When we heard last week that Joey Campanero was catering a pre-opening party at Paul Sevingy’s and Nur Khan’s Kenmare, we wondered whether it meant he was in the running (just like Anne Burrell may have been) to be the inevitable hot spot’s chef. Sevigny was mum on the matter, but now Diner’s Journal gets confirmation from the Little Owl chef himself: “What I really like this that this part of town is turning into a real restaurant neighborhood, what with Jimmy Bradley and Micheal White opening around the corner.”

Joey Campanaro to Be Chef at Kenmare [Diner’s Journal/NYT]

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Filed Under: chef shuffle, anne burrell, kenmare, nolita, nur khan, paul sevigny

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Bill Murray tends to show up in unexpected places, and his appearance on tonight’s aforementioned Hudson Valley episode of No Reservations is no exception. Here’s a clip of Bourdain and Murray at X20 in Yonkers, and check out Tony’s blog for his story about riding shotgun with Murray (in an SUV, not a golf cart).

Backstory [Tony's Travel Blog/Travel Channel]

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Filed Under: tony tony tony, bill murray, no reservations, x20, yonkers

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from Grub Street Boston

“It’s been a year of reinvention,” understates Todd English in a massive Globe profile of the celebrity chef. To recap: English was named in no fewer than five lawsuits, including one filed by the landlord of his D.C. Olives; the owner of a Soho apartment he leased; the florist for his aborted wedding, a New York publicist; and, most bizarrely, a New York recording studio, which charges that English rented the studio and never paid. Are we missing out on a Todd English album?

His wedding to Erica Wang was canceled, bringing with it tabloid accusations on both sides. He shuttered three restaurants: the aforementioned D.C. Olives, as well as the chain’s Aspen outpost, and Fish Club in Seattle. Perhaps most damningly, his once stellar reputation as a chef has been tarnished. “The man is a near-genius as a chef. And yet people who are near-geniuses are often the ones whose food is hardest to translate into mass production. I think his restaurants are okay…I just get disappointed by seeing a truncated version of what a great chef might do,” says GQ critic Alan Richman, who calls himself English’s “greatest fan.”

So how does English plan to recover from his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year? With more projects, of course! In addition to Boston’s forthcoming Curly Cakes, he’s planning a food court in New York’s Plaza, a restaurant in Vegas, a line of children’s food, a TV show pilot, and a line at Club Monaco. One project that’s off the table: his long awaited (since 2007!) Boston burger bar.

Plenty Cooking in Todd English’s Kitchen [Globe]

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Filed Under: back of the house, todd english

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Don’t get too excited about Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s expansion just yet. After getting the latest from John Stage about the waterfront location that opens upstate this summer, the Troy Record informs: “As for whether there will be any further expansions of the chain in the future, Stage said that remains unclear. ‘I never say anything until I feel it,’ he said, noting that, with the Troy opening and moving his Harlem location across the street in New York City, he couldn’t see himself opening another location right away.”

The man behind Dinosaur Bar-B-Que [Troy Record]

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Filed Under: empire building, dinosaure bar-b-que, john stage, troy

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The grassroots gutter-punk movement to save Ray’s continues, as volunteers are now delivering Obama burgers and egg creams on Saturday nights (till 5 a.m.!). [Neither More Nor Less]

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Filed Under: now delivering, endangered, ray’s candy store

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Apparently Magnolia Bakery’s long lines aren’t just a pain in the neck for those trying to squeeze past the hoards at the West Village location: If the Community Board has its way, the lines in the café area of the Upper West Side location may cost the cupcake-maker its sidewalk café license. According to the West Side Independent, CB7 is recommending that the Department of Consumer Affairs not renew the license for the enclosed café, which was intended for seating but is being used by waiting cupcake crazies. Hey, if it keeps them off the street, it’s okay by us.

Magnolia Bakery Denied Permit for Sidewalk Café [West Side Independent]

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Filed Under: community boards, community board 7, magnolia bakery, upper west side

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In the magazine this week, Adam Platt reviews two newcomers serving southern food and small plates, respectively. Tipsy Parson “is clearly designed as a decorous, tea-social alternative to the usual barbecue joints and fry houses that pass for southern restaurants in this Yankee town,” he writes. But he misses some staples like fried chicken: “Since this popular, consistently crowded restaurant opened, several of the more traditionalist southern-style appetizers and entrées appear to have been excised from the menu.” Further downtown, “the Denton brothers’ latest dining outlet, Corsino … seems to have been designed with durability, and a high turnover rate, in mind,” complains Platt. “None of the pastas or entrées cost over $20, and most are competent in a serviceable, professional way, but not outstanding.”

Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld forage this week for the best baked goods in town, including a new line of sweets introduced at Bklyn Larder that boasts buttermilk cake, pistachio loaf cake, and “perfectly textured, crispy-chewy cookies.” Rob and Robin preview the opening of Bistro Vendôme, where former Jubilee chef-partner Pascal Petiteau “revives many of his signature Gallic classics,” as well as the Meatball Shop. Also in comfort food: Black radishes are in season, and “chef Neil Ferguson, formerly of Allen & Delancey and now at Soho House, tempers the root’s characteristic bite in a rich, creamy gratin.” Finally, our real-estate section asks a newcomer and an old-timer to list their favorite stops in Hell’s Kitchen; the young guy digs Xie Xie, while a fellow clearly predating the carbophobe generation recommends H&H Bagels, Little Pie Company, and Amy’s Bread.

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Filed Under: in the magazine, bistro vendome, corsino, in season, meatball shop, openings, recipes, tipsy parson

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Everything is pleasant at Ditch Plains, a laid-back West Village fish shack. The fuss-free menu features creature…

Ditch Plains

29 Bedford St, New York

(212) 633-0202

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• Health’s December issue recycled recipes from Real Simple. Both magazines are owned by Time Inc. [NYT]

• Greenpoint’s Automotive High School offers a class called “Food, Land, and You.” The students read Michael Pollan articles and take food trips to the Meat Hook. [NYT]

• Fast-food restaurants are “getting customers to think of them in a more positive light by accentuating cues like higher-quality menu items or lower-calorie fare,” according to an industry research company. [NRN]

• The FDA may change standard serving sizes to more accurately reflect how much Americans eat. [NYT]

• Wal-Mart may launch a line of private-label spices, which could be a big problem for McCormick. [WSJ]

• The Chinese government is searching for 100 tons of tainted milk powder that’s already on the market. [WSJ]

• In an effort to combat the Northeast’s crumbling dairy industry, some dairy farmers are banding together in co-ops. [NYT]

• Houston’s restaurant scene is gaining its own voice. [NYT]

• The USDA will tighten requirements on companies that provide meat for school lunches. [USA Today]

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Filed Under: mediavore, food politics, health, real simple, walmart

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Last weekend we flew to New York City for a foodie getaway, a birthday gift from Siv. His idea was to take me on an…

Per Se

10 Columbus Cir Fl 4, New York

(212) 823-9335

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One of the nicest parts about attending an event at Lincoln Center is the pleasure of eating at Cafe Fiorello.

Cafe Fiorello

1900 Broadway, New York

(212) 595-5330

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