James Beard News

Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), Houston's leading performing arts presenter, is teaming up with local celebrity chefs and restaurants for a special event titled 'A Taste of SPA' on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, at 7 p.m. All proceeds from this event will go toward the newly created Theresa Mallett Scholarship for Young Artists.

A CHEF'S LIFE is a new half-hour character-driven documentary and cooking series that takes viewers inside the life of Chef Vivian Howard

Orlando's top restaurants are offering $33 three-course dinners throughout the entire month of September during Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month. Returning in its eighth year, this mouth-watering event features more than 60 restaurants and several packages pairing dinner for two with a one-night hotel stay. Diners can find a full list of restaurants and hotel packages on the mobile-friendly website OrlandoMagicalDining.com.

These days we are all doing a lot of writing, talking about and taking pictures of food. The question is, why? Food writer, restaurant critic and Top Chef Masters judge, Ruth Reichl will kick-off the 2013/2014 season of The Cabin's Readings & Conversations series, October 16, at the Morrison Center.

Performance Network Theatre invites supporters to its First Annual Spotlight Supper Club where they will have the opportunity to celebrate Performance Network's fantastic upcoming 2013-2014 epically intimate season with artists like Naz Edwards, Aral Gribble, Carla Milarch, David Wells and the Performance Network Staff while sharing a menu designed specifically for the 2013-14 season by world-renowned Chef Alex at Zingerman's Roadhouse on September 16th, 2013 at 7pm.

Recently named the 2013 James Beard Award winner for Publication of the Year, ChopChop, The Fun Cooking Magazine for Families, has introduced families to the joys and benefits of cooking together since 2010. ChopChop's mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook and eat real food with their families. Its vision is to reverse and prevent childhood obesity-one of the nation's most urgent issues. But there is no finger-wagging here! ChopChop's message is positive, and the solution is fun.

Bravo Media's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series, TOP CHEF, is back and heads to New Orleans for season 11 on Wednesday, October 2 at 10PM ET/PT.

Alton Brown, Iron Chef host and renowned television personality, is taking his brand of quirky humor and culinary science on the road with the "Alton Brown Live! The Edible Inevitable Tour." Brown will appear at The Center for the Performing Arts on OCTOBER 24, 2013, presented by Broadway San Jose - a Nederlander Presentation, in partnership with Team San Jose. Tickets go on sale August 24th through Ticketmaster.

Delta Air Lines, New York's largest airline, is launching a unique partnership with Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) creators of some of New York City's most celebrated restaurants and helmed by James Beard Award winning restaurateur Danny Meyer aimed at elevating the dining and inflight experience. The partnership demonstrates Delta's continued efforts to offer regionally tailored, chef-driven menus onboard as well as Delta's continued investment in New York.

Joe Famularo, who grew up with his Italian-American family in New York when the Great Depression was in full swing, recounts his youth, and how his family's love for authentic Italian food helped them weather those difficult days. The narrative of his book, Crazy for Italian Food, primarily occurs in Hell's Kitchen, on the far west side of Manhattan. At the time, the area was populated with Italian immigrant families, along with Irish, German and Jewish communities, and at that time, Italian cuisine was the most popular, as it is today.

Flavor! Napa Valley wine and food festival announces the November 20-24 schedule of events featuring new chefs, sommeliers, seminars, and more hands-on, intimate workshops. The festival showcases legendary food and wine talents of the Napa Valley - a region that earned 12 Michelin stars this year. Unique to Flavor! Napa Valley, participating chefs must have a restaurant in the Napa Valley or be a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the festival's beneficiary. This year is a significant one for several Napa Valley wineries that are celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2013. Tickets are now on sale. To purchase tickets and for the full schedule of events, visit flavornapavalley.com.

In anticipation of what is traditionally the biggest season for books, Amazon.com today announced its Big Fall Books Preview. The Amazon Book Editors have made their selections for fall's top 20 big books, as well as a selection of new under-the-radar books. The Amazon Big Fall Books Preview also features the season's most anticipated releases in biographies, comics and graphic novels, cookbooks, fiction, mysteries, nonfiction, romance and science fiction-plus upcoming releases for kids and young adults. Customers can browse the full lists at www.amazon.com/fallbookspreview.

Renaissance House: A Retreat for Writers and Other Artists in Martha's Vineyard will host a presentation on writing about cultural cuisine by Jessica B. Harris, award-winning author and scholar of foods of the African Diaspora today, July 30 at 7:30pm at the Renaissance House,31 Pennacook Avenue in historic Oak Bluffs.

Delta Air Lines is partnering with FOOD & WINE to create an original culinary competition video series, called "The Cabin Pressure Cook Off," to find its newest chef. The winning chef will consult with Delta on menus for flights departing Atlanta.

FIVE50 Pizza Bar, the first casual concept from James Beard award-winning Chef Shawn McClain, is now open at ARIA Resort & Casino. Following the success of Sage, his first restaurant at the property, Chef McClain's newest Las Vegas outpost is serving up wood-fired pizzas, flavorful small plates, artisanal charcuterie, international cheeses, seasonal salads, handmade pastas and decadent desserts, all complemented by an impressive collection of carefully selected craft beers.

The Hutton Hotel proudly announces its inclusion in Travel + Leisure magazine's 2013 World's Best Awards, as one of the top large city hotels in the Continental U.S. The independent modern luxury property debuts at #30 on this prestigious list.

Food Enthusiasts and Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature Cardholders Are Invited to Join Taste America All-Star Sean Brock to Taste and Enjoy America's Culinary Diversity September 27-28

Tastemade has announced that they are bringing the award-winning show Perennial Plate's Real Food World Tour to all Virgin America domestic flights, inspiring travelers to eat with adventure at their destinations.

Todd English announced today the relocation of his signature Charlestown restaurant, Olives. The landmark establishment that opened it doors in 1989 on Main Street, and moved to City Square three years later is once again moving to a new location in the greater Boston area.

Alton Brown, Iron Chef host and renowned television personality, is taking his brand of quirky humor and culinary science on the road with the 'Alton Brown Live! The Edible Inevitable Tour.' Brown will appear at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, on Thursday, February 27, 2014.