Dipping Twinkies, Oreos, pretzels and Chips Ahoy in chocolate has Brittany Starr, 25, and her fledgling company, Crave, dipping toes in the big time. ...
Read More »

I sampled this dish in Mexico many years ago while on vacation with my wife, Yvonne,” says Frank Falivene, executive chef of MoonShine in Millburn. “I fell in love with it, so I added it to MoonShine’s Sunday brunch menu. It's so simple even my son, Marco, who’s 13, can make it. There are many variations. I've seen it done with refried beans, different types of cheese, red or green salsas. You can put your own twist on it."...
Read More »

"Boeuf bourguignonne, as you can guess from the name, is a beef dish from the Burgundy region of France," says Claude Baills, chef/co-owner of Chef's Table in Franklin Lakes. "It's a very slow-cooked stew. The slow cooking is what ensures complete tenderness of the meat. It is truly French comfort food, but it was not well known in the U.S. until Julia Child made it popular in the 1970s."...
Read More »

"Tarte Tatin was created in the 1800s at the Hotel Tatin in a small town in France," explains chef Claude Baills, co-owner of his wife, Dolores, of Chef's Table in Franklin Lakes. "It was actually a mistake—the chef overcooked the apples for an apple pie. Trying to save it, she put the crust on top of the apples and baked it. It was an instant hit. I prefer a mixture of apples and pears for a richer flavor."...
Read More »

Everyone can identify with mac-and-cheese from Mom's kitchen,” says Jeremy Einhorn, executive chef of the Blue Pig Tavern in the Congress Hall Hotel in Cape May. “Topping it with crab makes it decadent, and since we are only steps from the ocean, it’s also a natural pairing. We use three different cheeses to further set it apart.”...
Read More »

Created by a Montclair couple, bottled, all-natural Joe Tea sells well from Chile to China. It’s a big hit in Vermont. Now it’s finally catching on here. ...
Read More »

"Chef Marc and I wanted to base the desserts on things you remember from childhood,” says Mallory Staley, pastry chef of Marc Forgione’s American Cut, the steakhouse at Revel in Atlantic City. “A chocolate chip cookie had to make it on there, and it had to be the best you ever ate. Well, let me tell you, Mrs. Fields has nothing on me!”...
Read More »

One night after service, I rented a party bus and brought the entire staff to [meat purveyor] Pat LaFrieda's place in North Bergen,” says Marc Forgione, executive chef/owner of the American Cut steakhouse at the Revel in Atlantic City. “There I saw these thick ribeyes with a large bone sticking out of them, and was told it was called a Tomahawk Chop. I immediately decided that I needed to serve them at my restaurants.”...
Read More »

When we were trying to come up with a cool presentation for glazed carrots, we saw we had these beautiful, giant carrots, and it just didn't seem right to cut them up,” says Marc Forgione, executive chef/owner of the American Cut steakhouse at the Revel in Atlantic City. “So we decided to serve them in their natural beauty and shape. People seem to get a kick out of them.”...
Read More »

"I did a lot of research on classic steakhouse dishes,” says Marc Forgione, executive chef/owner of the American Cut steakhouse at the Revel in Atlantic City. “I wanted to bring them back to their true origins. So I looked up Caesar Cardini’s original 1924 recipe from Tijuana, Mexico, and based my Caesar salad on that. We even chop it tableside like they did in 1924."...
Read More »

This recipe is pretty involved, and may not be for the novice baker,” says chef Travis Anderson of Upstairs in Montclair. “But I think it is worth the time and effort. Don’t think of it as a challenge, but as a learning experience. It’s a super cake.” ...
Read More »

Top Chef All-Stars catapults colorful Mike Isabella from chef to owner of soon-to-be four restaurants—and now to cookbook author. ...
Read More »

I lived in the South for four years and got to enjoy all the wonderful stuff down there,” says chef Dave Van Morrelgem of Upstairs in Montclair. “Here’s a variation on a classic dish of the Carolina Low Country. It uses fresh corn in place of actual grits, and is delicious.”...
Read More »

We smoke our own salmon at the restaurant, which takes about four days,” says David Van Morrelgem, chef of Upstairs in Montclair. “It’s time consuming for the home cook, so a good store-bought smoked salmon can be used. Fresh sushi-grade salmon or tuna works as well.” ...
Read More »

This recipe is for an appetizer, but it can be doubled for an entrée,” says Dave Van Morrelgem, chef of Upstairs in Montclair. “As a main dish, grilled pork tenderloin or smoky chicken make good additions.” ...
Read More »

"This soup started as a fall/winter item," says Brian Held, chef/owner of Brian's in Lambertville. "But its popularity and demand has encouraged me to put it on year round. It is selling better than ever in these dog days of summer, beating out much lighter choices literally about 6 to 1. Go figure. Braised leeks and a drizzle of white truffle oil send this over the top...haunting."...
Read More »

Sandy Levins, of Haddonfield, is fast becoming one of the premier historic faux-food designers in the country. ...
Read More »

"I serve this classic French dish at Brian's as a stick-to-the-ribs item," says Brian Held, chef/owner of Brian's in Lambertville. "After trying many different styles and variations, I like a very basic and traditional method best."...
Read More »

"This Item has been in my recipe collection for a long time, approaching 13 years," says Brian Held, chef/owner of Brian's in Lambertville. "It has always been a crowd fave. It has a quiche-like quality, only more luxurious. It's great to take to a party—I promise raves."...
Read More »

I developed this dish to be a playful appetizer and a play on Mrs. Paul’s, hopefully with much more style and flavor,” says Brian Held, chef/owner of Brian’s in Lambertville. “I chose fennel and aioli to push a Provençal feel, which also helps define the style of my restaurant.”...
Read More »