2 Degrees of Top Chef Season 1

[Left: The Top Chef Season 1 cast photo hanging in the Paulding Kitchen]
For a Top Chef diehard like myself, the chance to actually take a cooking class at the kitchen where season 1 was filmed was a dream come true. I'd been meaning to check out Periscope Cellars in advance of a Canvas Underground dinner on Saturday, and when I called chef-owner, Terry Paulding, about checking out her kitchen, she offered me an opportunity to fill in for last minute cancellations. Before we headed over to Terry's, my best friend, Jaye, and I dropped in at Periscope for their Wednesday free wine tasting. Pouring for Periscope were a couple resident artists, Cybele Gerachris, and Helene Fischman. Periscope is currently showing their whimsical and beautiful work, entitled"Corsets, Clocks and Chris".

[Left: Bruce, Kelly and Sam preparing turkey scallopine] After a few sips, Jaye and I headed next door for our "challenge". We joined 7 other cooking students to prepare and cook a menu including:

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Random (Design) Bits

Coca-Cola
My co-worker, Chris, an avid Coca-Cola collector brought these beauties into work today. Really sexy work for the Coca-Cola manifestation of East Meets West. Take a peek below.

Also, save the date (July 12-13)! Just heard about this "subversive" event: The Renegade Craft Fair.
If you can't wait until the next Maker's Faire, get your fix here (the craft section was always my fave thing-to-do anyhow). This year's event will be held Saturday and Sunday July 12 + 13 from 11am - 7pm at Fort Mason's Festival Pavilion. I'm more a diorama-ist and photographer than a crafty person or stich n' bitcher, but I love the design inspiration.

Sent from Palm Centro

Food Network Challenge Food Styling - Our Anthem Star!

While working at Recchiuti at the Ferry Building this past Saturday, I ran into Katie Christ a food stylist who's worked on many of my company's (Anthem) food photography shoots for Safeway. I had just happened to see her on the Food Network the previous week, for her competition in the Food Network Challenge Superstar Food Stylist 2008 in Miami, Florida.

The first challenge was to style ice cream sundaes. Katie worked masterfully as her competitors arranged their sundaes, from tropical to zany crab. The judges liked Katie's straightforward and classic sundae styling.

The second challenge, a surprise pasta recipe, Katie struggled to get her pasta cooked within the time allotted. One stylist, from Vancouver, added a bit of whipped cream to make his sauce look creamier. Another stylist got dinged for making his Italian pasta look "Asian" when he crossed two strands of chives as garnish. The other female challenger, from LA, struggled with in last place. Katie barely got her pasta dish on the plate (seconds from countdown) and although she spent very little time actually styling her plate, she won again for the "natural" look her composition attained!

The third and final challenge was to create a dinner spread for a beach wedding. The Vancouver stylist went with his Asian sensibility and created a grand, tropical buffet featuring dim sum. The LA stylist went a more whimsical route by dumping brown sugar on her table and adorning the table with seafood (even going as far as coloring in the tips of the lobster and crab claws "for authenticity"). I adored Katie's elegant style - a white tablecloth, beautiful flowers and a refined and edited menu that highlighted seasonal foods. The judges were a bit concerned that Katie's table was light on food and heavy on the tablescape, however she prevailed yet again, taking the $10,000 grand prize!

When Katie won, I felt like we (Anthem) had won too in a way! Her work is outstanding, and you can see it at your local grocery store. Super cool.