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Chef François Fotre, R.I.P.

Chef François Fotre passed away on Tuesday June 30th from heart complications. He is survived by his wife Catherine, 15-year old son Antoine, and 14-year old daughter, Julia. Catherine and François, classically trained chefs, founded La Mirabelle in 1997. In March, 2007, François was involved a serious motorcycle accident and spent months recovering in Parkland Hospital. At the time, Fotre was the chef at the Catalina Room on Lemmon.

Here is the official information from the family:

There will be a visitation Sunday, July 5th from 7 to 9 pm at Turrentine Jackson & Morrow (2525 Central Expressway. Allen, TX  75013. 972-542-2601) Funeral mass will take place Monday, July 6 at 10:00 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church (7000 Morningstar
The Colony, TX  75056. 972-625-5252.

Services will be followed by a reception at the church. If you like to participate in the preparation of the reception, please call 214-217-2818.

If you attend and are a chef, please wear your “chef’s best” to honor François and to reaffirm our commitment and friendship to the great profession that we have chosen.

Please keep Catherine, Antoine and Julia in your prayers.

Hey Jennifer, Why Did You Let Tom Colicchio Throw Me Under a Bus?

I was out of the office all day yesterday and returned to find an inbox with several notes from upset friends. The messages basically said “I can’t believe what Jennifer did to you in the Tom Colicchio interview” and “DallasFood.org said Tom Colicchio threw you under a bus!”

So, I just sat down and read Jennifer’s interview with Craft Dallas’ Tom Colicchio in which he says that last year I printed “some gossip that wasn’t accurate at all.”

This is a long story and  it goes back to last spring when rumors were swirling around Dallas that N9NE and Craft were in trouble. I was in Aspen for the Food and Wine Festival. At the opening night soiree, a lot of Dallas folks in attendance and several big names in the Dallas restaurant biz came up to me and said, “Craft is changing to Craftbar.”

The next morning, I went straight to Tom Colicchio and asked him point blank. I printed his reply verbatim. Two weeks later, my cell phone rings and it is TC. He calls me a rumormonger because I speculated that something might change. Read the old report. What? I can’t voice an opinion? I don’t think I printed “some gossip that wasn’t accurate at all.”

What. Ever. So, we talked about an hour–specifically about blogging and how it differs from print product and how things on the Internet can get out of hand so fast–and ended on nice terms. He said if I ever needed to ask him a question, fire away. He is a man of his word.

Fast forward to a month or so ago. I get an e-mail from Craft’s local PR firm. They are interested in holding the SideDish Supper Club at Craft. I wrote (paraphrasing) “I called you folks before to get TC to do a SDSC and nobody called me back.” PR gal says lemme get back to you. She e-mails back and says TC is coming to town to do a wine dinner. Do I wanna talk to him? I say, sure.

Then a SideDish reader leaves a comment under the announcement of said wine dinner intimating that TC is no longer the owner of Craft Dallas. It reads, “Now that he [Colicchio] no longer owns the place, and signed a licensing agreement with the owners of the hotel, he is contractually obligated to be at the restaurant X times per year. What a shame.”

SO, as a recovering rumormonger and a woman of my word, I e-mailed the PR gal and asked her to verify or deny what the commenter said. I copy and pasted the comment and wrote: “Someone left this comment on the blog. Could you confirm or deny. I don’t want to leave comment out there if it isn’t true. Thanks, Nancy.”

The next day I get this reply from local PR gal: “I want to be sure to clarify that Tom is not doing a series of dinners at Craft. He’ll be part of the wine dinner next week, but each time he’s in Dallas, we expect his agenda to be different. In fact, with the filming of “Top Chef,” we’re not even sure when he’ll be able to make it back to Dallas again this year. Also, Tom’s name is still on the restaurant, and he is very much involved with the concept and menu. We would love to talk more about hosting SideDish’s Supper Club at Craft!”

I took a pass on talking to Colicchio because I originally (January) wanted to explore the idea of doing a Supper Club and that wasn’t going to happen  because he would have just thrown his own wine dinner. And frankly, I didn’t appreciate getting such a flabby answer from the  TC folks.

And that’s the facts.

The Next Food Network Star Episode 4: Total Dallas Mel Domination

In this week’s episode of The Next Food Network Star, someone gets whacked with a sheet tray, someone channels Something About Mary during judging, someone serves raw burgers, and someone TOTALLY DOMINATES. Jump for it.

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Parigi Takes a Annual Team Parigi Vacation

Three years ago, Parigi closed for a week around the 4th of July. The staff pulled together for a massive remodel. They got so much done and developed such a great team spirit, they decided to make it an annual event.

Starting Friday, July 3, Parigi will close and the staff will take recent input from their customers, employees, and friends, and make some adjustments to the restaurant. They will re-open on July 10th. “We’ve got some fun changes planned this year,” said Chef Chad Hauser. “Here’s a hint: circles, beautiful fabrics, and marble.”

And ice cream. Hauser promises to serve the winning recipe from the Mama Ida Ice Cream Social competition.

Top Chef Masters Episode Three: Pretty Offal

Buh-bom, ching! Yes, last night’s ep focused on offal, and it also focused on Rick Bayless a whole bunch. I thought they were going to pull one of the Bravo switch-a-rooskie, where they show one person every five seconds and then someone else comes out on top. Was that the case? Jump for the recap.

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Cobb Switch Barbecue is Having a Party

Sent to you via me: “Phil & Janet Cobb, Blair Black, Dotty Griffith and Chris Andrews invite you to join them in celebrating the grand opening of Cobb Switch Barbecue.”

The soiree takes place this Saturday, June 27, from 11a.m. to 4:00p.m. There will be live music, $1 margaritas, and raffle drawings to benefit the North Texas Food Bank. Current DMN dining critic, Leslie Brenner, will demonstrate how to make a perfect aioli at 2:00 p.m. If you are still reading this, that last line was not true. Head up to 2625 Old Denton Rd. (Northwest corner of George Bush Turnpike) in Carrollton. 214-483-3600.

The Next Food Network Star Episode Three: Dallas Mel Still Going Strong

I’m back for episode three after taking an unintentional break from TNFNS last week. And boy, some of these people are trainwrecks already. It’s only the third ep and we’ve got dudes crying, snarkiness in the kitchen, lying, and more throwing under the bus. Jump for it.

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Monday Morning Rant: “Fake” Tomatoes in East Texas Broke My Heart

Tomatoes should be fun, not depressing.

Buy local. Eat seasonal. Hug a farmer. Kiss a chef. When the economy gets tough, we love our neighbors, right? As mighty “Agent Orange” Monsanto poisons our bodies with abused cattle, chickens, and ugly carpet, we turn to each other and clasp hands in unity. WE SHALL FIGHT YOU WITH OUR ORGANIC GARDENS! THE CHICKEN WE PUT IN OUR POT WILL LIVE IN OUR BACKYARDS! BASIL IS THE NEW PARSLEY!

It’s all a lovely idea and great mantra to live by. Facing shrinking 401-ks would be easier if people could be nicer to each other, right? Put on your best John Belushi: But, nooooooooo.

This morning, I am disillusioned. The older I get, the more I want to get in a red time machine and go back to the peace-love-and-Woodstock of the ‘70s. I know I can’t and I know I have to put yesterday behind me. I need to get on down the road.

Oh, yesterday? Let me back up. (more…)

Carolina Galvan-Rodriguez is Opening Another Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine in Plano

Somebody tell Carolina Galvan-Rodriguez that we are in a down economy—she is opening four new restaurants before August 4th. Wednesday night she debuted Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine in North Dallas. (I’d show you the pictures we took, but I can’t find the photographer. Nice work, Dude.)

Minutes ago, I learned that the second location of Carolina’s (at 75 and Parker in Plano) will open Friday, June 26th. Then, in late July, the former wife of MCrowd founder Mico Rodiguez, will open her first location of Taco Mundo at Preston Royal and a second location on August 4th. The location of the second Taco Mundo must be top secret—it wasn’t in the press release. Neither was the menu. Go. Eat. Report.

All The Cookie News That’s Fit to Print: Creme de la Cookie Opens in Snider Plaza in Dallas

My Red-Headed Woodpecker prefers nuts to cookies.

First comes news that the FDA is suggesting that consumers should not eat refrigerated raw cookie dough or bake the Nestle Toll House products because there could be a risk of spreading E.coli through handling or on food-preparation surfaces. There haven’t been any deaths reported, but the government has received 66 reports of illness in 28 states. (Is there a slight chance that these folks ate the whole package?) This morning, Nestle issued a voluntary recall. Hmm.

However, there is some good cookie news. Yesterday,  a little bird flew into the Dan Koller’s office upstairs and sang to Overheard: Crème de la Cookie is opening in Snider Plaza. It didn’t take long for super sleuthly songbird TG  to tweet about the sweet shop. I’ll bet Leslie “Catch a Falling Star” Brenner is already typing the back story of this “delectable journey for your taste buds.” (I wonder if J.T. Lemley  will deliver tomatoes to you while you wait.) Anywhoo, they open today in the space formerly known as Doughmonkey.

Want To Be a TV Star: Here’s Your Chance

Gala Films, a Canadian production company, is producing a new documentary TV series to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network here in the states and in Canada this summer. It’s called My Last 24 and it focuses on people who are following their dreams despite the challenges.

They are looking for a restaurant that is opening in July. They want an owner who doesn’t have previous restaurant ownership experience. They’d love someone that is coming at this from a totally different career but they would also consider a waiter or someone who worked in the kitchen and then decided to open their own place. They are willing to film anywhere in Texas if they find the right story. They will film the week leading up to the opening and then the opening event.

Is it you? Then contact Stacy at Gala Films (Mylast24@gmail.com). Here’s a look at what they are about.

Top Chef: Masters Episode Two: Less Boring Than Last Week

This isn’t going to be a long recap. I didn’t take notes last night, because I thought I might be giving up on Top Chef Masters, because Tim Love isn’t on anymore, and I was kinda bored last week. But I just turned it on for a second last night and ended up watching the whole thing. I thought it was much more interesting than last week, partially because I just wanted to see what Wylie Dufresne could come up with. Jump if you want.

Photo courtesy of Bravotv.com. (Sidenote: Kelly Choi: prettier than Padma? Discuss.)

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Rene Peeters Emerges: He Will Reopen Watel’s and Two New Businesses on Lower Greenville.

When Watel’s, the charming cozy French bistro in the Allen Street Cottage closed on April 12th, many insiders felt owner Rene Peeters was getting out of the business. He has spent the last few months holding special occasion meals at different locations around town. Today, he outlines his new grand plan. “I have signed leases in the Lower Greenville area,” says Peeters, “Within the next few months I will open three venues.”

First, he’s opening a café and market with casual dining at moderate prices. “The recipes will be a reflection of my world upbringing and travels,” said Peeters. “Some dishes will be authentic; some will be  creative. The size of the portions will be suitable for mezze-tapas-sushi bar-style dining. The menu will change daily.”  The market side will be small and feature food and nonfood items from around the world. There will be pastries, breads, prepared dishes, and deli dishes all made on premises plus canned, jarred, and dry goods. Other items include “trinkets and practical items” from around the world. Peeters describes them as “fair-market-minimal-or-no-middlemen-eco-friendly-green-hipfit-help-poor-tribes” items.

The café and market will be called World Piece.

Next door, Peeters will open an antique store and art gallery that will double as an events space.  “I hope to call it “A Few of my Favorite Things,” says Peeters. “I hope I don’t get sued by Rodgers or Hammerstein estates.”

His third business, on Lewis Street near Greenville, will be the reopening of Watel’s, a white tablecloth dining room also available for private parties and events.

SideDish Tasters Event: Zinsky’s Deli

Mark Brezinski and chef Lex Berlin

Last night was the Friends and Family Official Tasting Party for Zinsky’s Deli. Thanks to owners  Liz and Jim “Blue Mesa” Baron and Mark “Bengal Coast” Brezinski, a group of SideDishers were allowed to come  to taste and judge chef Lex Berlin’s current recipes for the restaurant. The event was held at Brezinski’s Bengal Coast restaurant at the Centrum.

Liz and Jim Baron

The room was loaded with industry folks: Sharon Hage, Mary Kimbrough, Tina Wasserman, Bonnie Itzig, Robert and Meaders Ozarow (Empire Bakery did the bagels), and Texas Rangers radio broadcaster Eric Nadel and InsideCorner’s Evan Grant stopped by after the game.

Here is the photo gallery. Click on the picture below and then select slideshow:

SideDish Tasters Choice: Zinsky's

Jump for my tasting notes.

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Top Chef Masters Recap: Bye Bye Love

I had high hopes for Top Chef Masters. You know I love all things TC, and this sounded like the ultimate. Master chefs competing against each other. Possibilities seemed endless. The egos! The culinary artistry! The complex personalities! And a local chef, to boot. Well, the good news is, chef Tim Love was super likeable and presented himself very well. He had perhaps the only dramatic moment in the entire show, and he recovered quite admirably.

Jump for the recap.

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The Next Food Network Star Recap: Go, Dallas (Keller) Mel

Last night was the first episode of the Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star. Naturally, there’s a Dallas-ish contestant: Melissa d’Arabian from Keller, Texas. Please tell me someone else watched besides me and my long-suffering BF. This show bores the pants off me. But thank G, our gal Mel looks like she’s got some star potential. Jump for the recap.

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Dress For Success: Blythe Beck Gets Ready For Her Reality TV Close Up on The Naughty Kitchen

Dress For Success: Chef Blythe Beck and Rose Room drag queen Edna Jean Robinson

We sent our editorial intern, Kellyn Curtis, over to Central 214 last Thursday to get a sneak peak of the Oxygen crew filming chef Blythe Beck’s every move for her soon-to-debut show The Naughty Kitchen wit Blythe Beck. Kellyn files this report:

By now, you’ve probably heard about Central 214’s executive chef Blythe Beck and her quest for Total World Culinary Domination. And you’ve probably heard about the reality show Oxygen is filming about the feisty red head, “The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck.” But you probably haven’t heard much more than that. Filming for the reality show takes place pretty much everyday at the swanky Hotel Palomar, and Thursday night was no exception.

Chef Beck’s kitchen got a little less naughty as cameramen documented Showdown in D Town benefiting Dress for Success, an organization that gets money in the pockets of women who need it most so they can get back into the workplace. Beck premiered her new poolside menu while guests downed signature cocktails and bid on luxury items during the live auction hosted by a drag queen. (more…)

Quick Review: Cobb Switch BBQ in Carrollton

Three meat platter with two sides is $10.49.

Wednesday I drove  to Carrollton to meet my part-time colleague and media buddy, Teresa “Taco” Gubbins of PegNews,  for lunch. We decided to go to Cobb Switch BBQ. Sure we wanted to eat there, but secretly we were hoping to find former DMN dining critic Dotty Griffith behind the steam table. Dotty is part of Cobb Switch’s team of heavy hitters that  includes restaurant veterans Phil and Janet Cobb (Mi Piaci, Salve), Janet’s son Blair Black, and Chris Andrews (Holy Smokes). It would have been so delicious to watch Dotty scooping barbecued beans.

Pulled pork Frito pie.

Surprisingly, our overall experience wasn’t delicious. A few standouts—the St. Louis style ribs and the sliced brisket were ruby red, smoky, and tender. The pulled pork was a pile of short crispy pieces of pork—not one over an inch long. Teresa noted “the bacony flavor” which was a good thing, but it was tough to chew, much less swallow. The potato casserole topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, and chives was cold and the thinly sliced potatoes were watery. The Frito pie would have been nice if the Fritos hadn’t been stale (old?), which is weird because we watched them open the bag.

Key lime pie was pretty and pretty sweet.

Desserts were disastrous—the key lime pie was too sweet (I liked it more than TG) and the banana butterscotch pudding was a bowl of bland soupy custard with no distinctive flavor of banana or butterscotch.

The interior is fine—they didn’t have to do much to the old space as it was vacated by another barbecue joint. Lots of corrugated tin and wood. However, the booth pads could have been updated—mine was ripped in front and scraped the back of my legs. Phil Cobb was there for a few minutes but didn’t recognize us, but I got the feeling Blair Black and Chris Andrews did—the staff of the self-service restaurant kept coming to the table to see if we needed anything.

The cushions in the booths are ripped and scratch the back of your legs.

Cobb Switch is still in their soft opening phase. The “hard, grand opening” is tentatively scheduled for June 6th. Certainly Chris Andrews can pull this together and I’m sure Dotty will get the pork fixed by then. She makes the best I’ve ever tasted.

The Food Stalkers: Sprinkles Cupcakes Sends Samples to D Magazine. Lots of Employees Eat Them.

D Magazine workers think Sprinkles are the breast.

Sprinkles Cupcakes sends dozens of cupcakes to this office all of the time. When the box arrives, our lovely and somewhat talent receptionist sends out a company- wide notice: “Yuckcakes in the kitchen!!! (Like BA:  always three, never four !!!’s.)

The arrival is preceded by an e-mail from Beth Hudson St. Lawrence at The Y Group. She includes a cheery note:  “Tuesday treats will arrive for you courtesy of  Sprinkles Cupcakes. Enjoy!”

I never enjoy them because every time—no exaggerations—I eat even half of one, I get stomach cramps. Several times I have asked Beth to stop the deliveries but she doesn’t listen.

Today we received the Summer Cherry cupcakes. Instead of the usual groans coming out of the kitchen, I heard oohs and aahs. “They’re different,” harked one voice I didn’t recognize (probably an intern). “Oh, I love this strawberry,” cooed another. So I marched in and made people taste them and then I polled the office for comments. Jump for a very scientific study of Sprinkles Cupcakes and the effects they have on the workers of D Magazine.

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Restaurant Review: The Lazare You Will Never Know

My review of Lazare went to press on April 27^th. On Thursday, May 7th, I wrote a post on SideDish adding some notes and quotes from the interviews I conducted with partner Russell Hayward and then chef David Gilbert that didn’t make it into the review. Innocent enough, right? Wrong.

The next day, Friday, I learned that Gilbert had left the kitchen on the previous Monday, and despite the Thursday mini-review, nobody from Lazare called to inform me of the change. Instead of returning my call, Mr. Hayward talked to Leslie Brenner at the DMN and said he’d decided on a new chef (sous chef Ryan Carbery was named executive chef)  and then he jumped on a plane and headed to Australia for two weeks. I was mad as a wet hen.

So last week when rumors were floating around that the folks behind Lazare were shopping around for professional advice on reconcepting and retooling the restaurant, I called the money behind the project, Bill Hutchinson. He was in Carmel on vacation but he admitted they were looking for help, going to go with more bar food, and perhaps look at doing something completely different. I asked if Hayward was still involved (I’d heard he was on the outs with Hutchinson) and Hutchinson said Hayward was still “in the restaurant every day.”

Who knows, by the time you read this the restaurant could be a Pei Wei and we can all get on with our lives. But for the sake of posterity, I offer you my review of Lazare. Not because we spent a lot of time and money reviewing the restaurant, but because I will miss it. The food was delicious.

The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek: Who Will Replace John Tesar?

Things have been awfully quiet over at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. I’m sure the chef-shocked management team is still licking their Tesar-inflicted wounds and looking for a candidate to carry them back to the top. To this press boxer, the silence can only be bad news for chef David Gilbert. You remember Gilbert, the recent chef of Lazare (more later). Gilbert was rumored to take the top spot at “The Creek.”

Now mind you, nothing above is official, it’s only my speculation. For all I know, Gilbert is a consideration.  Tesar left the folks at the Mansion with a PR nightmare. They must be careful to pick a respectful personality for their dining room. You’d think with all of the Mansion alums cooking around town, one of them would jump at the chance. (The job has health benefits.) If I were managing director, Duncan Graham, I know who I’d go auld lang syne for this guy. But I’m not Mr. Graham.

Meet Your New Wine Columnist Hayley Hamilton

It’s been an exciting  six years as D Magazine’s wine columnist. I have tasted some amazing wines, interviewed fabulous winemakers, and explored the wine regions of the world. It’s been a fun run, but now that I am pregnant (surprise!), I feel it is time to simplify and take a break. Don’t worry. We have found a more-than-qualified replacement. You probably already know Hayley Hamilton from her quarterly wine club Dallas Uncorked. Well now she will be blogging and keeping you up-to-date on all the wines you need to know about about (and a few to avoid). Please help me welcome her and check out her first official SideDish post about Bill Easton, owner/winemaker of Domaine de la Terre Rouge and EASTON Wines. Follow the jump for her report.

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Cousin’s Barbecue in Fort Worth Loses “Good Morning America Weekend’s Barbecue Challenge”

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse, New York beat out Cousin’s Barbecue in Fort Worth Texas, Woody’s Smoke Shack in Des Moines Iowa, and Archibald’s Barbeque in Northpole, Alabama to win “Good Morning America Weekend’s Barbecue Challenge.” According to this report, only 7,500 viewers voted and 4,000 went to Dinosaur. IJS.

Bizarre Foods on Travel Channel Spotlights Bizaree Foods in Dallas and Fort Worth

Andrew Zimmern came to Dallas and ate at the Texas State Fair. He also hit Lonesome Dove in Fort Worth. You can see his report on Bizarre Foods next Tuesday night (9 pm) on the Travel Channel. Want a sneak peak? Aqui esta.

SideDish Goes to Chicago: Photo Essay Wrap Up

Bon Bi Bim Bap has 1,000 “stores” in Korea and five in SoCal. They want you now.

Korean cabbage quesadillas were a big hit.

One day at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago was enough for me and I didn’t even see one tenth of the exhibits. Instead of doing a written wrap up, I’ve posted a photo essay with comments. I will say this: Korean food is the new Latin and kimchi is the new salsa. Most talked about food item on the floor: Korean cabbage quesadillas (pictured). IJS.

Here are the pictures.

Here is the song you will be singing soon.