Articles for November 6th, 2009

Mico Rodriguez is Out of the Screen Door

posted by Nancy Nichols | November 6th, 2009 6:51pm | filed under Restaurant News | 9 Comments »

That is what Teresa is Twittering. Chef David McMillan is still in the kitchen. Will Robert Columbo step in? Developing.

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New Chef Announced at Oceanaire Seafood Room in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | November 6th, 2009 1:20pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

Welcome new execuchef Aaron Valimont to The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Dallas. His resume:

Chef Valimont began his culinary career in Tacoma at The Lobster Shop, later working under Executive Chef Will MacNamara at Seattle’s Washington Athletic Club before taking his knives to the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club.  He then trained under Food and Wine “Best New Chef” Gordon Naccarato, opening The Pacific Grill in Seattle first as Sous Chef and ultimately being promoted to Pacific Grill’s Executive Chef.

His quote:

“Each day is a culinary adventure as we create our menu with the fresh seafood the market provides while emphasizing the simplicity of seasonal preparations, regionally inspired dishes and generous portion sizes,” Chef Valimont said. “In addition, our seasoned wine stewards will help select the wine that best compliments our guest’s meal.”

Go in peace.

Former Oceanaire chef Chad Kelly will be the lead chef at Shannon Wynne’s new restaurant The Moth.

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Dining Trends for 2010: A Sarcastic Look at a Silly Report. “Zing” is in and WTF is Mood Food.

posted by Nancy Nichols | November 6th, 2009 12:47pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Bacon, Celebrity Diners, Food Crime, Groceries, Hippie revolutions, hold on to your effin hat, Murmur, PR People, Sprinkles Cupcakes | 6 Comments »

vision2010_index_01_000Each year, Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co., a big-time restaurant consulting group in New York, releases their lists of foreseeable trends. It’s a fancy report that is meant to read like a technical survey, but, to me, it’s basically a round-up of what is going on now and a “prediction” that current big-city trends will spread. In short: it’s a lot of bull about pigs ears.
You can read the full report here. Below is a cheater’s sheet.

NEW PRIORITIES FOR BEATEN-UP CONSUMERS: “Too many restaurant and hotel execs are grappling with pre-recession consumer issues, while people today are expressing entirely new – and more complex — sets of concerns.” Yes, according to these guys, we (consumers) are “personal, emotional and ethical.” That throws me out of the equation, but for you this is very important. Are you familiar with your “hot buttons?” (Beat, beat.) “Hot buttons include: economic survival, reassurance, intimacy & friendship, feeding my knowledge, feeding my emotions, artisan, hand-made, neighborhood, local, authentic, real.” Cold, hard bitches need not apply to 2010. Look for this: “hotels and restaurants should be luring these hunkered down consumers from their psychological storm cellars (Cymbalta?) by replicating the “campfire experience” – building emotional ties and connecting to communities. OH GOODY, more S’MORES!

PUTTING FOCUS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MENU: Have you ever read about the psychology of menu writing? I’ll bet you didn’t know that the left side of the menu is reserved for “emotional resonance.” In case you don’t watch In Treatment, that translates into creative snacky things, small plates, food sized for one, two, or for a crowd. Sharing is the key because we need comfort and safety for intimacy and friendship. (Hmm, I usually feel safer when I get the whole cake.)

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