Three Chefs we admire: Peter Gordon, Chef-Owner, Providores, London, & The Sugar Club, Auckland NZ, http://www.peter-gordon.net/about, Salads for All Seasons; Brian Keyser & Leigh Friend, Casallula Restaurant, NYC, & just-opened Casallula Pittsburgh, City of Asylum, Alphabet City http://www.casellula.com/, Composing the Cheese Plate. Also a discussion of our planned trip to Rome. Then, for the next 3 Weeks we'll be airing conversations with some of Rome's Most Innovative & Interesting Restaurants - so be sure to Tune In.  

MEAT and POTATOES.  An extremely Non-Vegan Program!!!  Ray Venezia, 2- year Master Butcher & Frequent Guest of Rachael Ray, The Everyday Meat Guide: A Neighborhood Butcher's Advice Book; Meredith Leigh, http://www.mereleighfood.com,.The Ethical Meat Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Butchery, Charcuterie, and Cooking for the Conscious Omnivore; Teresa Blackburn & Zack Brown, www.foodonfifth.com, The Peace, Love & Potato Salad Cookbook.

A Sweet Program with a Sweet+Savory ending.  Hillary Davis, www.hillary-davis.com, French Desserts; Kathryn Gordon & Ann McBride, NYC, Les Petits Sweets: 2 Bite Desserts from the French Patisserie; Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat, Toronto Canada, www.bitememore.com,  Lick Your Plate.

Pulses, San Jose CA, www.rwgarcia.com; Sameer Shah, VP Marketing, Smart Flour Foods, Flour & Prepared Foods (e.g. Pizzas) made from gluten free Ancient Grains, www.smartflourfoods.com; Sharon Gregory, Founder, The Happy Vegan, maker of Natcho-Nocheez Dairy-free “Cheese” Spreads, Pittsburgh PA,  www.thehappyvegan.com; Nancy Kalish, Founder, Pure Genius Provisions, bean-based Brownies & Blondies, Brooklyn NY, www.puregeniusprovisions.com.

to Find Today’s Artisanal Spirits.  Alice Feiring, Wine Correspondent, New York Times, http://www.alicefeiring.com/, For the Love of Wine; Jeremy White, Sommelier, Triple Creek Ranch, Darby MT, http://www.triplecreekranch.com;  Advanced Sommelier-Court of Sommeliers; Eric Grossman, Boston MA, Craft Spirits

“California Dreamin” - Specialty Food Programs & Products from Creative California: Jim Etters, Head of Agriculture Programs, Seka Hills, the Yocha-Dehe-Wintum Nation, Capay Valley CA, , www.yochadehe.nsn.gov; Jesse Layman, Vinegar Chef, Sparrow Lane, Ceres CA, www.sparrowlane.com/; Kaitlin Barton, Califia Farms Beverages including Nitro Cold-Brewed Flavored Coffees, Bakersfield CA, www.califiafarms.ccom.

Two Great Ice-creams with Attitude and an Antioxidant-loaded  Beverage that may be a Super Coffee Alternative: Jake Goodby & Sean Vahey, Founders & Owners, Humphry Slocombe, San Francisco, http://www.humphryslocombe.com; .Ron Koss, Co-Founder, Brio Oxidant-enriched Icecream, http://www.briolovesyouback.com; Carrie Christensen, VP Sales & John Kilmer, Head of Communications, Crio Bru, www.criobru.com. 

Today’s program of assorted interviews focuses on: Daguerrotype “portraits” of heirloom Fruits & Vegetables, a new resource for Food Allergy sufferers, and a century-old Dutch Treat now available in the USA: Amy Goldman, Rhinebeck NY, www.amygoldmanfowler.com, Heirloom Harvest; Heather Christo, www.heatherchristo.com. Pure Delicious; Tom Daly, Founder, The Brand Passport, NY-NY, www.thebrandpassport.com, Daelman’s Stroopwafels, http://www.daelmansstroopwafels.com.

Exotic Flavors, Fascinating Places & a New Line of Spice Pastes: Caroline Eden, http://www.carolineeden.com Samarkand: Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & the Caucasus; Sabrina Ghayour, http://sabrinaghayour.com, Sirocco: Fabulous Flavors from the Middle East; Richard Lasalle, Founder, Entube Chile Pastes, Los Angeles, http://www.entube.la/

Ruminations on Foods, plus the story of an American Fast Food Icon: Sophie Egan, San Francisco CA,  Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies – How What We Eat Defines Who we are; Patric Kun, Restaurant Critic, Los Angeles Magazine, Finding the Flavors We Lost: From Bread to Bourbon, How Artisans Reclaimed American Food; Lloyd Handwerker, Famous Nathan: A Family Saga--The American Dream & the Search for the Perfect Hot Dog.

An interesting line-up of New Cook Books – Something for Everyone!  Nick Sandler, The Magic of Broth: 60 Great Recipes for Healing Broths & Stocks & How to Make Them; Brendan Collins, Chef-Owner, Birch, Los Angeles, http://birchlosangeles.com/, Cooking, Blokes & Artichokes: A Modern Man’s Kitchen Handbook;  Rosie Reynolds, London UK, The Kitchen Shelf: Take  Few Pantry Essentials, add 2 Fresh Ingredients & Make Everyday Eating Extraordinary; Jessica Emich, Co-Owner, Shine Restaurant, Boulder CO, www.shineboulder.com, Eat, Drink, Shine: Inspiration from our Kitchen, Gluten-Free & Paleo-Inspired Recipes.

Block 292, www.block292.com, Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh PA.. reflects a national trend of combining a sustainable restaurant with a sustainable retail butcher shop: Owner Brooks Broadhurst, Executive Chef Eliza Jamison, star organic lamb producers Sukey & John Jamison, www.jamisonfarm.com, Latrobe PA, sustainable sourcing of meat & other product. Next: A University Campus & Curriculum dedicated to Sustainable Agriculture: Peter Walker, Dean, Falk School of Sustainability, Chatham University – Eden Hall Campus; Cristopher Galarza, Campus Chef; Sukey & John Jamison, Adjunct Faculty, Meat Studies, Chatham University – Eden Hall Campus, Gibsonia PA, www.chatham.edu/edenhall.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, for the 1st time in NYC - a few Star Chefs we met:  Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana, www.osteriafrancescana.it, Modena Italy, won Top Spot for the 1st time; Virgilio Martinez, Central, http://centralrestaurante.com.pe/en/, Lima Peru & Lima, London UK, steady at #4; Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur, http://www.mirazur.fr/, Menton France, top French entry at #6; Elena Arzak, a permanent placeholder this year at #21, Arzak, https://www.arzak.info/index.php, San Sebastian Spain; Mitsuharu Tsumura, Maido, www.maido.pe, Lima Peru, highest climber reaching #13; Jonnie Boer, Librije, nr. Amsterdam, www.librije.com, entering 50 Best at #38, Abram Bissell, new Exec Chef at The Modern, http://www.themodernnyc.com/, NYC.  Across the East River to Brooklyn with Barbara Scott Goodman, Brooklyn Bar Bites: Great Dishes & Cocktails from NY’s Food Mecca; and finally a Cookbook by Francine Bryson, www.francinebryson.com, Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen.

Thinking Summer?  Fruits & Ice Creams?  Listen to: Annie Rigg. London UK, www.annierigg.com, Summer Berries & Autumn Fruits: 120 Sensational Sweet & Savory Recipes; Nancy Hytone-Leb, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, Choctal Single Origin Ice Cream, Pasadena CA, www.choctal.com; Christine Chitnis, Providence RI, www.christine.chitnis.com, Icy Creamy Healthy Sweet: Healthier Tastier Frozen Desserts Using Whole Foods & Natural Sweeteners; Dina Cheney, www.thenewmilks.com, The New Milks: 100+ Dairy-free Recipes for Making & Cooking with Soy Nut Seed Grain & Coconut Milks.

OTM loves Italy, just as many of you do. This week we bring you three insights on Italian life, food & drink: Marisa Huff, Padua, www.marisahuff.com, Aperitivo: The Cocktail Culture of Italy, Recipes for Drinks & Small Dishes; Katie Parla, Rome, Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors & Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City; Rosario Safina, Founder, Da Rosario Organics, Bronx NY, www.darosario.com, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Umbria.

The James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour repeats in Pittsburgh, thanks to Justin Severino, Chef-Partner, Cure & Morcilla, www.curepittsburgh.com & www.morcillapittsburgh.com – how it happened & what’s involved. Then, just in time for “Grilling Season,” two experts on Barbecue: Meathead Goldwyn, Chicago IL, www.amazingribs.com, Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue & Grilling; & Robb Walsh, Galveston TX, www.zenbbq.com, Legends of Texas Barbecue.

Two Great Young Chefs, and how to cook Modern Mexican: Daniel Burns, Chef-Partner, Torst & Luksus (1st Restaurant ever to gain a Michelin Star serving only Beer), Brooklyn, www.torstnyc.com, www.luksusnyc.com, Food & Beer; Jessica Largey, Chef-Partner, Simone, LA, opening late 2016, previously Visiting Chef, Intro, Chicago http://introchicago.com/, & Sous Chef, Manresa, Los Gatos CA, http://www.manresarestaurant.com/; Pati Jinich, Host of PBS’ Pati’s Mexican Table, Resident Chef, Mexican Cultural Institute, Washington DC, http://patijinich.com/, Mexican Today: New & Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens.

During the James Beard Awards,Catching up with Chicago Chefs serving up Innovation: Thomas Lents, Sixteen, http://www.sixteenchicago.com/; Curtis Duffy, Grace, http://www.grace-restaurant.com/; Stephen Gillanders, Intro, http://introchicago.com/; Chef Chris Pandel & Owner Phillip Waters, Swift & Sons, http://www.swiftandsonschicago.com/; Stephanie Izard, http://www.stephanieizard.com/, restaurants include Girl & the Goat and others.

OTM at the 2016 James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony & Gala Reception, Chicago’s Lyric Opera, May 2:  Aaron Silversmith, Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Rose’s Luxury, Washington DC, http://www.rosesluxury.com/; Paul Berglund, Best Chef Midwest, Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis, http://thebachelorfarmer.com/; Renee Erickson, Best Chef NW, Seattle, http://reneeerickson.com/; Jonathon Waxman, Best Chef NYC, Barbuto, NYC, http://barbutonyc.com/index.php; Dahlia Narvaez, Best Pastry Chef, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles, http://osteriamozza.com/; Joanne Chang, Best Baker, Flour Bakeries, Boston MA, http://flourbakery.com/; Who’s Who in Food & Beverage in America, Gina Gallo, E&J Gallo Winery, Sonoma CA, http://gallo.com/; Ed Levine, Serious Eats, NYC, http://www.seriouseats.com/; Ann recognizes Leah Chase, Lifetime Achievement Award, Dooky Chase, New Orleans, http://www.dookychaserestaurant.com/; Jonathon Sawyer, 2015 Best Chef Great Lakes & 2016 Gala Chef, Cleveland OH, http://jonathonsawyer.com/; Curtis Stone, Presenter for Best Chef SW & West, Maude, Los Angeles, http://www.mauderestaurant.com/; Mindy Segal, 2012 Best Pastry Chef, Mindy’s Hot Chocolate, http://hotchocolatechicago.com/; talks with OTM about “Edibles” – Cannabis in Foods; Brian Hill, Francine Bistro, Camden ME, http://www.francinebistro.com/, reveals the honor of just being nominated – his 7th time; At “Chef’s Night Out, at The Montgomery Club, Peter talks to the winner of a recent Woodford Reserve sponsored Cocktail Contest.

A wonderful new classic of Culinary Literature/Kitchen Science, another Ace & an honored chef:  J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Managing Culinary Director, Serious Eats, San Matteo CA, www.seriouseats.com, The Food Lab; Brent Young, Founder, The Meathook, Brooklyn, www.the-meathook.com; Culinary Partner, Ace Hotel Pittsburgh& Whitfield restaurant; www.acehotel.com/pittsburgh; Shawn Culp, Director, Department Chair, Culinary Arts, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, www.artinstitutes.edu/pittsburghAwardee, American Culinary Federation – Cutting Edge Chef Award.

Sweets from some very different sources: Marisa McClellan. Philadelphia PA, www.foodinjars.com, Naturally Sweet Food in Jars: 100 Preserves to Make with Coconut, Maple, Honey & More; Anissa Helou, London UK, www.anissas.com; Sweet Middle East: Classic Recipes from Baklava to Fig Ice Cream; David Noll, Pacific Resources International, Carpinteria CA, www.shoppri.com, Manuka Honey & Artisanal Sea Salt from New Zealand.

Three Books we’d never have expected to be written – and their Authors’ stories: Sam Calagione, Founder, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery & The Main & Chesapeake Restaurant, Rehoboth DE, www.dogfish.com, The Off-Centered Approach to Business & Collaboration; Myra Kornfeld & Stephen Massimilla, NYC, www.cookingwiththemuse.com, Cooking with the Muse: A Sumptuous Gathering of Seasonal Recipes, Culinary Poetry & Literary Fare; David Geisser, chef & former Vatican Swiss Guard, www.vaticancookbook.com, The Vatican Cookbook (1st English edition).

Karen McNeilTradition brought up to the Present Day – in Food, Wine & the Culinary Profession – from Three Brilliant Ladies:  Joyce Goldstein, Retired Chef-Restaurateur, Culinary Consultant, Insightful Author, San Francisco CA, www.joycegoldstein.com, The New Mediterranean Jewish Kitchen; Karen MacNeil, Wine Correspondent & Educator, Napa CA, www.karenmacneil.com, The Wine Bible (new edition); Claudia Wu, Co-Founder & Editor, Cherry Bombe, Convener of Cherry Jubilee, NYC. www.cherrybombe.com.

Produce and More!!  Fruits & Veggies, Oils & Spices – from the unusual to the even more unusual; how to cook what you grow/find/catch/shoot; & a dedicated tome about the Southern staple veggies.  Kitty Keller, Founder K L Keller Foodways. Oakland CA, www.klkeller.com; Susan Ebert, Austin TX, www.field2table.com; The Field to Table Cookbook: Gardening, Foraging, Fishing & Hunting; Thomas Head, Washington DC, www.thomashead.com, Greens: A Savor the South Cookbook.

Food at Issue - health & culture:  Amanda Haas, Director of Culinary, Williams-Sonoma, San Francisco, http://www.williams-sonoma.com/, The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: The Delicious Way to Reduce Inflammation& Stay Healthy; Barry Novick, Founder, Kitchen Table Bakers, inventors of Parmcrisps, Syosset NY, www.kitchentablebakers.com; Professor Dwight Furrow, San Diego Mesa College, American Foodie: Taste, Art & the Cultural Revolution.  AND WE WISH ALL WHO CELEBRATE IT A VERY HAPPY EASTER!!