Plenty of chefs source their cooking abilities along matrilineal roots, so it’s no surprise that many menus carry recipes passed down by mothers and grandmothers. When it comes time for chefs to honor Mom (specifically Sunday, you ungrateful brats), there’s no better way to do it than serving them a meal. We asked several chefs across the country about what they like to make for Mom. Get inspiration below, but remember — it’s not too late to make brunch reservations.

Sascha Lyon, Delphine, Los Angeles
“My mom loves eggs and bacon. It’s what she calls a ‘manly breakfast.’ So without a doubt I would make her a soft herb omelette with a side of extra crispy bacon, served with a glass of Champagne. That would make her day.”

Anita Lo, Annisa, New York
“My mother passed away this past year, so it’s not possible for me to cook for her anymore. In theory, I would love to cook for her at Annisa, for her to see its rebirth. My mother was an omnivore; she loved food — there were very few things that she didn’t like. She was really happy with the foie gras soup dumplings at Annisa, which were based on one of her dishes — I think that was exciting for her when she had it for the first time ten years ago. Every Mother’s Day I do a special [at the restaurant] of her steamed fish, though I sort of make it fancier. She’d do a whole steamed fish with scallions and ginger, really simple with some soy sauce and sesame oil. It was so clean, it was just delicious. I do a filet of something, steamed exactly the same way, and this time of year I’d do pea shoots with oyster sauce and a scallion oil. Something exactly the way she used to cook it.”

Jason Santos, Gargoyles on the Square, Boston
“Every Mother’s Day I make my mom properly cooked eggs because she struggles with making good eggs for breakfast. Her favorite dish is my breakfast pizza, which is topped with eggs, potatoes, bacon, and Cheddar cheese. She loves that.”

Ryan Poli, Perennial, Chicago
“My mom is real easy going for mothers day. All she wants is her boys (me and my two brothers) to get together for the day and go to brunch or come over to the house for dinner. Everything else is just an added bonus for her. I remember a few years ago, I had just got back from living in Spain, and got back the night before Mother’s Day. I stayed the night at my parents house and in the morning just made a simple breakfast, Spanish tortilla, and pan con tomate (tomato bread). It took me about 15 minutes to make and was no big deal. She still to this day talks about it. I don’t think it was the meal we had or the way I cooked it that was memorable, it was her son who was gone for a long time was home siting with her enjoying breakfast and each others’ company.

Russell Jackson, Lafitte, San Francisco
“The last thing that I cooked for my mom was braised chanterelles with a poached egg. But I’m always changing it up, and if I were going to cook something for her now, it would be something from the Silver Palate cookbook that she just gave me.”

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Filed Under: mommy!, chefs, mother’s day

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Marea’s dining room.

Throughout the day, Grub Street will post its predictions for tonight’s James Beard Awards. Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees.

Best New Restaurant
“A restaurant opened in 2009 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.” Recent winners include: Momofuku Ko (New York), Central Michel Richard (D.C.), and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (New York).

Bibou, Philadelphia
For It: Former Le-Bec Fin chef de cuisine Pierre Calmels is “cooking the most soulful and polished French bistro fare around,” said Craig LeBan. Alan Richman called Bibou one of the “best new restaurants in America.”
Against It: It’s a BYO. Great for value, but isn’t wine service an integral part of the restaurant experience?

Flour + Water, San Francisco
For It: It boasts one of Travel & Leisure’s eleven best pizzas in the country; pizza fanatic Michael Bauer raved and raved; it was named one of Michelin’s Bib Gourmand picks; and both the Times and Gourmet love it, too.
Against It: The food may not be as refined as its competitors, being primarily a pizza-and-pasta joint, and the atmosphere is a lot more casual (and loud) than at Frances or RN74.

Frances, San Francisco
For It: Chef Melissa Perello’s new solo effort has already garnered a three-star review from the Chron’s Michael Bauer and accolades from the weeklies, as well; was named one of Forbes‘ Best New Restaurants in the nation; and Perello was a Chron Rising Star Chef back in 2002 and one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2004.
Against It: It’s only been around since December, and may be too new to beat out its slightly more seasoned competitors.

Locanda Verde, New York City
For It: Andrew Carmellini is well liked by critics, chefs, and the public alike, and his Locanda Verde quickly became an affordable favorite for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. New York gave the restaurant Best Baked Goods honors, Sam Sifton highlighted the maple budino as one of 2009’s best dishes, and John Mariani put Locanda Verde on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list. Carmellini’s lamb-meatball sliders took top honors at the NYWFF’s inaugural Meatball Madness event.
Against It: “This kind of crowd-pleasing cooking isn’t designed to win culinary awards, of course,” cautions Adam Platt.

Marea, New York City
For It: The biggest New York opening of 2009. Chef Michael White’s upscale, glittering seafood palace drew early raves from people who didn’t care how expensive it was, how far uptown it was, and how far the fish traveled to the kitchen via FedEx. Bloomberg’s Ryan Sutton called it the “restaurant of the year”. Adam Platt pegged Marea as a best new restaurant, as did Esquire. Anthony Bourdain told his No Reservations audience that White’s bone-marrow pasta with turbo was “the most magnificent pasta dish in memory.”
Against It: It’s a boom restaurant in a busted world.

RN74, San Francisco
For It: After Michael Mina’s casual concept opened in mid-2009, Michael Bauer gave it three stars and said it “gives the wine bar concept a white-tablecloth turn.” Exec chef Jason Berthold is a French Laundry alum and proprietor Mina is a previous Beard award winner for his cookbooks, for Rising Star in 1997, and Best Chef: Pacific in 2002. If already being part of the club counts, then this should help.
Against It: It got some mixed reviews for the service; and while Mina is an established name, Berthold is still proving himself.

Grub Street Predicts: Marea
Too many San Francisco entries could split votes. Bibou is a BYO. Locanda Verde is a high-quality neighborhood restaurant. But Marea is proof that restaurants can still go big. Chefs and restaurateurs are not immune to that hopey-changey thing.

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Filed Under: james beard awards, best new restaurant, james beard foundation

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The familiar hams and lambs of Easter are gleefully shoved aside for that other holiday staple: chocolate. Helen Rosner found some of the city’s most ornate and festive seasonal candy, from the Easter-egg hunt in a box from L.A. Burdick (pictured) to the Barnyard Mix from Papabubble. View the slideshow and then place your order.

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Filed Under: sweet news, candy, chocolate, easter

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Resort casino Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas first broke ground five years ago, and it’s finally (almost) ready to announce its Big Apple culinary lineup. Rumor has it the roster includes Scott Conant, Costas Spiliadis from Estiatorio Milos, Bruce and Eric Bromberg, Jonathan Segal of STK, and David Myers of Sona in L.A. Plus, Kenny Shopsin is in talks about doing a Slutty Cakes pop-up kiosk in the lobby (kidding!).

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Filed Under: empire building, bruce bromberg, costas spiliades, eric bromberg, jonathan segal, las vegas, scott conant

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Damien DiPaola’s scores with seared scallops with a spicy grapefruit glaze.

Last Christmas, we turned to industry professionals to see what real foodies put on their wish list. Since fewer things in the world are as intimate as eating together, we sought Valentine’s Day advice from toques in the know from all over the country. Read on and make your shopping list. You’ve got plenty of time to prepare for Sunday.

“The way I get my girlfriend: I get fresh baby arugula, lemon juice, and olive oil, fresh Parmesan cheese, and sliced prosciutto, with a mixture of olives, and a baguette. That’s how I win her over. There’s something about sitting down on the couch and eating with your fingers — it’s playful and simple.”
—Jesse Schenker, chef, Recette, New York City

“Everyone celebrates with flowers on Valentine’s Day, so take it to the next level and extend the flower celebration into your cooking to create a tasty and romantic dish. I would make a herb salad and violet flower tart. You can massage the dough together with your lover’s hands — think of the movie Ghost and the pottery scene. Create a shape of the tart together and then add herbs that are spicy and aphrodisiacs, like fenugreek. Top off with colorful violet flowers, creating the perfect colorful, edible Valentine bouquet.”
—Ludo Lefebvre, LudoBites, Culver City, California

“I’d start with Fanny bay oysters — we all know why — in avocado soup, as the Aztecs named the avocado tree ‘Ahuacuatl,’ meaning ‘testicle tree.’ I love arugula, so I’d make a wild-arugula salad with a sweet-basil vinaigrette. The basil will produce a general sense of well being to start the night. As a main course, I’d serve pan-seared Mediterranean turbot with white truffles, as the musky scent from the truffles should stimulate and sensitize her skin. I’d finish with raspberry and strawberry shortcake. The berries are considered fruit nipples in erotic literature, with vanilla anglaise, as the vanilla will increase her lust.”
—Todd Allison, Checker’s Downtown, Los Angeles

“I’d have lots and lots of Champagne Marguet Rose. It’s great matched with spicy foods, strong foods, all kinds of good things. That would really get the party started. Champagne, caviar, oysters — the things that are really seductive. But nothing heavy — you know if you want to close the deal, you don’t want to pass out. You don’t want to be in a food coma because you ate a whole bowl of risotto. And then for dessert we have a passion-fruit semifreddo with a little buttermilk cake and crispy meringue. You know, passion fruit is perfect. And then you can have the whole rest of the night to do whatever you want.”
—Suzy Crofton, chef-owner, Crofton on Wells, Chicago

“Definitely a little caviar with Champagne and a few oysters. Maybe a sexy, creamy pasta as a mid-course, and on to a steak with bordelaise with a hint of bittersweet chocolate for a main course. Definitely a little passion fruit and blood orange somewhere in the midst of the evening. And we’d finish off with lingering aromatics combined with chocolate, blindfolded and fed to each other.”
—Elizabeth Falkner, Orson and Citizen Cake, San Francisco

“I make this once a year. I shuck oysters in the half-shell and put them in the grill, and I do some grilled octopus, too. I serve it with watercress salad, some hearts of palm, tomato, and I make a chili sauce to give it a little heat. It’s not too heavy and the oysters and octopus are kind of soft, little dishes. It is an aphrodisiac — the octopus too! As a Latino and a chef, I’m always looking for something to keep the wife happy and this definitely works. I have the grilled octopus on the menu at the restaurant, but the grilled oysters are just for my wife, to keep it special.”
—Edgar Alvarez, executive chef-owner of Avenida, Philadelphia

“I make my seared scallops with a spicy grapefruit glaze. The scallops have a very velvety, smooth, and sensual texture. These textures provoke ones inner sexual thoughts and fantasies. The sweet and spicy of the grapefruit saffron sauce also evoke the lady (sweet) in the street, whore (spicy) in the bedroom quality that all true men love. Consider all the aphrodisiacs in the dish itself: the scallops, the five spices, the ginger, the cayenne pepper, the saffron, and the wild mushrooms. This scallop preparation is also very light, not heavy and sex-stopping. Now you know why this dish definitely seals the deal and gets her from table to mattress.”
—Damien DiPaola, executive chef at Ristorante Damiano, Boston

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Filed Under: user’s guide, damien dipaola, edgar alvarez, elizabeth falkner, jesse schenker, ludo lefebvre, now that’s what we call food porn, suzy crofton, todd allison, valentine’s day

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Clockwise from left, SousVide Supreme, Microplane grater, Kold Draft ice machine, and a Nespresso machine.

Time may be running out for everyone but Santa Claus, but Grub Street has some ideas for the procrastinators among us. We spoke with food professionals all over the country — chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and pastry chefs — to see what they want to find under the tree. And what’s good enough for these notable food professionals is sure to be a delight for your own enthusiastic amateur.

CHEFS
“This year, I want a Nenox Utility Knife ($467).”
—Josh Sharkey, Bark in New York City

“I’m a fan of the brown liquid. I like to drink whiskey neat and on the rocks. For my home, I’d really like this Spherical Ice Tray Set ($16) to make my ‘rocks.’”
—Jose Garces, Amada, Tinto, Village Whiskey, Chifa, Distrito in Philly; Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago

“The new Nespresso machine ($329.99) is very cool, with the side frother that froths your milk for you.”
—John Cuevas, Montage in Beverly Hills

BARTENDERS
“I want a Yarai mixing glass ($49.95). Remember when you were a kid and you told your mom that those new sneakers would make you run faster? Well, this mixing glass will make my drinks taste better. I don’t know how, but it will. It’s science, I guess.”
—Colin Shearn, the Franklin in Philadelphia

“If I could afford it, for the bar, there’s one thing I’d love to have: It’s one of those ice machines (priced on request) that makes perfect square ice cubes. But our small little place, just four bartenders who opened a bar, we can’t afford that. That would be something Santa could bring me, and I would just love him to death.”
—Trina Sturm, Trina’s Starlite Lounge, Somerville, Massachusetts

“I’d love a Vita-Prep mixer ($517.44). I make a lot of my own purées and syrups, and I just have a little mixer, while the kitchen gets all the good gadgets.”
—Lynn House, Graham Elliot in Chicago

PASTRY CHEFS
A new Microplane grater ($14.95), which I use for zesting. Mine won’t even zest butter. It’s kind of a joke, that our Microplane is so dull.
—Chrysta Wilson, Kiss My Bundt, Los Angeles

“The beauty of pastry is you can get tools from anywhere — from Home Depot to the pharmaceutical company. I would like a refractometer ($595) for measuring the density of sugar. It tells you how much sugar is in a dish and is a great tool for adjusting recipes accordingly.”
—Cedric Barberet, Le Bec Fin, Philadelphia

“An earthenware pot ($55.99) to make Jim Lahey’s bread from My Bread.
—Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery, Boston

SOMMELIERS
“I would like the Riedel Sommelier Series Sauternes glasses ($77 each). I don’t sit around drinking Sauternes, but they’re excellent for Champagne. The traditionally shaped glass doesn’t necessarily show off what the wines have to offer, so I usually use a white-wine, or even a bigger red-wine, glass to be able to smell it better. You want a wider surface area, and one that’s shaped to funnel the aromas to your nose. These glasses have the sharpest inner sweep of any glass, and it’s also a beautiful shape, very elegant.”
— John Slover, Grand Cru Wine Consulting and Bar Henry in New York

“Laguiole, the French maker of wood handles, makes really nice wine openers (from $178) and the steak knives (from $398) are so beautiful.”
—Alex Weil, Bouchon, Beverly Hills

“What I really want this year is a SousVide Supreme ($449). I want to make the runny egg from the Momofuku cookbook, and I would sous-vide everything. I do a lot of dinner parties.”
—Alpana Singh, Lettuce Entertain You, Chicago

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Filed Under: bring us some figgy pudding, alex weil, alpana singh, bartenders, cedric barberet, chefs, christmas, chrysta wilson, colin shearn, holidays, joanne chang, john cuevas, john slover, jose garces, josh sharkey, lynn house, pastry chefs, sommeliers, trina sturm

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Romance.

Allen & Delancey (Menu)
212-253-5400
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Alta (Menu)
212-505-7777
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:30 p.m.

Aureole (Menu)
212-319-1660
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Bobo (Menu)
212-488-2626
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7 p.m.

Convivio (Menu)
212-599-5045
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Elettaria (Menu)
212-677-3833
Two for eight? Yes

One If by Land, Two If by Sea (Menu)
212-255-8649
Two for eight? Yes

River Café (Menu)
718-522-5200
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10:30 p.m.

Scarpetta (Menu)
212-691-0555
Two for eight? No
Best available: Fully booked

Wallsé (Menu)
212-352-2300
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9 p.m.

Filed Under: allen & delancey, alta, aureole, bobo, convivio, elettaria, one if by land two if by sea, river cafe, scarpetta, two for eight, wallse

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Refined Meathead.

BLT Prime (Menu)
212-995-8500
Two for eight? Yes

Centro Vinoteca (Menu)
212-367-7470
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Craftsteak (Menu)
212-400-6699
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Gyu-Kaku (Menu)
212-475-2989
Two for eight? Yes

The Harrison (Menu)
212-274-9310
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Ouest (Menu)
212-580-8700
Two for eight? Yes

Pera Mediterranean Brasserie (Menu)
212-878-6301
Two for eight? Yes

Quality Meats (Menu)
212-371-7777
Two for eight? Yes

The Red Cat (Menu)
212-242-1122
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

Trestle on Tenth (Menu)
212-645-5659
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

Filed Under: blt prime, centro vinoteca, craftsteak, gyu-kaku, harrison, ouest, pera, quality meats, the red cat, trestle on tenth, two for eight

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze in a couple for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Gourmet French.

Adour Alain Ducasse (Menu)
212-710-2277
Two for eight? Yes

Allegretti (Menu)
212-206-0555
Two for eight? Yes

Balthazar (Menu)
212-965-1414
Two for eight? No
Best available: 6:45 p.m.

Bar Boulud (Menu)
212-595-0303
Two for eight? No

Benoit (Menu)
646-943-7373
Two for eight? Yes

Café des Artistes (Menu)
212-877-3500
Two for eight? Yes

Daniel (Menu)
212-288-0033
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Menu)
212-350-6658
Two for eight? Yes

Le Bernardin (Menu)
212-554-1515
Two for eight? Yes

Le Cirque (Menu)
212-644-0202
Two for eight? No
Best available: 6:45 p.m.

Filed Under: adour, allegretti, balthazar, bar boulud, benoit, cafe de artistes, daniel, latelier de joel robuchon, le bernardin, le cirque, two for eight

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked eight restaurants the best times they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio.

Bar Room at the Modern (Menu)
212-333-1220
Two for eight? Yes

Craft (Menu)
212-780-0880
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9 p.m.

Craftbar (Menu)
212-461-4300
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Craftsteak (Menu)
212-400-6699
Two for eight? Yes

Eleven Madison Park (Menu)
212-889-0905
Two for eight? Yes

Gramercy Tavern (Menu)
212-477-0777
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:30 p.m.

Tabla (Menu)
212-889-0667
Two for eight? Yes

Union Square Cafe (Menu)
212-243-4020
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9 p.m.

Filed Under: bar room at the modern, craft, craftbar, craftsteak, eleven madison park, gramercy tavern, modern, tabla, two for eight, union square cafe

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Certified Geniuses.

Adour Alain Ducasse (Menu)
212-710-2277
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Anthos (Menu)
212-582-6900
Two for eight? Yes

Benoit (Menu)
646-943-7373
Two for eight? Yes

Bouley (Menu)
212-964-2525
Two for eight? Yes

DBGB Kitchen & Bar (Menu)
212-933-5300
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:45 p.m.

Eleven Madison Park (Menu)
212-889-0905
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Esca (Menu)
212-564-7272, ext. 2
Two for eight? Yes

Falai (Menu)
212-253-1960
Two for eight? Yes

Jean Georges (Menu)
212-299-3900
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:45 p.m.

Nobu (Menu)
212-219-0500
Two for eight? Yes

Filed Under: adour alain ducasse, anthos, benoit, bouley, dgbg kitchen & bar, esca, falai, jean georges, nobu, two for eight

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Haute Barnyard.

Barbuto (Menu)
212-924-9700
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Blue Hill (Menu)
212-539-1776
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10:30 p.m.

Cookshop (Menu)
212-924-4440
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Eighty One (Menu)
212-873-8181
Two for eight? Yes

Esca (Menu)
212-564-7272
Two for eight? No
Best available: 7:45 p.m.

Insieme (Menu)
212-582-1310
Two for eight? Yes

Irving Mill (Menu)
212-254-1600
Two for eight? Yes

Mas (farmhouse) (Menu)
212-255-1790
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Park Avenue Summer (Menu)
212-644-1900
Two for eight? Yes

Rose Water (Menu)
718-783-3800
Two for eight? Yes

Telepan (Menu)
212-580-4300
Two for eight? Yes

Filed Under: barbuto, blue hill, cookshop, eighty one, esca, insieme, irving mill, mas (farmhouse), park avenue summer, rose water, telepan, two for eight

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