Food Network

Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Frozen Dinners for Two

I find Ina Garten to be downright fascinating. Before she was a Food Network personality, she owned a specialty food shop in the veddy-posh Westhampton, N.Y.; before that, she worked for the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) on nuclear energy analysis. She and her husband, Jeffrey, have no child ... More >>

5 Recipes with 5 Ingredients (or Less!) You'll Love

In the kitchen I vacillate between insanely ambitious and incredibly lazy, but "incredibly lazy" wins out most weeknights. I like recipes that require minimal prep, using just a few ingredients, to get dinner on the table in as short a time as possible (or at least with very little work on my part). ... More >>

Chef Maurizio Ferrarese Offers Cooking Classes and Comedy at Quattro

I've been to plenty of cooking classes and cooking demonstrations over the years, but none as enjoyable as the one I attended last week Quattro. Much of this is attributable to the genial Maurizio Ferrarese, executive chef at the Four Seasons' in-house restaurant and a natural teacher who blends hum ... More >>

When It Comes to Ending Hunger, All Eyes are Upon Houston

Every other month, Moez El-Shohdi travels through the greater Middle East. Stretching from Morocco to Pakistan, El-Shohdi dots the landscape, visiting models he helped perfect through his work in Cairo. He examines the factory sprung in Riyadh. He tours the facilities in Damascus. He makes sure that ... More >>

Jacoby Jones' Appearance On Jimmy Kimmel Live Was Jacoby-tastic!! (w/ VIDEO)

Staying up late on Thursday nights in February is nothing new to me, as I'm one of those NBA sickos that will stay up till one in the morning to see what Charles Barkley has to say on TNT's postgame show. However, yesterday was a little different. Yes, I stayed up into the wee hours Thursday night, ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 3: Sylvia Casares of Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen and the Reason People Call Her Houston's Enchilada Queen

Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen 6401 Woodway Drive Tel: 713-334-7295 www.sylviasenchiladakitchen.com This is Part 3 of a three part Chef Chat series. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. This week, we became acquainted with a woman who plunked down all her life savings into a restaurant at the ... More >>

Holiday Gift Guide: 5 Useful Gifts Under $30

Every week this holiday season, we'll be posting our favorite food-centric gift ideas. This week, we're featuring Useful Kitchen Tools Under $30. Be sure to check back for guides on Gifts for Kids Who Cook, Last Minute Homemade Gifts and even Useless Gifts Nobody Really Wants. Here are 5 Useful Ite ... More >>

Anthony Bourdain: Not Quite Evil but Still a Badass

We last saw Anthony Bourdain in Houston back in 2010 right after the release of his book, Medium Raw. It was a sold out show befitting of a rock star, and those that came looking for his usual offensive language and utter disdain for Food Network stars and all things celebrity chefs weren't disappoi ... More >>

Upcoming Events: Oktoberfest Contests, Beer-and-Burger Pairings and Free Food Truck Lunches for All

Celebrate 20 years of artist studios at Lawndale Art Center and five years of the Lawndale Artist Studio Program with Tasteful Art, a special tasting event featuring local contemporary artists and chefs at the historic and beautiful Hofheinz House (3900 Milam). Lawndale is bringing culinary artists ... More >>

How To: Eggs Benedict & What I Wish I Had Known

Making the perfect Eggs Benedict is pretty difficult, I'm not going to lie. Not only do you need to poach two eggs, but you must create a Hollandaise Sauce, toast an English muffin (unless you're making your own) and griddle two slices of Canadian bacon. I've seen Food Network stars make Eggs Bened ... More >>

Like That Chain Restaurant?

Try this local one instead.

The 5 Sexiest Celebrity Male Chefs

It's getting hot in the kitchen, and not just from the flames. Check out the Top 5 Hottest Celebrity Male Chefs that make our flames broil: 5. Govind Armstrong Armstrong's dreamy locks first made our hearts flutter on shows like Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef Masters and the Food Network's Iron C ... More >>

John Witherspoon

Chef Chat, Part 1: Mario Valdez of The Rainbow Lodge, on Becoming Chef de Cuisine at 23

Mario Valdez The Rainbow Lodge 2011 Ella Blvd. 713-861-8666 www.rainbow-lodge.com This is the first part of a three-part chef chat series. Look for Part 2 and Part 3 in this space Thursday and Friday. Most of us are just starting our careers at age 24, but not Mario Valdez. Having completed culi ... More >>

Sticky Fingers: 10 Musicians Who Deserve Their Own Ice Cream

Ice cream is good -- especially in the summer and of course today. With the advent of the deliciously yummy Ben and Jerry's ice cream, among others, ice-cream companies have been naming their flavors after artists for years. Ben and Jerry's especially has been at the forefront of naming their ice ... More >>

YouTube Launching Its Own Food Channel: "The Cooking Show on Television Is Almost Dead"

I was excited enough when YouTube announced it was launching "Geek and Sundry" in April, a new channel devoted to all things geek and featuring shows by such geek icons as Felicia Day. But then the video Web site had to go and up the ante. Today, YouTube announced that it will be launching another ... More >>

Denise Vivaldo Talks Food Styling, Sandra Lee and Tips for Better Food Photos

Denise Vivaldo is scooping fluffy spoonfuls of mashed potatoes atop a mountain of cotton balls. She tamps them down a bit with the edge of her spoon, securing them to the cotton mound underneath, then smiles and moves on to her next task: using a pair of tweezers to apply pieces of parsley so small, ... More >>

Is There a Chocolate Factory in Houston's Future?

Tejas Chocolate is a young company. Scott Moore, Jr. and his partner Michelle Holland started making chocolate from scratch and working with cacao beans in 2010, and Tejas Chocolate began in earnest in 2011. Scott and Michelle are still working their day jobs running a railroad supply company, while ... More >>

La Fisheria Opens Tomorrow as Houston Welcomes a Mexican Celebrity Chef to the City

Most Americans wouldn't know chef Aquiles Chávez if they saw him on the street, even with his trademark handlebar mustache and Jack Sparrow-style dreadlocks tucked under a straw hat. But ask anyone in Latin America about Chávez and they'll immediately grin and say, "El hombre con el bigote!" as t ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week?

With last week's menu, I was lower-carb and lovin' it. Since I have a busy week ahead, my main goal this time around is quick and easy (but still healthy!) meals. Here's what I'm cooking: Spicy Chicken Pita w/ Sweet & Tangy Slaw Thai-Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps Linguini w/ Tuna Puttanesca Med ... More >>

UPDATED: Paula Deen Rumored to Have Type 2 Diabetes, Endorsement Deal with Big Pharma

​Update: A company spokesman with Novartis called this afternoon to address the rumors that Paula Deen has signed an endorsement deal with the pharmaceutical firm, which the company says are false. Novartis issued this statement: "The rumors that Novartis has signed a multi-million dollar spok ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week?

Last week's Red Chicken Chili hit the spot. I'm still not sure which way I liked it better; in a bowl topped with a dollop of low-fat sour cream or in a whole wheat soft taco with some homemade guacamole. Either way, I felt good eating it knowing exactly what was in it. I'll be continuing on my jour ... More >>

Eat It: Restaurants Owned by Musicians

​Hotlanta is so hot that they can even turn their airport into a club. Stay with us. A few days ago, Ludacris announced that he will close his Asian/Singaporean restaurant, Straits, and embark on a new "restaurateur" opportunity: opening a "Chicken and Beer" restaurant inside of Atlanta's Hart ... More >>

What's Cooking This Week?

Photo by Brooke ViggianoA Peter Brady classic.​Am I crazy or is it actually starting to feel like fall? Like, not for pretend this time? It makes me very, very excited, so my menu this week will definitely showcase that fall flavor. But incase you missed it, check out last week's menu plan wit ... More >>

Party Fowl Wins Wingtoberfest 2011

Photo by Rachel BohananSee more photos from Wingtoberfest in our slideshow.​"Those are good," laughed Jonathan Jones, chef at Xuco Xicana, as he pointed at Party Fowl's wings last night. "But you couldn't eat a dozen of them." Indeed, the breakfast-for-dinner wings that Party Fowl brought to ... More >>

Meatloaf Tacos at Good 2 Go Taco in Dallas

The meatloaf taco, left, is topped with a sweet Sriracha ketchup.​This year, Good 2 Go Taco won a Best of Dallas® award from our sister paper, the Dallas Observer, for best menu expansion. Until very recently, the women behind Good 2 Go -- Jeana Johnson and Colleen O'Hare -- were selling thei ... More >>

Aarón Sanchez Heats Up the House of Blues

Did you know the House of Blues serves food? If you didn't, then you should know now -- all 13 locations of the music venue are offering new dishes and revamped old favorites for their restaurants, re-branded as "Crossroads at the House of Blues," by celebrity chef Aarón Sanchez. You may know him f ... More >>

The Real World

With expectations sky-high, El Real Tex-Mex Cafe struggles for glory.

TV Dinner: This Week in Food TV

​With so many food-related shows on television, it's hard to keep up -- it's not just the Food Network anymore. I don't know what I'd do without my DVR. This week gave us premieres, finales and Liza Minelli. Here's a roundup of some of the shows this week. Spoiler alert! The Great Food Truck ... More >>

5 Intriguing Cocktails I Saw on TV

www.cookingchanneltv.comBeer in a Ball. ​The Food Network and Cooking Channel have turned me into a couch potato. I wouldn't get up at 4 a.m. to watch the royal wedding, but I'll burn the midnight oil watching episode after episode of Iron Chef America and Unique Eats. Imagine my delight when ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Kiran Verma of Kiran's

Photo by Matthew DresdenChef Kiran Verma in the kitchen.​Chef Kiran Verma, of the eponymous fine-dining Indian restaurant in River Oaks (okay, River Oaks adjacent), took a circuitous route to her profession. At age 18, she left her native Delhi and moved to Houston with her husband. After a s ... More >>

Top 5 Celebrity Chefs I Wish Would Relocate to Mars

Yum-o???​It does not surprise me that people who cook well become popular. What shocks me is that many of these people remain famous even after revealing their less savory personalities and sometimes substandard skills. Here are five celebrity chefs I hope take their "talents" to another plan ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 1: Domenica Catelli of Catelli's

Photo by Matthew DresdenDomenica Catelli, outside her family's eponymous restaurant in Geyserville, CA​This week on a very special Chef Chat: the California wine country edition! Domenica Catelli might be the most prolific chef you've never heard of, with a hand in nearly every aspect of the ... More >>

The Shuttle's Souvenir Load

20,000 flags and 10,000 patches aboard

Capsule Art Reviews: "The Clearing — Joey Fauerso" "Exurb: Input/Output" "George Gittoes: Witness to War" "Jenny Schlief Stock Photography: From the Woman Series" "Liz Hickok: Jiggling Geography" "Mitch Dobrowner: New Work" "Musicians Who Make Ar

Off the Wall: Zelko Bistro

sassyinthekitchenZelko's Lemon Ice Box Pie​Last week, Minh T. Truong asked the question, "Which Houston restaurants deserve Food Network recognition?" The comments poured in, but one in particular from EOW reader Ali caught my attention: "I'd love to bathe in Jamie Zelko's grits. Is that TMI? I do ... More >>

Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs

Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. Eater: The big news of the week is that national food blog Eater, after many co ... More >>

Upcoming Events

VIP tickets will be on sale this Monday.​Bought your tickets yet for the upcoming Haute Wheels food truck festival? No? Good. Because you'll have an opportunity to purchase heavily discounted VIP tickets for the event, which takes place on May 14 and 15 at the campus of HCC Southwest. The Hous ... More >>

Cooking the Easter Bunny

KILL IT WITH FIRE.​If your kids haven't already figured out that there's no Easter Bunny, here's an easy way to teach them a valuable lesson while also scarring them for life: Cook and serve rabbit this year for Easter. Decorate with Easter eggs for effect. This is absolutely the kind of thin ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​As you may have read and seen around the Internet, this Sunday is Linda's Block Party at 1834 Westheimer, a fundraising event to help defray medical costs for Linda Salinas. Salinas, a local bartender and sommelier, was injured in a scooter accident on Sunday night, and the Houston restaurant ... More >>

Beyond the EVOO

The bewildering array of oils at Central Market. ​There is one isle in Central Market that mystifies me more than any other: the oil aisle. I mean, how many types of oil does one need? As an avid Food Network watcher, it seems I've fallen under the Rachael Ray curse of cooking only with EVOO. ... More >>

Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel More Influential as a "Chef" Than Tom Colicchio, Michael Symon

Suck my wig, serious female chefs everywhere!​Michael Symon is a chef, a restaurant owner and a contributor to magazines like Gourmet and Saveur; in 2009, he won a James Beard award. Michael Ruhlman once credited Symon with saving the entire Cleveland restaurant scene. Giada De Laurentiis, wh ... More >>

Beef Bourguignon Crepes

​For my birthday my college boyfriend took me to adorable French restaurant Beau Monde in Philadelphia, where I had the best crepes I've ever tasted. Ever since then I have been dreaming about that savory, buckwheat crepe filled with the most wonderful beef bourguignon. Then recently, while I ... More >>

Chef Chat, Part 2: Candace Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes

​Candace Nelson is known as the creator of the boutique-cupcake craze. She began her company, Sprinkles, several years ago in Beverly Hills and now has locations across the country, including our own Houston store in Highland Village. We caught up with Nelson to talk about the fickle nature ... More >>

MasterMinds 2011

Foodways Texas is among our three winning arts groups.

Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs

Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. The Mighty Rib: As we mentioned on Monday, the Food Network visited three Houst ... More >>

Meat Zelko Bistro: Food Network Filming in Houston for Meat & Potatoes

Photos from the filming are sadly embargoed until the show's air date.​There's a Food Network show called Meat & Potatoes? Apparently so, and I do feel better knowing I'm not the first one to ask that question. (Admittedly, not having cable does put a dent in my pop culture knowledge bank.) It ... More >>

NFL & College Football Best Bets -- How Ebenezer Scrooge Saved Me

Ebenezer in the house​I went to the Alley Theater last night and saw A Christmas Carol. Fantastic production and actually my first time ever seeing it in any venue, let alone the Alley. For the completely un-Christmased of you out there, Carol is a tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy curmudge ... More >>

Recap: Final Episode of The Next Iron Chef

​We enter the final chapter of this season of The Next Iron Chef, and I am torn. On one hand the finalists, Marco Canora and Marc Forgione, are the two that should be here. They have consistently been the best from start to finish and won a majority of the challenges. They deserve to be called ... More >>