What do you get when you mix hot chefs like Seamus Mullen, Joey Campanero, and Josh DeChellis with top mixologists like David Wondrich, Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Jim Meehan and Eben Freeman (and many more, pictured above), a brand new space in the East Village and swirl in a dash of festive atmosphere? The opening party for the Astor Culinary Center. more ›

was first published in 1974. This collection of Beard's favorite newspaper columns has been reissued to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the James Beard Foundation, the culinary haven and educational institution created in his honor. more ›

September 3: West Indian–American Day Carnival more ›

This time of year was always bittersweet for us. The summer was winding down and those carefree, lazy afternoons become numbered. However there was something energizing about beginning a new school year. Maybe it was the excitment of picking out new fall clothes, backpacks and a hot pink Jem Trapper-Keeper (we were partial to Smurfs and Snorks as well). Now we've traded in our colorful binders for the standard issue white with the handy clear sleeve. But just because we are no longer students doesn't mean we can't go back to school. Actually, school just got a whole lot more interesting. more ›

...back to the French Quarter, NOLA, that is: Next Monday the 12th from 6-8 pm at ACME Bar and Grill, join forces with the Culinary Corps, a group wielding a powerful combination of outreach, philanthropy, and culinary prowess -- something their website has dubbed “culanthropy.” In order to raise funds for their inaugural service-oriented trip to New Orleans taking place later this month, the group will host a light-duty fund-raiser at ACME; door prizes, such as a mind-blowing, year-long subscription to the “cookie of the month club,” and a dinner for two at L’Ecole at the French Culinary Institute with Sommelier’s Choice wine pairing, will be up for grabs. Snacks and one free drink are included with the $20 donation price of entry. more ›

Holiday cooking may provoke a state of panic as you try out a buche de noel or tuna tartare recipe for the first time, but Gothamist assures you that with local classes and instruction abound, the home-chef need not fear their next party. Gothamist recently attended a recreational class entitled "Make-Ahead Holiday Cakes" at the Institute for Culinary Education, located on 23rd Street between 5th & 6th Avenues, which granted five hours of delightful access to a professional teaching kitchen with instruction from Chef Jeffrey Yoskowitz, a former chef and bakery owner who teaches both professional and recreational courses. The cakes class is just one of this season's numerous holiday course offerings which also includes Holiday Cookie Design, Jewish Sabbath and Holiday Breads, and several sessions of a New Year's Eve make-and-take hors d'oeuvres class on Saturday, December 30th and Sunday, December 31st. The classes run approximately four to five hours and range in price from $95 - 185 per person. more ›

- And finally, any email with the subject line "Pork and Beer Night" is enough to catch our attention. Starting December 17th, Porchetta's Jason Neroni will be hosting Pork and Beer Nights, with a four-course pairing menu featuring Heritage Foods USA pork and beer from American Beer. $45. 241 Smith Street, Brooklyn, 718-237-9100. more ›

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November 3: Chocolate and Dessert Wine Seminar more ›

At the farmer’s market you’re entranced. The stalls swell with the season’s natural bounty—corn, tomatoes, peaches, peppers—all the foods that taste right only when eaten at this time of year. You buy pounds and lug the harvest home. But as the shortening days slip by, those special $2 bags of veggies risk going to rot in your fridge. It’s enough to make a gourmet’s heart sink. What do you do? Can it. That’s what some people in the city are learning to do. It may seem like a lost art, but canning could be coming into a revival. “Putting up” food has an old-fashioned homey appeal, not unlike that of knitting, another noble homestead craft that has spurred a recent craze. This summer the Unitarian Church in Brooklyn Heights threw a couple “jam sessions,” and the Park Slope CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group gave a tutorial for members last week. If you’re a believer in the importance of buying locally, canning gives you a way to have your cake and eat it too. Stock up on berries now, cook them into jam, and eat them in January without any guilt. Preserving food at home can even feel a little revolutionary in this era when industrially produced food is the norm. more ›

September 7: Sake Tasting more ›

May 7 - 8: James Beard Foundation Awards more ›

December 8-16: Give the Gift of Cooking at 5% Off more ›

The James Beard Foundation will be honoring Chef Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe for his contributions to the food industry at its annual Chefs & Champagne Benefit at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York. Hang in the Hamptons and enjoy tastings by chefs including Florian Bellanger of Fauchon, Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, Josh DeChellis of Sumile, and Kerry Heffernan of Eleven Madison Park along with Champagne Charles Heidsieck and the Estate's own award-winning wines. Proceeds from the event will benefit the preservation of the historic James Beard House in Greenwich Village, as well as the new East End Long Island Culinary Scholarship and the programs of Spoons Across America: The Source for Children's Culinary Education. Tickets are $150 for members of The James Beard Foundation, and $200 for guests. 5-8 pm. For reservations, call 212-627-2308 or order online. more ›

July 3-4: Prix Fixe Menue at Barmarché more ›

June 23: PJ Wine Spanish Wine Festival more ›

June 9th: The Rosés of Summer more ›

May 25: "Belly" Dancing -- North African Food and Wine Pairing more ›

After Gothamist learned that Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez, the former pastry chef at L'Impero, was opening up a hole-in-the-wall North Indian take-out joint named Lassi, Gothamist decided to head over late last night to see how successfully a sultan of sweet could transition to over to savory. Inspired by the Punjabi cuisine of Purva Sudan, one of Carlucci-Rodriguez's students at the Institute of Culinary Education, the West Village storefront offers quick Indian food to take out, in addition to catering, and a few seats inside for a chance to sit down. more ›

The great thing about wine is no matter how much you know, you don’t know much. So when Gothamist heard there were new wine classes offered at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) we had to check them out. more ›

Gluttony can sometimes be a good thing, like when it can raise money to benefit Action Against Hunger’s (AAH) tsunami relief effort. Embrace your gluttonous side, and hit up the Institute of Culinary Education's fundraisers next Monday and Tuesday. more ›

After a recent lively reader discussion following Gothamist's posting a photo of a roast pig, we decided to explore our own feelings about the whole animal-to-food process. Although we definitely eat meat, we do get somewhat squeamish when our dinner is served with a face. One day, when browsing the Institute for Culinary Education catalog, we came across the perfect opportunity to stare our squamishness right in the face. Literally. We signed up for How to Make a Roast Suckling Pig and Other Great Latin dishes and braced ourselves for the challenge. more ›

The Farmer's Market Cookbook: Seasonal Dishes Made from Nature's Freshest Ingredients, by Richard Ruben (Lyons Press, 2000) more ›

Doug at Ask Gothamist recently attended a class at the Institute of Culinary Education where cupcakes were the evening's focus. We made everything from the basic golden with butter cream frosting to more elaborate merengue and royal icings and each student got to take home at least two dozen cupcakes. Ours, pictured here, included piped on icing, and even a few edible flowers. One of the advantages of the class - aside from a professional instructor, professional tools and, most importantly, a professional dishwasher - is the high quality ingredients available for use with the recipes. Fine chocolate, rich butter, high-quality food dyes, only made the cupcakes that much closer to what you might find at Buttercup or Magnolia. The only problem with the class? After sampling so much icing, we hardly wanted to eat any cupcakes at the end of the evening. more ›

I'm a lousy cook, but my girlfriend insists that I cook her dinner every once in a while. I'm worried that if I keep on making mac n' cheese or turkey sandwiches, she'll leave me. Any suggestions on where I can learn a few skills? more ›