Articles for January 15th, 2013

Gina’s Organic Kitchen is Closed (For Now)

posted by Carol Shih | January 15th, 2013 3:30pm | filed under As the Restaurant Turns, Business, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News |

My attempt to order from Gina’s resulted in four busy signals and one sad email reply. Gina’s Organic Kitchen is closed. The delivery service for gourmet, healthy food started at the end of November last year, and pretty soon after that, I fell in love with owner Gina Villalobos’ airy raspberry chia mousse. It was heavenly.

Villalobos just emailed to say that business is not going so well. “I am heartbroken to tell you that at the moment our financial partner has decided to go in a different direction and has moved to Europe. So currently we’re exploring our options.”

According to Villalobos’ press woman, this not-so-nice financial partner surprised Villalobos by leaving town and leaving Gina “devastated.”

Any of you folks out there have a rich uncle, sitting on millions, who’d like to partner with Gina’s Organic Kitchen and save her restaurant? Email gina@ginasok.com.

Village Marquee – Texas Bar & Grill Signs New Chef: Andre Natera

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 15th, 2013 11:51am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Whac-A-Mole Chefs | 8 Comments »

Chef Andre Natera. (Photography by Danny Fulgencio)

We all knew it would take some big clogs to fill in the void created when Tre Wilcox resigned from his duties at the Village Marquee Texas Bar & Grill. Owner Mark Hearl has done a fine job filling them. He just hired former Pyramid execuchef Andre Natera. Hearl says Natera will start on February 1 and will be implementing his style of modern Texas cuisine. It looks like Natera will be cooking downstairs in the cozy restaurant while Hearl creates a new concept for the space upstairs. Good news from the most expensive restaurant real estate in Dallas.

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Game Time: Guess Which Dallas Restaurant Makes This Pasta

posted by Carol Shih | January 15th, 2013 11:04am | filed under Desiree Espada, Free Stuff!, game, party | 51 Comments »

It’s cold outside, and nobody wants to go out. Let’s play a game, shall we? The person who correctly guesses where this pasta dish comes from will win a surprise prize, picked by yours truly. (Update: The restaurant has offered to give away a gift certificate.)

At the end of the week (Friday at noon), I’ll announce the origins of this photo and the winner will receive an email. Sound good? Good. Let the games begin.

Mystery pasta dish (photography by Desiree Espada)

Update on 1/18/13: This baked chicken Parmesan pasta comes from….[drum roll, please]… CiCi’s Pizza. Desiree shot this prototype/test idea that was made in a CiCi’s outside of Dallas. Tricky, I know. CiCi’s is currently developing three other pastas – carbonara, Italian meatball, and roasted garlic veggie – that they might launch. Some of you guys (like the Olive Garden guesser) came pretty close. I’m impressed. We’ll do this again, but not with a prototype. I promise not to be as mean next time.

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Marc Cassel’s 20 Feet To Open in a Week(ish)

posted by Tim Rogers | January 15th, 2013 10:14am | filed under Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

I popped in yesterday to see how Marc Cassel and his wife, Suzan Fries, were doing at 20 Feet, their much-anticipated casual seafood joint on Peavy Road, next to Goodfriend. The roof had sprung a leak, and their freezer, bought at auction, was on the fritz. They seemed sanguine about the setbacks, though, and said they were shooting to open next week. Cassel was making a late lunch for him and missus. Pork belly sandwiches. He asked if I cared for one, but I declined so as not compromise my journalistic objectivity. When he wasn’t looking, I snapped this picture of a shopping list dated January 7. One can only hope that the Post-It Notes and toner cartridge have been procured.

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My Five Cents: Tiffany Derry Resigns From Private Social to Make More Money

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 15th, 2013 9:07am | filed under As the Restaurant Turns, Bad Names For Restaurants List, Celebrity Chefs, restaurant business news, Restaurant News, Whac-A-Mole Chefs | 15 Comments »

Tiffany Derry packs her scallops.(Photography by Kevin Marple)

Yesterday executive chef Tiffany Derry told Leslie Brenner her time at Private Social has “been great,” but she has “some goals and dreams [she] wants to pursue.”Derry goes on to say she “ doesn’t believe in being 20 different places; I like to do things well.”

Does anyone see a trend here? Our local chefs who appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef don’t seem to stay in a restaurant with their name on the marquee (sorry) too long. It makes me wonder what kind of stipulations and requirements the producers of Top Chef put on contestants. Tre Wilcox lasted a year at Marquee. Casey Thompson? Maybe that long at Brownstone. Now Tiffany.

Here’s my take. I think chefs who appear on Top Chef get a lot of endorsement offers from all kinds of companies. Like athletes who excel, chefs get offers to represent cookware, food vendors, and private chef events. And consulting gigs. Which pay a lot of money. Sharon Hage closed York St. and (probably) makes more money now on consulting gigs. Her name on the menu of a bowling alley heightens the image. And she doesn’t have to sling hot pans until midnight. And she wasn’t even on national TV.

I spoke with Wilcox after he stepped down from his high-profile gig at Marquee, and he didn’t confirm my theory, but it was easy to tell from listening to him: Working in a high-profile restaurant is hard work. Marquee was open breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Tre can make more money in less time working out of his house. So can Tiffany. And lord knows Casey has worked herself into a comfy gig. (Last week she tweeted: “Just watching #TopChef anymore gives me an ulcer. Way to many fed lines and bickering. Sigh. I may be done.”

Bravo is tight lipped about how long a contestant must make appearances in the show’s name after they’ve shipped their knives home. After appearing on Next Food Network Star, Lisa Garza wasn’t “allowed” to pursue just any dream, for a certain time period, that dream had to be approved. Blythe Beck appeared on her own show on Oxygen and returned home to mark time at Central 214 until she could go. What is she doing? Private cheffing and consulting.

It’s just a thought. A new opportunity for chefs that wasn’t there for young chefs a few years ago. Your thoughts?

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