Austin

Posts regarding food, wine, restaurants, chefs, technology, or travel in Austin, Texas.

Uchiko – What would it feel like to win the US Open, the College World Series, or the World Cup?

June 19, 2010 in Austin, Chefs, Chefs Under Fire 2010, Restaurants, Reviews, TX | No comments

If there was a tournament for new restaurants today, UCHIKO would know how winning would feel, as this restaurant deserves a trophy.   Chef Tyson Cole unleashed his creative Executive Chef, Paul Qui, to create the menu for their “Japanese farmhouse”.  The food spoke of the huge talent Chef Qui possesses.  Just like Uchi, Uchiko is aiming for perfection.  As we sat down and were greeted by Chef Cole, he told us that we were in for a night to remember. And WOW, we are still remembering!
Uchiko was designed by Michael Hsu, aiming to provide an interior that is said to be of “aesthetic, crafted materials and warm finishes to round out the dining experience”.  We really like the feel of the restaurant, starting with the backdrop at the entry, to the openness of the kitchen at the sushi bar, and continuing to the glass-front private dining room.
Uchiko

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Had to See for Ourselves – TRIO Four Seasons Austin

May 3, 2010 in Austin, Chefs, Restaurants, Reviews, Wine | No comments

We’ve been so busy with travels, recipe testing, and other work-related things that we haven’t had the time to try the new wining & dining experience at TRIO at the Four Seasons Austin – yes, we should be ashamed at our poor Austinite foodie representation!  Mark Sayre, Sommelier for FS Austin is one of the masterminds behind Trio’s Happy Hour and favorable Wine List Pricing, which has rightfully garnered a lot of attention lately.  Combine that with the creative dishes by Chef Todd Duplechan and you know you have a winner.  We saw it for ourselves (sorry no pics this time), so you will have to take the dish descriptions below and use your imagination – enjoy. 

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Chef John at his “BESH”

April 19, 2010 in Austin, Chefs, Events, Recipes | No comments

Thanks to the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, Crave Communications, and sponsors like Texas Monthly, The Keeper Team had a great afternoon and night with Chef John Besh and Chef  Steve McHugh.  We started with the Cooking Class : “My New Orleans” at Whole Foods Culinary Center Austin.  Chef Besh commented that Texas and Louisiana have had a long and great history together.  He noted that after Hurricane Katrina, many of the New Orleans culinary workers found refuge in San Antonio and other Texas cities, so it was fitting that Chef Besh expand his restaurant company outside of New Orleans.  Lucky for us Texans, he announced the opening of Lϋke restaurant in San Antonio planned for late August/early September, 2010!  Upon hearing this news, the crowd burst into applause.   Lϋke San Antonio will be under the experienced hands of Chef Steve McHugh who has worked with John for 8 years and most recently as Executive Chef for Lϋke New Orleans.  We all know the wonders of Chef BESH, but here are some newsbits about Chef McHugh – he hails from a small town in Wisconsin and is from a large family of seven boys (way to go Mommy McHugh!).  He worked on a dairy farm, trained at Culinary Institute of America, and is dedicated, along with Chef Besh, to creating dishes that use local, farmed, seasonal products.  This was well exemplified in the menu from the My New Orleans cooking class.  New Orleanians welcome spring as it brings crawfish season.  So, of course, our first dish was a lovely Fresh Pasta with Crawfish Ragout.  John shared some tips along the way, such as his pasta ratio, which is 5 eggs for 1 lb. of semolina flour and his shellfish pan sauce ratio, which is 2 parts shellfish stock, 1 part cream, and 1 part vermouth.     

Chef John Besh - Fresh Pasta with Crawfish Ragout

Fresh Pasta with Crawfish Ragout

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Hoppin’ on the Band”trailer” – Odd Duck Farm To Trailer & Gourdough’s

January 21, 2010 in Austin, Restaurants, Reviews | 2 comments

posted by AnnieP - Keeper Collection Team

If you’ve been even slightly following the Austin foodie scene lately, you’ve surely noticed the trend in food trailers popping up all over the city, but lately, one trailer in particular has been getting quite a bit of attention – Odd Duck Farm to Trailer.  My little sister offered to treat me to a belated birthday dinner last night, and with my growing curiosity and endless strive to be an “in-the-know Austinite” (in addition to her college student lack of cash flow), Odd Duck seemed like an obvious choice for something new.  It soon proved to also be a fantastic choice! If you too are a self-proclaimed “in-the-know Austinites”, swing by Odd Duck soon – and for you out-of-towners, add it to your list of “Reasons to Visit Austin” (you know you have one!).

Odd Duck Farm to Trailer
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Flames of Success!

December 2, 2009 in Austin, Chef David Bull, Chefs, Events, TX | 4 comments

Chefs Under Fire™ came and went and left us smiling from its success! From the fervent competition in the kitchen to Jim White’s flavorful commentary to the judge’s insightful remarks, Chefs Under Fire was chock-full of excitement, laughs, and entertainment. At the end of the night, our adept celebrity judges, Chef David Bull, Chef Tyson Cole, and Chef Kent Rathbun, were proud to finally announce the three outstanding winners. After quiet deliberation, Chef Bull selected Keith A. Hildebrandt II (of Texas Culinary Academy) for his exquisite (and inverted!) chicken and pancetta cacciatore, Chef Cole chose Loren Root for his unique, refined version of Cole’s Uchiviche dish, and Chef Rathbun picked Martin Weaver (also a graduate of Texas Culinary Academy) for his original, pumpkin-infused barbecue sauce and pork tenderloin.  And as an additional surprise from the judges, they even awarded Keith Hildebrandt the Best in Presentation award for his beautiful Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore!
Keith Hildebrandt's Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore

Keith Hildebrandt's Deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore

 

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Chefs Under Fire Finalists Announced!

November 23, 2009 in Austin, Chefs, Events | No comments

Congratulations to the Chefs Under Fire Finalists! These 9 lucky and talented chefs will get to compete for a chance to be named winner of the 2009 Chefs Under Fire Competition! Come cheer them on at the event on November 30 at the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center!  Limited Tickets still available! 

Chef David Bull Finalists:

1. Alysha Cable

2. Trysh Gonzales

3. Keith A. Hildebrandt II

Chef Tyson Cole Finalists:

1. Steve Crisler

2. Eli Ollinger

3. Loren Root

Chef Kent Rathbun Finalists:

1. Antonio Hinojosa

2. Maite Rodriguez-Palma

3. Martin Weaver

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Great meeting with Chef Josh Watkins about His Chefs Under Fire Food Creations!

November 21, 2009 in Austin, Chefs, Events, TX, Wine | 1 comment

The Keeper Team had a great meeting to plan the food and festivities for Chefs Under Fire with Executive Chef Josh Watkins of the A T & T Executive Education & Conference Center.  No doubt the lucky people who purchase a ticket to this event will enjoy some tasty treats!  Josh also told us that he saw several of the Chefs Under Fire contestants at Big Reds and Bubbles last night, the Wine and Food Foundation‘s premier event of the year.  The contestants were quick to admit that they hope to be one of the Finalists, which will be announced on this Keeper Blog on Monday, November 23rd.  Come see the heat turned up in the Tejas Dining Room kitchen for this competition on November 30th.  Thanks again, Josh for all of your hard work on this event – can’t wait to see you there!

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Media Veteran Jim White to Emcee Chefs Under Fire™

November 17, 2009 in Austin, Events | No comments

 

Chefs Under Fire Emcee- Jim WhiteJim White, a major market media veteran and founder of Savor Dallas, has graciously agreed to emcee the upcoming Chefs Under Fire event. With decades of TV and radio experience, Jim is no stranger to the microphone, and like the Celebrity Chef Judges, is a James Beard Foundation Award Nominee for his acclaimed “KRLD Restaurant Show with Jim White”. When we asked Jim why he agreed to join us he said, “Years ago Savor Dallas was just an idea that we were trying to put into action. I relied on friends, family, and the food and wine community to help it come to fruition, and now we’ve grown to host over 4000 people over the course of the weekend. I’m happy to support those who have the imagination and drive to create new culinary events in their respective communities and believe that Chefs Under Fire is truly a unique competition.” To learn more about Savor Dallas visit their website, or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

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Three Chances to win a Contestant Entry to Chefs Under Fire Competition – Are You Up For The Challenge?

November 2, 2009 in Austin, Chefs, Events | No comments

On November 30, Keeper Collection, LLC and Plate & Vine Interactive Cookbook will be hosting Chefs Under Fire™, an event that you do not want to miss! Things are “heating up” for all you passionate foodies out there, and this is your chance to compete in front of the celebrity chef of your choice. Chef David Bull (of Bolla at the Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa), Chef Tyson Cole (of UCHI), and Chef Kent Rathbun (of Jaspers & Abacus) are all excited about seeing what you have to bring to the table!

So what is Keeper doing to increase the heat? Keeper Collection is giving away one free entry for EACH celebrity chef to three lucky winners! Are you, or someone you know, up for the challenge? Post a comment on this blog to let us know! Give us the name and email address of the potential contestant, as well as the chef (or chefs) they’d like to compete in front of, by November 5th and look for Keeper Collection’s selected winners on Friday, November 6th. Not only is the competition heating up, but the pot is getting sweeter! As Chefs Under Fire garners more attention, the prize package for the winners and goodie bag for attendees are growing. Click here to learn more about Chefs Under Fire and its partners.

Three amazing chefs, spectacular food, great venue… an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Pass the word to all your friends and family about Chefs Under Fire, tickets are available today!

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Get the Inside Scoop! An Exclusive One on One Meeting with a Chefs Under Fire™ Celebrity Judge

October 27, 2009 in Austin, Chefs, Events | No comments

If you had an hour with an Iron Chef Challenger, what would you ask him?  How to master a difficult technique?  What his experience was like on Iron Chef?  What are some of the Chef’s best cooking tips?  The chance could be yours!  Chefs Under Fire™ is honored to have three Iron Chef Challengers as the judges in this heated competition, and today we’re excited to announce that ALL CONTESTANTS REGISTERED BY 10/31 WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN EARLY BIRD DRAWING TO WIN A ONE ON ONE HOUR WITH CHEF BULL, COLE, OR RATHBUN!* That’s right…3 LUCKY REGISTRANTS will win this unique opportunity to talk cooking techniques, food trends, and just have fun with one of these legendary Chefs.  If you’ve already registered to compete then you’re already entered to win, but if you have not yet registered, now is the time to do it!  Register to compete with more than one chef and increase your chances to win.  The 3 winners will be announced on 11/11/2009 on Keeper Collection’s facebook and twitter.  Connect with Keeper Collection now on facebook and twitter to keep informed about this exclusive opportunity! 

Don’t miss your chance to be named winner of Chefs Under Fire 2009!  Visit our Frequently Asked Questions blog post for more information about what the winners will receive!

* Scheduling for this opportunity will be determined at the convenience of each chef.

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