Ultimate Gifts: Hire Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay

07 August 2010

People have been booking private parties and events with celebrity personalities for decades. It’s a surefire way to increase the profile of any event, and it’s definitely considered to be one of the most ultimate gifts you could ever give someone. Not every celebrity has to be a singer or a comedian, either. Some are booking any famous personality, including Gordon Ramsay.

Outside of the UK, Gordon Ramsay is known primarily for being the short-tempered head chef on the hit reality TV series Hell’s Kitchen. However, the 43-year-old British chef is also a famous cookbook author, motivational speaker, and a restaurateur who has been awarded a total of 12 Michelin Stars over his storied career.

Gordon, a former teen football star, picked up some fame in the UK with his outspoken, devil-may-care personality in his restaurants and eventually landed multiple television spots, including The F Word and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. Since becoming one of the biggest celebrity personalities in the world, many have booked him for private engagements.

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El Cholo - A cheap, cheerful and extremely popular Mexican restaurant in LA

03 November 2009

Los Angeles is the home of million-dollar homes, billion-dollar blockbusters, celebrities, sports franchises, and, of course, a wide range of restaurants to satisfy your growling stomach. Most will undoubtedly cause mayhem on your wallet, but every once in a while, you’ll find a restaurant that has very fair prices for delicious food.

Started in 1927 as a traditional Mexican restaurant, El Cholo is the location you’re looking for if you want good food that won’t set you back a house payment. This family-style restaurant has been one of the most popular in the area for 80 years. Due to its LA popularity, El Cholo locations have opened up all over the country - but the original is always the best.

This causal restaurant is perfect for anytime, day or night, and is a great location for a dinner date, formal party, or just a family get-together with the kids in tow. The ambiance is a taste of Mexico and hasn’t changed much at all in nearly a century. Of course, any resident of Los Angeles will be quick to tell you that a Mexican "theme" is not needed.

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World's Top Restaurants - Palace Arms at The Brown Palace Hotel, Denver

14 October 2009

Sometimes travelers just strike lucky and find a pot of gold on their trip. Before it was world renowned, Palace Arms at the Brown Palace Hotel was just the establishment’s own eatery for guests. However, after turning many heads and sparking many a-taste bud, Palace Arms is now considered one of the world’s premier restaurants.

The hotel is famous enough for being the first atrium-style hotel built, but it’s the restaurant that has really brought in the crowds in recent years. Opened in 1892, it is one of Denver, Colorado’s oldest and most famous attractions.

The outside of the Brown Palace Hotel seems to be out of place. From a distance, it resembles the corner stone construction of New York mainstays like Delmonico’s, but from up close and personal, this gigantic triangular-shaped building presents itself as a feat of architecture, especially for the time it was built.

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The Enormous West Lake Restaurant in Changsha, China

29 September 2009

Throughout man’s evolution, every one of us has thought of ways to do things on a bigger scale than our predecessors. From caves to huts, from huts to high-rises, our one-upmanship in the name of progression literally knows no bounds. This is exemplified by the Chinese and their West Lake restaurant in the province of Changsha.

Employing a staff of over 1,000 and seating roughly 5,000 hungry diners, the West Lake restaurant is the world’s largest Chinese restaurant and number-two on the list of the biggest in general behind the 6,014-seat Damascus Gate in Syria.

West Lake is much more like the Mall of America than what you’d expect a typical Chinese restaurant to be. It’s open, very expansive, and features a host of other things to do besides eat. The restaurant was created by Qin Linzi, a business woman whose vision has inspired the residents of Changsha and beyond.

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The Exclusive City of London Club - now available for private hire

17 September 2009

The private members only City of London Club was once one of city’s oldest clubs. Established in 1832, the establishment was originally known as the London Gentlemen’s Club, but later changed its name. The building is located at 19 Broad Street in the City of London, and in order to receive membership in this posh environment, applicants had to be either a partner or director of the club’s firm.

It was ultra exclusive. In 1970, the club tried to sell off its large building to be used as office space. The idea was to relocate to a newer and larger premise. The club stayed put after a failed attempt.

Today, the City of London Club doesn’t offer private membership to anyone. Those days are long gone. However, the original building on Broad Street remains open and is used as a private hire venue. Private hire means, simply, that the building is available to be rented out for various occasions.

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The Bistro at Maison De Ville serves the best meal in all New Orleans

15 September 2009

The world has its share of standalone restaurants that are opened by everyone from qualified chefs, famous celebrities, and the everyday cook, so there’s definitely not a shortage of places to eat when you’re on vacation.

However, sometimes it’s just too much of a hassle to travel from your hotel to a restaurant and back again. This is why hotel restaurants have really upped the ante in recent years, delivering fine cuisine to their many guests. One of the most celebrated hotel restaurants in the United States is the Bistro at Maison De Ville in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The hotel itself isn’t overly luxurious. Although it is on the high-end side of temporary living, and undoubtedly one of the best New Orleans has to offer, it’s not up there with the New York and Dubai hotels - but that’s just fine by the guests staying there.

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Top US Restaurant Review - Per Se, NYC

29 August 2009

New York City is the hub of all things global. Known by many different names, including "the city that never sleeps," New York offers residents and tourists a unique blend of culture and entertainment. With the award-winning restaurant in the Time Warner Center, "Per Se," guests get a healthy dose of both culture and entertainment in one sitting.

There’s no denying the ambiance and commanding presence of Per Se. Located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner skyscraper, Per Se is a beautifully constructed restaurant placed right in the heart of one of New York’s most treasured buildings. The property has the highest market value in the city, and the restaurant is its new crowning achievement.

After The French Laundry transformed the talented Thomas Keller into the in-demand head chef of the United States, he was able to open Per Se. The chef de cuisine is also one of the world’s finest - Jonathan Benno. Per Se opened in February of 2004 to a crowd that highly anticipated good things due to Keller’s’ extremely high profile.

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World's most Exclusive Bars - 21 Club

25 August 2009

America is a culture that works extremely hard to glorify excess. It is how money is made, pure and simple. We see this predominantly in the many alcohol advertisements on the TV; however, it wasn’t always like that.

America went through a long period of prohibition, where all alcoholic beverages were forbidden to be sold or consumed. As a result, many establishments opened "underground" and were referred to in some circles as speakeasies. One of the most famous speakeasies of the era was the 21 Club in New York - opened on New Year’s Eve 1930.

The club had first opened in Greenwich Village in 1922 as a speakeasy, but it wasn’t until it reached its destination of 21 West 52nd Street that it adopted its now current name. After the police raided the establishment, the wine cellar was placed behind an extremely large steel door where it remains to date. This raid was the first of many to take place during the prohibition era, but the owners were never caught in possession of alcohol.

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The Michelin Guide to Fine Dining

22 August 2009

Most people know Michelin as the French-based tire manufacturer. In fact, being the world’s largest tire plant, by far, Michelin is basically the only name in tires for most countries. Their annual revenue exceeds 15 billion on average. Michelin is also famous for their Red and Green travel guides.

In the Red Guide, the company is famous for the Michelin Stars awarded to the top restaurants. This guide isn’t so much a bible for the haughty, well-to-do diners; it’s more of an information guide to the everyday traveler. Even still, the Michelin Guide has become a legitimate authority in world-class cuisine.

The Michelin Guide isn’t your run-of-the-mill, foldable, pocket-friendly travel guide that you can pick up from the gas station counter. It’s a series of annual books that are released in over a dozen countries. The guide has more restaurant listings than rival guides, with over 9,000 in France alone. Although, the restaurants are specific to the country the book is released in, as well as the language it’s printed in.

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Top US Restaurant Review - L'Escalier, Palm Beach

27 July 2009

When most people think of Florida, they think of fun in the sun on the many beaches, nightclubs, sports teams, and Disneyworld. Although some may brush up against the thought, not many Florida tourists are intent on visiting strictly for the food.

A luxurious French restaurant in one of the state’s most popular resorts is working on changing that trend, if it hasn’t already. L’Escalier is a French fine dining restaurant within the borders of The Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The resort hosts many high-end clientele, and L’Escalier is the perfect compliment to the lavish resort experience.

L’Escalier claims to offer all visitors a touch of Paris while in Palm Springs. A lot of French-themed restaurants in the states also make an effort to include some other international and American twists on the menu, but this formal restaurant doesn’t bother. From the ambiance to the music, all the way up to the dessert, L’Escalier is as French as you can possible get without actually going to France.

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Top US Restaurant Review - Delmonico's, New York

20 July 2009

New York City is perhaps the world’s most famous city, and that’s saying a lot when you consider Rome, London, Paris, and other major metropolitan areas across the globe. Whether you refer to NY as the Big Apple, the City of Dreams, or just plain home, one thing’s for sure: this city is a hotbed of constant activity.

New York has long been known for its many great restaurants, and if you ask lovers of fine dining, Delmonico’s is the absolute best in the business. Judging by its popularity today, it’s not hard to believe that Delmonico’s has been around since the early 1800s.

It is one of America’s first continuously run restaurants, and is hands down the first-and still premier-fine dining establishment. In the early days of the restaurant, it was much more of an eatery, or cafeteria, allowing diners of all walks of life to come in and try food a la carte style.

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Top US Restaurant Review - Jeanty at Jack's, San Francisco

12 July 2009

There’s no other industry in the entire world as uncertain and prone to failure as the restaurant business. The vast majority of restaurants fail within the first year, and those that do make it past that all-important milestone are guaranteed to lose sufficient ground within the first five. It takes the perfect trifecta of food, ambiance and dumb luck to stay in business. Even a world renowned restaurant in 2008 could be wiped off the map by 2009. We find this to be painfully true with one of San Francisco, California’s most impressive restaurants, Jeanty at Jack’s.

Unfortunately, due to California’s ongoing battle to stave off out-and-out bankruptcy, many of the state’s businesses are failing. It’s an all-to-common situation in these times of economic uncertainty, and Jeanty at Jack’s is just the latest in a long line of otherwise reputable establishments to bite the bullet and yield the inevitable and unstoppable winds of change. While it was open, Jeanty at Jack’s, with its bright red corner-shop location, was a very popular eatery for permanent residents and tourists alike.

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Damascus Gate Restaurant, The Worlds Largest Restaurant

04 July 2009

Most high-end restaurants you’ll ever visit are medium-sized, able to handle relatively large crowds if need be, but better equipped to keep the numbers low. Other restaurants are a bit larger, offering a cafeteria-like setting, handling hundreds of people within its walls.

One restaurant, the world’s largest, by far, is like an amusement park. There’s really no logical way to describe the sheer size of Syria’s Damascus Gate. The gargantuan scale restaurant primarily serves people outside. It’s an actual replica of the famous Damascus Gate and has a working waterfall on the premises.

The restaurant is owned by esteemed businessman Shaker Samman who built the restaurant in hopes of topping Syria’s list of the areas largest. However, once word spread about this massive eatery, representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records made the trek and named Damascus Gate as the largest restaurant in the entire world. No pun intended, but that’s certainly no small feat. The world is packed with enormous restaurants, although many are not high-end; Damascus dwarfs them all with room to spare.

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Top US Restaurant Review - Durgin-Park

23 June 2009

Most restaurants in the world are easily identified by their clientele, menu, or the aesthetic nature of the building. With Durgin-Park, Boston’s most famous restaurant, it’s hard to tell exactly what you’re getting unless you actually go there. The restaurant is a true contradiction, seating some of the world’s most successful businessmen, but serving "everyday" items at prices that rival fast food restaurants. It’s clear to see why people come from far and wide to enjoy a dish at Durgin-Park, and it’s impossible to miss the quaint elegance of this age-old establishment.

Durgin-Park Caf� is located in downtown Boston and offers casual dining to anyone who really wishes to enjoy good, old fashioned grub. They mainly deal in seafood and prime rib, but other dishes are available. The cooks dishing up the delights aren’t the pretentious, take-it-my-way chefs that you’ll find in other restaurants; instead, the short-order style cooking is more like an all-night diner. The service staff, better known as just plain "waitresses," is famous at Durgin-Park. Lucky guests, or unlucky, as it were, may run into a moody waitress who’s quick to tell you where to put your dinner plate. The food served consistently earns high marks.

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Top US Restaurant Review - Antoine's, New Orleans

15 June 2009

Most commonly referred to as the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the most storied cities in America. With a population mostly comprised of descendants from the exiled French-Canadians and gold coast slaves, the true "melting pot" nature of America is personified in this city that sits below sea level. Not only has this city developed its own language, Cajun, but they also have a self-invented blended cuisine referred to as Creole. No other restaurant in Easy town serves up Narlins cooking like Antoine’s.

Antoine’s can be found on St. Louis Street in the French Quarter. For those who don’t know their way around New Orleans, the French Quarter is the only spot in the entire city that stands up above sea level. As such, Antoine’s was saved from the devastating water damage of hurricane Katrina, but the restaurant still took some heavy wind damage. Coming together, the community helped to rebuild the restaurant, and this 180-year-old establishment received a much needed makeover and all-around lifting of spirits.

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Top Restaurant Review - The French Laundry, Napa Valley

11 June 2009

The United States of America is known as a cultural melting pot. Formed from citizens of countries throughout the entire world, America is a unique blend of everything. This is especially true with the Yountville, California restaurant in Napa Valley, The French Laundry. As one of the best restaurants in the world, The French Laundry appears from the outside as a small, 2-story cottage or bungalow.

With vines running up the structure’s face and clinging to the rails of the terrace, the middling exterior gives the impression that the food served inside is run-of-the-mill at best. However, Thomas Keller, the head chef and owner, proves that no book should be judged by its cover.

Thomas Keller is a renowned American chef and restaurateur. His landmark restaurant, The French Laundry, has won multiple awards from the James Beard Foundation, including the Best California Chef, and Restaurant Magazine of Britain listed the restaurant among the world’s top 50.

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Top Restaurant Review - Noma, Denmark

03 June 2009

Denmark isn’t regularly known for a wide array of cuisine that brings travelers in by the thousands. Although they do boast a few local dishes that intrigue tourists, there’s usually nothing coming out of Denmark that turns heads. However, with bayside views and killer cuisine, Noma, located in Copenhagen, is the pride and joy of Denmark’s restaurant scene.

Noma single handedly changes the perception that only Spain, France and the US have fine-dining establishments readily available. With head chef and owner Rene Redzepi turning out wonderful and awe-inspiring dishes, Noma walked away with Restaurant Magazine’s honor of 10th best in the world in 2008.

Chef Rene Redzepi honed his talents in other Restaurant ranked establishments before creating Noma. El Bulli, the undisputed king of the restaurant world, once played home to Redzepi, where he worked alongside trendsetters and innovators and learned the finer points of worldly cuisine.

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Top Restaurant Review - The Fat Duck, UK

27 April 2009

Established in 1995 and run by chef Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck is a one of the finest restaurants in England. Located in Bray, Berkshire, this posh and elegant restaurant is a bit of a paradox. From the outside, the place looks more like the proverbial pub or "everyman" eatery. Inside, the restaurant is more like a palace with a delectable menu created on the principles of molecular gastronomy.

The menu definitely has its own niche, meaning that some of its items are not for everyone. Some of the dishes you find include snail porridge, sardine sorbet, and salmon poached with licorice.

The Fat Duck was the recipient of the Michelin Guide Three-Star award in 2004. Along with two other well-known restaurants, The Fat Duck was one of the only three in the UK and Ireland to receive such a prestigious award. The restaurant was awarded again in 2005, this time by the acclaimed Restaurant Magazine. It was given the title of the Best Restaurant in the World.

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A history of Caviar, the prehistoric Sturgeon eggs

20 April 2009

Yuck, fish eggs; who knew? For people not privy to the food made famous by the pleasantly posh, you may not realize what caviar is and have that knee-jerk reaction when someone spills the beans on its origins. Caviar - the more famous type - is harvested from the Sturgeon. The Sturgeon is actually a prehistoric fish, one of only a dozen or so species on the planet to exist at the same time as the dinosaurs. In itself, that little tidbit of information is enough to make the Sturgeons eggs worth their weight in gold.

The first recorded instance of someone enjoying fish eggs was in France in 1553, according to Rabelais and his Faits et dits Heroiques du Grand Pantagruet. The first recorded instance of the word "Caviar" was in 1591. The word "Caviar" actually originates from the Turkish "khavyar" and the food was rumored to be a staple in the diets of the Middle Eastern and other Eastern Europeans for hundreds of years before it became a delicacy.

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Top Restaurant Review - Arzak, Spain

16 April 2009

Foodies from all over the globe flock to Spain to try the local cuisine. Spain has influenced the entire world in terms of what and how people eat. Other than French, Spanish cuisine is the world’s most recognizable; and by sheer numbers, the most popular.

In the lush area of San Sebastian, Spain, the Arzak restaurant gives diners a gastronomical experience they won’t soon forget. Arzak is a three-star Michelin rated restaurant that specializes in Basque cooking. Basque refers to the Basque people and includes local meats and fish usually grilled over hot coals. The technique also uses a wide array of pungent spices and sheep’s milk cheeses.

Arzak gets it name from head chef and founder Juan Mari Arzak, a celebrated chef who’s been cooking and compelling food critics for decades. The restaurant is a family-run business, and Arzak’s daughter now shares in the cooking duties. The building is located on the outskirts of San Sebastian and the dining room is spread out over two floors. You get a look and feel of old world Spain as soon as you arrive at Arzak.

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Top Restaurant Review - El Bulli, Spain

04 April 2009

For a good restaurant, winning an honor such as the "World’s Best" is a title that comes around once in a lifetime. Spain’s famous restaurant, El Bulli, has received that honor multiple times, however, making it one of the few restaurants on the planet to make excellence a standard and not simply an occasional accoutrement.

The record-setting four-time title was given in 2002, 06, 07 and 08 by "Restaurant," Britain’s top magazine for chefs. This three Michelin starred restaurant is also one of the hardest to get into. If you’re looking to enjoy the fine cuisine here, you better be prepared to wait.

Dr. Hans Schilling, a German with a flare for fine food, found and purchased the El Bulli site in 1961. The actual name, "El Bulli," came from the French bulldogs owned by the Schilling’s. After three years of construction and fine tuning, the restaurant was first opened in 1964. From the very first dish served by Chef Jean-Louis Neichel, it was clear that El Bulli was a fine-dining establishment.

It was award its first Michelin star in 1976. Ferran Adria, the head chef of the restaurant today, joined the staff back in 1984.

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Top Restaurant Review - Pierre Gagnaire, France

25 March 2009

The wheel might never need to be reinvented, but some improvements don’t hurt. The same goes for French cuisine. Although it’s one of the oldest and most well-respected cuisines in the world, improvements and innovations on the classic style only work to make the age-old cooking style more appealing.

Pierre Gagnaire, the world’s foremost innovator of French cuisine, has successfully updated this centuries old technique and his self-named restaurant in Paris is one of the most dynamic, cutting-edge, and popular places to eat in the world. This iconoclastic chef is the owner of 6 world-renowned restaurants, but none are as famous as Pierre Gagnaire Paris.

Pierre’s style of French cuisine is for the refined palate only. You won’t find cheeseburgers or nachos in his Paris location, nor will you find gut-busting plate sizes for the high price of one of the meals. Gagnaire’s dishes exude formal elegance with their petite proportions and robust richness. His "modern French" evolution is considered the new trend among chefs.

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Top Restaurant Review - Tetsuya's Sydney

16 March 2009

The land down under isn’t often thought of as housing one of the world’s finest restaurants. Australia is well-known for surfing, coral reefs, outlandish animal hunters and shrimps on the barbie, but not for playing host to a Restaurant Magazine-rated establishment serving mouthwatering, mind-blowing cuisine.

Tetsuya’s, Australia’s pride and joy, is a Japanese restaurant in Sydney owned by Tetsuya Wakuda. You can find the restaurant in the former Seagram’s building - former distiller of alcohol - and the restaurant’s cuisine is based on Japanese, Australian, and global influences. Tetsuya’s is regarded as one of the finest in the world, and the chef is highly acclaimed.

The Japanese-born Tetsuya is known as not only creative, but one of the most innovative culinary talents the world has seen in recent years. His restaurant is celebrated globally, and other than the Sydney Opera House, may be the city’s biggest draw. Tetsuya set out to travel the world in his early 20s and was influenced heavily by Australia.

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Top Restaurant Review - Gambero Rosso

14 March 2009

Most of the food we eat today is based on Italian food in one way or another. Believe it or not, even French cuisine, Spanish, and that of the Japanese can find some strong roots in the techniques and ingredients of Ancient Rome. Modern Italian cuisine is a fusion of different parts of the old world.

China brought in the noodles, India brought the garlic, and time fused it all together and "Italian" then spread throughout the world. Today, Italian cuisine isn’t the most popular worldwide, but restaurants like Gambero Rosso in Italy are quickly working to change that.

Unless you’ve eaten at Gambero Rosso, it’s hard to describe the elegance of the restaurant and the surrounding area. As most can imagine - and as the lucky know - Italy’s beauty is second-to-none. San Vincenzo, in the province of Livorno (Tuscany), plays host to Gambero Rosso.

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Top Restaurant Review - L'Astrance, France

04 March 2009

Most wouldn’t be surprised to learn that over half of the world’s top 50 restaurants deal in some soft of French cuisine. Being one of the most popular cooking "styles" in the world, French cuisine can be found all over the globe. So that’s no surprise. It is surprising to learn, however, that only a handful of these restaurants are actually located in France. Behind El Bulli (#1), Pierre Gagnair (#3), and Bras (#7), L’Astrance is the 4th highest ranked restaurant in France, making the list at #11 in the world. With classical French cuisine served up by head chef Pascal Barbot, L’Astrance continues to climb the ranks in popularity.

Barbot opened L’Astrance in 2000 and has since been making big waves throughout the world. With his small and formal dining room tucked away on a quite street in Paris, the unassuming L’Astrance is a total paradox from outer shell to inner beauty. Chef Barbot is only in his mid 30s, but has honed his talents for the cuisine in some of Europe’s top restaurants. Recently, L’Astrance was the recipient of a two-star rating from the Michelin Guide, and both sides of the Atlantic have praised his cuisine as among the best and most innovative the world has seen in decades.

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Top Restaurant Review - Bras, France

14 February 2009

France is one of the most historical places on the face of the Earth. You may not be intrigued by their long and storied history with Great Britain and the many Kings and Queens who have left their fingerprints all over the area, but you will undoubtedly recognize that French cuisine is considered the finest in the world. Michel Bras runs a small restaurant in the Aveyron region of France, simply known as "Bras". This unique dining experience is known as French food at its finest. With a family-friendly atmosphere, Bras’ son helps to run the restaurant and his mother still drops in to make her Aligot dish from time to time.

Bras is far off the beaten path. Instead of being found center-city like many of New York’s famous restaurants, Bras is located atop a plateau, nearly 4,000-feet above sea level. The restaurant is beautifully rural, built with grey granite and modern glass block to give it a contradictory appearance that plays very well with the surrounding area.

The hilltop landscape doesn’t stand out as unique, but the modern-meets-classic architecture is stunning, and the views of surrounding hills and fields below are incredible. Inside of the complex, every aspect is contemporary. The dining room is very unique, a triangular-shaped structure with floor-to-ceiling glass. Overall, the ambiance is distinctive and very inviting.

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Top Restaurant Review - Mugaritz, Spain

05 February 2009

There’s something about Spain that is overly appealing to diners around the world. It could be that the land is rife with ancient history. Or perhaps the beautiful scenery is warm and inviting. It could also be that restaurants like the famous Mugaritz are just a little better than other restaurants in the world - and we all know that people will choose the best over the rest any day of the week. Mugaritz is located in San Sebastian, Spain in a beautiful and eloquent setting. Before diners even walk into the restaurant, they’re blown away by the surrounding ambiance.

It’s long been said that a person eats with their eyes and nose long before eating with their mouth. To give you a great overall dining experience, different lighting techniques, plate and food colors, and smells are used at Mugaritz to make a diner feel comfortable and to stimulate appetite. The award-winning head chef of Mugaritz, Andoni Aduriz, was once an apprentice at the world famous El Bulli, also in Spain.

While El Bulli deals with haute cuisine, Mugaritz deals with molecular gastronomy. This technique - more than a "style" of cooking - is a scientific principle that studies the physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking. It pertains more to the mechanisms behind the transformation of particular ingredients in cooking, as well as the social and artistic components of culinary phenomena.

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