The Best of Up Close & Personal....a look back.
Over the past two years we have been fortunate to interview and bring to you, our readers, some of the culinary world's most fascinating people..well...according to us. From award winning, restaurant executive chefs at the top of their game, to well known celebrity chefs who have become the household names we all have come to recognize and admire, we certainly have had our share. Grammy award winning musicians, film stars, best selling authors and more, we have had a whirlwind first 2 years traveling and bringing to you their thoughts and perceptions on food, life, love and family. It has always been our intention to bring you the story of the people behind the 'persona'. It was our goal when we designed this feature, to bring you the personal side, the human side, the real side, of the people we have chatted with.
We were fascianated when delving into the culinary genius that is the mind of Marcus Samuelsson, and afterword, enjoy his incredible food. Experiencing the music of Arturo Sandoval from backstage, then chatting about his upbringing, leaving Cuba and the food of his heritage was an eye openeing experience. Chef Michel Nischan, gave us new perspectives on local, sustainable and 'farm to table.' Ami James shared about his passion for art and his sudden TV success.
Iron Chef Cat Cora dreamed of owning a 'real Greek' restaurant since she was 15 yrs. old and we were privileged to sit down with her on the day she realized that dream, when she and Disney partnered to create & open, 'Kouzzina by Cat Cora' at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. We had some fun when fellow NJ boy done good, TLC's Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro dropped by the GGM interview couch as well and shared with us about his father, his family, his sudden TV fame and the wild ride he now finds himself on.
Longtime Doobie Brothers manager and owner of award winning B. R. Cohn Winery, Bruce Cohn talked with us about the early days on the road with one of America's most successful rock bands and how he came to love all things culinary. During last years Super Bowl, we sat down with Taste of the NFL founder Wayne Kostroski and took a behind the scenes look at what has become the largest fundraising event in America, with its purpose of feeding the hungry.
We've even included some great video inrterviews for you to enjoy again as well, including: Top Chef's Tom Collichio, Miss America-Katie Stam, actress/winemaker Lorraine Bracco.
We hope you enjoy this look back and rest assured, we have some great chefs and personalities lined up for you over the course of 2010. Here is a a look back at some of our more memorable Up Close & Personals...Happy New Year!
The Cast of Characters...
Chef/Owner of The Dressing Room: A Homegrown Restaurant, co-owned with the late Paul Newman, located on the grounds of the Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut and President of Wholesome Wave Foundation.... Chef/Owner of Aquavit, NYC, Author of two cookbooks, Marcus has been featured in numerous publications: Gourmet, USA Today, Food & Wine, The New York Times and Bon Appétit, to name a few. He has appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Martha Stewart Living Television, CNN, The Food Network, The Discovery Channel, UPN’s “The Iron Chef USA,” and several New York television programs. When it comes to Cat Cora, her skyrocketing career and the opening of the restaurant 'Kouzzina,' that she has dreamed about since she was 15, the imagineers could not have scripted a more touching story. Surrounded by her family, partner Jen, her children and flanked by her parents, it was obvious to all in attendance that this was a special day. We first met Jason Roberts at a Key Private Bank event in Bonita Springs, Florida. He was quiet, charming and polite. That is, of course until he burst onto the stage and rocked the house. When we set up this interview, little did we know that delving into this amazingly talented chef's life and cooking, we would come to know a pure soul, with a huge heart, who is truly a unique and gifted individual. With a wonderful smile and a glint in his eye that reveals a bit of mischief, a bit of wonder, a bit of all the places and things he has experienced, he can be a captivating presence, especially when there is an audience present.
Buddy is an accomplished master baker and cake decorator and star of the hit TLC reality show Cake Boss. His legacy to his father, and dedictation to the rest of his family and community are a throughback to old world values of committment, loyalty, love, dedication, and yes... tradition. Nick Stellino grew up in Palermo, on the island of Sicily and came to the United States in 1975. His efforts culminated in the highly successful television series Nick Stellino Cooking with Friends, Cucina Amore I, II and III, Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen I, II, III, IV and V, and the PBS specials, Nick Stellino's Dinner Party and Nick Stellino: Food, Love & Family. After graduating from the CIA in 1991, Foss basked in the shadow of one of the country’s leading chefs, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Recognized as a rising haute-cuisine star, Foss was hired by one of the world’s best restaurants, Le Cirque. Foss went on to help open Le Cirque 2000 in the Palace Hotel. At Le Cirque 2000, Foss had the privilege to cook for several U.S. presidents, including Nixon, Reagan and Clinton, and for Pope John Paul II, whom he served lobster bisque. | Ami James is a thoughtful, caring young man with a passion for good food, good wine, and of course, good art. Soft spoken and eloquent, he is the antithesis of the surly individual he was made out to be in the show, Miami Ink. As one of the greatest Jazz musicians of our time, five time Grammy Award winning Arturo has played with a list of incredible music legends from Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Michel Legrand, Bill Conti, and Stan Getz to Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Rod Stewart and Alicia Keys amongst many others.
For the last 18 years he has given his heart, mind, body and soul to one thing: Making sure he does whatever it is within his power to do, to raise awareness in the fight against hunger. He has gathered some impressive troops. The list of celebrities, NFL athletes, both current and Hall of Famers, as well as the 'Who's Who' that he has rallied to this cause is mind boggling. Randy has had more adventure than most of us could ever hope for in one lifetime. Our good fortune, as his readers, is that he also has a very special talent to not only take these journeys, but to write about them with a passion and style that allows us to vicariously live some of these special moments with him. We have read stated of him, "He is the George Plimpton of our day, who decided to write mystery novels." This is a man who took a boat and sailed to Cuba during the Mariel Boat Lift at the request of a friend seeking 2 people, and ended up bringing 147 back to the States. Co-founder of Florida's Big Brother program, he is a gentle soul who puts his money where his mouth is. Literally.
Founder and proprietor of B.R. Cohn Winery, Bruce has embraced a lifelong passion for Northern California’s wine country and its bounty. An equally strong passion for music led to a parallel career in the music industry as the manager for one of rock ‘n’ roll’s perennially favorite American bands, The Doobie Brothers. His down-to-earth attitude, focus and dedication coupled with the fact that he is a truly 'nice guy' have made both careers flourishing successes to this day. Boome started his culinary training in 1999 as a cook in Switzerland doubling up as an au pair for a local family. He later moved to Canada and trained at the acclaimed West Wind Inn. To finalize his training, Boome attended the Grange Cookery School in England. His first post as a young chef was at the fashionable Asia de Cuba restaurant in St. Martin's Lane London Hotel, and his passion for fusion cookery was ignited. Evan Kleiman Chef/owner of Angeli Caffe, a hip Italian restaurant on Melrose Avenue in L. A., Evan is host of the weekly radio food show “Good Food” which is heard each Saturday morning at 11am on KCRW 89.9fm. KCRW is the second largest NPR station in the country. |
Marcus Samuelsson
Cat Cora
Chef Jason Roberts
TLC's Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro
Chef Nick Stellino
Chef Phillip Foss
Arturo Sandoval
Wayne Kostroski, Taste of the NFL
Author Randy Wayne White
B. R. Cohn Winery's, Bruce Cohn
Foodnetwork's, Danny Boome
Chef & NPR Radio Personality