Category Archives: Chef Interviews

q & a with jonathan bennett

February 5, 2008

Chef Jonathan Bennett is the popular executive chef at Moxie and its sister restaurant, Red, the well-liked east side destinations that have received praises in Gourmet, Esquire and Playboy. Bennett has been with Moxie since 1997 when he started as a sous chef. 1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Bangkok Thai, Jonathan Bennett, Mossehead, moxie, Red. Jonathan Bennett | Comments (1)

q & a with kris kreiger

January 23, 2008

While Kris Kreiger may not be a household name, his store, Chef’s Choice Meats, is quickly becoming part of our vocabulary. Up until a few months ago, I wasn’t aware that a pretty impressive offering of cured meats, similar to Seattle’s Salumi, was nestled in Berea. But there is much more than a lengthy (and [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in chef's choice meats, Der Braumeister, Kris Kreiger, Salumi, Sokolowski's | Comments (9)

q & a with heather haviland

January 16, 2008

Next to the Bongo Room in Chicago and the Kula Lodge in Maui at the bottom of the Haleakala Mountain (okay, that one tops the list), Lucky’s Cafe in Tremont is my favorite spot for breakfast. Chef Heather Haviland, who also owns Sweet Mosaic, has created more than a great neighborhood coffee shop that happens [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Battuto, Bongo Room, Heather Haviland, Lolita, Lucky's Cafe, Sweet Mosaic, Villa Y Zapata | Comments (2)

q & a with douglas trattner

January 7, 2008

The witty Doug Trattner, the former lawyer turned food critic, has been telling us where to eat and what to avoid for the past six years via the Free Times (plus regular stints with the Plain Dealer and on WMJI). And last year, the Ohio SPJ (society of professional journalists) named him the best critic [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Asiantown, Balaton, Crop Bistro, Doug Trattner, fire, Flying Fig, Jonathon Sawyer, Lolita, michael symon, moxie, Three Birds | Comments (15)

q & a with chef steve schimoler

December 21, 2007

Still on a high from my meal at Crop Bistro the other night, I quickly called upon Chef Steve Schimoler, the taste master/inventor responsible for our mouth-watering and memorable meal, for a Q & A. 1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Several types of salt, whole black peppercorns for [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Bar cento, Crop Bistro, Osteria, Steve Schimoler | Comments (0)

q & a with chef sergio abramof

December 10, 2007

Sergio Abramof has been a chef and restaurant owner in Cleveland for over 30 years – and is one of the founders of Cleveland Independents. His two restaurants, Sergio’s in University Circle and Sarava on Shaker Square, are both worthy of a visit – especially Sarava for great happy hour specials. 1. What are the [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in fire, Luchita's, Sarava, Sasa Matsu, Sergio Abramof, Sergio's | Comments (8)

q & a with michael feigenbaum

December 3, 2007

Michael Feigenbaum has been catering to Cleveland’s sweet tooth for over 40 years. Known for its strudel, Lucy’s Sweet Surrender has been a favorite Hungarian bakery for generations of Clevelanders. And now, we can happily look to Michael for more than just sweets, with the opening earlier this year of Café Marika, a European-style café [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Cafe Marika, Lucy's Sweet Surrender, Michael Feigenbaum | Comments (0)

q & a with elaine cicora

November 15, 2007

We are lucky to have Elaine Cicora’s palate in Cleveland. She has been educating and enticing us about the Cleveland food scene through the years. And no surprise here, she is the recipient of a James Beard award for her work in journalism; specifically for the piece she did on Michael Ruhlman. 1. What is [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Crop Bistro, dante, Elaine Cicora, Flying Fig, Lola, michael ruhlman, michael symon | Comments (9)

q & a with chef ben bebenroth

November 12, 2007

Luckily, there are a lot of chefs (and more catching on each day) in our area that practice farm-to-fork and celebrate Ohio’s farmers with their daily creations. One of those chefs, a true devotee of all things local and thus our local economy, is Chef Ben Bebenroth of Spice of Life Catering. 1. What are [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Ben Bebenroth, chef's choice meats, Flying Fig, Spice of Life Catering | Comments (0)

q & a with chef paul minnillo

October 22, 2007

Of all the talented chefs in Cleveland, Paul Minnillo is perhaps the most celebrated. I’ve yet to find a better patio, with a better atmosphere and more tempting wine and cheese offerings than at The Baricelli Inn (the bucatini is a must, too). 1. The top 5 spices that are a must in every kitchen? [...]

By Michelle V | Also posted in Baricelli, paul minnillo | Comments (4)