Watch Top Chef Masters finale with a Top Chef-testant
I'm counting the minutes until Frontera Grill chef Rick Bayless wins Top Chef Masters on the finale of the hot Bravo show.
No, I don't have any insider information, that's just my gut feeling despite Hubert Keller's five-star performance last week.
The finale airs at 9 p.m. Aug. 19, right after the series premiere of "Top Chef: Las Vegas." You can watch it all and enjoy cocktails and a demonstration by season 5 "cheftestant" Radhika Desai. Desai, or "Rad," as she's known, cooks at Wicker Park's Between Boutique Cafe and Lounge but will host "Top Chef" viewing parties at Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club.
The evening starts to simmer at 7:15 with Rad demonstrating some hip cocktails. Following the two-hour "Top Chef" premier and finale she'll answer guests' questions. On subsequent Wednesdays, she'll start demos at 8:15 and stick around for the show and a Q&A through the season six finale. Former "Top Chef" contenders are rumored to be popping in; reservations are welcome, but not required.
Kit Kat is at 3700 N. Halsted St., Chicago, (773) 525-1111.
Epicurean event: A number of Windy City chefs will cross the great lake for a festival of food and culinary artistry.
Chef Gale Gand of Tru, Jean Joho of Everest and Brasserie Jo, Carlyn Berghoff of Berghoff Catering and Restaurant Group and Takashi Yagihashi of Takashi will join Curtis Stone, Mary Sue Milliken other notable chefs at the Epicurean Classic in St. Joseph, Mich.
Over the three-day event, Epicurean Classic attendees can choose from more than 45 cooking demonstrations, 16 cheese/wine/beer tasting seminars, six guest chef dinners, a Grand Reception and the daily Tasting Pavilion.
Tickets for Friday and Saturday cost $119; Sunday $89 tickets for the Grand Reception and Tasting and Pairing Seminars are sold separately. Advanced registration is suggested. Event and program details at epicureanclassic.com.
College try: Many students get their first taste of grocery shopping or cooking on their own when they head off to college. To make those life experiences a little less overwhelming, registered dietitian Toby Smithson with the Lake County Health Department offers these tips and menu ideas to guide students down a healthy path.
• Make a grocery list and stick to it!
• Shop the outside of the store. This is where you'll find fruits, veggies, dairy and meats.
• Buy frozen or canned fruits and vegetables since they are less expensive and will last longer.
• Invest in a basic cookbook and fundamental cookware.
Cooking healthy meals doesn't have to take a lot of time or planning. Smithson suggests a simple Pasta Toss of whole wheat pasta mixed with low-sodium/no-sugar-added marinara sauce, cooked extra-lean ground beef and steamed veggies or a quick stir fry of your favorite lean protein (tofu, chicken, beef or shrimp), a bag of frozen veggies and teriyaki sauce, served over brown rice.