Chefs in the News

Chef Walter Lefler, is back in New Jersey. Find out where you can find him on Chefs In The News. Also, read about Natale Grande and his Flying Meatballs and other New Jersey Chefs.

WALTER LEFLER
He’s back in New Jersey and we could not be happier. Walter Lefler, previously executive chef at the Edgewater Inn in Maine, as well as executive chef at both The Hilton at Short Hills Hotel and Spa in Short Hills and The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, is the executive chef at Delicious Heights, Basking Ridge Country Club, 185 Madisonville Road, Basking Ridge (908-766-9499).

THE FLYING MEATBALLS/CHEF NATALE GRANDE

There are an abundance of meatballs available in the Italian restaurants and delis in New Jersey. Some good, some not. However, now lovers of this comfort food have another option as The Flying Meatballs® offers a selection of handcrafted meatballs available online and at their gourmet retail store at 110 Rt 10 West, East Hanover (973-884-8600). Prepared by Executive Chef/owner Natale Grande of Il Capriccio in Whippany there are five types of home style meatballs: 50/50 beef and veal; 100% premium beef; beef, pork and veal; 100% premium turkey; and organic grass-fed. Everything is made from scratch including the breadcrumbs. BTW—we can also recommend their eggplant parm, broccoli rabe and chicken oreganata from their retail store which we recently purchased and devoured.

SEAN PACKAN
Sean Packan is the chef/owner of Blue Salt Culinary, a catering company, which has opened at 30 S Doughty Avenue, Unit 6, Somerville (908-393-6880). He previously was chef de cuisine at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster.

JAMES BEARD FINALISTS FROM NJ

Congratulations to the following New Jersey James Beard 2015 Award Semi-Finalists:

Outstanding Chef: Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken

Outstanding Baker: Marie Jackson, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands

Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic: Scott Anderson, Elements, Princeton and Joey Baldino, Zeppoli, Collingswood

Finalists will be announced on March 24 and the winners named on May 4 at The 2015 James Beard Awards gala which will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Foundation’s Book, Broadcast & Journalism Awards Dinner will take place at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City on Friday, April 24. Information at their website.

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