What do you get when you mix hot chefs like Seamus Mullen, Joey Campanero, and Josh DeChellis with top mixologists like David Wondrich, Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Jim Meehan and Eben Freeman (and many more, pictured above), a brand new space in the East Village and swirl in a dash of festive atmosphere? The opening party for the Astor Culinary Center. The new Astor Center is offering classes for food and wine......

Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking was first published in 1974. This collection of Beard's favorite newspaper columns has been reissued to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the James Beard Foundation, the culinary haven and educational institution created in his honor. The short columns are a pleasure to read, combining culinary education and history with easygoing recipes, travel stories and are brimming with his love......

September 3: West Indian–American Day Carnival Some may go for the dancing and general festivities, but some of us will be headed to this celebration for the food. The Eastern Parkway service roads will be lined with stands selling dishes from throughout the Caribbean, including jerk chicken, oxtail, fried flying fish, curry goat, roti, callaloo, and more. 8am–6pm, Eastern Pkwy between Utica Ave and Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn. For more info or directions, visit wiadca.org.......

This time of year was always bittersweet for us. The summer was winding down and those carefree, lazy afternoons become numbered. However there was something energizing about beginning a new school year. Maybe it was the excitment of picking out new fall clothes, backpacks and a hot pink Jem Trapper-Keeper (we were partial to Smurfs and Snorks as well). Now we've traded in our colorful binders for the standard issue white with the handy clear......

...back to the French Quarter, NOLA, that is: Next Monday the 12th from 6-8 pm at ACME Bar and Grill, join forces with the Culinary Corps, a group wielding a powerful combination of outreach, philanthropy, and culinary prowess -- something their website has dubbed “culanthropy.” In order to raise funds for their inaugural service-oriented trip to New Orleans taking place later this month, the group will host a light-duty fund-raiser at ACME; door prizes,......

Holiday cooking may provoke a state of panic as you try out a buche de noel or tuna tartare recipe for the first time, but Gothamist assures you that with local classes and instruction abound, the home-chef need not fear their next party. Gothamist recently attended a recreational class entitled "Make-Ahead Holiday Cakes" at the Institute for Culinary Education, located on 23rd Street between 5th & 6th Avenues, which granted five hours of delightful......

- Beloved dive bar Siberia (wall signage pictured at right) to close? - Get a look at a roundup of "casual dining" burgers on Serious Eats, from Houlihan's, Applebee's, T.G.I.Friday's, and Red Robin, just in case you find yourself trapped somewhere in the middle of the country. - Jennifer Leuzzi of Snack dives into the rumor mill around Le Cirque. True: Christophe Bellanca, formerly of L.A.'s, L'Orangerie, will be joining the kitchen as of the......

Every child (and Homer Simpson) dreams of a land where everything is chocolate as far as the eye can see. Spending a day at the 9th Annual Chocolate Show is damn close to that land of chocolatey goodness. As soon as we walked through the door, we were hit with the scent of chocolate wafting through the air. Breathing it in, we worked our way through the crowds to sample the wares of some......

November 3: Chocolate and Dessert Wine Seminar Two award winners paired with two sinful delights -- what could be better? James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year, Jacques Torres and James Beard Sommelier of the Year, Jean Luc Le Du join forces for these seminars focusing on chocolate and dessert wine. Three seminars at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30, at Le Du's Wines, 600 Washington St between Morton and Leroy. $25. Seating is limited and reservations......

At the farmer’s market you’re entranced. The stalls swell with the season’s natural bounty—corn, tomatoes, peaches, peppers—all the foods that taste right only when eaten at this time of year. You buy pounds and lug the harvest home. But as the shortening days slip by, those special $2 bags of veggies risk going to rot in your fridge. It’s enough to make a gourmet’s heart sink. What do you do? Can it. That’s what......

September 7: Sake Tasting Oer thirty Japanese brewers will offer over 100 different types of sake, shochu, and wine previously unavailable in the US for a public tasting. Nibble on hors d'oeures as you speak to the brewers themselves to learn more about individual types of sake. Please call 212.647.9196 or email finfo@enjb.com for more information or to purchase tickets. $40 plus tax. 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, En Japanese Braserie, 435 Hudson St. September......

May 7 - 8: James Beard Foundation Awards Next week, the James Beard Foundation will present its annual awards -- Sunday for journalism and Monday for excellence in the culinary industry. It'll be tough to get in, but we'll share the winners with you next week. More information on their website. May 9: Tabla at ICE Tabla's executive chef Floyd Cardoz will lead a cooking demonstration and tasting of favorite homestyle Indian and Indian-inflected New......

December 8-16: Give the Gift of Cooking at 5% Off So you want that special someone in your life to cook you a nice dinner, but they need a little help? Give them a gift certificate for the Institute of Culinary Education and receive 5% off from December 8-16. Gift certificates can be purchased in any dollar amount over $75. They have a two year limitation and can be used toward the purchase of any......

July 23: Chefs & Champagne The James Beard Foundation will be honoring Chef Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe for his contributions to the food industry at its annual Chefs & Champagne Benefit at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York. Hang in the Hamptons and enjoy tastings by chefs including Florian Bellanger of Fauchon, Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, Josh DeChellis of Sumile, and Kerry Heffernan of Eleven Madison Park along......

July 3-4: Prix Fixe Menue at Barmarché They'll be donating a portion of the proceeds to City Harvest. Gotta love doing good while you eat. 14 Spring Street (at Elizabeth), call 212-219-2399 for reservations and more information. July 4: Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest Check out what is "believed to be the 90th installment" of this Fourth of July favorite at Coney Island watch four-time world champion Takeru Kobayashi of Japan......

June 23: PJ Wine Spanish Wine Festival Who doesn't love Spanish food and wine? Well, maybe someone, but we're certainly crazy about the stuff. Join Gothamist at this benefit for City Harvest and taste over 150 of the top Spanish selections from every major wine region of Spain, including the classics, like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat and Sherry and emerging regions like Toro, Bierzo, Jumilla and more. Tickets are $75.00 per person and are......

June 9th: The Rosés of Summer The good folks at Artisanal Cheese Center invite you to taste summer, in the form of six refreshing rosés paired with twelve of the world's best cheeses. Tix are $75 and can be purchased by calling 212-871-3144. Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, 500 West 37th Street, 2nd Floor, entrance on 10th Avenue, 6:30pm - 8:30pm. June 11 & 12: The Third Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party Time to bring......

May 25: "Belly" Dancing -- North African Food and Wine Pairing Take a journey to Egypt, Lebanon, Morroco and the Mediterranean at Le Tableau Restaurant. $65 provides you with six courses, five wines, and one belly dancer. Menu includes Coriander Crusted Prawns with Chilled Harira, Lebnah and Smoked Syrian Almonds Grouper with Charmoula and Red Rice, Tahini Lime Sauce Squab Breast, and Foie Gras and Roasted Apricots. 511 East 5th Street between A and B,......

After Gothamist learned that Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez, the former pastry chef at L'Impero, was opening up a hole-in-the-wall North Indian take-out joint named Lassi, Gothamist decided to head over late last night to see how successfully a sultan of sweet could transition to over to savory. Inspired by the Punjabi cuisine of Purva Sudan, one of Carlucci-Rodriguez's students at the Institute of Culinary Education, the West Village storefront offers quick Indian food to take out, in......

The great thing about wine is no matter how much you know, you don’t know much. So when Gothamist heard there were new wine classes offered at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) we had to check them out. ICE built their new wine facility with full air ventilation, bright incandescent lighting and fancy white tabletops (for accurate wine viewing), all great, but would the highlight of our evening be the countertops? Well they were......

Gluttony can sometimes be a good thing, like when it can raise money to benefit Action Against Hunger’s (AAH) tsunami relief effort. Embrace your gluttonous side, and hit up the Institute of Culinary Education's fundraisers next Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m., there will be a demonstration class focusing on the foods of India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Julie Sahni, author of Classic Indian Cooking and countless other volumes; Corinne Trang, author......

After a recent lively reader discussion following Gothamist's posting a photo of a roast pig, we decided to explore our own feelings about the whole animal-to-food process. Although we definitely eat meat, we do get somewhat squeamish when our dinner is served with a face. One day, when browsing the Institute for Culinary Education catalog, we came across the perfect opportunity to stare our squamishness right in the face. Literally. We signed up for How......

The Farmer's Market Cookbook: Seasonal Dishes Made from Nature's Freshest Ingredients, by Richard Ruben (Lyons Press, 2000) Gothamist loves the Greenmarket, that is, during the three seasons it has produce other than apples and potatoes. It appears that Richard Ruben might feel the same way: his Farmer's Market Cookbook only covers spring, summer, and fall. Ruben teaches Green Market classes at the Institute for Culinary Education, where you can take his class, Cooking in the......

Doug at Ask Gothamist recently attended a class at the Institute of Culinary Education where cupcakes were the evening's focus. We made everything from the basic golden with butter cream frosting to more elaborate merengue and royal icings and each student got to take home at least two dozen cupcakes. Ours, pictured here, included piped on icing, and even a few edible flowers. One of the advantages of the class - aside from a professional......

I'm a lousy cook, but my girlfriend insists that I cook her dinner every once in a while. I'm worried that if I keep on making mac n' cheese or turkey sandwiches, she'll leave me. Any suggestions on where I can learn a few skills? F, Greenwich Village In a city with as many food options as New York, there is not shortage of instructors available to help you become, if not a master......