Top Chef: Seattle winner Kristen Kish.
Congrats to Korean American adoptee Kristen Kish, who has taken top honors on Top Chef: Seattle. The show, hosted by Indian American model Padma Lakshmi, had its finale tonight, and Kristen killed it with her Snapper with Leeks, Little Gem Lettuce, Tarragon, Uni and Shellfish Nage. With her win, she is the second woman to win Top Chef. Yes, she’s gorgeous — she of the swan-like neck, tomboy ‘do and model-like limbs — but what made us love her even more is her determination to discover her roots. “In the very near future, a trip to Korea for me,” she said, teary-eyed.
Everyone loves food, of course. But isn’t there that one particular person in your life that is an absolute foodie? They’re the ones that write reviews on Yelp of every restaurant they go to, the one that posts those mouth-watering pictures of whatever they’re eating at the moment on Instagram, the one that is always begging you to come with them to that new restaurant. They truly appreciate food. This is a gift guide to help you pick out a great gift for the food lover in your life.
Gifts Under $50:
Callister Cellars Gift Basket, $39.95.
This lady might be your mother, your aunt, or your homely friend that loves to cook and do household work. She bakes the best cookies, has the best dinner parties, and her house is spotless. She is the spitting image of Martha Stewart. Whomever it is, this is the perfect gift guide to help find that motherly woman in your life.
Gifts Under $50:
Dish Play Gloves, $12.
Dish Play Gloves: They’re cute, and they bring entertainment to cleaning the house. $12 at Urban Outfitters.
Wok Set, $49.95.
Wok Set: Perfect for cooking those Asian dishes. Good for stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, steaming, and parboiling. This set allows you to cook with chopsticks, a stainless steel tempura rack, bamboo/stainless turner, and ladle a wooden steam rack. Can be found at Crate & Barrel for only $49.95!
Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook, $20.24.
The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook: Written by Pat Tanumihardja, this cookbook features the real recipes of grandmothers from all over Asia including China, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India. There are many various dishes in here including the Filipino Chicken Adobo, or the Japanese Oyako Donburi. Can be found at Barnes & Noble for $20.24.
Other Great Gift Ideas:
5×7 Lace Medallion Rug, $89.
5×7 Lace Medallion Rug: Beautiful for any place in the house. $89 at Urban Outfitters.
Caterer’s Flatware Set, $119.
Caterer’s Flatware 3-Piece Box Set of 12: 12 each of forks, spoons, and knives. $119 at the Pottery Barn.
Classic Mixer, $229.99.
KitchenAid Classic Plus Stand Mixer: What would a Martha Stewart woman be without a mixer? Comes in 10 speeds and kneads, whups, mixes, blends, and beats. Includes flat beaters, recipe book, dough hooks, and mixing bowl. $229.99 at Target.
Ashbury Set, $99.
Crane & Canopy’s Ashbury Set: Beautiful bedding that starts at $99 from Crane & Canopy.
Zojirushi Rice Cooker, prices vary.
Zojirushi Rice Cooker: The new age rice cooker made from the Japanese company. Prices vary and can be found on Zojirushi.
Chilewich Gilt Rectangle Placemat, $40 (set of four)
Chilewich Gilt Rectangle Placemat: go for the gold when entertaining your guests this holiday season. Available at ShopHorne.
A balcony view of the crowd at the 3rd Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Benefit for Project by Project San Francisco. The event took place at the Bently Reserve and marked the 15th anniversary for Project by Project nationally (photo: Nicole Abalde).
Back in July, Audrey told you all about Plate by Plate in Los Angeles and in August, we previewed the annual tasting benefit in San Francisco. The time has come and passed, and this year’s event by the Bay fulfilled its promise of bringing together a terrific crowd to enjoy the company of each other, support the community, and of course, devour plenty of delicious tiny dishes!
The 3rd Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Benefit organized by the San Francisco chapter of Project by Project took place on September 22 at the spacious and gorgeous Bently Reserve near the Embarcadero Center. The evening attracted some hundred of finely dressed attendees to socialize and enjoy three rooms of food samples, desserts, and liquor. Actual Rafiq, Redstickman, Speakeasy Ray, and Big Sloppy of The Ambient Mafia provided the sounds for the event, and a silent auction for some fun items was also in place.
Patrons at Chambers SF got together for Happy Hour as a preview to the annual Plate-by-Plate Tasting Benefit, to take place on September 22nd at The Bently Reserve (photo credit: Jessica Huey / Project by Project).
It was a classy and crowded evening of mingling, networking, and tasty cocktails by the pool at Chambers in San Francisco on August 1st, and for a great cause: Project by Project hosted a special preview event—a Happy Hour—for the San Francisco chapter’s 3rd Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Benefit on September 22nd at The Bently Reserve.
Plate by Plate is an event that will feature some of the best of Los Angeles’ and Orange County’s culinary culture, making it a food lovers’ dream. Over 40 restaurants, wineries and beverage purveyors will participate in this year’s event, which will take place on August 4th in Downtown Los Angeles at the beautiful Vibiana Cathedral. Check out a few of the event’s participants here and to find out more about the special online offer on tickets for Audrey readers for this incredible event!
Courtesy of platebyplate.org
Did you miss our Days of Summer Guide? Read up on our hotspots, beauty and styling tips, best summer dishes, and our favorite products!
After moving back to Los Angeles from a long stint in San Francisco a couple of months ago, I’ve been anticipating my first summer back in SoCal for quite some time now. I’ve already embarked on weekend trips to Vegas and San Diego, planned future bbq’s and bonfires at the beach, and been enjoying the warm nights sipping cocktails with friends at our favorite outdoor/rooftop lounges. My calendar’s been filling up with plenty of fun activities, but what’s my top event of the summer? The 10th Edition of Plate By Plate Los Angeles!
With America is still stuck in one of the biggest recessions since The Great Depression, days and nights of eating out have been hard to come by. We get it, so we pulled out some of the hottest restaurants and bars out of our little black book that has some of the happiest of happy hours around. Whether the hotspot is a chill bar to hang out with your friends or it’s an upscale restaurant to lure in a love interest, we got your back!
If you never got a chance to experience Japan and its culture of simplicity, don’t worry because now you can. The CHAYA family of restaurants has finally marked its territory on the busy streets of Downtown, Los Angeles. To usher in the summer season of outdoor events and live music all in the pleasantly warm weather, CHAYA DTLA is hosting its annual Japanese Summer Beer Garden event. Happening every Monday-Friday, from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Audrey went in to see what the rave was about.
