Free Republic

More than 270 workers are set to lose their jobs at the award-winning chef's restaurants this month due to the coronavirus. CHICAGO, IL — Hundreds of workers at Iron Chef Stephanie Izard's restaurants in Chicago are set to lose their jobs later this month. The companies that operate Izard's Girl & The Goat, Duck Duck Goat and Little Goat Diner notified Illinois officials in July that each plan to lay off dozens of restaurant workers starting Sept. 20. According to notices filed with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, 96 employees at Little Goat Diner face permanent layoffs,...

The produce used on the Food Network's Jan. 3 Iron Chef of America two-hour special White House show was billed as being from the White House garden. But the show did not disclose that "stunt double vegetables" were used and not produce from the First Family's garden. The much ballyhooed show featured a cameo by First Lady Michelle Obama who invited the chefs to pick what they needed from the White House garden in the opening scenes. Mrs. Obama agreed to appear --and give the show access to the garden -- because the episode promoted her healthy eating themes and...

Michelle Obama is to be the first presidential wife to appear on a reality TV series. The First Lady will make a guest appearance on 'Iron Chef America' which features British cook Nigella Lawson as a judge. The episode of the popular series, which pits well-known chefs against each others, has been filmed at the White House and will be aired in the New Year. Many of the ingredients for the meals prepared in the show were chosen from the recently planted White House vegetable garden.

She is known for her unconventional choices and now US first lady Michelle Obama is setting another precedent by the first presidential wife to appear on a reality TV series. The First Lady will make a guest appearance on the popular series 'Iron Chef America' which features British cook Nigella Lawson as a judge, reported Daily Mail online. The episode of the popular series, which pits well-known chefs against each others, has been filmed at the White House and will be aired in the New Year. Many of the ingredients for the meals prepared in the show were chosen from...

Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden is about to become a culinary battlefield. The Food Network announced Wednesday that an episode of “Iron Chef America” will be taped at the White House featuring Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. The three chefs, joined by White House chef Cristeta Comerford, will be welcomed by the first lady and allowed to use anything found in the garden to help create their meals.

Bobby Flay and Father Leo. (Grace Before Meals Father Leo Patalinghug’s “fusion fajitas” beat Bobby Flay’s “red curry-marinated skirt steak fajitas” Sept. 9 on the Food Network’s “Throwdown! With Bobby Flay.” After preparing his signature dish for a crowd of parishioners at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, the cooking priest commented, “My fusion fajitas are smokin.’ I guarantee this will make you say, ‘Thank you, God.’” Divine providence was on Flay’s mind as he was driving to challenge the priest. “We’re going up against Father Leo,” he said. “As a former altar boy, I’m not so sure this is...

Father Leo prepares to Flay an Iron Chef. (Grace Before Meals) Would you like to see a Catholic priest challenge chef Bobby Flay to a fajita cook-off? Tune into Food Network’s “Throwdown! With Bobby Flay” tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern to see Father Leo Patalinghug take on the Iron Chef. Father Patalinghug, who serves as director of pastoral field education for the seminary at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., has a ministry called Grace Before Meals, which is dedicated to fostering stronger communities through stronger families, one meal at a time. “With God as my witness, I’m not...

Father Leo Patalinghug was making the marinade for his fajitas in front of a crowd at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., where he serves as director of pastoral field education for the seminary — and TV cameras. He thought the Food Network was filming a show about Grace Before Meals, his ministry dedicated to fostering stronger communities through stronger families, one meal at a time. But the priest-chef wasn’t just cooking for the gathered crowd or TV that June day.“I was talking and I realized that standing two feet away listening to me was Bobby Flay,” recalled Father...

The rise of the Food Network from an obscure channel to cultural phenomenon and the explosion of celebrity chefs changed people’s perceptions about the culinary industry. Today, cooking and the culinary arts have become hip and sexy. The explosion in popularity has reached beyond television. Today, more and more people are seeking careers in the culinary arts. “Over the past three or so years, the number of people enrolling in culinary training programs grown tremendously,” said Shelly Ford, director of communication for The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Washington, located in Arlington, Va. The Art Institute launched...

In the "Iron Chef America" battle between California casual and Southwest celebrity, David Kinch was a head above Bobby Flay. A head of cabbage, that is. Kinch, executive chef of the renowned restaurant Manresa in Los Gatos, wowed the Food Network show's panel of judges with his creativity and flavor combinations using the leafy vegetable — the secret ingredient around which both chefs had to create five dishes in 60 minutes. At a viewing party held at Manresa on Sunday night, Kinch said he was excited to work with cabbage, over the other two "secret ingredient" possibilities — squab and...

Judges grade food prepared for the Iron Chef competition Aug. 16 at Forward Operating Base Hammer. Photo by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs. FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — Food service personnel of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team took part in the Sledgehammer version of the Iron Chef competition Aug. 16 at FOB Hammer. The idea came from the 3rd HBCT Food Service officer-in-charge, Chief Warrant Officer Ellen Magras, a Virgin Islands native, to honor the food service personnel with an Appreciation Day. “I wanted to honor all the food service professionals, past, present, and future,” she said....

3/23/2006 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFPN) -- The smell and taste of cookies hot from the oven for many evokes happy memories of childhood. For one Airman here, his fresh-baked cookies landed him on national television. Senior Airman David Sutherland, a 741st Missile Squadron chef, was selected by the Food Network and competed March 20 in Denver at the Cookie Challenge for recognition as the best amateur cookie baker with a chance to win $10,000. “The competition was an exciting opportunity,” Airman Sutherland said. “It was a neat challenge to present my cookies.” Airman Sutherland has been baking...

Some chefs in Rochester dished out support for local veterans this weekend. They served up a prime rib dinner to raise money to help keep a VFW post open. "We needed a place to meet that had a kitchen. It fit the bill," Chef Paul Healy, President of the Rochester Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) said. Members of ACF recently started meeting and cooking twice a month at VFW post 307 on S. Union St. in Rochester. "So far we couldn't be happier," Healy said. Neither could the VFW's treasurer and building manager, Tony Torelli. "Our members are...