Latest news with #culinary
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Your perfect week: what to do in Hong Kong, June 22-28
This one-Michelin-starred champion of culinary sustainability has unveiled a reimagined menu celebrating nature's bounty with seasonally inspired dishes. Executive chef Joris Rousseau has crafted two curated tasting menus, one with 10 courses, the second with 14, featuring highlights such as the earthy beetroot, bamboo and fig leaf with Osciètre caviar, and the spiny lobster slow-cooked in beeswax and paired with French chili péyi.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Where does pepper come from? All about the spice, plus a delicious pepper crab recipe
Of all the spices, pepper is probably the most ubiquitous. Green peppercorns, white peppercorns and black peppercorns come from the same plant – the Piper nigrum vine. The stage at which they are picked and how they are processed determines the colour. The green peppercorn is the unripe fruit and it can be used fresh, dried or pickled. It is aromatic and hot, but not as strong as black or white peppercorns. Black peppercorns are also unripe, but the fruit has been processed, fermented and dried in a way that develops the flavour – making it more pungent than the green variety – and turns the exterior black and wrinkled. Green peppercorns are the unripe fruit of the Piper nigrum vine. Photo: Shutterstock White peppercorns are made from the fully ripe fruit, which is processed and the exterior removed, leaving only the white core. White pepper is the strongest and hottest of the three, and a little goes a long way. It is used in pale sauces, where the dark specks from ground black pepper would be unsightly. The Piper nigrum vine can also yield red peppercorns – which should not be mistaken for pink peppercorns as those come from a different plant – but these are very rare.
Bloomberg
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
The Best Restaurant in the World? It's the Peruvian-Japanese Maido in Lima
Drumroll, please, for the best restaurant in the world: It's Maida, in Lima, Peru. The annual ranking of the World's 50 Best Restaurants was announced this evening at Lingotto Fiere in Turin. The top pick is a 16-year-old restaurant led by chef Mitsuharu Tsumura that specializes in a singular style of Nikkei cuisine, the combination of Peruvian and Japanese flavors and influences. Tsumura's menu prioritizes seafood, with dishes like raw razor clams in a ponzu emulsion with truffle oil and tuna nirigi with shoyu-infused cured egg yolks and toasted quinoa. The Maido experience starts at 1190 Peruvian sols, or around $331.
CNET
a day ago
- General
- CNET
The 20 Most Pointless Kitchen Gadgets, According to Chefs
If you've ever worked in a professional kitchen, you know how valuable space is. There's simply no room for single-function gadgets that barely get uses, or worse, don't do much of anything at all. If you can't stand clutter -- and wasting money -- you should think about your kitchen in the same way. Avoiding overrated and useless tools is a good place to start. To find out which kitchen tools aren't worth the space they occupy, I turned to five professional chefs. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to. Here's what they said. Masaharu Morimoto Celebrity chef, restauranteur Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool. Dave Kotinsky/Stringer/Getty 1. Mandolin Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe." What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife. Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a gimmicky kitchen tool when he sees one. Institute of Culinary Education 2. Onion holders Why: "These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it's meant to help you hold a whole onion and "chop" it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won't roll away. If you're trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork." What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way. 3. Onion goggles Save your money -- and some dignity -- and skip the onion goggles. Rubberball/Mike Kemp/Getty Why: "A waste of money, as they don't form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead." What to try instead: CNET's Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying. 4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards Glass, stone and metal boards are OK for serving but when it comes to slicing and dicing, wood is the way to go. David Watsky/CNET Why: "Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly." What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options. 5. Chicken shredder Why: "I can't think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant, and even restaurants don't use it. This item only has one purpose, so I'd skip it." What to try instead: Two forks. 6. Herb stripper Why: "I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young, I got suckered into believing this tool would help me… It's been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now." What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow. 7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer Instant read meat probes work fast and don't require fussy Bluetooth connection. Chris Wedel/CNET Why: "These are a great tool, but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals." What to try instead: ThermoPro's Lightning Instant Read Thermometer Cookbook author and lifestyle expert Cookbook author Peter Som didn't hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools. Peter Som 8. Electric can opener A manual can opener is cheaper, works great and is less likely to break. Nelson Aguilar/CNET Why: "Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they're more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean, and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual." What to try instead: Oxo's soft-handled can opener. Richard Ingraham Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebs like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. John Parra/Gett 9. Avocado slicer Why: "A knife and spoon do the job just as easily, and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It's a one-trick pony that clutters drawers." What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof. 10. Egg separator Separating an egg by hand isn't so that difficult that it requires hardware. Yipengge/Getty Why: "A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks." The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks. What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well. 11. Garlic peeler tube Why: "Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget." What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable. 12. Pizza scissors Chef Ingraham says skip the scissors on pizza night. Zoranm/Getty Why: "A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they're worth." What to try instead: KitchenAid's stainless-steel pizza wheel. 13. Herb scissors Why: "They're hard to clean and don't offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef's knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them." What to try instead: Made In's 8-inch Chef Knife. 14. Electric egg cooker Why: "Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove." What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave. 15. Butter cutter and dispenser A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance. Williams Sonoma Why: "It slices sticks of butter into pats… but why? A knife works instantly, and you don't have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it." What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade. 16. Pasta measurer Why: "It's a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It's not worth the drawer space." What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements. 17. Oil mister Why: "Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration." What to try instead: World Market's olive oil cruet. 18. Electric potato peeler A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to skin a batch of potatoes. Capelle.r/Getty Why: "Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it's overkill unless you're peeling dozens of potatoes at once." What to try instead: Oxo's Swivel peeler. 19. Bagel guillotine Why: "Sold as a safer way to slice bagels, but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine." What to try instead: Opinel's 8-inch bread knife. Jackie Carnesi Executive chef, Kellogg's Diner Jackie Carnesi StarChefs 20. Oven mitts There's a reason pro chefs don't use oven mitts. Webstaurant Why: "Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen! A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it's more likely to be washed regularly. I don't know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough... it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn't warrant regular cleaning. It does." What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
These Are The 12 Best Chefs In America For 2025 Honored With James Beard Awards
Prize winning Chefs selected in America getty When it comes to one of the highest honors in the culinary world, the James Beard Awards lead the pack and are among the most coveted awards a restaurant and chef can receive. This week, the James Beard Foundation announced its Best Chef Award winners for 2025 at its 35th annual celebration in Chicago. The James Beard Awards are among the nation's most prestigious honors in the culinary industry. They recognize exceptional talent as well as a commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive. According to Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, the Foundation is excited to celebrate outstanding achievement while continuing to build on its mission of "These outstanding professionals are the epitome of Good Food for Good®, elevating our industry's standards and redefining what's possible in American cuisine." This year's winning chefs set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions. Here are the Best Chef Winners for the 2025 James Beard Awards: Chef Jon Yao (C) and team at Kato Kato Restaurant Interior Kato Restaurant Kato Restaurant (One Michelin Star) Located in an industrial space in Downtown Los Angeles, Chef Jon Yao crafts contemporary cuisine rooted in the Taiwanese flavors of his childhood. At the heart of his kitchen is a wood-fired stove, where he choreographs a 12-course tasting menu over three hours. The high-end experience is complemented by a remarkable wine list featuring over 3,000 selections and a cocktail service that showcases signature drinks, including their own private-label Kavalan whisky. Chef Noah Sandoval in the kitchen of Oriole Oriole Interior Oriole Restaurant in Chicago Oriole (Two Michelin Stars) Located in a former warehouse, guests enter through a converted freight elevator, where Chef Noah Sandoval serves up a unique blend of French and Japanese cuisine. According to Michelin Guide, 'Chef Noah Sandoval and team execute a thoughtful tasting menu that blends French and Japanese elements. Begin with an aperitif and small bites in the impressive bar area, with the likes of a maitake mushroom and ricotta tartlet. Move to the dining room with a luscious canapé of foie gras mousse, then the meal begins in earnest. A composition of lightly cooked beets with sake lees, sea buckthorn, and puffed wild rice shows a delicate balance of flavors and textures, while a dish of skate wing and Dungeness crab with a toasted kombu butter is pure indulgence.' Chef Carlos Delgado at Causa Causa Interior Causa Restaurant Causa / Rey Lopez (One Michelin Star) Causa seats 20 people for a tasting menu that takes diners on a journey inspired by Peru. Michelin Guide says, "It all begins in Lima with coastal seafood, then progresses into the Andes and the Amazon. Chicha morada kombucha, made from purple corn, is a perfect partner for the Peruvian classic and namesake dish, causa, with its mashed potatoes hit with aji amarillo paste, then topped with cucumber, avocado and tuna tartare. Next, the humble bomba rice is given a luxe glow-up courtesy of uni, caviar, and a criolla sauce. Dessert doesn't disappoint, as in the passion fruit and mint gelato scoops piped with macambo mousse." Chef Karyn Tomlinson (c) and team at Myriel Restaurant Myriel Myriel is a unique, minimalist farm-to-table dining experience that highlights locally sourced ingredients. Swedish native Chef Tomlinson combines provincial French-inspired cuisine. There is a 12-course tasting menu option here, focusing on foraged ingredients and whole-animal butchery. Chef Salvador Alamilla at Amano Restaurant Radion Photography & Cinema Chef Alamilla was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico. He was inspired by his mother's cooking and used to make the salsas and tortillas he enjoyed every day. With his mind set on opening a restaurant one day, he started as a dishwasher and worked his way up to Executive Chef within three years. He spent many months carefully crafting a menu for his place that takes into account his influences from SoCal, Michoacán, and Oaxacán-style Mexican food. Amano is a craft Mexican kitchen situated in a modern setting, where they source authentic Mexican ingredients, handcraft their tortillas, and provide meals that highlight locally sourced products. They also have an extensive, handcrafted cocktail menu featuring premium tequilas. Chef Vijay Kumar with Semma Restaurant Semma Interior Semma Restaurant Semma / Will Ellis (One Michelin star) Chef Vijay Kumar runs an authentic Indian dining experience. With the freedom to cook the food he knows best, he replicated his grandmother's recipes at Semma. Michelin Guide says, "This is authentic Indian cooking that doesn't pander to American expectations, and if some of the dishes are unfamiliar, lean on the staff who know their stuff and are eager to share. One bite in, and you'll quickly learn that this cooking is all heart. Dishes are spicy, but the heat is used as elegantly as it is liberally. Start with the mulaikattiya thaniyam, the chef's childhood snack that bursts with flavor. The gunpowder dosa, a classic rice and lentil crepe filled with potato masala, is on every table for a reason. Attu Kari sukkah is a falling-apart tender lamb in a dark brown curry redolent of warm spices." Chef Sky Haneul Kim of Gift Horse Eliesa Johnson Sky Haneul Kim was born and raised in Asan, South Korea, where her love for food and cooking was deeply rooted in family traditions and her country's vibrant culinary culture. Sky has worked in some of the finest restaurants in the country, blending the bold, dynamic flavors of her Korean heritage with fresh, locally sourced ingredients from her surroundings. At Gift Horse, she combines Korean flavors with locally sourced Rhode Island produce and seafood. At the famed valley winery, co-founded by wine-maker Maggie Harrison, Chef Timothy Wastell has launched new menus, both at Barrel Hall—the winery's main tasting room—and at Table in the Trees, a large concrete table that runs through the property's oak trees. There, guests can enjoy a tasting of five top-rated wines, along with a picnic in the woods. Michelin starred Chef Nando Chang from Itamae AO Restaurant Itamae AO (One Michelin Star) This 10-seat counter by Chef Nando Chang in Midtown looks to set a new standard for Nikkei cuisine in the region. Michelin Guide says, 'Those familiar with the chef's past work in the Design District will take heart in how classic Peruvian-Japanese flavors as well as signature dishes have been reworked, reimagined, and refined. Searing levels of acidity and spice figure prominently on this bold-tasting menu, often in the form of leche de tigre. From lobster bisque with sweet potato gnocchi to creamy rice with Hokkaido scallops and parmesan, the cooking possesses style and substance in spades. Sourcing is a priority, with whole fish flown in from Japan, later to be broken down and occasionally strung up in dry-aging fridges along the wall.' Chef Jake Howell of Peninsula Restaurant Eliesa Johnson Chef and owner Jake Howell hails from Idaho and once aspired to be an artist. Now, with many cooking awards to his name, he is purely focused on the kitchen, incorporating a menu of Spanish and Basque-inspired food cooked with French techniques within an intimate 35-seat restaurant featuring a 10-seat bar. Chef Yotaka Martin is a chef from Thailand who opened Lom Wong in Phoenix with her husband, Alex Martin Galdones Photography/JBF Yotaka grew up in the village of San Maket in Chiang Rai, Thailand, on a small family farm where they cultivated rice and raised animals. Her earliest memories are of being in the kitchen with her mother, aunts, uncles, and grandmother—cooking with what they harvested and passed down through generations. After moving to the United States, Yotaka set out to share the bold flavors of her childhood with dished loved in Thailand's rural villages and rarely found outside of the country. Chef Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast Thuy An Photography Unafraid to mix and match the cuisines that inspire him, Chef Bille draws inspiration from global flavors while staying rooted in the traditions of Mexican cuisine. His menu is a mix of creativity, featuring dishes like Short Rib with Mole Negro, Potato Gnocchi with Scallops and Black Truffles, and Tandoori-spiced carrots. Born into a Mexican household as a first-generation American, Bille grew up with food at the center of his daily life. With a chef for a father and a mother known for her extraordinary home cooking, he discovered his passion early, often learning alongside them in the kitchen. After honing his craft at top restaurants in Los Angeles, Chef Bille relocated to Spring, Texas, where he turned a lifelong dream into reality by opening his restaurant. The Outstanding Chef award is presented to the chef who sets high culinary standards and serves as a positive example for other food professionals. The winner was Jungsik Yim from Jungsik Restaurant in New York. The Emerging Chef Award was presented to a chef who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come. The award went to Phila Lorn from Mawn Restaurant in Philadelphia. The Outstanding Pastry Chef award honors exceptional skills, can be affiliated with any food business, and does not need a brick-and-mortar presence. The award went to Cat Cox with Country Bird Bakery in Tulsa, Oklahoma. best chefs in america
