Food news antipasto

Food critic Jay Rayner had the honor of interviewing Madhur Jaffrey for the September issues of Observer Food Monthly. On the eve of the 40th anniversary edition of her book Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery, the 90-year-old author talks about how she became “an accidental cook” due to acute homesickness when she was in London studying drama. An acclaimed actress, Jaffrey started on her path to culinary stardom through a chance interview with Craig Claiborne of the New York Times.

When I was growing up, any restaurant that served salad offered pretty much the same thing: iceberg lettuce, wan tomatoes, a sprinkle of carrot, and thinly sliced red onion. There are many more choices these days, but you can still find iceberg lettuce in restaurants from low brow to high dollar (think steakhouse wedge salad). How did this least flavorful of all lettuces earn its way onto restaurant menus? Over at Gastro Obscura, Diana Hubbell explains how iceberg won the lettuce wars.

Plate Magazine just announced their list of chefs to watch for 2023. The list includes chefs and chef duos from across the United States. There are chefs from Portland, Oregon, Chicago, and Philadelphia; down south to Atlanta, and back west to Los Angeles. There’s even one out in Hawaii in the list of fifteen.

Not to be outdone, Food and Wine Magazine also released its Best New Chefs of 2023. The Food & Wine list is in its 35th year, and according to the magazine, this crop of chefs is “cultivating kindness in the kitchen and vibrant flavors on the plate.” The article notes the changes that have come to the restaurant industry since the pandemic and in the aftermath of the Me Too scandals that plagued many establishments. Ten chefs (all based in the US) are bestowed with this honor.

Fans of the Hulu series The Bear might want to check out a celebrity auction benefiting crew members left without health insurance due to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike. One of the items up for grabs is an apron signed by The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and other cast members. You will have to really like the show to score this apron, however – the current bid is $2,225 USD with over 4 days left in the auction.