Austin

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

2011 Wine Ride – Somm Spotlight – Austin’s Mark Sayre

December 21, 2010 in Austin, Events, TX, Wine | No comments

With the 2011 Wine Ride™ 1 month away, it’s about time you get to know that 5 Top Texas Sommeliers who will be competing on January 16, 2011 in The Race for the Perfect Pairing. We are fortunate to have some of the “industry’s best” along for the ride and now is their chance to prove it.

Mark Sayre, TRIO at Four Seasons – Austin

Mark Sayre, TRIO at Four SeasonsIf, like fine wines sommeliers only get better with age, Mark Sayre has a lot to look forward to. Already, the 31-year-old sommelier at Four Seasons Hotel Austin’s TRIO has made a name for himself with such designations as Wine & Spirits magazine’s “7 Best New Sommeliers in 2010″ (October 2010) and the title of Texas’ Best Sommelier (September 2007) crowding his impressive resume.

And the future looks just a bright since Mark is currently poised to become one of the youngest members of the international Court of Master Sommeliers, an elite group of wine professionals with a mere 170 members worldwide.

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2011 Wine Ride – Somm Spotlight – Dallas’ Jason Huerta

December 20, 2010 in Austin, Events, TX, Wine | 7 comments

With the 2011 Wine Ride™ 1 month away, it’s about time you get to know that 5 Top Texas Sommeliers who will be competing on January 16, 2011 in The Race for the Perfect Pairing. We are fortunate to have some of the “industry’s best” along for the ride and now is their chance to prove it.

Jason Huerta, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Dallas

Jason Huerta, Pappas Bros. SteakhouseJason Huerta has been an integral part of the Pappas Bros Steakhouse team since 1997.  Although an asset to the Texas wine scene, from 2002 – 2005, Jason also was the Bar Manager at The Shack Restaurant in Kapaa, Hawaii.  As a Certified Sommelier, he also performs as a Wine Writer for EscapeHatchDallas.com. Most recently, Jason has been celebrated for being awarded the title of 2010 Texas’ Best Sommelier, winner of the annual TEXSOM Sommelier Competition.

For more information about the Wine Ride, please visit our Wine Ride Information Page and follow Keeper Collection on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates and announcements. Tickets for the 2011 Wine Ride Finish Line Wine Tasting may be reserved and purchased by phone only. Please contact Keeper Collection at (512) 970-3456 for more information.

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2011 Wine Ride – Somm Spotlight – Houston’s Eric Hastings

December 17, 2010 in Austin, Events, TX, Wine | No comments

With the 2011 Wine Ride™ 1 month away, it’s about time you get to know that 5 Top Texas Sommeliers who will be competing on January 16, 2011 in The Race for the Perfect Pairing. We are fortunate to have some of the “industry’s best” along for the ride and now is their chance to prove it.

Eric Hastings, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood – Houston

Eric Hastings, Eddie V's Prime SeafoodA hospitality veteran of nearly 14 years, Eric Hastings began his career as a line cook before moving to the bar.  While not very wine-focused, the first restaurant of his employ had a significant impact on his passion for beverage, as they offered over 130 different labels of beer ranging from macro-brews to uniquely hand-crafted ales.

His first Sommelier position, in 1999, was at an immensely popular Italian restaurant in downtown Denver, Santino’s.  Here he learned about the culture of Italian food and wine.  From there he managed other bar/wine programs in restaurants and retail outlets before returning to the dining room as the Sommelier for the Denver Country Club.

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2011 Wine Ride – Somm Spotlight – Dallas’ Scott Barber

December 16, 2010 in Austin, Events, TX, Wine | No comments

With the 2011 Wine Ride™ 1 month away, it’s about time you get to know that 5 Top Texas Sommeliers who will be competing on January 16, 2011 in The Race for the Perfect Pairing.   We are fortunate to have some of the “industry’s best” along for the ride and now is their chance to prove it.

Scott Barber, Centennial Fine Wine & Spirits – Dallas

Scott Barber, Centennial Fine Wine & SpiritsScott Barber, like many wine professionals, came to wine indirectly after a career in fine art. After graduating from Middlebury College with a major in Art History and Italian he spent 10 years working out of New York selling 19th Century American Paintings with Sotheby’s, Christie’s and various galleries in Manhattan. He developed an interest in wine after moving to San Francisco to work for Butterfield’s auction house. This interest ran parallel to his art business as he worked in retail part-time, both with large chains and boutique shops, until he made the jump full-time into the wine business taking a position as wine director with Stephan Pyles restaurant in Dallas. Scott also spent 3 months as an extern at Read the rest of this entry »

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Dai Due Chorizo Makes for a Memorable Eat Local Week Finale

December 14, 2010 in Austin, Cooking, Recipes, TX | No comments

Inspired by hearing Michael Pollan live as part of Edible Austin’s Eat Local Week, the Keeper Team got more excited than usual about the Saturday Farmer’s Market.  An issue that Pollan clearly discussed was the valid concern that people have about the cost of locally grown food versus that from large agribusiness.  At first glance, one may be shocked at paying $10 for one pound of freshly made Chorizo Sausage by one of our local artisans, Dai Due.


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Great Wine Brings Good Luck – Words of Wisdom

November 29, 2010 in Austin, Chefs Under Fire 2010, Events, TX, Wine | No comments

After much-needed rest from the excitement of the 2010 Chefs Under Fire Culinary Competition, the Keeper team is excited to get back to the fun of blogging on “Where in the World is Keeper?”.  And, speaking of world travels, we hope 2010 Chefs Under Fire Champion Chef Christina Lee of Central Market Cooking School is looking forward to enjoying her grand prize trip to Cabo San Lucas. We can’t wait to find out what delicacies she created in her private kitchen in Cabo. Read the rest of this entry »

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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. 

TRIO Four Seasons - Chef Todd Duplechan & Sommelier Mark Sayre  Read the rest of this entry »

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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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