep another tablespoon at the ready in the fridge (see above).

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, farina, sugar, baking powder, cardamom (or other spice) and salt. Set aside.

Coarsely grate the apples. You can do this in a food processor with the grating attachment or use the large holes on a box or other grater. (I used the processor and had a few chunks of apples left on the top and in the bowl – I picked those out and ate them!) Transfer the apples to a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice to mix well, then stir in the dried apples (or whatever dried fruit you’re using).

Evenly sprinkle one-third of the flour mixture over the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the apples, then cover with half of the remaining flour mixture. Spoon on the remaining apples. If you’ve got a little liquid from the apples in the bowl, add it – if you’ve got a lot (unlikely, but …), just add a spoonful or two of it. Cover with the last of the flour mixture.

Scatter the bits of butter evenly over the top, being careful to cover the entire surface.

Place the cake in the oven, then immediately lower the temperature to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 30 minutes and then take a peek at the cake. If you notice some dry spots, cut the reserved butter into bits and pop them on top of the dry patches. Continue to bake the cake for 30 minutes more – the total baking time is 1 hour – or until golden. Transfer the pan to a rack (it won’t get very dark) and let the cake cool for about 20 minutes. If you’ve made the cake in a springform, run a table knife between the pan and the cake, then remove the outer ring of the pan. If you’ve made the cake in a regular cake pan, place a piece of parchment on a cooling rack or cutting board and have a serving plate or another rack or board covered with paper at hand. Run a table knife between the pan and the cake, unmold the cake onto the covered rack or board, peel away the round of parchment and then gently invert the cake onto your plate or the other parchment-covered rack or board. The cake is ready to serve when it is slightly warm or reaches room temperature.

Storing: Darra says that the cake is best the day it is made and she’s right – it’s delicious then. But if you have cake leftover, cover and refrigerate it – it’s very good cold the next day.

Ghanaian Chef Selassie Atadika and the New Africa Cuisine

Chocolate, Ghana, Truffles

A native of Ghana, Chef Selassie Atadika studied at The Culinary Institute of America and also earned a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a bachelor’s in geography from Dartmouth College. Now back in Ghana after working for the United Nations, Atadika takes advantage of the cocoa beans as well as the spices and herbs that thrive in her country’s terroir to craft Midunu, her line of truffles that are distinctive not only because of the complex layers of taste but also because they each etched with delicate and colorful designs. Midunu, which means “let us eat” in Ewe, a language spoken in Togo and Ghana, is a call to embrace all that the table offers – great food, conviviality and connection.

Chef Selassie took time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions about her truffles, the ingredients she uses, and her commitment to bringing to the fore what is quickly becoming a major culinary trend–New African Cuisine.

I didn’t realize Ghana was the second largest producer of cacao though most of it is exported. Can you tell us about why it is such a wonderful place to grow chocolate and if it differs in taste and quality from other regions?

Cocoa needs hot temperatures, humidity, and good rainfall. The ‘Cocoa belt’ is within 20 degrees of the equator. Every region has its unique qualities, and the West African terroir gives the ‘chocolatey’ flavor, which chocolate consumers worldwide know as chocolate.

The traditional process of fermenting the cocoa beans in plantain/banana leaves in Ghana provides the second layer of flavor to the beans, which you don’t get in other countries.

How does your team of female chocolatiers go about incorporating locally and regionally sourced ingredients to create your chocolates?

Inspiration comes to me from everywhere. It might be a fruit or spice I see in the market, an element I taste in a dish, or a memory that comes to me from childhood. Sometimes, the ingredient is at risk of being forgotten in a culinary sense or lost in terms of biodiversity. So I try to see how it would pair with chocolate and then play with it in our kitchen.

Can you describe some of the herbs and spices and other ingredients you use?

The Afua truffle features the buttery, nutty, and caramel notes of prekese, one of my favorite West African spices, infused in a milk chocolate ganache, enveloped in dark chocolate.

Aṣa Introduces you to scent leaf, a wonderfully herbaceous variety of basil from West Africa infused in a white chocolate ganache, wrapped in dark chocolate.

The Azar truffle will transport you to North Africa’s souks. Get ready for the bright, tangy notes of sumac infused in milk chocolate, then enrobed in dark chocolate.

Can you give us a brief overview of New African Cuisine?

My cooking philosophy is what I call New African Cuisine. It celebrates culinary heritage where culture, community, and cuisine intersect with the environment, sustainability, and economy by employing local, seasonal, and underutilized ingredients, including traditional grains and proteins, to deliver Africa’s bounty to the table.

And when are you going to write a cookbook?

Great questions. I’m setting aside time right now to work on my book proposal.

WHALE WATCHING AND A BLOODY MARY CONTEST THIS MARCH AT MENDOCINO’S LITTLE RIVER INN

California

Historic Property Offers “Whale of a Sale” Special for Little River Whale Festival.

Is there a better way to watch the 20,000 gray whales that migrate from Mexico to Alaska along the California coast every March than from the cozy confines of Mendocino’s picturesque Little River Inn (www.LittleRiverInn.com). The Mendocino Coast offer magnificent views of the coves where mama whales harbor with their new calves, and spotting these mighty cetaceans are often spotted right offshore at this time of year.

Little River Inn Whale of a Sale

The iconic and welcoming ocean-view Little River Inn, which has been owned and operated by five generations of the same family, is the perfect place to catch the show. They even have a very special rate – the LITTLE RIVER INN WHALE OF A SALE March lodging special, which overlaps with the annual LITTLE RIVER WHALE FESTIVAL (March 11 – 13, 2022). And as part of the fun, to benefit the Mendocino Area Parks Association, the inn is hosting the 2nd Annual BLOODY MARY COMPETITION, where local and professional bartenders go head-to-head to claim the prize of Best Bloody Mary.

During the Little River Whale Festival, Little River Inn will be offering its LITTLE RIVER INN WHALE OF A SALE lodging special. Guests who book a two-night stay during these dates will receive a third night free. LITTLE RIVER INN WHALE OF A SALE is offered March 11 – 13, 2022 on all room types, based upon availability. To book online, use the code WHALE22 to get the Whale of a Sale rate.

BLOODY MARY COMPETITION

In conjunction with the Little River Whale Festival, on Sunday, March 13 from 12 PM to 2:30 PM in the Abalone Room at Little River Inn, anyone can be a judge at the BLOODY MARY COMPETITION. Both local amateur mixologists and professional bartenders compete to claim the prize of Best Bloody Mary. Tickets for 5-6 Bloody Mary tastes are $75 pre-sale or $80 day of the event (if available – only 120 tickets are being sold). The ticket includes a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. ID REQUIRED AND PROOF OF VACCINATION REQUIRED.

The event benefits Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA). Tickets are available at www.MendoParks.org.

Entertainment and Events

The 15th Annual LITTLE RIVER WHALE FESTIVAL takes place from Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13 and offers a host of events, including a number of family-friendly activities. Below are two of the events and experiences inn guests and locals can partake of throughout the weekend:

John Reischman and The Jaybirds Concert: Friday, March 11, 8 PM (doors open at 7:30 PM), Abalone Room, Little River Inn, 7901 N Highway One. The Jaybirds put their own particular stamp on bluegrass, old time and acoustic roots music, with a satisfying blend of traditional and modern styles. Only 50 tickets available.Tickets are $40 in advance at www.MendoParks.org.

Whale Watch Walk: Saturday, March 12, 11 AM – 1 PM. A two-hour guided walk (barring heavy rain) searching for pelagic cormorants, seaside daisies and of course, whales! Binoculars available. Dogs allowed on leash. Free and open to the public.

Further information and details regarding the LITTLE RIVER WHALE FESTIVAL can be found by visiting www.MendoParks.org.

About Little River Inn

Little River Inn is a family-owned and operated boutique resort on the Mendocino coast of California with a chef-driven restaurant, nine-hole Audubon-certified golf course, professional tennis courts and day spa. Ideal for the entire family (and pet-friendly as well), the Inn has 65 guest rooms ranging from the economical to the luxurious. Several private meeting and special event spaces with stunning ocean and garden views make the Inn an excellent venue for small- to medium-sized weddings and corporate retreats.

The restaurant, helmed by CIA-trained Executive Chef Marc Dym, is a destination unto itself and the delicious, often hearty California coastal cuisine has a following so dedicated that it is not uncommon for guests to fly in by private plane for Sunday Brunch. Ole’s Whale Watch Bar is a classic local hangout where guests gather for drinks and a casual bite. Little River Inn has a beautiful, nine-hole golf course that plays like 18 and is appropriate for many skill levels. The Inn also has a Day Spa with three treatment rooms and offers in-room services. Overseen by fifth-generation Innkeeper Cally Dym, Little River Inn was proud to celebrate its 80^th anniversary in 2019.

Little River Inn is located two miles south of Mendocino overlooking the Pacific Ocean, at 7901 N. Highway One, Little River, CA 95456. For reservations and additional information, call 707-937-5942 or visit www.littleriverinn.com.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book: From LeFou’s Brew to the Jedi Mind Trick, 100+ Magical Disney-Inspired Drinks,

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Ashley Craft is living the life. The Disney life that is. Craft, who grew up in Anaheim just 15 minutes from Disneyland, was so close to the park that she fell asleep listening to the fireworks at night and knew the park layout so well she didn’t need a map.

“We’d always get passes and we’d go about once or twice a week so that was my life,” says Craft, author of The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book: From LeFou’s Brew to the Jedi Mind Trick, 100+ Magical Disney-Inspired Drinks, the follow up to her first cookbook, The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook, both released by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

But all things Disney didn’t end when she grew up. During college Craft interned at Disney World in Florida two separate times including a stint as a concierge.

She was hooked.

“I couldn’t get Disney out of my life and so I started blogging about Disney just to have it in my life,” says Craft, who now lives in Kansas City far away from Disneyland and Disney World with her husband a radiology physicist and three children as well as a cat and a dog.

But even impediments as living in Kansas City doesn’t stop her deep dive into all things Disney. For those who don’t know, there are numerous Disney focused blogs and Craft not only has her own, http://www.ashleycrafted, but also follows many others as well as makes frequent trips to keep up with the world of Disney parks.

All Things Disney

“I try to keep a pulse on the parks and be in tune with what’s going on today,” she says, noting she is working on other books. “I go to the parks, usually with a rough outline of foods that I am looking for. I don’t want people to be reading about stuff they heard a while ago but what they saw on Instagram yesterday.”

All her recipes are her own creation, developed after tasting the drinks in the park and then trying to replicate them at home through lots of trial and error.

“Everything in the book is from my own kitchen and my own mind, these are not recipes from Disney,” she says, noting that none of the recipes in her book were sanctioned by Disney. This truly is an “unofficial” book.

“I’m not culinary trained” says Craft. “I’m just a home cook with a lot of practice and I’m trying to get as close as I can to the taste of the food, the look of the food as well as keep within a budget and being sure that people can make it with ease. Those are my four pillars of developing these recipes. If I realize that a dirnk has some complicated ingredient or uses some complicated machinery, I don’t try to recreate it. It’s more important to me that people can make it, that’s how my cookbooks evolved.”

Creating the Cookbook

Her book contains 130 recipes culled from divided into libation categories including Coffees and Teas where you’ll find out how to make Frozen Cappuccino from Joffrey’s and Teddy’s Tea from Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar: Fruity Drinks and Slushies such as the Goofy Glacier from Goofy’s Candy Company. There are also Mocktails and Cocktails including the Sparkling No-Jito from the Tambu Lounge and Dessert Drinks such as Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake from 50’s Prime Time Café and the Dole Whip Float from Aloha Isle.

The only one drawback for Craft when it comes to creating recipes for alcohol-based drinks is that she doesn’t consume alcohol. But like her recipe development, it’s all about taste and honesty to what she’s trying to accomplish and that is drinks that help capture the magic of visiting the parks, even for those who can’t be there.

Craft has advice for those first using her book.

“If you’ve been to Disney before, start with a drink you have had there and then branch out,” she says.

As for her own life, she couldn’t be happier. The original run for her first book was 5000.

“They bumped it up to 20,000, and sold out the first day,” she says, noting that she was shocked by those sales numbers. “Now it’s sold about quarter a million of copies. I’m literally living my dream life, I’m so lucky. I eat Disney, drink Disney, go there often for research.”

The following recipes are reproduced courtesy of The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book by Ashley Craft.

Jedi Mind Trick

Oga’s Cantina, Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios

“The grapefruity drink was named after the mystical protectors and practitioners of the Force, whose one great desire was to balance the powers of the galaxy,” writes Craft in her introduction to this recipe.

To Make Jedi Mind Trick:

2 ounces grapefruit-rose vodka
1 1⁄2 ounces Falernum (see recipe below)
1 ounce white grape juice
1⁄2 ounce blue curacao
1⁄4 ounce lime juice
1⁄8 teaspoon grapefruit bitters

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Seal and shake, then strain over crushed ice in a large martini glass.

To Make Falernum:

1 cinnamon stick
2 Tablespoons whole cloves
2 Tablespoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons minced ginger
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast cinnamon stick, cloves, and allspice until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Place in a blender and blend until ground.

In same saucepan over medium-high heat, combine blended spices, nutmeg, lime juice, ginger, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat, strain into a small sealable container, discarding solids, and allow to cool about 1 hour. Once cooled, squeeze through a cheesecloth into a separate medium sealable container.

Add almond extract to mixture. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Lava Smoothie

Leaping Horse Libations, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas

“The combination of raspberry and pineapple in this smoothie is a delightful surprise,” writes Craft. “Both are known for their tartness, and blending them together with coconut flavors creates a super-refreshing beverage. Imagine you are sitting next to the incredible Disney’s BoardWalk Inn roller coaster water slide while sipping this drink.”

1⁄2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
8 ounces nonalcoholic pina colada mix
2 ounces pineapple juice
3 cups crushed ice
2 pineapple wedges

Mash raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once mixture just begins to boil, remove from heat. Strain into a small sealable container, discarding solids, and chill 1 hour.

In a blender, combine pina colada mix, pineapple juice, and ice. Blend until slushy. Split between two 16-ounce drinking glasses or plastic cups. Divide raspberry puree evenly between glasses, pouring on top of the pina colada slush. Gently blend with a spoon, while keeping visible swirls, and serve garnished with pineapple wedges.

Dole Whip Float

Aloha Isle, Magic Kingdom

“The debate rages on: Dole Whip cup, or Dole Whip Float?” asks Craft. “The only difference is the addition of liquid pineapple juice to the float. Some find this refreshing and an added bonus on a hot day. Others think the juice makes the Dole Whip too sweet, too acidic, or too watered down. Give both a try and see which camp you are going to pitch your tent in.”

For Dole Whip

1 cup water
1.5 cups granulated sugar
2 cups chilled pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon lime juice

To make Dole Whip: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine water and sugar. Microwave 1 minute, stir, then microwave 1 more minute and stir to create a syrup. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours up to overnight.

Pour pineapple juice into a medium bowl and add 1⁄2 cup chilled syrup. Refrigerate remaining syrup up to 2 weeks. Add lime juice and stir. Pour into an ice cream machine. Follow manufacturer’s instructions and run about 20 minutes or until creamy.

Scoop mixture into a medium sealable container and chill in freezer about 30 minutes or until slightly firm.

To make Float: Pour pineapple juice into a float glass and top with piped Dole Whip. Serve immediately.

THE 2022 JAMES BEARD AWARD RESTAURANT AND CHEF SEMIFINALISTS

Chicago restaurants, Chinese, Elegant dining, Farm-to-Table, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Fruit, Gluten-free, Historic Restaurants, Plant Powered, Southern cuisine

The James Beard Award Semifinalists today announced their 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the returning James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One. Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees, in addition to honorees for Leadership, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Humanitarian of the Year Awards will be revealed on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Scottsdale, AZ. Nominees for the James Beard Foundation Media Awards will be released on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in New York City.

The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1991 and is one of five separate recognition programs of the Awards. James Beard Awards policies and procedures can be viewed at jamesbeard.org/awards/policies.

Check out the 2022 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists below.

Outstanding Restaurateur 

Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (Rasika, Bindaas, Annabelle, and others), Washington, D.C.
Kim Bartmann, Bartmann Group, Minneapolis
Chris Bianco, Tratto, Pane Bianco, and Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Jason and Sue Chin, Good Salt Restaurant Group, Orlando, FL
Brandon Chrostowski, EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute, Cleveland
Larry and Jessica Delgado, Delgado Collective, McAllen, TX
Ravi DeRossi, Overthrow Hospitality, NYC
Greg Dulan, Dulan’s Soul Food Restaurant, Los Angeles
Kevin Gillespie, Red Beard Restaurants (Gunshow, Ole Reliable, and Revival), Atlanta
Andrew Le, The Pig and the Lady and Piggy Smalls, Honolulu
Marc Meyer, Vicki Freeman, and Chris Paraskevaides, Bowery Group (Shuka, Shukette, Vic’s, and others) NYC
Joe Muench, Black Shoe Hospitality, Milwaukee
Willy Ng, Koi Palace, Dragon Beaux, and Palette Tea House, San Francisco
Akkapong “Earl” Ninsom, Langbaan, Hat Yai, Eem, and others, Portland, OR
Todd Richards and Joshua Lee, The Soulful Company (Lake & Oak), Atlanta
J.D. Simpson and Roger Yopp, SavannahBlue, Detroit
Deborah Snow and Barbara White, Blue Heron Restaurant & Catering, Sunderland, MA
Chris Williams, Lucille’s Hospitality Group, Houston
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly, and others), Philadelphia
Edwin Zoe, Zoe Ma Ma and Chimera Ramen, Boulder and Denver, CO

Outstanding Chef 

Reem Assil, Reem’s, Oakland and San Francisco, CA
Mashama Bailey, The Grey, Savannah, GA
Andrew Black, Grey Sweater, Oklahoma City
Peter Chang, Peter Chang, VA and MD
Austin Covert, Rosewild, Fargo, ND
Christopher Gross, Christopher’s, Phoenix
Stephen Jones, The Larder + The Delta, Phoenix
Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor, MI
Kyle Knall, Birch, Milwaukee
Emiliano Marentes, ELEMI, El Paso, TX
Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles
Keiji Nakazawa, Sushi Sho, Honolulu
Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
Alex Raij and Eder Montero, La Vara, NYC
Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, Don Angie, NYC
Michael Schwartz, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami
Douglass Williams, MIDA, Boston
Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle

Outstanding Restaurant 

Brennan’s, New Orleans
Butcher & Bee, Charleston, SC
Chai Pani, Asheville, NC
Cora Cora, West Hartford, CT
Di Fara Pizza, NYC
El Burén de Lula, Loíza, PR
Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia
Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, Boulder, UT
La Morada, NYC
Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy, Depew, OK
Métier, Washington, D.C.
Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
Parachute, Chicago
Paragary’s, Sacramento, CA
Post & Beam, Los Angeles
Odd Duck, Milwaukee
Oriole, Chicago
ShinBay, Scottsdale, AZ
Sushi Izakaya Gaku, Honolulu
The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle

Emerging Chef

Manuel “Manny” Barella, Bellota, Denver
Angel Barreto, Anju, Washington, D.C.
Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle
Rochelle Daniel, Atria, Flagstaff, AZ
Calvin Eng, Bonnie’s, NYC
Casey Felton, Bahn Oui, Los Angeles
Shenarri Freeman, Cadence, NYC
Ben Grupe, Tempus, St. Louis
Donald Hawk, Valentine, Phoenix
Cleophus Hethington, Benne on Eagle, Asheville, NC
Brian Hirata, Na‘’au, Hilo, HI
Serigne Mbaye, Dakar Nola, New Orleans
Thuy Pham, Mama Đút, Portland, OR
Mia Orino and Carlo Gan, Kamayan ATL, Atlanta
Edgar Rico, Nixta Taqueria, Austin
Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia
Amanda Turner, Olamaie, Austin
Chris Viaud, Greenleaf, Milford, NH
Crystal Wahpepah, Wahpepah’s Kitchen, Oakland, CA
David Yoshimura, Nisei, San Francisco

Best New Restaurant

ABACÁ, San Francisco
Angry Egret Dinette, Los Angeles
Bacanora, Phoenix
BARDA, Detroit
Café Mamajuana, Burlington, VT
Casian Seafood, Lafayette, CO
Dhamaka, NYC
Fritai, New Orleans
Gage & Tollner, NYC
Horn BBQ, Oakland, CA
Kasama, Chicago
Kimika, NYC
Laser Wolf, Philadelphia
Leeward, Portland, ME
Lengua Madre, New Orleans
MACHETE, Greensboro, NC
Matia Kitchen & Bar, Orcas Island, WA
The Marble Table, Billings, MT
Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken, Asheville, NC
NiHao, Baltimore
Owamni, Minneapolis
Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, San Leon, TX
República, Portland, OR
Roots Southern Table, Farmers Branch, TX
Sooper Secret Izakaya, Honolulu
Union Hmong Kitchen, Minneapolis
Ursula, NYC
Zacatlán Restaurant, Santa Fe
Zitz Sum, Coral Gables, FL

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Antonio Bachour, Bachour, Coral Gables and Doral, FL
Nicolas Blouin, Destination Kohler, Kohler, WI
Warda Bouguettaya, Warda Pâtisserie, Detroit
Mark Chacón, Chacónne Patisserie, Phoenix
Angela Cicala, Cicala at the Divine Lorraine, Philadelphia
Kate Fisher Hamm, Leeward, Portland, ME
Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Claudia Martinez, Miller Union, Atlanta
Elise Mensing, Brasserie by Niche, St. Louis
Camari Mick, The Musket Room, NYC
Ruben Ortega, Xochi, Houston
Shannah Primiano, Porto, Chicago
Rabii Saber, Four Seasons, Orlando, FL
Caroline Schiff, Gage & Tollner, NYC
Anne Specker, Kinship, Washington, D.C.
Krystle Swenson, The Social Haus, Greenough, MT
Sofia Tejeda, Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
Jen Yee, Hopkins and Company, Atlanta

Outstanding Baker

David Cáceres, La Panadería, San Antonio, TX
Maya-Camille Broussard, Justice of the Pies, Chicago
Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
Susannah Gebhart, Old World Levain (OWL) Bakery, Asheville, NC
Marissa and Mark Gencarelli, Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO
Joseph, Archalous, and Caroline Geragosian, Old Sasoon Bakery, Pasadena, CA
Don Guerra, Barrio Bread, Tucson, AZ
Aaron Hall, The Local Crumb, Mount Vernon, IA
Mike Hirao, Nisshodo Candy Store, Honolulu
Clement Hsu, Katherine Campecino-Wong, and James Wong, Breadbelly, San Francisco
Nobutoshi “Nobu” Mizushima and Yuko Kawashiwo, Ihatov Bread and Coffee, Albuquerque, NM
Evette Rahman, Sister Honey’s, Orlando, FL
Rhonda Saltzman and Mercedes Brooks, Second Daughter Baking Co., Philadelphia
Caroline Schweitzer and Lauren Heemstra, Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Khatera Shams, Sunshine Spice Bakery & Cafe, Boise, ID
Zak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami
Elaine Townsend, Café Mochiko, Cincinnati, OH
Maricsa Trejo, La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX
Louis Volle, Lodi, NYC
Pamela Vuong, The Flour Box, Seattle

Outstanding Hospitality (Presented by American Airlines)

BaoBao Dumpling House, Portland, ME
Bar del Corso, Seattle
Binkley’s, Phoenix
Coquine, Portland, OR
Cúrate, Asheville, NC
House of Prime Rib, San Francisco
Hugo’s, Houston
Johnny’s Restaurant, Homewood, AL
José, Dallas
Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, Hudson, NY
Mudgie’s Deli and Wine Shop, Detroit
Phoenicia, Birmingham, MI
The Preacher’s Son, Bentonville, AR
Sanford, Milwaukee
Spuntino, Denver
Steve and Cookie’s, Margate, NJ
Sylvia’s Restaurant, NYC
Ticonderoga Club, Atlanta
Tutka Bay Lodge, Homer, AK
Valter’s Osteria, Salt Lake City

Outstanding Wine Program

a.kitchen + bar, Philadelphia
The Four Horsemen, NYC
Frenchette, NYC
Golden Age Wine, Mountain Brook, AL
High Street Wine Co., San Antonio, TX
Hiyu Wine Farm, Hood River, OR
Kai, Phoenix
L’Etoile, Madison, WI
The Little Nell, Aspen, CO
Lucky Palace, Bossier City, LA
Lyla Lila, Atlanta
Madam, Birmingham, MI
Maydan, Washington, D.C.
Polo Grill, Tulsa, OK
The Punchdown, Oakland, CA
Rainbow Ranch Lodge, Gallatin Gateway, MT
Rebel Rebel, Somerville, MA
Sachet, Dallas
Tomo, Seattle
Vicia, St. Louis

Outstanding Bar Program

Alley Twenty Six, Durham, NC
Attaboy, Nashville
Avenue Pub, New Orleans
Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu
barmini by José Andrés, Washington, D.C.
Cafe La Trova, Miami
Chapel Tavern, Reno, NV
Friends and Family, Oakland, CA
Genever, Los Angeles
Goodkind, Milwaukee
The Jewel Box, Portland, ME
Julep, Houston
La Factoría, San Juan, PR
Las Almas Rotas, Dallas
Llama San, NYC
Nobody’s Darling, Chicago
Shelby, Detroit
Valkyrie, Tulsa, OK
Vicia, St. Louis
Water Witch, Salt Lake City

**Best Chefs (Presented by Capital One):**

Best Chef: California

Chris Barnum-Dann, Localis, Sacramento, CA
Sylvan Mishima Brackett, Rintaro, San Francisco
Val M. Cantu, Californios, San Francisco
Keith Corbin, Alta Adams, Los Angeles
Srijith Gopinathan, Ettan, Palo Alto, CA
Tony Ho, Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant, Rosemead, CA
Judept Irra, Tamales Elena y Antojitos, Bell Gardens, CA
Nobody’s Darling, Chicago San Francisco
Matthew Kammerer, The Harbor House Inn, Elk, CA
Bryant Ng, Cassia, Santa Monica, CA
Heena Patel, Besharam, San Francisco
Natalia Pereira, Woodspoon, Los Angeles
Melissa Perello, Octavia, San Francisco
Minh Phan, Phenakite, Los Angeles
Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Los Angeles
Carlos Salgado, Taco María, Costa Mesa, CA
Sarintip “Jazz” Singsanong, Jitlada, Los Angeles
James Syhabout, Commis, Oakland, CA
Pim Techamuanvivit, Nari, San Francisco
Anthony Wells, Juniper and Ivy, San Diego

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Omar Anani, Saffron De Twah, Detroit
Rodolfo Cuadros, Amaru and Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, Chicago
Diana Dávila Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago
Paul Fehribach, Big Jones, Chicago
Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe, Chicago
Anthony Lombardo, SheWolf, Detroit
Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare, Detroit
Thomas Melvin, Vida, Indianapolis
Dave Park, Jeong, Chicago
Michael Ransom, ima, Detroit
Darnell Reed, Luella’s Southern Kitchen, Chicago
James Rigato, Mabel Gray, Hazel Park, MI
Jose Salazar, Salazar, Cincinnati, OH
Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago
Ahmad Sanji, AlTayeb, Dearborn, MI
John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth, Chicago
Jill Vedaa, Salt+, Lakewood, OH
Sarah Welch, Marrow, Detroit
Erick Williams, Virtue Restaurant & Bar, Chicago
Kate Williams, Karl’s, Detroit

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Anthony Andiario, Andiario, West Chester, PA
Joey Baldino, Zeppoli, Collingswood, NJ
Angel Barreto, Anju, Washington, D.C.
Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
Adam Diltz, Elwood, Philadelphia
Antimo DiMeo, Bardea Food & Drink, Wilmington, DE
Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, Canal House Station, Milford, NJ
Matt Hill, Ruthie’s All-Day, Arlington, VA
Bill Hoffman, The House of William & Merry, Hockessin, DE
Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya, Philadelphia
Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka, Pittsburgh
Wei Lu, China Chalet, Florham Park, NJ
Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
Peter Prime, Cane, Washington, D.C.
Carlos Raba, Clavel Mezcaleria, Baltimore
Michael Rafidi, Albi, Washington, D.C.
Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya Thai Kitchen, Philadelphia
Yuan Tang, Rooster & Owl, Washington, D.C.
Wei Zhu, Chengdu Gourmet, Pittsburgh
Bethany Zozula, 40 North at Alphabet City, Pittsburgh

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI) 

Dane Baldwin, The Diplomat, Milwaukee
Karen Bell, Bavette La Boucherie, Milwaukee
Daniel Bonanno, A Pig in a Fur Coat, Madison, WI
Rob Connoley, Bulrush, St. Louis
Jorge Guzmán, Petite León, Minneapolis
Michael Haskett, M.B. Haskett Delicatessen, Sioux Falls, SD
Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, EsterEv, Milwaukee
Mary Kastman, Driftless Cafe, Viroqua, WI
Anthony Kueper, Dolce, Omaha, NE
Gregory León, Amilinda, Milwaukee
Rachel McGill, DISH Restaurant, Lincoln, NE
Ryan Nitschke, Luna Fargo, Fargo, ND
Craig Rivard, Little Fox, St. Louis
Kevin Scharpf, Brazen Open Kitchen | Bar, Dubuque, IA
Sean Sherman, Owamni, Minneapolis
Erik Skaar, Vann, Spring Park, MN
Evy Swoboda, Brasserie by Niche, St. Louis
Carl Thorne-Thomsen, Story., Prairie Village, KS
Yia Vang, Union Hmong Kitchen, Minneapolis
Ben Welch, Botanica, Wildwood, MO

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

Saibeen Acord, Saibeen’s Kitchen, Great Falls, MT
Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID
Dan Ansotegui, Ansots, Boise, ID
Jose Avila, El Borrego Negro, Denver
Mike Blocher, Nick Fahs, and David Barboza, Table X, Salt Lake City
Cody Cheetham, Tavernetta, Denver
Logen Crew and Paul Chamberlain, SLC Eatery, Salt Lake City
Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora, CO
Briar Handly, Handle, Park City, UT
Suchada Johnson, Teton Thai, Teton Village, WY
Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID
Chris Lockhart, PREROGATIvE Kitchen, Red Lodge, MT
Chris McDonald, Cowfish, Lander, WY
Mawa McQueen, Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen, CO
Brian Menges, The 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT
Paul Naugle, Izakaya Three Fish, Bozeman, MT
Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver
Eric Skokan, Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, Boulder, CO
Luis Young, Penrose Room, Colorado Springs, CO
Dave Wells, The Tasting Room at Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, Pray, MT

Best Chef: New York State 

Einat Admony, Balaboosta, NYC
Mary Attea, The Musket Room, NYC
Albert and Malenda Bartley, Top Taste, Kingston, NY
Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy, NYC
Nick Curtola, The Four Horsemen, NYC
Eric Gao, O Mandarin, Hartsdale and Hicksville, NY
JJ Johnson, FIELDTRIP, NYC
Gabe McMackin, Troutbeck, Amenia, NY
Helen Nguyen, Saigon Social, NYC
Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shuka, NYC
Chintan Pandya, Dhamaka, NYC
Kyo Pang, Kopitiam, NYC
Junghyun Park, Atomix, NYC
Carla Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black, Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, Hudson, NY
Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, NYC
Romeo Regalli, Ras Plant Based, NYC
Irwin Sánchez, Under the Volcano, NYC
Bryce Shuman, Sweetbriar, NYC
Hillary Sterling, Ci Siamo, NYC
Dale Talde, Goosefeather, Tarrytown, NY

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

Bowman Brown, Elda, Biddeford, ME
Vien Dobui, CÔNG TỬ BỘT, Portland, ME
Patricia Estorino, Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar, Waltham and Cambridge, MA
Tiffani Faison, Orfano, Boston
Jeff Fournier, Thompson House Eatery, Jackson, NH
Daniel Gursha, Ledger, Salem, MA
Tico Huynh, Yvonne’s, Cambridge, MA
Ben Jackson, Magnus on Water, Biddeford, ME
Jeremy Kean and Philip Kruta, Brassica Kitchen + Cafe, Boston
Christian Kruse, Black Flannel Brewing Company, Essex Junction, VT
Brian Lewis, The Cottage, Westport, CT
Courtney Loreg, Woodford Food and Beverage, Portland, ME
Macarena Ludena, Cora Cora, West Hartford, CT
Nisachon Morgan, Saap, Randolph, VT
Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA
William Rietzel, COAST, Watch Hill, RI
Damian Sansonetti, Chaval, Portland, ME
John DaSilva, Chickadee, Boston
David Schrier, Jessica Pollard and David Clegg, Daily Operation, Easthampton, MA
David Vargas, Vida Cantina, Portsmouth, NH

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA) 

Nathan Bentley, Altura Bistro, Anchorage, AK
Nick Coffey, Ursa Minor, Lopez Island, WA
Erasto Jackson, Lil Red’s Takeout and Catering, Seattle
Jonathan Jones, Epilogue Kitchen & Cocktails, Salem, OR
Liz Kenyon, Rupee Bar, Seattle
Carlo Lamagna, Magna Kusina, Portland, OR
Robynne Maii, Fête, Honolulu
Melissa Miranda, Musang, Seattle
David Nichols, Eight Row, Seattle
Vince Nguyen, Berlu, Portland, OR
Brandon Pettit, Delancey, Seattle
Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Oma’s Hideaway, Portland, OR
Mark Pomaski, Moon & Turtle, Hilo, HI
Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, AK
Sheldon Simeon, Tin Roof, Kahului, HI
Mutsuko Soma, Kamonegi, Seattle
Robert Urquidi, Ethel’s Grill, Honolulu
Jojo Vasquez, Fond, Lahaina, HI
Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle
Chad White, Zona Blanca, Spokane, WA

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Greg Collier, Leah & Louise, Charlotte, NC
Mike Costello and Amy Dawson, Lost Creek Farm, Lost Creek, WV
Oscar Diaz, The Cortez, Raleigh, NC
Sunny Gerhart, St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, Raleigh, NC
Jake Howell, Peninsula, Nashville
Philip Krajeck, Rolf and Daughters, Nashville
Cheetie Kumar, Garland, Raleigh, NC
Anthony Lamas, Seviche, Louisville, KY
Jason Liang, Brush Sushi Izakaya, Decatur, GA
Ouita Michel, Holly Hill Inn, Midway, Lexington, and Versailles, KY
Ricky Moore, SALTBOX Seafood Joint, Durham, NC
Orlando Pagán, Wild Common, Charleston, SC
Craig Richards, Lyla Lila, Atlanta
Alison Settle, Barn8, Goshen, KY
Peyton Smith, Mission Pizza Napoletana, Winston-Salem, NC
Stephanie Tyson, Sweet Potatoes, Winston-Salem, NC
Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC
Joey Ward, Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, Atlanta
Mailea Weger, Lou, Nashville

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR) 

Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith, Saint-Germain, New Orleans
Michael Beltran, Ariete, Coconut Grove, FL
Valerie, Nando, and Fernando Chang, Itamae, Miami
Clay Conley, Buccan, Palm Beach, FL
Adam Evans, Automatic Seafood and Oysters, Birmingham, AL
Jeremy Ford, Stubborn Seed, Miami
Hao Gong, LUVI Restaurant, New Orleans
Francis Guzmán, Vianda, San Juan, PR
Timothy Hontzas, Johnny’s Restaurant, Homewood, AL
Melissa M. Martin, Mosquito Supper Club, New Orleans
Matthew McClure, The Hive, Bentonville, AR
Abel Mendoza, Estela, Rincón, PR
Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL
Michael Nelson, GW Fins, New Orleans
Niven Patel, Ghee Indian Kitchen, Kendall, FL
Alex Perry, Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS
Michael Pirolo, Macchialina, Miami
Allison Richard, High Hat Cafe, New Orleans
Rafael Rios, Yeyo’s, Bentonville, AR
Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK) 

Matthew Amberg, Oren, Tulsa, OK
Wanda J. Armstrong, Evelyn’s, Tulsa, OK
Indri Bahar, Rendang & Co. Indonesian Bistro, Tulsa, OK
Troy Cannan, LuLou’s Restaurant, Reno, NV
Kwok Chen, Kwok’s Bistro, Reno, NV
Andrew Donovan, Basque, Tulsa, OK
Lori Hashimoto, Hana Japanese Eatery, Phoenix
Zach Hutton, Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails, Oklahoma City, OK
Gina Marinelli, La Strega and Harlo, Las Vegas
John Martinez, Tito & Pep, Tucson, AZ
Maria Mazon, BOCA Tacos y Tequila, Tuscon, AZ
Ahmed Obo, Jambo Cafe, Santa Fe
Fernando Olea, Sazón, Santa Fe
Martín Rios, Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe
Salazar Brothers, La Guelaguetza, Albuquerque, NM
Giovanni Scorzo, Andreoli Italian Grocer, Scottsdale, AZ
Eben Shillingford, Sisserou’s, Tulsa, OK
Jamie Tran, The Black Sheep, Las Vegas
Hongrui Xin, Big Dan Shanxi Taste, Las Vegas
Marie Yniguez, Bocadillos, Albuquerque, NM

Best Chef: Texas

Alex Au-Yeung, Phat Eatery, Katy, TX
Damien Brockway, Distant Relatives, Austin
Aaron Bludorn, Bludorn, Houston
Sylvia Casares, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, Houston
Tiffany Derry, Roots Southern Table, Farmers Branch, TX
Christine Ha and Tony J. Nguyen, Xin Chào, Houston
Quy Hoang, Blood Bros. BBQ, Bellaire, TX
Kaiser Lashkari, Himalaya Restaurant, Houston
Matt McCallister, Homewood, Dallas
Steven McHugh, Cured, San Antonio, TX
Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast, Dallas
Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, José, Dallas
Esaul Ramos Jr., 2M Smokehouse, San Antonio, TX
Felipe Riccio, MARCH, Houston
Regino Rojas, Revolver Taco Lounge, Dallas
John Russ, Clementine, San Antonio, TX
Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland, Burnt Bean Co., Seguin, TX
Iliana de la Vega, El Naranjo, Austin
Finn Walter, The Nicolett, Lubbock, TX
Koji Yoshida, EBESU Robata & Sushi, Plano, TX

2022 James Beard Awards: Michigan Nominees

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From Eater Detroit: The semifinalists for 2022 James Beard Awards have dropped and include nine metro Detroit chefs in the Great Lakes category. Winning a James Beard award is considered one of the highest honors in the food industry, so undoubtedly, these semifinalists will be celebrating their nominations this morning.

Best Chef semifinalists from Detroit include Omar Anani of Saffron De Twah, Anthony Lombardo of SheWolf, Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, Michael Ransom of Ima, Sarah Welch of Marrow, and Kate Williams of Karl’s. Other Michigan chefs nominated include James Rigato of Mabel Gray in Hazel Park and Ahmad Sanji of Al Tayeb in Dearborn. Barda was named a semifinalist in the category Best New Restaurant.

Detroit cocktail bar Shelby is nominated for Outstanding Bar Program, while restaurant and bar Madam from Birmingham is nominated for Outstanding Wine Program. Nominated for Outstanding Hospitality are Birmingham’s Phoenicia and Mudgie’s Deli and Wine Shop, the latter of which is a particularly meaningful nomination as its owner Greg Mudge died suddenly last fall.