I’m in Parma, Italy, watching curiously as the proprietor of one of the largest producers of Parmigiana-Reggiano takes a metal instrument, like one used to check knee reflexes, and taps, taps, taps at enormous wheels of cheese. He’s checking the resiliency of the cheese firmness. Should he hear an echo, … Read more
The art of travel these days extends far beyond checking off sights on a bucket list. Visitors are looking for experiences that entice, challenge and immerse. As the world becomes ever closer thanks to technology and the ease of transportation, real life and experiencing local culture are merging into a … Read more
Meatless Monday. Tofu Tuesday. For carnivores looking to decrease their meat intake, themed days like this might do the trick. But for vegans and vegetarians, seitan, faro, jack fruit and other healthy dishes are daily culinary staples which can sometimes be hard to find while traveling. But take heart … Read more
“We’re a little bit out of the way,” our genial host cites as we enter Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings. Spoiler Alert: Not at all! The Clerkenwell restaurant, set in a 19th-century building, is a quick 10-minute taxi from our hotel even though the driver fretted that he didn’t recognize the … Read more
Although I live and work in Manhattan, I seldom take the time to explore other New York City neighborhoods that are away from my home and work. So, before visiting Clay, I took the opportunity to walk around Harlem. It was nighttime and I was hiking up MLK Boulevard, … Read more
“The way to a traveler’s heart is through his stomach.” Yes, this is a variation on a common cliché about how to find a soulmate. But it speaks directly to the core of some of the world’s top culinary tours. From neighborhood eat and walk tours, to grazing at food … Read more
More often than not when one thinks of Indian cuisine one thinks of curry. Perhaps that’s because Indian food hasn’t quite found its place in the realm of fine dining; our conception of sophisticated cuisine normally stays within European borders. Whether that be because of long-standing, curated biases of what … Read more
The fourth largest city in Canada and the second largest urban market in Ontario, Ottawa is home to the first Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute outside of Europe. Ottawa’s thriving food scene, with its local and international chefs and its multicultural and multilingual sensibility (you will hear English and … Read more
In 1988, after having been in business in Ottawa for more than eight years, Eleanor’s Cuisine Française Inc. was sold to M. André Cointreau — president of Europe’s esteemed Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute — to become the organization’s first campus outside of Europe. “We were all wondering, ‘Why … Read more
Paris is one of the world’s most alluring destinations. So, when I recently met up with Le Cordon Bleu, Paris’ Chef Guillaume Siegler, to ask him a few questions about his adopted home from a resident’s point of view, I was not surprised by his responses. With a tenure at … Read more
I’m passionate about food and cooking. Cookbooks – I have hundreds. I love trying new recipes and experimenting with exotic ingredients. Over the years I’ve attended many a cooking class, often during my travels to learn about ethnic cuisines yet I had never attended one in France. Shame! Now is … Read more
I’m in the sleepy town of Southold on Long Island’s North Fork, an area known for its “wine trail” that includes more than 30 vineyards thriving off a sunny summer climate and temperatures cooled by ocean breezes. The North Fork is separated from the South Fork by the Peconic … Read more
Remember when the thought of having dinner in the restaurant of your hotel wasn’t exactly exciting? Guess what? Those days are long gone. From the still-on-fire Augustine at the Beekman Hotel, to the supremely popular NoMad at the NoMad Hotel and now over the bridges and through the tunnels to … Read more
A Le Cordon Bleu Cooking Class Experience First, a small confession: I’m not great in the kitchen. I can make a mean apple pie (provided I use a ready-made crust), and my husband calls me the “Soup Queen” (really, I just toss things in a pot and add chicken stock), but … Read more
“A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.” You’ve picked forest mushrooms, enjoyed Arctic berries, and sampled Mediterranean … Read more