Nickel City Chef XI Video Jenkins vs. Guarino

Nickel City Chef XI featured Nickel City Chef Paul Jenkins of Tempo versus Challenging Chef Jim Guarino of Shango Bistro. This was a very close battle.

The secret ingredient came to us from T-Meadow Farm, a family farm known for single-handedly repopulating the Old Gloucestershire heritage breed hog. Our competing chefs incorporated T-Meadow's chops, ground pork and smoked bacon into each dish.

Nickel City Chef XI was hosted by Bert Gambini of WBFO and his co-host, Chef Adam Goetz of Sample. Our judges included Alan Bedenko of BuffaloPundit.com, Chef Jason Bielinski of Wegmans and food writer Andrew Galarneau of The Buffalo News.

Watch the Nickel City Chef XI video here! This video was produced by Nathan Peracciny.

Tickets are still available for the last show of our second season.

On June 27th an audience of nearly 200 will watch Nickel City Chef Krista Van Wagner of Curly's compete against Chef Marco Sciortino of Marco's on Niagara Street. Judges will include comedian Kristen Becker, Kevin LoVullo, host of Spiel the Wine and Toronto-based food writer and television producer, Mary Luz Mejia.

You can also catch mini Nickel City Chef expositions at the upcoming Taste of Buffalo.

About Nickel City Chef:

Nickel City Chef takes place in one of the city’s best kept secrets–a fully restored turn-of-the-century warehouse on Buffalo’s West Side, the home of Artisan Kitchens & Baths. Completely outfitted with two competition-worthy kitchens, this unique setting is the ideal location for this exciting hyper-local cooking competition.

At each event, a Nickel City Chef and his or her challenger (each representing a locally-owned independent business) must complete three dishes in under an hour with each dish showcasing a secret ingredient. They employ classic and modern techniques in order to demonstrate their skills and personal cooking philosophy. All of Nickel City Chef’s secret ingredients always come from right here in Western New York!

A panel of professionals act as judges to determine which chef prepares the most technically perfect, creative and delicious cuisine. The audience enjoys catered snacks and delivers their own vote for their favorite chef of the day. With seating for nearly 200, Nickel City Chef events provide guests with an exciting, uniquely WNY cooking experience. With four cameras mounted in our pro kitchens and over a dozen flat screen monitors, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Jenn Air, SubZero, Wolf, GE Monogram, Wegmans, Mansion on Delaware Avenue, the Buffalo chapter of the Chaine de Rotisseurs, Buffalo Spree, Block Club for Business, Earth Star, WBFO 88.7 and SeaBar City.



**Nickel City Chef is a Feed Your Soul production.

Feed Your Soul is a company dedicated to developing and executing both private and public events focused on the food and agriculture of Western New York. Feed Your Soul was founded on the firm belief that agritourism and culinary tourism should not only be a major aspect of traveling in WNY, but are a fundamental component to Buffalo’s renaissance. Nickel City Chef is only one of Feed Your Soul’s projects, see the Feed Your Soul website for a current schedule.

Feed Your Soul's Summer Schedule

Feed Your Soul, (the producers of the hit series, Nickel City Chef) are pleased to present you with a summer of fun programming which focuses on the magnificent agriculture and talented chefs of our region. Journey to some of our area's most unique farms with our very popular Foodie-to-Farm series, or stay in the city and experience one of our best food markets, learning to prepare a tasty and seasonal meal at the side of a top chef with our new Chef & Market Lunches!

Chef & Market Lunches start each adventure by meeting at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market, where we will take a tour led by food writer Christa Glennie Seychew and one of her chef friends. During the tour we will meet some of the farmers and vendors, talk about their growing methods and seasonal offerings and sample some of their wares. The chef will be able to answer questions you may have about some of the more unique vegetables and fruits sold at the market, offering tips for both storing and preparing them.


Throughout the tour, the group, with the guidance of our chef, will gather the freshest of what’s in season (and maybe a few extra treats) before we make our way down the street to Delish, Elmwood’s favorite cooking demonstration school and bakery. At Delish, our chef for the day will then lead us through a simple and impromptu lunch preparation using all of our market purchases. Finally, we will sit with cold lemonade and our fresh, farmers market meal and enjoy one another’s company.

Foodie-to-Farm Tours

Our farm tours sell out every summer. We love that what started three summers ago as a way to connect chefs to our local harvest has become an annual series not only well-attended by our region’s top chefs, but also by foodies, health practitioners, nutritionists, culinary students and everyday people interested in seeing another side of WNY. With our unique and remarkable climate and prime soil ratings, it is no surprise that our 8,500 farms (most of which are small and family-owned) are a major contributor to our country’s food supply. In addition to a large dairy, maple and produce industry, we also are home to two wine trails, talented artisan foodmakers and a variety of farmers raising livestock. Join us this summer for one of our three farm tours, where great meals prepared by chefs, farmer-led field walks, sampling and information about sustainability and our agrarian bounty will be discovered.

Nickel City Chef IX Video Goetz vs. Gedra

Nickel City Chef IX featured Nickel City Chef Adam Goetz of Sample versus Challenging Chef Steve Gedra of the Bistro Europa. This was a very close battle.

The secret ingredient came to us from Baldwin Hills Farm, a family farm known for producing great maple syrup and a line of innovative maple-inspired products. Our competing chefs incorporated Baldwin Hills' maple syrup and unique maple vinegar into each dish. Nickel City Chef IX was hosted by Bert Gambini of WBFO and his co-host, Chef JJ Richert of Torches. Our judges included Nelson Star of All-Access Pass, Chef Brian Mietus of Bacchus (one of last year's winners) and Kristen Becker of Dykes of Hazard Comedy Tour.

Tickets are still available for the last three shows of our second season. On May 16th an audience of nearly 200 will watch undefeated Nickel City Chef JJ Richert compete against Dino DeBell of the highly-anticipated and soon-to-open Blue Monk, and on June 6th, Chef Jim Guarino of Shango will challenge Nickel City Chef Paul Jenkins of Tempo.



About Nickel City Chef

Nickel City Chef takes place in one of the city’s best kept secrets–a fully restored turn-of-the-century warehouse on Buffalo’s West Side, the home of Artisan Kitchens & Baths. Completely outfitted with two competition-worthy kitchens, this unique setting is the ideal location for this exciting hyper-local cooking competition.

At each event, a Nickel City Chef and his or her challenger (each representing a locally-owned independent business) must complete three dishes in under an hour with each dish showcasing a secret ingredient. They employ classic and modern techniques in order to demonstrate their skills and personal cooking philosophy. All of Nickel City Chef’s secret ingredients always come from right here in Western New York!

A panel of professionals act as judges to determine which chef prepares the most technically perfect, creative and delicious cuisine. The audience enjoys catered snacks and delivers their own vote for their favorite chef of the day. With seating for nearly 200, Nickel City Chef events provide guests with an exciting, uniquely WNY cooking experience. With four cameras mounted in our pro kitchens and over a dozen flat screen monitors, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Jenn Air, SubZero, Wolf, GE Monogram, Wegmans, Mansion on Delaware Avenue, the Buffalo chapter of the Chaine de Rotisseurs, Buffalo Spree, Block Club for Business, Earth Star, WBFO 88.7 and SeaBar City.



**Nickel City Chef is a Feed Your Soul production.

Feed Your Soul is a company dedicated to developing and executing both private and public events focused on the food and agriculture of Western New York. Feed Your Soul was founded on the firm belief that agritourism and culinary tourism should not only be a major aspect of traveling in WNY, but are a fundamental component to Buffalo’s renaissance. Nickel City Chef is only one of Feed Your Soul’s projects; see the Feed Your Soul website for a current schedule.

Niagara County Restaurant Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Featuring Local Agriculture & Wine

On Monday, May 3rd, Chef Carmelo Raimondi, the second generation owner of Carmelo’s in Lewiston, NY, will celebrate his restaurant’s 30th anniversary by hosting a very unique open house event.

For decades, Carmelo’s Restaurant served classic continental cuisine to Lewiston's residents and many visitors. But a trip to Italy and a growing appreciation for Niagara County's agricultural bounty has inspired Chef Raimondi to adapt his cooking style over the last few years. Today he utilizes his talents to provide his customers with a fresh and delicious farm-to-table approach.

For those who may not be aware, Niagara County is home to more than 800 farms. Prime soil allows farmers in this region of New York State to grow a tremendous variety of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the area’s loamy earth, when combined with the unique climate created by the proximity of the lake, make it an ideal area to raise stone fruit and grapes. Dairies and livestock farms are also an important part of Niagara County’s agricultural profile.

“We’re planting seeds here,” says Chef Raimondi, who has adopted a mission statement for his restaurant: “Our philosophy is to source the best ingredients from the Niagara Region and surrounding area. Carmelo's is a showcase for farmers and the food that they raise and grow. When developing our menu, we believe that eating the freshest seasonal ingredients heightens your awareness of the bounty our region offers and our remarkable four-season weather. It is always an adventure, and we hope that you will enjoy the taste sensations of this season, while looking forward to the next.”


Monday’s open house invites customers, farmers and foodies to experience live cooking demonstrations featuring local food prepared by Carmeloa and a few of his friends, who just happen to be some of our area’s best chefs. Each chef will prepare a a recipe which illustrates how simple preparations give the best results when using fresh, flavor-packed local food.

Local wineries Arrowhead Spring Vineyards, Eveningside Vineyards and Leonard Oakes Estate Winery will be on-hand to sample some of their best wines, and Guest of Honor, Eric Hahn, will speak about the importance of buying local.

Eric Hahn is the president and founder of Locavore Food Distributors, a Detroit-based food distribution company that markets all locally grown and produced foods from Michigan. His company distributes to schools, restaurants and grocery stores throughout Michigan and Chicago. Locavore Food Distributors works with more than 150 farms and local food producers in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. Through his visits to WNY and his friendship with Chef Raimondi, Mr. Hahn is convinced that great economic opportunities exist for our region’s farmers.

You can read more about Carmelo Raimondi and his local-centric efforts here and here.

We ask that you join us in celebrating the promise of spring, the bounty of Western New York and the success of Carmelo’s, now in its 30th year.

Carmelo’s
425 Center Street
Lewiston, NY
716.754.2311

Just Vino And Pinot Noir

You may remember that I could not contain my excitement after my first visit to Just Vino. Since then I’ve enjoyed many delightful evenings with friends in their warm, cozy wine bar.

Now in their second year of business, Jeff Borsuk and Ken Wood continue to celebrate their theme night events, by hosting a Pinot Noir tasting on Wednesday April 28, 2010. The evening's feature wines are:

2007 Freedom Run Artisan Collection Double Gold American Fine Wine Competition
2007 William Selyem Flax Vineyard
2006 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve
2005 Albert Bichot Pommard
2005 Sea Smoke Southing

In true Just Vino fashion, a specially selected antipasti plate will be offered to complement these fine wines. The event is from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at a cost of $50.00 per person. For reservations please call, email or stop into Just Vino.

Just Vino
846 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14202
716.725.0166
email justvino@roadrunner.com

Penzeys Is Here!

The long wait is over! I never thought I’d see the day when we in Buffalo would have our very own Penzeys Spices store. But that long awaited day is here. Penzeys Spices opened their door to customers this weekend and the Elmwood Avenue location looks great.

I first learned about Penzeys many years ago while watching Food Network’s live TV program “Cooking Live Prime Time with Sara Moulton”. She often sourced Penzeys for the show's spices and I began mail ordering from them. With stores in cities nationwide, they carry a vast array of herbs, spices and other seasoning ingredients. Penzeys supplies restaurants and delights home cooks with products that are at their peek of freshness.

Three years ago on a trip to Pittsburgh I stopped in the Penn Avenue location of Penzeys and talked with the store manager Frank. I got to know Frank from my frequent shopping pilgrimages, so he knew I’d be excited by the prospect of a Buffalo location. He mentioned Penzeys was looking at a few neighborhoods in the city of Buffalo and we discussed potential locations. Long story short, we have our store! And it was worth the wait.

Whether you are an avid cook or know someone who likes to cook this is the store for you.

Penzeys Spices
783 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14222
716.887.9777
Mon. - Sat. 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun. 11:00am - 5:00pm

Nickel City Chef Season Two - Richert Versus Raimondi

“Western New York is a food makers and food lover’s paradise...it just doesn’t know it yet.”
--Patrick Lango, farmer, White Cow Dairy (Nickel City Chef Season One Secret Ingredient Sponsor)


Last week Nickel City Chef celebrated its first show of its 2010 series. This competition featured a secret ingredient made by a homegrown, hometown food manufacturer: Sorrento.

Ricotta cheese took center stage as Nickel City Chef Adam Goetz of Sample Restaurant took on Challenging Chef Ross Warhol of the Chautauqua Institution's Athenaeum. Both chefs have a penchant for molecular gastronomy techniques, and each of them delivered three spectacular dishes. Warhol’s warm Ricotta Plaque with shaved vegetable salad, chorizo vinaigrette and tomato marmalade cornet was a show stopper, but Goetz’s counter with a stunning and ambitious Ricotta Tasting really blew the judges away. They had a very difficult time choosing a winner, but in the end, Nickel City Chef Adam Goetz took home the trophy!

Watch the video here to see more about this exciting event.

Nickel City Chef’s 2010 season has just begun, with a total of eight shows scheduled through the month of June. This Sunday you can catch Nickel City Chef JJ Richert of Torches versus Challenging Chef Carmelo Raimondi of Carmelo’s in Lewiston.
This show is almost sold out, but you can get tickets to it or any of the other Nickel City events by clicking here.


About Nickel City Chef:

Nickel City Chef takes place in one of the city’s best kept secrets–a fully restored turn-of-the-century warehouse on Buffalo’s West Side, the home of Artisan Kitchens & Baths. Completely outfitted with two competition-worthy kitchens, this unique setting is the ideal location for this exciting hyper-local cooking competition.

At each event, a Nickel City Chef and his or her challenger (each representing a locally-owned independent business) must complete three dishes in under an hour with each dish showcasing a secret ingredient. They employ classic and modern techniques in order to demonstrate their skills and personal cooking philosophy. All of Nickel City Chef’s secret ingredients always come from right here in Western New York!

A panel of professionals act as judges to determine which chef prepares the most technically perfect, creative and delicious cuisine. The audience enjoys catered snacks and delivers their own vote for their favorite chef of the day. With seating for nearly 200, Nickel City Chef events provide guests with an exciting, uniquely WNY cooking experience. With four cameras mounted in our pro kitchens and over a dozen flat screen monitors, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.


**Nickel City Chef is a Feed Your Soul production.

Feed Your Soul is a company dedicated to developing and executing both private and public events focused on the food and agriculture of Western New York. Feed Your Soul was founded on the firm belief that agritourism and culinary tourism should not only be a major aspect of traveling in WNY, but are a fundamental component to Buffalo’s renaissance. Nickel City Chef is only one of Feed Your Soul’s projects, see the Feed Your Soul website for a current schedule.