Laren Spirer

Have you ever dreamed that you could have a multi-course lunch at the home of an amazing chef, hang out in his kitchen while he prepares it and pick up some cooking tips and recipes along the way? It’s possible. One way is to befriend (or maybe even date) a... continue reading on Gothamist

The 8th Street Winecellar is a cozy subterranean spot in Greenwich Village that opened up just over a year ago. But don't let the name fool you -- owners and longtime restaurant industry vets Michael Lagnese (left) and Jonny Cohen (right) want this to be your all-around neighborhood bar, even... continue reading on Gothamist

Mark Bello wants to teach you how to make a perfect pizza at home. With fresh dough and carefully selected local and Italian ingredients, Bello makes delectable thin-crust pies using his standard home oven in Chinatown, or, through his catering and cooking class company, Pizza a Casa in your home... continue reading on Gothamist

The Grand Tasting at Pier 54 yesterday was a cross between a tasting event, a product placement festival and a supermarket (Shop Rite was a sponsor), but the center of attention was the culinary magic being worked by some of the city's most talented chefs.... continue reading on Gothamist

Alton Brown has been on the Food Network since waaay back in the early days of its existence, teaching viewers about the science behind food and cooking with his hit show, Good Eats. His cooking demo at the Wine and Food Fest on Saturday had the air of a stand-up... continue reading on Gothamist

The gang at Eater has set up a blogger lounge, complete with laptops galore and shiny red espresso makers pumping out much-needed caffeine, as a central wifi hotspot for the food bloggerati to interact with chefs and other food festival notables. The Rachel Ray fly-by was earlier today, but right... continue reading on Gothamist

The aroma of cooking meat wafted as far as the BQE from the NYC Wine and Food Festival's Rachael Ray Burger Bash last night. Throngs of meat-lovers descended upon the Tobacco Warehouse to sample 18 burgers and vote (by text message) for their favorite. Hostess Rachael Ray and Lee Schrager,... continue reading on Gothamist

Last night kicked off the first annual NYC Wine and Food Festival, a jam-packed weekend filled with events, chefs, mixologists, and of course food and drink. Inspired by the South Beach festival, organizer Lee Schrager wanted to bring his magic to the Big Apple, where he landed smack in the... continue reading on Gothamist

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg are the authors of eight bestselling books focusing on food and drink, many of which have been winners or finalists for James Beard and/or IACP Cookbook awards. They have been married since 1990, write a monthly wine column for The Washington Post, and blog at... continue reading on Gothamist

The Vendy committee just announced an additional category for this year's awards: Best Dessert Vendor. Unlike the Vendy Cup winner, which is chosen by a panel of judges, this special award will be a people's choice award, with attendees of the October 18th fundraiser at the Tobacco Warehouse making the... continue reading on Gothamist

Well, fall is now officially in full swing—Shacktoberfest is on.The two week Oktoberfest celebration at the Shake Shack brings a taste of the old country to Madison Square Park. Feast on Usinger’s Sheboygan-Style Beer-Soaked Bratwurst, Andouille, or Polish Sausage for ($6 each), topped with Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Shackmeister-braised Red Cabbage,... continue reading on Gothamist

Ladies and gentlemen, Chef Tom Colicchio is coming back to the kitchen. Starting two weeks from tomorrow, Colicchio will cook at Tom: Tuesday Dinner in the 32-seat private dining room space at Craft, offering a seasonally-driven, seven to eight course tasting menu for a limited number of guests every other... continue reading on Gothamist

Kampuchea was one of two Cambodian restaurants recently profiled in the Times, where it was accurately pointed out that there is a dearth of Cambodian cuisine in New York. Chef/Owner Ratha Chau and Co-Executive Chef and Partner Scott Burnett are attempting to rectify that. Veering from a more traditional route,... continue reading on Gothamist

Tonight after a rough day in the markets, many of the city's residents will join their families to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is tradition to eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year, but if you're more interested in a spicy new year, try... continue reading on Gothamist

The eaters have spoken! This year's Vendy Award finalists, culled from the public's nominations for best New York City street food vendor, were announced yesterday. The big news this year is that the Bronx is finally making its first showing, while the decidedly non-Mexican guys who run the Southern Californian... continue reading on Gothamist

Anne Burrell has "parted amicably" with trendy West Village wine bar/Italian restaurant Centro Vinoteca. As reported earlier, Burrell has been keeping herself extremely busy as of late, primarily with her new Food Network series, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, which has 13 new episodes coming up. Her appearance on the... continue reading on Gothamist

If you need a little extra caffeine to get you through this morning, Yorganic juice and yogurt bar in Hanover Square is giving out free 12 oz. cups of Bliss Beans certified organic fair trade coffee from 8 - 11 a.m. this morning. If you work in the Wall Street... continue reading on Gothamist

This month's Bon Appetit features this year's winners of the Bon Appetit awards, which honor leaders in the culinary field. The intimate awards ceremony took place at Del Posto earlier this week, where current and prior winners dined on a seasonal Italian tasting menu created specifically for the occasion. The... continue reading on Gothamist

If you're going to eat meat, it's always good to know where it comes from. Not just how it was raised and if it was humanely slaughtered, which are both important, but where on the animal it came from. Many people (shameful carnivores?) are loathe to make this leap and... continue reading on Gothamist

The team behind Edible Brooklyn and Edible East End are launching their latest food-focused mag, Edible Manhattan, next week. per Grub Street, there's an in-depth look at the popularity of the Manhattan cocktail by St. John Frizell, a profile of the owners of Little Giant, a day with Nach Waxman... continue reading on Gothamist