Top Chef Masters pitted 24 accomplished chefs against each other as they competed for the “toque-n” crown. NRA Show supporter and participant Bayless was also joined by fellow NRA Show regular/”Masters” contestant Art Smith (Table Fifty-Two) in the finals, but Smith was cut in the second round.

Bayless’ $100,000 prize goes to Frontera Farmer Foundation, which helps support small, sustainable Midwestern farms.

Fiesta like acclaimed master chef Rick Bayless who had only two words to say on Twitter – “Party’s starting.” Check out these upcoming parties with a Bayless connection.

Glamorama, Chicago’s highly anticipated fashion event at the Chicago Theatre kicks off Friday, August 21 at 8 p.m. The post-party bash lands at Macy’s on State Street (an NRA Show 2009 International Back-of-the-House Tour participating restaurant) - home to Rick Bayless’ upscale, quickservice restaurant Frontera Fresco.

Award-winning restaurant Frontera Grill along with several other participating restaurants will cater StreetWise Under-the-Stars, a benefit for the publication that provides an income source to homeless Chicagoans. (Friday, August 21 at Rooftop Sculpture Garden, 117 N. Jefferson, fourth floor). Tickets available here.

Last but not least, meet the “Top Chef Master” at NRA Show 2010 (May 22-25, 2010 at Chicago’s McCormick Place). Visitors to the NRA Show always enjoy interacting with him in the Celebrity Book Signings area and other Show features. Registration opens soon!

We know how much you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the final days of summer. But before you head to the beach, cool off with a cold refreshing drink or whatever gets you in the “viva summer” mood, remember that the 2009 exhibitors renewal deadline for NRA Show 2010 (May 22-25, 2010 at Chicago’s McCormick Place) is today. Tick tock goes the clock...call (312) 853-2525.

By the way, feel free to share your summer fun tips and ideas with us. We’re always up for a good time!

When we learned several of the NRA Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event's trendsetting chef, restaurant and mixologist participants will be out in full force at Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® Chicago on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at the Ravenswood Billboard Factory, we hungered for more scoop.

Here's the skinny, more than 40 of Chicago’s hottest chefs, restaurants and mixologists will donate their time, talent and passion to serve up sensational dishes, drinks and other delicious delights in an effort to raise money needed to support Share Our Strength’s mission to end childhood hunger across the United States, Canada and abroad.
 
The National Restaurant Association’s NRA Show partner the Greater Chicago Food Depository will be one of the area charities to benefit from this year's event. Exhibiting companies at NRA Show 2009 donated food that provided nearly 50,000 meals to the 600 GCFD member pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, day care centers and senior living facilities across the Chicago area. Additional charities that will benefit include the Illinois Hunger Coalition and the Near North Health Service Corporation.

It’s not too late to purchase tickets to Taste of the Nation® Chicago. For more information about a Taste of the Nation event near you – there are more than 45 events across the United States, Canada and Mexico – or to get involved, visit www.tasteofthenation.org.

Hyde Park's Caribbean-focused Calypso Cafe, along with the now defunct New Orleans-inspired Dixie Kitchen, is a favorite of the First Family. They recently added some of the more popular dishes from Dixie Kitchen's menu—which just happened to be the President's faves—including peach cobbler, fried green tomatoes and the Southern Sampler (Jambalaya, gumbo, red beans & rice).

Italian Fiesta, in South Shore, had the honor of serving its thin-crust pizzas at the inauguration. This is the way a pizza's supposed to be: indulgently greasy and bursting with flavor from hearty toppings. Obama's guilty pleasure is the cheese-only pizza.

He's fit as a fiddle and his waistline is trim and slim, but we love that he's not afraid of chowing down on an occasional sandwich loaded down with mounds of corned beef. He caused quite a scene when he ordered several, and paid cash, at Manny's Deli right after the election.

Table Fifty-Two's known for its sophisticated spin on Southern cuisine. We hear another Obama weakness is shrimp 'n' grits, so for certain he's had to have sampled Art Smith's [a regular NRA Show Celebrity Book Signings participant] succulent appetizer that comes with three jumbo prawns drenched perfectly in BBQ sauce and laid over creamy, buttery grits.

And the Mexican-influenced Topolobampo, the fancier counterpart to the adjacent Frontera Grill [NRA Show Celebrity Book Signings & Culinary Scenecooking demo. fan favorite Rick Bayless, award-winning chef/restaurateur, cookbook author, and host of Mexico—One Plate at a Time on PBS, owns and operates both hot dining spots], is where the Obamas go for a romantic night out. The Prez digs Sopa Azteca, a pasilla chile-accented tortilla soup with roasted chicken.

Save the date for NRA Show 2010, May 22-25, 2010, at Chicago's McCormick Place. Attending the NRA Show is a great way to discover what makes President Obama's hometown Chicago the ultimate dining destination for every taste, budget and mood.

Note: Re-posted with permission by 312DD.

Cocktail: Lemon-lime Sangria – fruity and refreshing.

Starter: Avocado-Mango Salad with Fresh (or Blue) Cheese, Bacon and Toasted Pumpkinseeds is the perfect late summertime salad by Chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO restaurants. 

Main Course (option 1): Summer Tomato Spaghetti by Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit and C-House restaurants offers a palate-pleasing burst of flavors.

Main Course (option 2): Halibut with Celery and Coriander Relish by Chef Erick Williams of mk the restaurant features a winning combination of fresh cilantro, parsley and basil – a delightful complement to halibut.

Dessert: Hand Formed Pear Tarts with Almonds and Cinnamon by pastry chef Gale Gand – adults and children alike will delight in preparing this quick and easy dessert.  

Stay tuned for news regarding which star chefs will be appearing at NRA Show 2010, May 22-25, at Chicago's McCormick Place.

Recipes in detail:

Lemon-Lime Sangria
 
2 each lemons and limes
1/3 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 oz (30 mL) each limoncello and vodka (or 2 oz/60 mL vodka)
1 bottle (750 mL) cava or other sparkling dry white wine
2 cups (500 mL) ice cubes
Preparation:
Quarter lemons and limes lengthwise; seed and thinly slice crosswise. In bowl, combine lemons, limes, sugar and salt. Let stand for 1 hour.

Pour fruit into serving pitcher. Add limoncello, vodka, Cava wine and ice; stir to blend.

Avocado-Mango Salad with Fresh (or Blue) Cheese, Bacon and Toasted Pumpkinseeds
Ensalada de Aguacate y Mango con Queso Fresco, Tocino y Pepitas Tostadas

From the Mexican mind-set, both buttery avocado and tropical mango derive beautiful benefit from chile, salt and lime.  All three of which form a foundation for this avocado-mango salad’s dressing, along with sautéed garlic’s savory aroma and honey’s mellowness.  Add the crunch of toasted pumpkinseeds, the tenderness of Boston lettuce and the savory saltiness of crisp bacon and fresh Mexican cheese, and you have a compelling salad. It’s the least substantial of my main course salads—perfect for hot-weather appetites.  Also, feel free to scale down the size of the portions so you can use this delicia as the first course for a special dinner.  Or serve the large portions with grilled chicken breasts for a more substantial meal.
Serves 4
4 slices bacon
½ cup hulled, untoasted pumpkinseeds
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Fresh hot green chile to taste (I like 1 large serrano or small jalapeño), stemmed (optional)
1 tablespoon honey
Salt
1 large head Boston/butterhead lettuce (or an equivalent amount of bibb lettuce), leaves separated
2 large ripe avocados
2 ripe mangos
A generous ¾ cup coarsely crumbled Mexican queso fresco or mild blue cheese (Gorgonzola is great)

Arrange the bacon slices between a double layer of paper towels on a microwavable plate. Microwave on high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ minutes, until crispy.   Pour the pumpkinseeds into a small skillet and set over medium heat. When the first one pops, stir constantly until all have popped from flat to round, about 5 minutes. Scoop about 1/3 of them into a blender jar and add the lime juice.  Pour the remainder into a small dish.
Return the skillet to medium heat and measure in the oil. Add the garlic and optional chile. Cook, stirring regularly, until the garlic is soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Scrape the oil and garlic into the blender or food processor.  Add the honey and ½ teaspoon salt.  Process until smooth.  Taste and season with more salt if you think necessary.  (Remember:  it should be highly seasoned.)
Divide the lettuce between 4 dinner plates.  Pit and peel the avocado, then cut it into slices.  Peel the mango, then cut the flesh from the pit.  Slice to match the avocado pieces.  Arrange the avocado and mango in the center of the lettuce.  Drizzle everything with the dressing, then sprinkle with the cheese and toasted pumpkinseeds.  Crumble the bacon and strew it over the top, and the salad is ready.

Over-the-Top Crab-Avocado-Mango Salad:  Sprinkle a generous portion of crab over the avocado and mango before drizzling with dressing. 
A Few Simple Riffs:  Bacon can be replaced with flaked hot-smoked salmon, eel, trout or other fish. Leave out the bacon to make the salad vegetarian, or replace it with pan-grilled onion slices.  The pumpkinseeds can be replaced with pinenuts (they toast—and burn—much faster than the pumpkinseeds). The luscious texture of mango works well with avocado, but so would ripe peach or nectarine.  The green chile could be replaced by hot ground red chile (like árbol)—sprinkle it over the salad rather than blending it with the dressing. Crumbled goat cheese is a good stand-in for Mexican queso fresco.

Summer Tomato Spaghetti
4 servings

12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Jamaican chilies, chopped with seeds and ribs removed
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup miners lettuce or baby spinach
2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed
1/2 pound yellow heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound red tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh arugula
8 basil leaves, shredded

1. Preheat the oven to 250F.
2. Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Strain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, garlic and chilies and sauté until golden, for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the miners lettuce, capers, cubed tomatoes and cooked spaghetti and heat through. Add the Parmesan, arugula, basil, and cherry tomatoes over the pasta.  Serve immediately.

Halibut with Celery and Coriander Relish

4 halibut steaks (10 ounces each)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 celery stalks diced
1 teaspoon toasted coriander seed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ lemons juiced
1/8 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1/8 cup fresh picked parsley
1/8 cup fresh picked basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Method for Relish:
1. Combine the ¼  cup olive oil, celery, half of the garlic, lemon juice, coriander and chopped cilantro. 
Method
1. Combine ¾ cup olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper in a blender and puree.
3. Marinate halibut steaks (or halibut filets) in the puree and refrigerate for 1 hour
4. Preheat grill. The grill is ready when you can hold your hand over it no longer than 5 seconds.
5. Place halibut on hot grill.
6. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque all the way through.
7. Place each halibut steak on a plate.  Spoon the celery and coriander relish over. 

Hand Formed Pear Tarts with Almonds and Cinnamon
Makes 4 tarts

1 sheet frozen all butter puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons almond paste (canned)
4 teaspoons sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pears, peeled and cored and cut into 8 wedges

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Divide the sheet of puff pastry into 4 squares. Take 1 1/2 teaspoons of almond paste and roll it into a ball then flatten it and place it in the center of the puff pastry. If using, place a teaspoon of sourcream on top of that. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 1/8th of the cinnamon sugar over the sourcream. Place four pear wedges in the center of the puff pastry, two leaning away from the center one way and two leaning away from the center the other way. Sprinkle with another 1/8th of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with other puff pastry squares. Using your hands gather the puff pastry up around the pear slices and press it onto the pears to bundle then snuggly in the dough. It won’t look so petty now but will look beautiful once it bakes up and puffs. Bake at 425 degrees till golden brown on the edges, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Lemon-lime Sangria photo by: Jodi Pudge

Over 400 industry professionals and guests (wow!) came out last night to "paint the town red" at Chicago Illuminating Company and celebrate the winners and nominees. The winners were announced at the TSEA Foundation Gala (very swanky!) held in conjunction with the TS2 show.

This year’s NRA Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) provided tens of thousands of foodservice and hospitality pros from all 50 states and an eye-popping 107 countries with new products and services from exhibiting companies and ideas to help boost business.

Shout out congratulations also go out to Exhibit Surveys, Inc. for winning in the Favorite of the Rest (all other types of suppliers) and McCormick Place for Best Convention Center categories.

As is always the case with us here at Floored!, we want to hear from you! Let us know what makes the NRA Show – the largest gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals from around the world (we’d like to think in the galaxy!) – your favorite restaurant and hospitality trade event.

We hear registration opens in September for NRA Show 2010, slated for May 22 – 25, 2010. Stay tuned!

The people behind the greatest show on earth, er, the largest foodservice and hospitality event [NRA Show] have changed their Twitter name from @nrashow09 to @nrashow2010. This new name and look have not changed in content. Stay "twuned" for Tweets about new and innovative products, services, ideas, culinary superstars, foodservice and hospitality leaders, breaking industry news, International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) and more updates than you can re-Tweet.

So, continue to follow the NRA Show on Twitter or start following today! And remember, in Tweets We Trust.

Due to the prestige of the KI Awards program, these foodservice superstars were asked to attend in order to add educational value to attendees about what's new in foodservice equipment and to highlight future trends applicable to college and university dining locations.

Seelye and Bendall will review more than 20 pieces of foodservice equipment that have received this prestigious award over the last five years, their features and benefits, including specific application opportunities within the higher education community.

Check out KI Award recipients from 2009 and previous years.

“Exemplifying the National Restaurant Association’s vision to enhance the quality of life for all we serve is the generosity of the restaurants, vendors, suppliers and manufacturers who exhibited at NRA Show 2009 and collectively donated tens of thousands of pounds of food to those in need,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “As the largest restaurant and hospitality industry trade show in the U.S., we are committed to giving back to the local community and helping to feed the hungry.”

“We are so grateful for the National Restaurant Association’s longtime support of our hunger-relief efforts,” said Kate Maehr, executive director of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “This substantial food donation is critical as we face a 35 percent increase in the number of people turning to pantries. Thousands of individuals and families in Cook County will receive food as a result.”

Find out how you can help solve the hunger problem in your community.

Chris Moyer, manager of the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve initiative said, “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award. Mary Pat [Heftman] plays such an enormous role in the success of the foodservice industry by providing exhibitors, attendees, culinary students and educators with a world-class experience year after year. The NRA Show has always been and will continue to be where the foodservice industry meets to learn about new innovation, products and services thanks in large part to Mary Pat Heftman and her show staff.

Voting ends July 8, 2009, so show your support and vote today!