Iron Chef Morou Sounds Pretty Good

The Food Network is looking for the next Iron Chef, and what better way to find the next big anything than to launch a reality show?

"The Next Iron Chef" will premiere on the Food Network in October, and among the eight contenders is the D.C. area's very own Morou Ouattara. (That's him at right, generously hugging Bobby Flay on "Iron Chef America" after Morou was robbed in Battle Frozen Peas.)

The chef and owner of Alexandria's Farrah Olivia will duke it out with seven other chefs for the honor of joining Mario Batali, Cat Cora, Masaharu Morimoto and Flay as an Iron Chef.

"We have chosen a group of chefs who we believe to be at the forefront of the culinary landscape, each of whom could stand proudly beside Bobby, Mario, Morimoto and Cat as a new Iron Chef," says Bob Tuschman, senior vice president of the network's programming and production. "In our quest, we are looking for an individual to complement the current group and bring a unique blend of innovation, creativity and passion to the show, which is currently the highest-rated program on the network."

Also competing are John Besh of New Orleans, executive chef of Restaurant August, Besh Steak, Luke and La Provence; Chris Cosentino of San Francisco, executive chef of Incanto; Jill Davie of Santa Monica, Calif., executive chef of JOSIE; Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco, executive chef and co-owner of Jardiniere, Mijita and Acme Chophouse; Gavin Kaysen of San Diego, chef de cuisine of El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn; Aaron Sanchez of New York City, executive chef and owner of Centrico and Paladar; and Michael Symon of Cleveland, executive chef and owner of Lola and Lolita. (See a photo of the whole crew here.)

Judges will be Michael Ruhlman, Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appetit and Donatella Arpaia, restaurateur and owner of New York's davidburke&donatella and Anthos.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ENTERTAIN } For The Love Of Salt

Image
I'm bidding a reluctant adieu to summer on this first day of fall and looking back with fond memories on one of the season's highlights — our Summer Salt Fest at the Gordy's Pickle Jar headquarters. Ever since opening Salt & Sundry three years ago, I've been dreaming of a down-home party that celebrates all things salty. With the perfect partners in crime, Sarah and Sheila of Gordy's, and my phenomenal team at Salt & Sundry, we hosted a gathering of good friends and toasted our shared love of salt. The feast included fried chicken, boiled peanuts ( made by my husband !), Rappahannock' s Olde Salt oysters, deviled eggs topped with Gordy's Sweet Pepper Relish, and probably the best fried pickles I've ever eaten (yes, I've eaten a lot) ... Gordy's Sweet Chips and Cajun Okra dipped in roasted garlic aioli. There was crisp Virginia rosé from Early Mountain Vineyards , local brews from 3 Stars and DC Brau , and a watermelon cooler tha...
keep reading »

STYLE } Bar Styling Tips with Framebridge

Image
  I've always been noncommittal when it come to putting anything on my walls. Art? Photos? Prints? But what if I change my mind? Add the hassle of framing something and voila, a growing pile of unframed prints and photos gathers dust on a shelf. So I much appreciated a recent gentle nudge from friends at  Framebridge , a DC-based company that's making it easier and less expensive to get those pretty-if-neglected pieces framed and on display. We hung out at my place, whipped up some Green Hat gin and tonics, and I shared tips for stocking and styling your bar at home. (Any old table will do!) And yes, I actually put a nail in the wall and hung a print. Head this way for my full interview with Framebridge . Cheers! all photos by  Laura Metzler Photography  for Framebridge
keep reading »

Hello Cupcake Opens

Image
Cupcakes await the first customers at Hello Cupcake For a sweet spot in this final week of August, head to Hello Cupcake , which opens at 10 a.m. today at 1351 Connecticut Ave. NW. I had the chance to sample a few flavors with owner Penny Karas. The fluffy icing on the peanut butter blossom (above) is seriously addictive, and the seasonal root beer flavor is a delightful surprise with spicy root beer cake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting. I'm going for a Velvet Elvis, banana cake with peanut butter frosting, next. There are gluten-free and vegan options on the menu, as well. Check out all the flavors here . Metrocurean photo
keep reading »