Outrage Grows Over Leaked Silverton Tapes, Ban Considered

As the furor mounted over comments Nancy Silverton allegedly made about Mexicans and an lone Armenian, the James Beard Foundation demanded the chef immediately return the prestigious award she won Monday night in New York City.

On a secretly recorded audio tape leaked to the Food Network, Silverton, who was just honored in Lincoln Center as the Best Chef in America, is heard saying “Mexicans are the hardest working people in then entire restaurant world industry". 

That comment and one about not wanting her photo taken with an Armenian man, spawned outrage from across the restaurant world, prompted debate of banning the chef from her own restaurant,  and even triggered protests outside her beloved Mozza.

"What she is basically saying, if it indeed does turn out to be Silverton on those tapes, is that other nationalities, including my own,  don't work hard and therefore shouldn't be hired," said an outraged Rene Redzepi, chef of Noma, a highly regarded restaurant in Copenhagen. "Is she saying all Danes are lazy? Does MIss Best Chef even know how many times my international staff and I have been bitten by varmints while searching for the tastiest moss?"

In America, the reaction was even harsher.   

"Nancy is a dear friend, but I have to say she stepped in the quick sand this time, " said Jonathan Waxman, who Silverton praised during her Beard acceptance speech. "Look, it's almost universally known when you compliment one nationality, you are really putting down another. It's quite similar to when you see two women and you tell one of them how nice she looks. The other woman will invariably say "What? i don't look good?" With Nancy's Mexican case, you multiply that by a few billion. I really think it over for her. Sad. I love that woman."

A Los Angeles chef who lost out in the best chef in America contest would not comment on Silverton's predicament. However, like Silverton, Suzanne Goin, unaware a nearby microphone was on, was overheard saying "Great. With Nancy out of the competition, maybe I can finally win this damn award."     

Some of those who work closest with the chef appeared to be turning against her. 

"Maybe if I changed my fuckin' name to Kate Gonzalez she would have thanked me in her James Beard award acceptance speech," said Kate Green, Silverton's black/white assistant. "I love Nancy, but I think she's gone brazy. She makes it seem that those sombreros are the only people who can work hard."

Tuesday night, just before evening service, in a silent protest, the three head chefs of Pizzeria, Osteria and Chi Spacca: LIz "Go Go" Hong; Chad "Willy Wonka" Colby; and Derek "The Wreck" McCabe, none of whom are Mexican, went to the middle of the Melrose and HIghland intersection and turned their Mozza chefs coats inside out so it looked as they though they worked at "azzoM".

At the pizzeria, host Lance Ohnstad, a Silverton admirer, joined in the protest in his own way. Since the leaked tape Tuesday afternoon, Ohnstad's reply to the oft-asked question "Is this the pizzeria or osteria?" is now  "It's the taqueria."

It remains a mystery as to who leaked the tape to the Food Network.  The voice Silverton is talking to on the tape is that of Michael Krikorian who has fervently denied leaking them. His credibility was bolstered today when a restaurant insider said, "If he sold the tapes to Food Network he would have some money. But, he's as broke as ever."  Krikorian is the man Silverton referred to when she is heard say "I don't want any more selfy-plus-ones with you, Armenian."

Wednesday at the Pizzeria. long-time customer Lonnie Bishop, aka "The Prince of Pumps", joined those outraged by Silveton's comments. "She is gong to have to give up the restaurant."

About the only one coming to Silverton's side was another controversial chef, Dominque Crenn from San Francisco. "Nancy is the best and Nancy is right. Like she said in her beautiful acceptance speech, she knows how to select the best team. i'm not sure about her choice of men. but her choice of a restaurant team is peerless." 

Late Thursday afternoon , a reporter stumbled upon Silverton as she was leaving the Marni store on Melrose Place. He asked her if she would return the James Beard Award. 

"If they really want it back, they can have it. Problem is I'm not sure where I put it."

Then the reporter asked Nancy Silverton what she would do if the outrage reached a point where she would have to leave her restaurant.

In a style all her own, she answered, "Mario and Joe would never let that happen. But, hey, if that ever does happen, well, I'll deal with it. Don't worry about me. I've lost it all before. In a way, it makes life interesting. A real challenge. I'll think of something new."

She slide into her black Porsche 918, revved the mighty 887-horsepower motor, and said "And you can bet this If I ever do open a new place, I'll hire a lot of Mexicans. And maybe even an Armenian."

Silverton roared off. Toward Mozza, no doubt. 

The best chef in America

An hour after winning the James Beard award for best chef in America, Nancy shows off her phone. "look. I have 54 new messages."

Mass Love Toward Nancy Silverton Reaches Historic Levels

It's 4:23 a.m. in New York City and I'm feeling wonderful staring at a lump in a hotel room bed. Sleeping beneath this lump of white pillows and a dark plaid blanket is the best chef in America. or so said  the James Beard Foundation last night.

There's no Cal Tech instrument that could measure the outpouring of love felt when Chicago's Paul Kahan announced that Nancy Silverton had won the 2014 award for best chef in America, but a social historian said the only two comparable events of mass love in modern America were in 1938 when Seabiscuit rallied the nation by beating War Admiral in a match race and in 1967 during the Summer of Love. And like the little crooked-leg horse, everybody in America's chef community feels admiration. inspiration and warmth toward sleeping Nancy.

"Nancy stands as the shining light," said Sherry Yard, who was honored last night with a Who's Who Award. "Nancy's victory as best chef is a victory for pastry chefs all over the world."

The one regret I had last night was I wasn't at Mozza in Los Angeles to be with the staff when heard.  But that regret is slight. They'll be a party to celebrate Nancy's victory there soon enough. 

At the Spotted Pig shortly after leaving the Spotted PIg 

Top 10 Quotes in Watts Today About Donald Sterling

Donald Sterling was a hot topic in Watts today. Here are the top 10 quotes about the Clippers owner.

10. "Girlfriend figured it's time to get her money. He's probably been calling her a 'stupid black Mexican bitch' for years and she said to herself, 'I'm gonna record this stupid ass and make me some money.' - Ronald "Lowdown Watkins.

9. "That's a plantation owner speaking.  A man who uses black people to make him money. What else is it other than the words of a plantation owner?" - Rosemary Jacob.

8. "This things about Donald Sterling and his remarks about black people goes back a long way. His wife probably suggested to him that his girlfriend needed a real man to satisfy her so that's why she took a picture with Magic Johnson because Donald's shriveled up penis couldn't satisfy her sexual need." - Daude Sherrills

7. "He's 80 years old, Anything might come out of his mouth." - Brian "Loaf" McLucas. 

6. "Most days, racism is the furthest thing from my mind. but then someone stupid like Donald Sterling brings it all back." - said Alisa Allen. 

5. "We rush to get upset when people speak against us,  but we are still fighting over colors. We can't address racism until we deal with our own unity."  - Ron Preyer

4. "Yeah, we have a lot of things going on in the streets here, but we need to make a stand against this type of talk. Because you got all the money, you can say what you want and get away with it. But, not this time.  There's no room anymore for Donald Sterling in the arena," - "Big Donny" Joubert. 

3."Magic Johnson is all offended, but the good news is now Magic's gonna to be in the position to buy the Clippers." - Ronald "Lowdown" Watkins. (Again)

2. This speaks to the contradiction of the American elite. You hate black people, but you are willing to pay them a lot of money to make you billions." Janine Watkins

1. "What the fuck you think i think of him?  He just ruined the Clippers season.  He's a piece of shit" - Brian Mohammad.

Is #32 L.A.'s new #1? Melisse Gets Same Number as Koufax & Magic

Sandy Koufax, Jim Brown , Magic Johnson, and, now Josiah Citrin. All 32s. 

Ever since David Rosoff retired from Mozza, his former boss, Nancy  L. Silverton, had promised him a farewell, thank-you dinner. The celebration would take place at chef Josiah Citrin's opus to fine dining - Melisse in Santa Monica.

Then, two days ago before the dinner, Los Angeles Magazine came out with their top 75 restaurants. Melisse was listed at #32.  I  wish I lived in a town where Melisse was the 32nd best restaurant. 

But, when Nancy heard Melisse had come in 32nd, she was aghast. "I can't go to the 32nd best restaurant in L.A.. What if people recognize me? It could hurt my reputation."

Still, against all common sense, we honored the reservation.  The elegant room - this place has a carpet! - was packed on a Thursday night. Our table, Nancy, David, his gal Chanterelle Johnson and myself, sipped and talked about the placement of Melisse on this list.  "32? You have go to be kidding," said Nancy, "This place is at least 31st best." I offered, "The list is suspect. Chasen's came in 14th and they been closed for 19 years." 

Then a server dropped the butter; Rodolphe de Meunier's Beurre de Baratte.  If that was all Melisse served, it would get in the top 20 in my guidebook.

The food and wine started appearing by a team of very polished servers. 

Somewhere between Wagyu beef tartare with smoked tomato and white asparagus with morel mushrooms, Josiah came by - proudly - to check on our table.

I couldn't resist. "Number 32nd, huh?"

"Why did you have to bring that up?" he said.  Citrin said he understands lists, that he got it, that it didn't mean anything to him. 

Bullshit. 

It was disappointing to the chef. Even hurtful  He listed several restaurants listed above Melisse  on that top 75, and, while complementing the establishments, implied, like Nancy, 'You've got to be kidding."

Other publications respect Citrin. When Michelin Guide last rated L.A. restaurants in 2009, Melisse garnered two stars. ( Only Providence, Spago and Urasawa were so honored). Zagat had it #1 for food in L.A. in 2013 and Gayot has it in their top 40 in the USA.

"If Melisse is ranked 32, I'd have been proud at 33,' said Michael Cimarusti whose Providence came in #3 in the L.A. magazine list. .

As our meal progressed deliciously, we became more and more impressed. A black bass with sugar snap peas, green almonds and smoked haddock; Squab with porcini, mustard greens and wheat berries, Sonoma lamb with fava beans and cauliflower.

"Exceptional," said Nancy. "Josiah, you're the tops."

We drove home and raved about Melisse. 

This morning, in a research mood, I went to the St. Andrews Place Public Library and mined some bizarrely similar ratings

In the August, 1225 issue of Foreign Affairs, Genghis Khan was rated the 32nd best conqueror of all time. You gotta be kidding me? After Alexander, I'd put him second.

Then, more suspicious ratings were uncovered.  In the Muslim Science Monitor of May 14, 1543, Copernicus was listed as the 32nd best astronomer in history. He died 10 days later.

The art world was not immune to unfair ratings. In 1672, Johannes Vermeer came in 32nd in  a Delft Daily News Today poll of ”Best Dutch Painters”.

I went home confused. Then I saw the most shocking rating of all. True Romance  had rated Michael Krikorian, me, Nancy Silverton’s 32nd greatest boyfriend.  

And then I knew for sure.

32 is the new number one.

Josiah. Congratulations. You’re the tops.

Josiah Citrin throwing "Trey Deuce" as a content diner leaves Melisse.

# From Cole Porter's "You're the Top!"
You're the top! 
You're Mahatma Gandhi. 
You're the top! 
You're Napoleon Brandy. 
You're the purple light 
Of a summer night in Spain, 
You're the National Gallery 
You're Garbo's salary, 
You're cellophane. 
You're sublime, 
You're turkey dinner, 
You're the time, the time of a Derby winner 
I'm a toy balloon that’s fated soon to pop 
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, 
You're the top! 

Chi Spacca Manager Kate In Custody After Delta Force Raid

Just minutes before 700 illegal DVDs of secret recipes from a renowned Los Angeles restaurant were to be sold on the black market to fund terrorism, a U. S. Special Forces team raided the home of the establishment's manager and, after a brief, but intense struggle, took her and the contraband into custody. 

Arrested at her South Los Feliz home was Kate "Bleu" Linington, manager of Mozza's revered Chi Spacca. Linington is being held in a undisclosed CIA 'Black Site' somewhere in the Northern  Hemisphere, according to sources close to the investigation .

The White Hose released the following statement Wednesday afternoon: "Shortly after dawn today, a United State Special Forces team, consisting primarily of Army's elite Delta Force, successfully raided the home of restaurant manager Kate Linington where 700 DVDs of [Chi] Spacca secrets were about to be handed off to suspected terrorists. These terrorists could have sold those secret recipes for several hundred million dollars and used that money for weapons to support whoever we are not  supporting in Syria." **(See below)  

A Delta commando involved in the operation told Krikorian Writes that if it was not for Bleu's intoxicated state at the time of the raid, things could have really gone "south by southeast". 

"Kate was really soused when we entered, so she was a bit slow to her guns," said the soldier, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "In fact, she stumbled over a rocks glass and an empty bottle of Gordon's Gin on her way to the couch where her Glock 40 was waiting, locked and loaded."

A lawyer for Bleu said his client was merely trying to "tell the world Chi Spacca was such an extraordinary restaurant."

"Bleu's whole point was to demystify Chi Spacca, in particular, and Mozza, in general," said attorney William Dithers. "Her message was that even armed with the recipes and techniques, people could simply not make the food taste as good as it does as Chi Spacca."

A former employee of Chi Spacca disputed that defense.

"You wanna nibble on some pure bullshit, then you should start chewing on what Bleu and her attorney are saying," said the employee who requested anonymity.   "In truth, Kate was desperate to meet Michael Connelly and Lucas Davenport and thought if she sold the DVDs and bought a new McClaren P1,  they might notice her. Sad, but true. And this the woman is married."

Linigington's former GM at Chi Spacca, Theresa Gluck, expressed disappointment at the news. 

"I knew Bleu did some spying for Harry Morton over at Pink Taco so he could open Chocolate Starfish, but, da-yum, I thought she was done with that espionage shit," said Gluck. "What can i say? She's stupid."

Kate's parents were dumbfounded by the allegations against their daughter.

"Our Katie loves America, she loves Chi Spacca and she loves her husband," said the suspect's mother, Suzanne McKiernan, from her home in Billings, Montana.

Her father, Joseph, added. "She would never do anything to hurt anyone. She does have a bit of a drinking problem. I mean, it's not really a problem. Not for her, at least."

A server at Chi Spacca was not surprised by today's developments.

"Having worked at Mozza as long as I have, nothing really surprises me anymore," said Veronica Rogov. "I will say after having read the story about her arrest, that the first two syllables of her last name they do kinda sound like "Lenin". Have they arrested her husband, too?" 

Bleu's husband, Andrew Vladimir Ilyich Linington, was not at home during the raid, but has been contacted by the FBI and told to not leave the city..

With the loss of Kate Bleu, Mozza was scrambling to find new leadership. Francis Sebastian, a homeless man who often sleeps on the Mozza2Go bench, has been brought in as an acting manager to at least temporarily replace her.

"We offered the job to Corina (aka cook Bianca Almaraz Barrios ), but she didn't want to look at Chad and Ryan all night and I could see her point," said Osteria Mozza general manager Will Simons. "We'll see, but hopefully this bum guy will work out,"

** ( For latest updates on who America is currently supporting in Syria, go to the State Department's Twitter account at @who'sthebestbadguytoday or visit their website at www.ourpreferredtyrant.usa/syr.gov)

Kate Linington Blue caught on camera shortly before Delta Force captured her at her South Los Feliz home

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L.A. Times Op-Ed-"Haha" &"Lol",Texting's Equivalent of "Amazing"

April 21, 2014 - Last week I sent a text message to a friend. A Hollywood business meeting I had high hopes for had been suddenly "postponedEverybody canceled except me," I texted.

She texted back, "Haha."

What's so funny about it, I wondered? Where's the haha in my disappointment? My text was more sad than funny; her text steamed me. Dismissed twice.

"Haha" and its partner, "LOL," are texting's go-to replies, a vaguely complimentary, vaguely condescending way to acknowledge a text has been received.

I once wrote about the overuse of the superlative "amazing," and, predictably, almost everyone I knew who read the piece told me it was an "amazing" article. Haha. Good one. LOL.

But the use of amazing is paltry compared with haha and LOL. OMG, I bet there are serious stats somewhere. Maybe the NSA could confirm it: I'd guess haha and LOL are approaching 1 billion "sends" a day, about three hahas and three LOLs for every American.

My 20-year-old friend Ida is the Barry Bonds of haha. I could break my femur and that's what I'd get back from her. And fast. In the Texting Hall of Fame, Ida will be first ballot.

I can pretty much predict when I'll get the response.

The single ha is employed for something that approaches humor, but more likely is a statement bordering on the ludicrous. For example, I text you, "Lets go 2 Aleppo, Syria"; you reply, "Ha."

Less ludicrous, more humor and haha comes back. LOLs require being a bit funnier, but not much.

One time a text I sent got a hahahahaha. Two hahas, one ha. Not too shabby for a gang reporter. Someone told me a cousin of a friend of theirs once got a hahahahahahahahaha (nine), but this guy exaggerates, so maybe he only got a hahahahahahaha (seven) — which is nothing to laugh at.

It might have taken Richard Pryor in his prime to get hahahahahahahahaha (nine) or even a hahahahahahahaha (eight).

Still, even if Pryor got a string of hahas, it wouldn't be as good as LOLLOLLOLLOLLOL (five). Now, that's very funny. That's someone approaching hysteria. That's someone bent over, hands on their thighs, panting heavily just to recuperate from the laughter that may have even brought them to tears.

And though technically five LOLs have about the same number of characters as "that's very funny," they can be typed 2.4 seconds quicker. I'm pretty sure.

And therein lounges the lure of these two text messages: Speed. Ease of thumb typing.

And then, simple laziness or maybe social desperation: The way you politely laugh at a story someone tells at a party, even though it isn't funny, you can now haha by mobile device.

Even if a text is funny, no one is really laughing. Walk down any street and people have their heads down, staring at their phones, texting or looking at texts. None of them is laughing out loud. They aren't even smiling. They might be typing haha or LOL, but they are not living the text, not texting the truth.

If they were, you would be able to stick your head out of any office building in America and hear uncontrolled laughter. (I don't know about other countries. I mean, do Russians haha? I bet Russian teenagers do. "Crimea back in da house!" "Haha.")

I'm not saying you shouldn't haha or LOL, but maybe change it up every now and then. Maybe frame a real response.

And yeah, I'll get a lot of texts about this. You know what they'll say.

Michael Krikorian, a former Times staff writer, is the author of a crime novel, "Southside." Twitter: @makmak47

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-krikorian-texting-haha-lol-20140421,0,4518529.story#axzz2zivhO2tQ

Springtime in San Francisco, 2014; The Dining Highlights

Every time I go to San Francisco, it enforces my feeling that the folks who say downtown Los Angeles is happening are a misguided lot. Riding across the Bay Bridge heading to the city -day or night - I'm in high spirits knowing a good time awaits. 

When I was there for a week a short while ago, the sun dropped in and stayed. hovering in around 80 degrees. Yes, that's right. I'm talking about April in San Francisco This is a feeling.

I was fortunate to dine  with a group of elite Special Courses eaters; Lindsay and Michael Tusk, Nancy Oakes, Lissa Doumani,  Hiro Sone, Jonathan Waxman and Nancy L. Silverton.

Here were the eating highlights 

HIGH COTTON KITCHEN - Cochon de Lait Po'Boy 

Haight Ashbury reminds me of Times Square in that it is one of those once great; America neighborhoods scrubbed with so much disinfectant that the pit bulls don't even want to growl there anymore. .And like Times Square, where in the '70s and '80s Mickey Mouse would have been violently mugged, the Haight is place I regret was cleaned up.

Still, there is a good bookstore here called the Booksmith and there was this pulled pork sandwich at the High Cotton Kitchen that alone makes the old hippie capital worth a visit.

I owe this dining excursion to one Marica Gagliardi (www.tablehopper.com) whose brief description of HIgh Cottons $9 pork sandwich ("juicy, dripping, mustardy") enticed us. There's no alcohol served, but you can take the food to the bar next door.  

The owner is Lousiana native Terrell Brunet is on to something good in the Second Act Marketplace, 7 days, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.. 1727 Haight St San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 668-3994 highcottonkitchen.com

COTOGNA -  Everything

I probably wouldn't go to San Francisco and not go to Cotogna, the charming street urchin to the aristocratic Quince next door. Cotogna always satisfies. The food, the welcome , the vibe, it's what I want in a restaurant.  Last week when we showed up without a reservation, waited at the elegant bar at Quince until a seat at the Cotogna counter opened. Chef/owner Michael Tusk is one of the best in the country and seems to put as much effort into the food at Cotngna as he does Quince, which has two Michelin stars.

His wife, ex-Berkeley radical Lindsay Tusk, has mellowed though the years, transforming herself into one of America's ultimate restauranteurs. She's a living testament to turning one's life around.

The highlight was a lamb shank.  How's that for a description of the food.  Just get the shank if its available.

TROU NORMAND -  Pork Chop

From the Bar Agricole folks, this new place is at 140 New Montgomery Street in 26-story 1925 ARt Deco masterpiece originally called the Pacific Telephone Building. That alone almost makes Trou Normand  worth a visit. But, the pork chop here, $26, sears the deal. 

We went here, had some charcuterie -the highlight being the "butcher's pate" - and then our waitress starts going on about the pork chop like it's the best thing to hit town since Orlando Cepeda. I'm thinking how could it be like the "Baby Bull' and it's only $26?  

Lissa and Hiro, they rushing off to dinner with some other folks, but you know they ordered this chop. Man, I 'm glad they did. Chopper comes and, damn, if server lady wasn't right. Lissa starts in raving about how flavorful the 1 1/2" border of white fat is. I agree. Hiro is raving about the flavor pork chop meat, I agree. Nancy is quiet, steadily eating the meat and the fat. I agree..http://trounormandsf.com/

WOLVES AND CRAFTSMAN - Muffin   

I've never been to this MIssion bakery, but on Saturdays they have a stand outside the front of the Ferry Building during the farmer's market,  To give you an idea about this Bakery. their website has a quote by Pablo Picasso, "The chief enemy of creativity is 'good' sense."

They also have a muffin called "The Rebel Within" that will be nominated for muffin of the year. This muffin-stuffed with a,  get this, hard-boiled egg, flecked with green onion, asiago cheese and chorizo. It's good. So good that lawyers for Egg McMuffin, Inc. have filed a federal lawsuit demanding that "The Rebel Within" classify itself as anything other than a muffin.

A homie of The Rebel Within told Krikorian Writes "Those fake McMuffin individuals need to back off before they get crumbled.".

Craftsman and Wolves shop is 746 Valencia Street (at 18th Street)  Their stand is at Ferry Plaza Farmers Market  Sat  8 a.m. - 2 p.m. http://www.craftsman-wolves.com/menu

* Regarding 18th Street and Valencia, Lissa and Hiro, who own Terra in St. Helena and Ame in SF, are opening a new sort of French bistro this summer right war that corner.  For Bay Area diners, that is some good news.  

Current leader in Muffin of the Year Competition 

BOULETTE'S LARDER -Bread Pudding 

Like the controversial Rebel Within muffin at Crftsman and Wolves, the Bread Pudding, with strawberries and rhubarb, is going through some rigamaroll trying to being classified as French Toast. If this classification comes through this custardy dish will surely rate among the best French Toast I've had (excluding my mom's). 

While I was eating this, Nancy Silverton was eating some scrambled eggs and she's so moved by them she takes a photo.  While this is normal behavior for many people, like, for example, Verona Masongsong (noted sword fighter slash Pizzeria Mozza server) who would that a picture of a lone Frito, for Nancy to take a food photo, well, damn, she really must like it.  She even suggested a Twitter line for the dish,  something along the lines of "Boulette's Larder could teach the  world how to scramble eggs."

To top it all off - and speaking of changing the world, or, at least, trying to   - there's a stop-and-gaze-and-ponder-the-state-of-the-planet statue of your boy Mohandas K. Ghandi about 15 feet away with a quote about him by Albert Einstein, by "Generations to come, it may be,  will scace believe that such a one as this  ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth."

Scrambled eggs, illegal French toast. Gandhi and Al, that's a way to start the day. http://www.bouletteslarder.com/

TARTINE BAKERY - Sesame Loaf

I already wrote about this loaf of bread that received the coveted "Five Nods" from Nancy. Here it is again :  http://krikorianwrites.com/blog/2014/4/8/nancy-silverton-awards-coveted-5-nods-to-tartine-sesame-loaf

COQUETA - Eggs with Shrimp and Crispy Potato  - Like Tartine, I wrote about this place we relish, but here it is again http://krikorianwrites.com/blog/2014/4/7/bzxz20kpvvz6lmex3xt0uz67jsfx15

That story is more about my extraordinary view. "Yeah, I had a view."

On the Waterfront 

TOSCA CAFE - Vegetables

Among the more forgotten people in America are the vegetarian alcoholics.But, listen up you drunkard. blurry-eyed, stumbling lot who disdain roasted pigs and lambs, yet foolishly insert the word "celery" during raucous sing-a-longs to "If I Only Had a Heart."  April Bloomfield has not forsaken you.

Dear April, best known as the chef of the Spotted Pig, Breslin and John Dory Oyster Bar in New York, and set to open in Los Angeles, has taken over at the venerated Tosca Cafe in San Francisco's North Beach. There's plenty of meaty fare here, but when Nancy and I went recently, we ordered almost all vegetable dishes.

Here's what we had; roasted carrots with tops, hazelnut pesto, something called "mead' vinegar, thyme, ($8); roasted treviso, ($7); broccoli de cicco with red wine vinegar and crispy garlic ($8). Something else, too. Forgot. All were very good.  Even the forgotten one.

(The one non-veg dish was a egg tonnato ($7), which will likely be nominated for the highly competitive category of "deviled egg dish of the month". This was on a puddle of tuna sauce and topped with a anchovy and capers.)

For the drunk who has some cash, there's five bourbon's from the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery; 10-year ($18), 12-year ($35), 15-year (50), 20-year ($75), and 23-year ( $125). My favorite is "The Granddaddy" a special "80-year-old" version, my own concoction where I order the five bar offerings. pour them in a water glass with one ice cube and sip, as CW Sughure would say, "the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon."

* That stolen quote is from the opening line is James Crumley's "The Last Good Kiss", one of the most revered in crime fiction.

“When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon.” 

BINCE DOLANIER AWARDED STUNNING FOUR MICHELIN STARS, CULINARY WORLD SHOCKED

The culinary world was shocked Saturday when news broke that 20-year-old chef sensation Bince Dolanier's restaurant in California had became the first establishment ever to be awarded four Michelin stars thereby shattering the thought-to-be-unbreakable three star ceiling..

It was an extraordinary move by the French tyre manufacture guidebook which began doling out single stars in 1926 and up to three by 1931. The honoring of Dolanier, the French-born, American-raised l'enfant volatile chef,  was lauded by many, but scorned by traditionalists.

"This is blasphemy," said the Parisian restaurant critic Maurice SuSway. "To say this Bince is better than Point? Than Dumaine? Than Girardet? Than Crenn? Than Robuchon? Than Chapel? Than Sone? Absurd. It must some kind of desperate publicity stunt like they did in the late 90s. Either that, or Michelin has sold out to an American cooperation." 

Speaking to Stanford undergraduates, Bince said Michelin had "come correct" by bestowing four stars on his Livermore California restaurant which has been called the "Mount Everest of cuisine" and "Alamogordo* of the kitchen."

"For 75 years years, the Michelin guide has put limits, has put a ceiling, on greatness,": said Dolanier whose first name rhymes with "Vince". "The ultimate goal, the golden ceiling, if you will, has been three stars. Who says we cannot burst through that ceiling and leap to the stars? Did Miles Davis have a ceiling? Did Rembrandt? I guess Michelangelo had one, but he sure made it look good. The narrow-minded people outraged by my fourth star are the same people who didn't understand Copernicus. We cannot put a ceiling on creativity or genius."

Some of the world's greatest chefs agreed.

"Bince is right about the Michelin guide and it's limitations," said Marc Haeberlin, chef  of the idyllic L' Auberge De L'ill in Illhaeusern, Alsace, France. which has had three Michelin stars since 1967  "Our goal - my father Paul's and now  mine and Dirck Gieselmann's - for the last 47 years has been to maintain that third star. We should not be content by merely staying at three stars, but striving for more.  And now, thanks to Bince, there is more. I say congratulation to Bince and his entire staff.".

That sentiment was echoed across the Atlantic. 

"There are more than 100 restaurants in the world with three Michelin stars," said chef Michael Voltaggio, whose Los Angeles restaurant Ink has three Goodyear stars. "Don't you think it would  be more interesting to have 90-three-stars and 10 four-stars? I see that as the future of the Michelin guide. Everything else is exploding, why not guide books?" 

Bince Dolanier's career began in 1997 at age three when he staged at Fredy Girardet in Crissier Switzerland, widely considered the best restaurant in the world at the time. Though Girardet himself retired later that very year, he instilled a work ethic in the young Bince. "Chef Girardet taught me if I wanted to be at the top of my profession I would need to give up certain things such as childhood, education and fun."

By the time Dolanier was seven he was the saucier at Louis XV in Monte Carlo, the domaine of Alain Ducasse and Franck Cerutti. Ducasse remembered Dolanier well.

"Bince was six or seven when he came to the kitchen at XV, but he acted more like a nine or ten-year-old. Very mature. I vividly recall him telling me that sauce for fish needs to be like a thick, flavored water so the fish would feel comfortable right up 'til the very end and not tense up before people ate it.  Such poetry,  even touching, I thought, though, at the same time, I'm thinking 'this kid is whack'. The fish is dead. Still, even then, Bince showed he had that 'certain something'."

Three years later, working as a line cook at Les Freres Troisgros ( now known as Maison Troisgros), Bince showed his creative violent side sensationally when he beat a male customer to death with a cooper pan of Troisgros' famous sorrel cream sauce ( usually used flawlessly on their salmon) The man had accused Dolanier of substituting prized Limousin beef used for the cote de boeuf with six packages of Von's Rancher's Reserve. Due largely to French cattle grower's support, Dolanier was never brought to trial. 

Seeking a country where their son's violent tendencies would fit in better, Dolanier's family - his father Bernarse, an engineer from St. Emillion who had designed corks for Cheval Blanc,. and his mother Chantel, a probation officer originally from East St. Louis, Illinois - moved to Watts, California in 2008, when Bince was 14.

The young Bince worked tirelessly through the kitchens at Terra in St. Helena, and at Boulevard and Quince in San Francisco until he opened his own restaurant across the street from Lawrence Livermore Labs, where his father works in a top secret laser labs that turns hydrogen into helium.

And across the street from the lab, at Bince Dolanier, the effects are almost as profound. As the Michelin Guide stated in its reasoning for awarding Dolanier the elusive fourth star, "It seems like when you take a bite of anything on the menu at Bince Dolanier, it explodes in your mouth."

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End of Bince Dolanier, Part 1.

* Alamogordo is the site in New Mexico where, on July 16, 1945,  the first atomic bomb was exploded .

Just an hour after hearing that his restaurant had been awarded a fourth Michelin star, Bince changed his logo

Nancy Silverton Gives "5 Nods" to Tartine Bakery's Sesame Loaf

For only the third time in 2014, Nancy Silverton has awarded the coveted Five Nods to a food item.

The silent declaration came Monday afternoon in San Francisco when she grabbed a steam-emitting sesame loaf at Tartine Bakery, took an intense sniff comparable to Tony Montana's right before the his "Say hello to my little friend" line, then took a bite. Her eyes closed. Seconds later, the silent nods began.

As a small group of privileged onlookers watched - actually only one, me - the nods mounted . At three well-paced, deliberate nods, as more steam rose from the remaining loaf of bread, there was absolute stillness in the bakery. Then the fourth nod came, and with it, the anticipation that magic was in the air.  Sandy Koufax was walking to the mound for the 9th inning, September 9, 1965. It was two strikes on Harvey Kuenn. "It is 9:46 p.m.," said Vin Scully. 

Nancy Silverton took another delicate chew. And she nods. Five nods!

To confirm it, I ask her "Five nods?" . She nodded.

The bread baker that memorable day at Tartine was Nick Beitcher. When he saw that particular, now-famous loaf of Sesame, he reportedly said "Awesome. Gonna be a good bake today." 

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The other Five Nods were awarded to the .French butter, Beurre de Baratte of Rodolph de Meunier, and the storied Salty Peanut Butter gelato at Pizzeria Mozza Newport Beach.

Warning - The photo below is NOT of the sesame loaf, but rather Tartine's  superb country loaf. Sesame was long gone by the time a camera came out. As for the country loaf, no rating was given as it was for Lissa Doumani who, with her husband, chef Hiro Sone, is opening a restaurant nearby on Valencia Street and 17th Street this summer. Doumani refused my repeated requests to tear off a chunk. To emphasize her stalwart position. Doumani, recklessly driving a large army green SUV, nearly ran over a homeless woman on Mission Street and Capp Street . At that juncture, I  quit asking   

A older photo of Sesame is seen below the Country bread

2nd Warning - Do not attempt to eat the sesame loaf with the butter of Rodolphe de Meunier. 

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http://www.tartinebakery.com/  

The bread is available after 4:30 p.m..

600 Guerrero Street San Francisco, CA 94110 (MAP) . 415 487 2600 Hours: Monday 8-7 | Tuesday, Wednesday 730-7 | Thursday, Friday 730-8 | Saturday 8-8 | Sunday 9-8

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Vin Scully's call of Koufax perfect game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJdli-ONL-8

Nancy and Vinny Eng with the Country loaf. Sesame was gone.