Earlier this week, StarChefs held its 2nd International Chef’s Congress on the top two floors of 7 World Trade Center. Open to industry professionals only, this annual event draws notable chefs from all over the world and provides the opportunity to honor its Rising Stars, an award the culinary organization gives to young professionals. A full list of this year’s winners, including Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Chris Lee of Gilt, and Daniel Eardley......

The great divide between New York City restaurant chefs and serious home cooks is becoming narrower by the day. Chefs pen guest columns for the New York Times telling us what to look for when buying turnips and get interviewed by bloggers about where the most durable knives can be found, all in the name of improving the home cook’s game. A chef might even be followed around the city in order for us to......

November 3: Chocolate and Dessert Wine Seminar Two award winners paired with two sinful delights -- what could be better? James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year, Jacques Torres and James Beard Sommelier of the Year, Jean Luc Le Du join forces for these seminars focusing on chocolate and dessert wine. Three seminars at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30, at Le Du's Wines, 600 Washington St between Morton and Leroy. $25. Seating is limited and reservations......

Start talking about concord grapes and thoughts often quickly turn to jelly, juice and Jewish wine. Products made with concord grapes often have an inky tint so dark that they are sometimes mistaken for containing artificial colorings. Helped by a strong resistance to cold weather, the concord grows abundantly throughout the Northeast and has a long storied tradition in spite of its less than optimal table grape characteristics. Decades ago people with last names like......

This time of the year, crops with long growth cycles are coming into the local markets in abundance. This late, late summer leaning into fall is a perfect time to enjoy the variety of melons now riding each morning on farmers' trucks. Over the last couple of weeks we have been eating “Sugar Melon” Watermelons and Cantaloupes with regularity. When the fruit is this good, little else is needed other than proper selection and the......

AOL has released their Cityguide for New York with a list of "The 2006 City's Best," some of which are a surprise and others which were not so surprising. Stone Park Cafe in Park Slope took Cityguide's top restaurant honor, beating out big names like Daniel, Le Bernardin, Per Se, and Masa. The Chef and co-owner of Stone Park told the Daily News, "We're very thrilled - winning these types of contests really attests to......

…and it’s not recommended in the Wine Room at Philip Marie (glass door), however the Pinot Noir is pretty orgasmic. The “Wine Room” is a private tiny wine cellar with dinning for two tucked away downstairs at this West Village landmark. The cellar was first discovered as a coat-check room but behind a wall revealed a secret space with a trap door leading to a series of subterranean tunnels used as a Speakeasy in......