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  • Meet the James Beard Award semifinalist from Durham competing on ‘Top Chef’

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    ‘Top Chef Carolinas’ was filmed in Charlotte

    Bravo’s hit reality TV show “Top Chef” filmed most of Season 23 in Charlotte and a few episodes in Greenville, SC, to create “Top Chef Carolinas.” The show’s announcement said: “This season will showcase the finest in southern hospitality, embracing the rich history, agriculture, and outdoors, as a new batch of accomplished and renowned chefs vie for the ultimate Top Chef title.”

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    Chef Oscar Diaz is someone you want to root for.

    He’s funny and likeable, the kind of guy you want to hang out with to chat over a beer or two. And he makes memorable food, something you’d expect as a James Beard Award semifinalist with multiple restaurants.

    He’s also one of two competitors from North Carolina on “Top Chef” Season 23 — filmed last fall in Charlotte. The other one is Brittany Cochran of Charlotte, the executive chef at Stagioni – Four Seasons of Food.

    Although Diaz grew up in Chicago, he’s made an imprint on North Carolina’s restaurant scene, turning Durham into a home base of sorts. His playful food — which he deems “pocho cuisine” — is a personal take on his experiences as the child of first-generation Mexican immigrants and growing up with American influences.

    Diaz earned recognition as a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist while working as executive chef and partner in Raleigh at The Cortez, which he left in 2023 to open Little Bull. The Cortez closed in March 2025, but other restaurant ventures he’s connected with have been popping up all over the Triangle.

    Then along came an opportunity to join the ranks of the chefs competing on “Top Chef Carolinas,” which filmed last fall in Charlotte and Greenville, S.C.

    “I had never really even watched ‘Top Chef,’” Diaz told CharlotteFive. “I mean, I’d seen episodes and stuff. But it’s not like I was an avid fan before.”

    Three people standing together on an outdoor wooden deck with a scenic water and forest background. On the left, one in a cream-colored suit; in the center, one in a bright yellow tailored suit; and on the right, one in a blue denim-style top and matching pants. Behind them, an outdoor kitchen setup includes a grill, a wine refrigerator, and various kitchen tools.
    “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio, host Kristen Kish and judge Gail Simmons. Sasha Israel Bravo

    At first, he wasn’t sure about participating in the sometimes-grueling culinary competition, having passed up similar opportunities before. But after the experience, he was glad he took the leap.

    “Sometimes you think you know what’s best for you, and then you’ve got to just kind of break out of your shell. And I think that’s kind of what I’ve been doing in my career anyway.”

    All about ‘Top Chef’s’ Oscar

    In keeping with that spirit, Diaz said he’s a “fly by the seat of his pants” kind of guy. He didn’t set out to be an award-winning chef — he never even worked as a server or dishwasher.

    Instead, he just fell into it, partially because: “I like eating a lot, and watching TV made cooking look fun sometimes,” he said.

    “When I got into cooking, I kind of just didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. And so I had already gone to school and I worked in different fields, and I was kind of a creative,” he said. “I DJ’d. I was in bands, I would produce. But, you know, nine to fives just kind of weren’t working for me. And so I got into cooking.”

    Twenty-some years ago, that first job just happened to be at a Las Vegas restaurant that would soon become Michelin recognized — a springboard that foreshadowed his own path, moving through kitchens in Los Angeles and Chicago before ending up in Raleigh.

    “I think it just kind of instilled a good mindset for it. I was always a creative, and I think working with those kinds of chefs, it kind of helped guide my creativity and kind of gave me some structure to be able to build off and start doing my own things,” Diaz said.

    A portrait of a smiling chef wearing a white chef’s coat with “Top Chef” embroidered on the chest and standing outdoors on a wooden deck with a scenic background of trees and water. In the foreground, a display of fresh food includes loaves of bread, a pitcher of iced tea with orange slices, apples, and grapes.
    Oscar Diaz of Durham is among the competitors on “Top Chef Carolinas.” Sasha Israel Bravo

    From there, Diaz’s career has taken off like a rocket.

    Along the way, he found his footing in the kitchen — even landing a Time Magazine feature in 2018 on fusion cooking in the “Nuevo South.”

    Next came James Beard Award honors as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2019 and again in 2022.

    “I got into this thing, and it was like winning the lottery, a really weird lottery where I have to work my face off to make money. But I don’t know that I took anything this serious before I got into cooking. And for some reason, as hard as it was and as poorly paid it was at the beginning, there was something about it that just I knew this was for me,” Diaz said.

    On the heels of the “Top Chef” filming, yet another big moment came along. Little Bull was included in the first Michelin Guide American South, as a recommended restaurant. Its entry in the guide says:

    “Blending his experience cooking across America with his Mexican heritage, Chef Oscar Diaz has created his own style of cooking. His time on the West Coast is evident and best seen in the vibrant and fresh small and larger plates designed for sharing. Judicious spicing and an array of textures add to the allure of these dishes, and house recommendations include the al pastor skewer and the tom kha ceviche. Really hungry? Tuck into the half chicken with pita for a satisfying meal. It’s all better paired with one of their very cold beers or a house cocktail.”

    A welcoming portrait of two chefs at their restaurant, Cortez. A smiling chef in a patterned shirt and backwards baseball cap is in the foreground, while a second one stands behind him. They are positioned behind a modern, light-colored bar, with the restaurant’s professional open kitchen visible in the background.
    The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail, owned by Charlie Ibarra, left and chef Oscar Diaz, brought a chef-driven seafood menu to Glenwood Avenue before it closed in 2025. Jessica Banov jbanov@newsobserver.com

    “I’m not the kind of person to congratulate myself in the middle of … the whole race,” he said. “Right now, things are going great, and I’m like, That’s awesome. … It’s been like a whirlwind.”

    What you’ll find at Oscar Diaz’s restaurants

    Diaz used to consider himself a fine dining chef, focused on small, intimate meals. But his time in Durham with his current restaurant partners have pushed toward a focus on “tasty food that might be thoughtful and prepared well and fresh, but not like a whole giant experience.”

    After all, he notes, if you ask someone what their favorite dish is, it’s more likely to be something their mom made, not “foie gras from a three-star restaurant.”

    He likes to cook what he likes to eat, mixing cultures and flavor profiles along with influences from the multicultural neighborhood he grew up in back in Chicago. “I’ll have some Puerto Rican rice and a Mexican steak, and then we’ll throw some kimchi on it. And I think it works,” Diaz said.

    “Everything I cook, everything I do is highly personal,” he added. “For me, cooking is very identity driven, and everything I do is either based off creativity, things I’ve wanted to see, or the way view the world, the way I view food memories and nostalgia.“

    Now, those experiences pours into his food at each of his restaurants, none of which overlap.

    Aaktun bills itself as a “daytime coffee café turned tucked-away Tulum and Tiki-inspired dining experience by night.” Among the offerings at locations in Clayton and Durham are:

    • Chorizo Papi sando (scrambled eggs, house chorizo, escabeche carrots and hot sauce)
    • Spicy Chichen McNug Sando (Martin potato roll, housemade chicken nugget, spicy huli huli sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, salsa criolla and a side of tater tots)
    • Short rib tacos
    • Papaya salad (papaya, cucumber, cabbage, carrots, dried shrimp Prik nam pla, basil, mint and peanuts)

    A sweeping view of a chic restaurant’s interior. The space is characterized by an open, dark wood-raftered ceiling and is filled with green plants. Pink upholstered banquettes line the walls, and a curved, warmly lit bar with a pink marble top and yellow stools is on the right.
    The new Aaktun Coffee+Bar is the latest from James Beard semifinalist chef Oscar Diaz and the Mezcalito group. The all-day coffee shop and Tiki bar is inspired by the water-filled caves of Tulum. jdjackson@newsobserver.com Drew Jackson

    Cielito Taqueria, located in Burlington, offers diverse fare with street tacos and creative takes on pizza. Among the menu items you can choose from there are:

    • ACP pizza (grilled chicken, marinara, cheese dip, mozzarella, poblano peppers and grilled onions)
    • Vegetariano tacos (mushrooms, onions and bok choi)
    • Birria machete (large corn quesadilla, cheese, crema Mexicana, pico de gallo, pickled onions, green and red sauce)

    Little Bull, his restaurant in Durham, offers a menu stacked with seasonal small plates, entrees and drinks that ooze with personality:

    • Oysters Ranchofeller (NC tiderunners, queso chihuahua, salsa molcajete, bacon, panko crumbs and garlic butter)
    • Duck Chilaquiles (duck confit, salsa guajillo, totopos — tortilla chips — onion, crema, avocado salsa, Cotija cheese, radish cilantro and a sunny-side up egg)
    • Halal Güeys (whole chicken, turmeric, salsa diabla, white sauce, greens, pita and house fries)
    • Frenchxican Toast/French Toast De Natas (brioche pan de natas, egg batter, bruleed sugar, mixed berries and horchata glaze)

    A moody, professional shot of a meal on a red-veined marble table. The dishes include a bowl of raw tuna in a green leche de tigre and another bowl of ceviche. The meal is accompanied by plantain chips and two craft cocktails, one of which is a purple, frothy drink garnished with an orchid.
    A photo of Little Bull’s plates, featuring its ceviche made with local fish. Courtesy of Little Bull

    TaTaco in Durham is inspired by the Mexican mercados Diaz visited during childhood summers in Jalisco, Mexico. Its heavy focus on North Carolina-sourced seafood includes dishes such as:

    • Raw oysters (passionfruit mignonette, lemon, hot sauce)
    • Mega tuna tostada (NC tuna cubes and NC tuna tartare, Duke’s mayo, salsa migue, cucumbers, avocado and salsa macha)
    • Tacos octopus (marinated octopus, salsa macha, queso fresco, radish, guacatillo, pickled onions, cilantro, rice, beans and salad)

    How you can watch ‘Top Chef’

    You’ll be able to see Diaz compete on Season 23 of “Top Chef,” which airs starting Tuesday, March 3 on Peacock, Bravo’s YouTube channel and VOD. On Monday, March 16, the series will move to its regular time slot at 9:30 p.m., with episodes available the next day on Peacock.

    “It’s a wild experience. And I’m excited to see it for the first time, and I hope everyone else is excited to watch it,” Diaz said.

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar

    Location: 704 Ramseur Street, Durham, NC 27701

    Location: 401 East Main Street, Clayton, NC

    Menu

    Cuisine: Sandwiches, small plates, coffee

    Instagram: @aaktunnc

    Barbaro Lounge

    Location: 708 Ramseur St, Durham, NC, 27701 (opening soon)

    Instagram: @ncbarbaro

    Cielito Taqueria

    Location: 108 Huffman Mill Road, Burlington, NC 27215

    Menu

    Cuisine: Mexican, pizza, tacos

    Instagram: @cielitotaqueria

    Little Bull

    Location: 810 North Mangum St., Durham, NC 27701

    Menu

    Cuisine: Pocho – a mix of Mexican and American influences, small plates, brunch

    Instagram: @littlebullnc

    TaTaco

    Location: 620 Foster St Suite B, Durham, NC 27701

    Menu

    Cuisine: Tacos

    Instagram: @nctataco

    Related Stories from Charlotte Observer

    Heidi Finley

    The Charlotte Observer

    Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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    Heidi Finley

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  • Award-winning chefs and bakers from Colorado, California join forces to form Breckenridge’s newest bakery

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    By Kit Geary, Summit Daily 

    Rootstalk and Radicato founder Matt Vawter said he doesn’t view his newest venture as just a bakery, it’s a culinary collaboration with friends that he said they plan to build on.

    Threefold Bakery, which opened Sunday, Dec. 28, is backed by a team who have their fair share of accolades in the culinary field, making for shelves stocked with truly elevated baked goods.

    The bakery tucked around a corner of Breckenridge Main Street brings together Vawter, who won a James Beard Award, Sean McGaughey, who managed a Michelin three-star restaurant, and Melissa McGaughey, who won the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship in 2019. Additionally, Melissa and Sean own a bakery that’s been recognized by the New York Times as one of the best in the nation, Quail & Condor, and one recognized by the Michelin Guide of recommendation restaurants, Troubadour Bread & Bistro, both in Healdsburg, California.

    Vawter said the name Threefold defines their operation threefold. First, a croissant, a staple item at the bakery, is folded three times. Second, the bakery has three owners. And, lastly, this is Vawter’s third business venture with his business partner Patrick Murphy, who is also a partner in Vawter’s other restaurants, Rootstalk Breckenridge and Radicato Breckenridge.

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  • Puzzles? Sports? Birdsong? The variety of new nonfiction means there’s something for everyone

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    Birding. Photography. The great outdoors. Big Macs.

    Chances are good there’s a nonfiction book out there to suit just about anybody on your holiday gift list.

    Some ideas:

    For your puzzlers

    Imagine, if you will, a world without mobile phones, the internet or The New York Times (digital OR print). Would your favorite puzzler survive? The good folks at the Times have something perfect to put in the bunker: “Puzzle Mania!” It’s a stylish hardcover book full of Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and more. By a lead Times puzzle editor, Joel Fagliano. Authors Equity. $38.

    Contemporary art

    Painting, collage, photography, sculpture, performance. Derrick Adams has embraced them all in a career spanning more than 25 years. His first monograph, “Derrick Adams,” includes 150 works that explore Black American culture and his own identity. Portraiture abounds. There’s joy, leisure and resilience in everyday experiences and self-reflection, with a little humor on board. Monacelli. $79.95.

    Steph Curry inspiration

    “Being shot ready requires practice, training and repetition, but it rewards that work with an unmatched feeling of transcendence.” That’s Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry in his new book, “Shot Ready.” The basketball star takes his readers from rookie to veteran, accompanied by inspiring words and photos. One doesn’t have to be into basketball to feel the greatness. One World. $50.

    The American West

    The photographer Frank S. Matsura died in 1913, but his work lives on in a hefty archive. He was a Japanese immigrant who chronicled life in Alaska and the Okanogan region of Washington state. He operated a photo studio frequented by the Indigenous people of the region. Many of those portraits are included in “Frank S. Matsura: Iconoclast Photographer of the American West.” Edited by Michael Holloman. Princeton Architectural Press. $40.

    The gift of bird chatter

    Cheeseburger, cheeseburger! The handy little book “Bird Talk” seeks to make identifying bird calls fun and accessible without heavy phonetic descriptors or birder lingo. Becca Rowland, who wrote and illustrated, offers funny, bite-size ways to identify calls using what’s already in our brains. Hence, the black-capped chickadee goes “cheeseburger, cheeseburger!” Storey Publishing. $16.99.

    Mocktails and cocktails

    David Burtka is sober. His husband, Neil Patrick Harris, imbibes. Together, they love to throw parties. This elfin book, “Both Sides of the Glass,” includes easy-to-follow cocktail and mocktail recipes, with commentary from Harris, who took mixology lessons out of sheer love of a good drink. Written with Zoë Chapin. Plume. $35.

    It’s a book. It’s a burger.

    This tome with a cover design that evokes a Big Mac is a country-by-country work of journalism that earned two 2025 James Beard awards for Gary He, a writer and photographer who previously freelanced for The Associated Press and self-published the book. He toured the world visiting McDonald’s restaurants to do his research for “McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches.” As social anthropology goes, it serves. $49.95.

    Yosemite love

    From the cute but ferocious river otter to the gliders of the night, the Humboldt’s flying squirrel, this striking book is the first comprehensive work in more than a century dedicated entirely to the park’s animal kingdom. “Yosemite Wildlife: The Wonder of Animal Life in California’s Sierra Nevada” includes more than 300 photos and covers 150-plus species. By Beth Pratt, with photos by Robb Hirsch. Yosemite Conservancy. $60.

    Samin Nosrat’s new book

    Samin Nosrat lays herself bare in this long-awaited second book from the chef and author of the acclaimed “Salt Fat Acid Heat.” Her first book was 17 years in the making. In its wake, she explains in “Good Things,” was struggle, including overwhelming loss with the deaths of several people close to her and a bout of depression that nearly swallowed her whole. Here, she rediscovers why she, or anybody, cooks in the first place. The recipes are simple, her observations helpful. You can taste the joy in every bite. Penguin Random House. $45.

    Chappell Roan

    She struggled in the music game for years, until 2024 made her a star. Chappell Roan, with her drag-queen style, big vocals and queer pride, has a shiny Grammy for best new artist. Now, in time for the holidays, there’s a sweet little book that tells her origin story. “Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess.” With text contributions from Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Dibs Baer, Patrick Crowley, Izzy Grinspan, J’na Jefferson, Ilana Kaplan and Samantha Olson. Hearst Home. $30.

    Snoop’s homemade edibles

    For edible-loving weed enthusiasts, “Snoop Dogg’s Treats to Eat” offers 55 recipes that can be done with or without the weed. The connoisseur includes tips on how to use your goods for everything from tinctures to gummies, cookies to cannabutter. Perhaps a loaded milkshake or buttermilk pancakes with stoner syrup. Chronicle Books. $27.95.

    A style muse

    With her effortless beauty, and tousled hair and fringe, Jane Birkin easily transitioned from her swinging London roots in the early 1960s to a cultural and style muse for decades. She lent a bohemian charm to everything she did, from acting to singing to liberal activism. And she famously was the muse for the Hermès Birkin bag. The new “Jane Birkin: Icon of Style,” encompasses all of Birkin. By Sophie Gachet. Abrams Books. $65.

    More Taylor Swift

    All those Easter eggs. All those songs. It’s Taylor Swift’s world and we’re just eyes and ears taking it all in. Swift has been everywhere of late with her engagement to Travis Kelce, her Eras tour and now, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Add to the pile “Taylor Swift All the Songs,” a guide to the lyrics, genesis, production and secret messages of every single song, excluding “Showgirl” tracks. By Damien Somville and Marine Benoit. Black Dog & Leventhal. $60.

    Got a theater buff?

    What’s the beating heart of American theater? Broadway, of course. Teale Dvornik, a theater historian known on social media as The Backstage Blonde, has written a handy little history of New York’s Theater District, “History Hiding Around Broadway.” She takes it theater by theater, offering backstage insights into the venues themselves, along with shows that played there and Broadway highlights through the ages. Running Press. $25.

    Christmas baking, Gilded-Age style

    Sugarplums. They’re a thing! Fans of “The Gilded Age” are well aware and will eat up “The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook.” It includes treats from the era, some culinary history and a lot of old-time charm. For the record, sugarplums date to the 1600s, when they were basically just sugar. By the Gilded Age, starting roughly in the late 1800s, they were made from chopped dried figs, nuts, powdered sugar and brandy. Yes, please. By Becky Libourel Diamond. Globe Pequot. $34.95.

    Forever flowers

    Know a crafter? Know a flower lover? In “Everlasting Blooms,” floral artist Layla Robinson offers more than 25 projects focused on the use of dried flowers. She includes a festive flower crown, table displays, wreaths and arrangements with buds and branches. Her step-by-step guidance is easy to follow. Robinson also instructs how to forage and how to dry flowers. Hachette Mobius. $35.

    Michelle Obama style

    A brown polyester dress with a plaid skirt and a Peter Pan collar. That’s the very first fashion statement Michelle Obama can remember making, circa kindergarten. It was up, up and away from there, style-wise. The former first lady is out with a photo-packed book, “The Look,” taking us behind the scenes of her style and beauty choices. Crown. $50.

    ___

    For more AP gift guides and holiday coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/gift-guide and https://apnews.com/hub/holidays.

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  • Atlanta Restaurant Roundup: Food Hall at Phipps champions locally-owned businesses 

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    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Part of Atlanta’s charm lies in its diverse food scene, from the rich culture to the bold flavors. The saying often goes that “Atlanta isn’t a real place,” and what makes it unique is the bustling array of dining and drinking spots on every corner of the city’s neighborhoods, catering to every palate. Lucky for locals and tourists alike, there’s never a shortage of places to visit, especially when new businesses are rolling in every month.

    Here is a roundup of updates on your local favorites and recently opened restaurants.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Local Updates

    Food Hall at Phipps

    3500 Peachtree Rd NE

    The Food Hall at Phipps is in full swing, embracing its transition from Citizens Culinary Market to a locally owned small-business haven. Featuring Stackhouse Burgers & Shakes, Pizza Jeans, Mad Dad’s Philly’s, Wasabi Hibachi Sushi & Ramen, Deallo’s Seafood + Taco Co., Lokma Mediterranean Kitchen, Buckhead Bar, and Cultivate Coffee, the 25,000 square-foot food hall is bringing local flavors to Atlanta’s upscale business district. 

    “Once we went through the rebranding of Food Hall at Phipps, we turned around and we looked at the community, and we said, ‘OK, who is going to be in alignment with our brand? Who’s going to be the best people to come in and really bring back the community?” said Britt Harrison, director of marketing at Phipps Plaza.

    Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

    Chef Tony Sharpe is the owner of two restaurants in the hall, Stackhouse and Mad Dad’s Philly’s. A chef for over 25 years, the venture into entrepreneurship showed him the importance of betting on himself. He went from a ghost kitchen in Buckhead to four Mad Dad’s locations and opened the first Stackhouse location at the Food Hall at Phipps. 

    “Doing business for yourself, a lot of people don’t understand it. It takes a lot of hard work, takes great partnerships, and we’re looking forward to the future and growing our brand worldwide,” Sharpe said. 

    Chef Deallo Frazier, owner of the Cajun seafood restaurant Deallo’s, said, “It means a lot” that Phipps Plaza and Simon Property Group reached out to local businesses to make their new vision a reality. 

    “Local brands just know what the people want locally. When you bring people in from outside, like Citizens Market did, it just wasn’t working. And so when bringing in local business, we know how to cater to the local people.”

    Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturdays from noon-6 p.m.

    Recently-opened restaurants 

    Lo Kee

    2 Interlock Ave. N.W.

    West Midtown has welcomed a new addition to its corridor of restaurants at The Interlock. Lo Kee is an Asian-fusion restaurant with a Southern twist, melding both cultures to create a menu that brings both creativity and comfort. Think King Fu Fried chicken, oxtail spring rolls, and Shanghai spare ribs, accompanied by a variety of entrees, satay options, dim sum, and noodles/rice dishes. Those familiar with celebrity hot spot Sei Less in New York City might be familiar with the restaurateurs behind Lo Kee. Dara Mirjahangiry and Ivi Shano are bringing what has made their NYC restaurant a hit to Atlanta, with a flair that pays homage to both cities. 

    Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m.

    Big Bad Breakfast

    1952 Howell Mill Rd., Suite 200

    James Beard Award-winning chef John Currence has opened a new Big Bad Breakfast location in Buckhead, marking the breakfast spot’s first location in Atlanta. The restaurant is located in the former space of Cultivate, keeping the brunch vibes alive. Known for its hearty, Southern classics, the New Orleans native has taken the “most important meal of the day” and fused it with flavors from his childhood and staples that have kept bellies full for years.

    Guest can expect dishes such as fried oyster scramble, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken sandwiches, shrimp po-boys, flapjacks, and a variety of other breakfast/brunch classics and favorites. 

    Hours: Open Daily, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m..

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  • The Chelsea Insider Guide: Post-Gallery, Pre-Gimmick, Always Hungry

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    Chelsea is one of the few Manhattan neighborhoods that feels deliberately built for the long game. Its borders are technical (Sixth Avenue to the Hudson, 14th to 34th), but its cultural footprint sprawls far beyond the map. What began as a Lenape village became a shipping stronghold, then a haven for immigrant labor, then a no-rules frontier for artists priced out of SoHo. Today, Chelsea folds all of it in: dockside grit, industrial bones, progressive politics and a post-gallery globalism that somehow still feels local.

    The neighborhood’s transformation wasn’t just about rising rent. It was infrastructure-led. The High Line reengineered the city’s relationship to public space. Piers became parks. Warehouses became megawatt galleries. Rail yards became real estate—some of the most ambitious on the continent. The Hudson Yards development may grab headlines, but Chelsea’s character lives in the contrast between a Dia installation and a 24-hour diner, a sidewalk flower stand and a Jean Nouvel façade.

    Chelsea didn’t get interesting by chasing what its other neighborhoods had to offer. It drew energy from what already existed, whether that was freight tunnels, factory space, counterculture or queerness, and built around it. The result is a neighborhood that knows how to absorb change without losing plot. It’s where Zaha Hadid landed her only New York project. Where a community board can still kill a billionaire’s plans. Where you can see work by the next big artist, and then see them at the bodega. Chelsea knows its value isn’t hype. It’s infrastructure, intent and staying power. You don’t need to understand art to get Chelsea. But give it 10 blocks, and you might start pretending you do.

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  • A Denver rotisserie chicken spot stops spinning after almost a decade

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    A Denver rotisserie chicken spot with a Boulder pedigree is closing this month after almost a decade in Lower Highland.

    Brider, at 1644 Platte St., crafts roasted chicken sandwiches, salads, soups, polenta bowls and pastas from morning to 8 p.m. every day. It’ll close after lunch Oct. 23, according to a post on its Instagram page.

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    Miguel Otárola

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  • Stoic & Genuine is closing; owners stepping down from two other restaurants

    Stoic & Genuine is closing; owners stepping down from two other restaurants

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    Denver’s Union Station just wrapped up an $11 million renovation, but that wasn’t enough to keep its first restaurant tenant in the house.

    Stoic & Genuine was the first restaurant to open in the historic building when it reopened with a hotel, shops, restaurants and bars in 2014. But restaurant owners Beth Gruitch and Jennifer Jasinski announced that the seafood spot, at 1701 Wynkoop St., will serve its last spoonful of caviar and buttery lobster roll on Sept. 1. They cited an expiring lease and changing market conditions as the main factors behind the decision.

    Downtown Denver has struggled to bounce back since the COVID-19 pandemic. Offices remain vacant and pedestrian traffic is down, especially in the midst of the lengthy and ongoing 16th Street Mall renovation. Other downtown restaurants, like Bistro LeRoux and Three Saints Revival, have called it quits as a result.

    Crafted Concepts founders Jennifer Jasinski, left, and Beth Gruitch, right, have decided to take a step back from their restaurant group and hand over operations for Ultreia and Bistro Vendôme. (Provided by Bryan Grant for Crafted Concepts)

    In addition to closing Stoic & Genuine, Gruitch and Jasinski, a James Beard award-winning chef, have decided to step away from two of their other well-known restaurants, Ultreia, a Spanish tapas restaurant also located in Union Station, and Bistro Vendome, a French food standard that moved from its longtime home in Larimer Square in early 2023 to Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood.

    “Conductors pass the baton. It’s time to pass along stewardship of these beautiful places,” Jasinski said in a statement. “Surviving the pandemic and the changes to downtown Denver has left us in a great place to make this move.”

    Ultreia partner Adam Branz will return as executive chef and sole owner of the Spanish tapas restaurant, which opened in 2017. Branz took a few years off to start Split Lip, an Eat Place inside Number Thirty Eight (home to one of the best burgers in Denver), which he will continue operating.

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    Lily O'Neill

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  • Dana Rodriguez’s new steakhouse will satisfy both “normies” and “ballers”

    Dana Rodriguez’s new steakhouse will satisfy both “normies” and “ballers”

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    When Dana Rodriguez invited Governor Jared Polis to the opening of her new restaurant, she said he replied with a text that read, “Loca, now I know why they call you ‘Loca.’ You don’t have enough of Casa Bonita that you want to open another restaurant?”

    Rodriguez, the culinary director of the famous Casa Bonita, is opening Carne, a steakhouse at 2601 Larimer St. in Denver’s River North Art District on July 3. Last week, she wore her chef Loca nickname with beaming pride during a preview of the restaurant as she walked around hand-in-hand with her new beau and business partner, Scott Shoemaker, who oversaw the renovations at Casa Bonita and helped her design the sleek, 1970s-style steakhouse.

    Carne was inspired by her culinary travels and experiences in kitchens specializing in cuisines from around the world over the last 20 years. Guests can take a trip to France with duck confit or make a stop in Italy with veal osso bucco. The eclectic menu boasts Argentinian steak, Mexican ribs with a charcoal rub, Brazillia picanha steak and Colorado lamb.

    “This is one of the only steakhouses in RiNo, let alone women-owned, so I wanted it to be fun, not like a traditional, stuffy setting,” Rodriguez said. “You can come here after work in a t-shirt and shorts, and get a full meal under $200.”

    The opening comes just two months after Rodriguez closed Cantina Loca, her first solo project, due to low traffic. “The stress to keep up a restaurant is a lot, but you also need to be smart enough to make the decision when you know it’s not sustainable,” she said. She’s also no longer a part of Doña Loca, the mezcal brand she co-founded in 2021 and which was featured at Cantina Loca. Rodriguez explained that she didn’t have enough time to travel for the tastings and wanted to focus on her other restaurants, Work & Class and Super Mega Bien.

    The multi-James Beard-nominated chef didn’t let the closure bring her down, though. “They put you down, but you’re not dead,” she said. “You can have opportunities to come back, do new things and keep providing for your employees.”

    That’s why she says that when she spotted an empty corner space just down the block from Work & Class where Il Posto previously operated for 17 years, “I knew everything was supposed to happen for a reason.”

    From left clockwise are cauliflower, proveleta, Mexican recado negra costillas, beef tiradito, crab cakes and Colorado lamb, at Carne in Denver on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Carne’s menu is playful with a section for “The Normies,” which includes a traditional 6-oz. filet ($33) or 10-oz. New York strip ($45). Then there’s “The Ballers,” for those looking for a $50 sirloin wagyu or $175 tomahawk steak. Sides, like the creamy au Gratin green chili cheese potatoes or a whole head of spicy roasted cauliflower, all cost $11.

    And the cocktail program, created by Run For The Roses founder Steve Waters, plays with classic libations from regions around the world, like a Peruvian pisco sour, or a twist on a French sidecar. There’s also a tableside martini cart for a whole table to enjoy shaken gin or vodka to order, and a wall of wines that guests are encouraged to peruse for their selection of the night.

    “There are a lot of places closing and opening, and I wanted to provide something that is easy and affordable enough for guests to come here three or four times a week,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t have to order the tomahawk, you can’t get the chicken one day and the ribs the next, but it’s flavorful enough that you keep coming back for more.”

    Staff members work at Carne in Denver on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Staff members work at Carne in Denver on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    The decor resembles an upscale version of Eric Foreman’s basement in “That 70’s Show” with old-school albums, TVs, beaded curtains, murals and funky green and orange tones throughout.

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    Lily O'Neill

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  • Denver chef named best restaurateur in the nation by James Beard

    Denver chef named best restaurateur in the nation by James Beard

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    Two Colorado chefs and restaurateurs struck gold at the “Oscars” of the food industry on Monday, taking home top awards from the James Beard Foundation.

    Chef Kelly Whitaker and partner, Erika Whitaker, co-founders of Id Est Hospitality Group, earned the award for Outstanding Restaurateur among five finalists from around the country. Id Est boasts award-winning restaurants like Michelin-starred The Wolf’s Tailor and BRUTØ in Denver and Basta in Boulder, as well as the newish Hey Kiddo in Denver.

    Matt Vawter, owner of Rootstalk in Breckenridge, won the title for Best Chef in the Mountain Region — which includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming — out of five finalists, including Denver’s chef Penelope Wong, co-owner of Yuan Wonton in Park Hill.

    Owner Kelly Whitaker is pictured at The Wolf’s Tailor on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

    “What a moment, holy crap…,” Erica Whitaker said in her acceptance speech. “When we founded Id Est, our daughter was a year old, and now we’re just 10 days shy of her 16th birthday, and she’s here tonight…”

    “…We own seven restaurants, but we also have engaged in so many different conversations around our food supply systems and been food advocates,” Kelly Whitaker added. “All these things are possible: to have restaurants, to have a family and to get involved.

    “This year alone, we’ve contracted and built with farmers over 200 acres of regenerative land, we’re growing grains and milling flour. This isn’t just applicable to our tasting-menu restaurants, it’s applicable to a pizza or a sandwich,” he continued.

    Kelly Whitaker was previously nominated as a 2020 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Mountain Chef for Wolf’s Tailor and was also an Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalist in 2023.  “We don’t particularly chase these awards, but we definitely chase the platform this brings, and for that, we know that this is a responsibility,” he said. “I have more sense of fight now more than ever.”

    Vawter, in his speech, thanked the James Beard Foundation for “recognizing what we do in our small little mountain community in Breckenridge. I started cooking when I was 14 years old to help my parents pay rent, and I never looked back.”

    After working with Denver restaurateur Alex Seidel — another highly decorated James Beard award winner — at Fruition and Mercantile Dining & Provision, Vawter opened Rootstalk in late 2020 in a remodeled home from the 1800s. The restaurant, at 207 N. Main St., focuses on providing “elevated, everyday dining” with seasonal ingredients from local farmers and ranchers, homemade pasta, and a seven-course tasting menu.

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    Lily O'Neill

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  • James Beard Finalists Include 2 Dallas Chefs and 1 Restaurant

    James Beard Finalists Include 2 Dallas Chefs and 1 Restaurant

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    The annual James Beard Awards highlight some of the country’s best culinary talents. Today, finalists were announced and several local chefs and one restaurant are on the list…

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    Lauren Drewes Daniels

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  • ‘Change is coming’: Jimmy Pearls announces last day at The Market at 7th Street.

    ‘Change is coming’: Jimmy Pearls announces last day at The Market at 7th Street.

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    Jimmy Pearls, which extended its stay at Charlotte’s The Market at 7th Street after its chefs were named semifinalists in the James Beard awards, has set its closing date.

    After serving its famous Uncle Gene’s fish sandwich and Bubba Chucks on and off for a few years at the uptown food hall and in its food truck, the fast casual, coastal-inspired restaurant owned by Daryl “DC” Cooper and Oscar Johnson will close Sunday, March 24. But it won’t be gone for good.

    “Jimmy Pearls started as a dream. Then it was a truck. It has called 7th street its home for some time now. Growth was inevitable. Change is coming,” the Charlotte chef duo announced on Instagram.

    “We have learned so much from our time there. We are grateful for the opportunity the space has provided us. We are thankful for the community we have experienced there. But it is time to pivot. We are planning for the future. And the future is bright.”

    For a while, the owners had been planning to close its food stall at the 7th Street Market to open a new brick-and-mortar space, CharlotteFive previously reported. But that closure was put on pause after the news of their James Beard Awards nomination.

    Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson, owners of Jimmy Pearls.
    Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson, owners of Jimmy Pearls. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

    Co-owners Cooper and Johnson were jointly nominated as semifinalists for the 2024 James Beard Awards’ Best Chef: Southeast. Finalists for the prestigious honor will be announced Wednesday, April 3.

    “There’s been so much uncertainty at times where we start to question … and some days aren’t profitable,” Johnson previously told CharlotteFive. “But Charlotte always ends up showing up for us. We thank the great people who have an appreciation for our craft.”

    [RELATED: ‘This is just wild’: James Beard nomination comes at a time of change for Jimmy Pearls]

    Now, the time has come for them to pursue that dream of making Jimmy Pearls bigger and better.

    “In the meantime we will be fostering our relationships with our vendors, whom which we would be nothing without. We will be spending time in our community, doing pop ups the Jimmy Pearls way. We will be honing our craft and sharpening our skills. We will be growing,” the social media announcement said.

    “We are not saying goodbye. We are reaching towards a future that will take Jimmy Pearls to the next level. Stay tuned and stay hungry.”

    Jimmy Pearls

    Location: 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202

    Menu

    Cuisine: Virginia-inspired seafood, soul food

    Instagram: @jimmypearlsclt

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    Chyna Blackmon,Heidi Finley

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  • Erick William’s Daisy’s Po-Boy & Tavern brings the Big Easy to the Windy City

    Erick William’s Daisy’s Po-Boy & Tavern brings the Big Easy to the Windy City

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    CHICAGO — When asked if he could use one adjective to describe Daisy’s Po-Boy & Tavern, a bustling counter service restaurant in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, diner Wallace Good made one up.

    “Is there such a word as New Orlean-ish?” joked Goode, who serves as the Executive Director of the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce. “Even though you’re in the middle of Chicago and the middle of Hyde Park, you feel like you’re in the Big Easy.”

    Daisy’s Po-Boy & Tavern is the brainchild of James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams. Williams, who launched the critically acclaimed Virtue in Hyde Park in 2018, said he opened Daisy’s to honor his late Aunt Daisy and to serve the Louisiana cuisine he learned to cook at a young age.

    “We chose to celebrate the flavors and style of New Orleans because my Uncle Stew, who was my late aunt’s husband, was the first man to work with me at the stoves,” he said. “And he’s also the first person to teach me how to make gumbo.”

    Daisy’s especially comes alive with the spirit of the French Quarter on the first Wednesday of every month, when a live band is invited to play the tunes and sounds of New Orleans jazz. While enjoying po’boy sandwiches, gumbo, fried chicken and other southern fare, diners swung to the beat of Chicago’s Four Star Brass Band on the first Wednesday in February.

    “People are dancing in their seats, bobbing their heads,” said Williams. “I’d like to say that it feels like Mardi Gras every single day here.”

    Williams said the mission of his restaurant group, Virtue Hospitality, is to create a positive impact in the communities that they serve while also serving delicious fare and offering equitable opportunities for their team. Its non-profit foundation, Virtue Leadership Development, raises money to provide grants for young people in the culinary industry so they can learn how to transform their skills in the kitchen to skills that help them navigate business and make a living.

    “The deepest feeling is knowing that you’re doing the work that you both love and also the work that impacts so many other people around you on a day to day basis,” said Williams. “It wasn’t my aspiration to become a chef; I feel very fortunate to have become a part of such a giving and supporting community.”

    Decked out in the green, purple, and gold of Mardi Gras, Williams describes Daisy’s as more relaxed and freestyle than his restaurant Virtue. While the plating may be on paper and trays, Williams says the food still stands out in Chicago.

    “Our hot sausage po’boy, bar none, is one of the most amazing sandwiches in the city,” said Williams. “Our muffulettas are to die for and the fried chicken is a no-brainer.”

    For more information on Daisy’s Po-Boy & Tavern, visit daisyspoboychicago.com

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    CCG

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  • Filipino American chefs come into their own with multiple James Beard award nods

    Filipino American chefs come into their own with multiple James Beard award nods

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    Like a lot of chefs, Aaron Verzosa has been hustling the past three years to get Archipelago, his Filipino restaurant in Seattle, through the pandemic and its ripple effects. Getting a James Beard Award nomination was a validating moment.

    “Being able to amplify and showcase stories about the Filipino American culture, the communities here, specifically in the Northwest, and really the immigrant story that my parents came with … I was just very humbled to be able to have the opportunity to showcase what the sacrifice was and be able to represent the region in that way,” said Verzosa, who is up for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific.

    In the culinary world, the awards are the equivalent of the Oscars. Three Filipino restaurants will be represented at the James Beard Foundation’s annual awards ceremony, on June 5 in Chicago.

    Abacá, in San Francisco, scored an Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker nod for Vince Bugtong. And Kasama, in Chicago, earned a joint Best Chef: Great Lakes nomination for husband and wife Tim Flores and Genie Kwon. Last year, Kasama was nominated for Best New Restaurant and also became the first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant. Past Filipino American winners include Tom Cunanan, who snagged Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2019 for his now closed Washington, D.C., restaurant, Bad Saint.

    All this recognition is welcome praise for a cuisine that has historically been stifled by colonialism and a general lack of appreciation. These chefs are part of a younger generation giving voice to the Filipino American experience through the language of food.

    Before joining Abacá in January, Bugtong said he was having an identity crisis as pastry chef for an Oakland cocktail bar. He wanted to do more Filipino-centric desserts, but at the same time felt he lacked authenticity. At Abacá, he said, chef and owner Francis Ang gave him the freedom to explore his culinary roots. He has since experimented with dishes from the Philippines’ pre-Spanish days, like rice-based desserts, or kakanin in Tagalog.

    “In the small amount of time that I’ve worked here, I definitely learned so much,” Bugtong said.

    He enjoys playing around with ingredients from the Philippines. For example, he wants to make a granita with barako coffee, which is grown there, and pair it with muscovado jelly and leche flan ice cream. Leche flan is the Filipino version of creme caramel.

    Bugtong doesn’t worry about whether something is unconventional and outside the usual traditions of Filipino culture.

    “My thought process when I come up with stuff is, ’Do I like it?’” he said. “Does it represent me as a Filipino American? Then the second thing that I think about is, ‘Is this approachable to other people? Filipino or otherwise?’ And then I think of a composition that makes it aesthetically beautiful.”

    In Seattle, Archipelago, named because the Philippines is comprised of 7,100 islands, has been dishing out a seasonal tasting menu since 2018. Verzosa and his wife, Amber Manuguid, wanted a “Pacific Northwest restaurant first and foremost.” But there’s a “Filipino American-ness” intrinsic to the meals too.

    For instance, Verzosa might swap out tamarind for wild lingonberries. He does his own take on Filipino banana ketchup with sweeter tubers or root vegetables.

    With only 12 seats in the restaurant, Verzosa chats with every patron.

    “When we have Filipinos coming from the Philippines and we have Filipinos that are here from the U.S. — whether they be first, second, all the way to fifth generation — there’s a really beautiful way to connect with them differently,” Verzosa said.

    “I think the most important thing to realize is that there is absolutely — like anything — no one way to be Filipino.”

    Neither Verzosa nor Bugtong seriously considered a culinary career until after college. Verzosa grew up on a diet of PBS and Food Network cooking shows, as well as the cooking of his father, aunts and uncles.

    “I would come home from school, be eating my dad’s food and watching these shows,” said Verzosa, who was originally headed to medical school. “At some point, he was like, ‘Hey, listen, Aaron, if you love eating as much as you do, you need to learn how to love to cook.’”

    Bugtong dropped plans to become a teacher and enrolled in a Bay Area culinary school in 2014. As a child, he hadn’t demonstrated any passion for making things from scratch.

    “I did stuff with Betty Crocker and thought I was badass, like substituting milk instead of water,” Bugtong said, chuckling. “When I was a kid, I used to put egg wash on Chips Ahoy! and bake them. They came out very gooey inside and crispy on the outside.”

    Filipinos have heard on and off for the last decade that their food is having a moment, about to be the next big thing in U.S. cuisine. Its staples include steamed rice, meat, fish, and notes of sweet, salty and sour. Dishes like adobo (a meat braised in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic), lumpia (spring rolls) and pancit (fried noodles) are already part of the zeitgeist.

    Yet Filipino restaurants make up only 1% of U.S. restaurants serving Asian food, according to a Pew Research Center analysis released earlier this month.

    There’s no one explanation why other Asian cuisines like Chinese grabbed a bigger foothold in the restaurant industry.

    One reason is the “funneling” of early Filipino immigrants into particular occupations, according to Martin Manalansan IV, an American Studies professor at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. In the 1920s and ’30s, he said, they came to the U.S. for agricultural work. After 1965, they worked mostly in more technical fields like nursing and engineering.

    Many young Filipino Americans were discouraged from becoming chefs “because that was seen as very lowly, especially if your parents are nurses, doctors, engineers, whatever,” Manalansan said.

    In addition, Filipino food was often dismissed as a fusion of Chinese, Spanish and a dash of American. That perception annoys Manalansan because it doesn’t recognize the creativity of Filipino culture.

    “The late ’90s foodie revolution was really … about being adventurous and being called a ‘foodie,’ being into more ’exotic,’ interesting cuisine,” Manalansan said. “The Filipino cuisine was seen as kind of homey, kind of blasé.”

    Whether this year’s James Beard love is a coincidence or not, Verzosa says it feels like there are more rising, accomplished Filipino chefs than ever.

    “Over the last five, 10 years or so now, they’re finally coming through and developing their own voice, and wanting to showcase their own families, their own communities, their own regions,” Verzosa said.

    “Having the craft and ability to make delicious food — obviously that needs to happen to tell those stories.”

    ___

    Terry Tang is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ttangAP

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