Or better yet, head to The Greenhouse and watch in person with their first ever tweet up (or tweet from the comfort of your couch and follow along #teamsawyer).There will be a special Iron Chef menu and prozes if you can guess the secret ingredient (pre show of course!). Learn more here.

Way to go chef! You make Cleveland proud!

In other GHT news, two upcoming pop-up restaurants not to be missed at Noodlecat: Lee Anne Wong (I went to he first one – AMAZING!!!) and welcome back pastry chef Corey Barrett with Sweet Streets.

Most days, we do our best to eat smart. We cook from scratch often, eat out from chefs/farmers we know, eat in season, avoid processed garbage, etc. We all know the drill by now. But those darn cheese slices – that’s one area I haven’t been able to get Jamie to throw in the towel. Until he heard from a much more credible source that his beloved slices actually contain NO REAL CHEESE.

We received tickets to the second annual TEDxCLE event this year, and once again, were blown away by the passion, enthusiasm and visionary minds we listened to. And no surprise here, my favorite discussion was by none other than chef Jonathon Sawyer. Instead of me trying to capture his thoughts and challenges to all of us, take a few minutes and listen for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

And do yourself another favor, make sure you attend TEDxCLE next year. Eric and Hallie do an amazing job organizing this event. There’s something for everyone – it’s most definitely an afternoon well spent that will stick with you, and hopefully, inspire you.

The fan favorite from Bravo’s Top Chef, who is still heavily involved in the series as well as Top Chefs Masters, is coming to Cleveland this July to open a pop-up restaurant for two days in the soon-to-open Noodlecat space, as part of chef Sawyer’s grand opening plans.

Sawyer shared that Wong, along with another yet-to-be-named chef, will each take over Noodlecat for two days a piece, running their own restaurant as part the grand opening plans. Then the restaurant will close for a week (so the Sawyers can hopefully travel to Japan), come back and open as Noodlecat. Love. This. Idea.

On a recent visit to Greenhouse (the new breadboard and hominy is fantastic! Seriously cannot get enough of this place), Sawyer introduced me to Dean Sauer who will be heading up beverage at Noodlecat. Sauer let me sample the signature drink he’s working on – a Collins Cloud (his take on the popular Tom Collins) with Watershed gin, rhubarb sake bitters, sebachi limes (cute little limes that grow in Japan), with a splash of club soda and topped with a lavender egg white. He also said he’s working on a Japanese-style margarita without any tequila. A drink that Sawyer apparently can’t get enough of.

His goal, he said, is to get people to drink what they normally don’t – or think they don’t. Which he succeeded with me. I’m not a gin fan at all, and after the couple sips of the Collins Cloud I tried, I’ll certainly be ordering this when they open this summer.

I’m so excited for this to open, I just can’t stop saying the name.

If you’re active on Facebook, then you’ve likely seen people “liking” Noodlecat over the past few months. And this week, the proverbial cat was let out of the bag so to speak as to what this secretive restaurant is exactly and who was the masked man, er chef, er, duo, behind it. It’s Team Sawyer of course!

Noodlecat, slated to open later this summer, will be in the former Theresa’s Pizza locale on Public Square near the soon-to-open Pura Vida. According to Amelia Sawyer, the restaurant, “will be a mash-up of Japanese and American cooking. It will be both modern and traditional.”

Added chef Jonathon Sawyer, “We wanted to do noodles for a long time now. We think this will translate really well to Ohio, like what we did at [Bar] Cento with Roman food. We can tell a similar story here and showcase what’s unique to Ohio.”

With the opening of Noodlecat, the goal for the Sawyers was to have clarity of concept.  “Noodles tend to be lumped together in Cleveland. Really muddled in fact and you don’t get to see what authentic Japanese noodles are,” explained the chef.

“The main point is for us to have fun, and be the second certified green restaurant in Ohio,” he added. “We’ll be casual, really fast, a lot of fun and all under $15.”

Just like their flagship Greenhouse Tavern, a lot of staples will be made by the chefs, like rice wine vinegar and a local fish sauce he’s currently working on. He’s also excited to embrace more healthy and veggie-based options, and of course, sourcing a ton of local, quality ingredients.

A sneak peek at the lunch and dinner menu is enough to make you want to relocate downtown. While it’s still a work in progress, some of the items include:

• Slow Soy Cooked Eggs n Soldiers w/ Japanese white bread, crispy snap peas & tempura potato
• Broiled Rice Balls w/ seasonal ingredients
• BBQ Pork Belly Steam Bun
• Ohio Beef Burger Steam Bun
• Veggie Miso Steam Bun
• BBQ Blue Fish Steam Bun
• Pork and Clam Soba w/ BBQ smoked pork country sausage, salted cured chili paste, burnt citrus fruit, toasted garlic, young shallot & bottarga
• Crispy Veggie Tempura Soba w/ seasonal vegetables, miso paste, tofu, peas, scallion & shitake mushrooms
• Spicy She Crab Udon w/ ginger, garlic, young shallot, crab paste, spinach, house made surimi & soft boiled egg
• San Fransisco Surf n’ Turf Ramen w/ poached scallop, wild mushrooms, pasture raised ohio chicken, young shallot & sliced radishes
• Chilled Ohio Soba w/ ponzu, crispy peas, shredded nori, scallion & wasabi
• Su Tofu Udon w/ wakame seaweed, warm dashi, shitake mushrooms & soft boiled tofu
• Whole Roasted Suckling Pig w/ oysters, BBQ, buns, horseradish vodka & condiments
• Very Spicey Whole Crab w/ rice cakes, lots of Garlic, Fish Sauce & Chili  customers are advised to wear a bibb
• Salt Grill Sustainable Himachi w/ oysters, pickled veggies, chilled unfiltered sweet sake, buns & condiments
• Sustainable Sashimi Style Plate w/ pickled veggie, salt cured chili paste & calamansi

“A noodle place like this will make people happy,” concluded Sawyer. I concur.

On Thursday, Jamie and I had dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern. But not just any dinner. A six-course, family style meal featuring two dishes at each course. One prepared by Sawyer; the other via chef Jeff Michaud of Osteria in Philadelphia. The two became friends after cooking up a frenzy on Iron Chef. The evening felt like we were in scenes from Big Night.

The eating extravaganza started off with a cocktail hour (Old School Ohio punch) and several stationary dishes, including my faves: involtini di muratori with mortadella and grilled stuffed calamari with seafood boudin blanc. Another highlight was all the vinegars Sawyer had on display for sampling (the champagne was my favorite). He’s really perfected these vinegars from when I first recall trying them at Bar Cento. His enthusiasm and knowledge on the subject matter is something else and almost infectious. In fact, talking to him throughout the night on a variety of topics was rather intriguing. He’s quite the walking Wikipedia.

For dinner, we thoroughly enjoyed every bite and every dish – plus accompanying wines (we bought a bottle of each so I could really enjoy post baby, like the 09 Billaud Simon Chablis, 07 Molnar Family pinot noir and 07 Chateau Richard Saussignac). But of course there were standouts, including my favorite course – the first course: Sawyer’s Ohio Chevre salad and Michaud’s wild Maryland shrimp with this amazing guanciale and zolfini bean ragout. Now, I have had this Chevre salad countless times and I just can’t get enough. I wish it was permanently back on his menu. I’ve been a fan since he first shared it at a pre Greenhouse tasting and Brooklyn Beer dinner at Viking.

Other standouts included the whole salt roasted veta la palma sea bream (equally as enjoyable was watching this fish come out baked in this massive tomb of salt then witness the chef delicately carve it out and serve), and the pan braised qual with faro, hedgehogs, porchinis, morely, baby peas, asparagus and fiddleheads. This dish gets you excited for spring!

For desserts, I was quite smitten with Michaud’s velvety polenta budino with gianduia mousse and candied hazelnuts. I have never sampled anything close to this, and hope I don’t have to wait another 34 years to do so again. It was silky and sweet, but not overly so. Of course, I also enjoyed his taleggio fonduta with porcini frittelle. Another unique dish that I couldn’t help but force-feed a few more bites of (literally, at this point everyone was beyond Thanksgiving-style full).

Granted, aside from a few sips here and there, I didn’t get to fully enjoy all the accompanying drinks with each course (though Jamie did, as he continues to fully ambrace having a 9-month designated driver). The one drink that made our table chuckle, and watch as one guest downed, was the Jersey Speed Ball, a concoction of espresso and Coke, marking the first time Coke has ever been served in the Greenhouse.

What a great evening this was. We saw some familiar faces and made some new friends. We tried dishes that were firsts for both of us and saw two great chefs and their teams demonstrate what it’s like to truly love your craft and have passion for great food. It was a well-executed night that was no doubt enjoyed by all who attended, especially these two.

(photos courtesy of Chef’s Widow and Greenhouse Tavern. For more, click here).

“When Jonathon Sawyer opened the Greenhouse Tavern, he was pleased to see Cleveland’s foodies come out in droves. But that wasn’t enough. “I wanted the whole city to embrace Greenhouse,” says Sawyer, an F&W Best New Chef 2010. So he tweaked the menu to appeal to every kind of eater, from carnivore to vegan. Main courses now range from a curried spaghetti squash–and–chickpea dish (prepared without meat or dairy) to a ravioli filled with a luscious blend of braised lamb shank and house-made fromage blanc. For the extreme carnivore, there’s Fifth Quarter, a daily-changing dish featuring the tasty bits left over after a pig has been butchered and quartered (hence the name). Here, F&W streamlines some of Sawyer’s eclectic recipes for omnivores.” – written by Kate Heddings

Sawyer shares three recipes: Grilled steaks with onion sauce and onion relish, farro with artichokes and herb salad and curried spaghetti-squash and chickpea toasts. In each of the recipes, found here, there’s the chef’s way and the easy way.

I am one lucky girl.

Now once, but twice in the past two weeks I was asked to judge a culinary competition. And each time I looked at my fellow judges and thought, and they want me, too? Really?

On Sunday, I had the privilege of sitting next to Joe Crea, whom I have so much respect for and genuinely like, and Gary Sitton of Clos du Bois. The three of us were selected as judges in this year’s Culinary Classic for Autism Speaks at the Fabulous Food Show between Dante Boccuzzi and sous chef Jamario Moon, Jonathon Sawyer and sous chef Joey Graham and Steve Schimoler and sous chef J.J. Hickson (it was pretty easy to spot the CAVS sous chefs on stage!). The challenge was hosted by Michael Symon and New Zealand chef Jason Roberts (who will soon have his own show on ABC: The Daily Chew).

I realize I am preaching to the choir here, but can you believe just how lucky we are to have such amazing culinary talent all over this city? Sawyer, Boccuzzi and Schimoler on stage together. Forget crowning one of them the winner – we win!

We were asked to judge each on taste, presentation, originality and wine pairing. Each chef made us an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Yes, I am still full. The chefs could make whatever they’d like, but the dessert had to use Ohio apples.

Honestly, I didn’t have one bite that I didn’t care for. But of course I liked certain dishes more than others. Sawyer started the challenge off with his version of a Caesar salad complete with a ridiculously long poached egg. This was a wonderful salad and the start to one good dish after another. Sawyer was also responsible for my favorite dish of the day: his San Francisco style surf and turf with pork belly and scallops. It was beautifully presented and constructed and something I hope makes its way to his menu soon so you all can try.

Dante, who makes some of my favorite Asian dishes in town, made a wonderful starter of yellowtail hamachi and foie gras with ponzu sauce (almost positive on the ingredients – I didn’t write down the dishes and am going off memory) and hands-down the best dessert I’ve had in awhile – a simple warm apple concoction between crazy swirly strings of phyllo dough . I am not doing this dish justice by my description but it was the perfect fall representation. Comforting, aromatic and ridiculously good. I wanted to pass my plate around the audience but instead selfishly ate every last bite (you would have too).

Steve, who ultimately won the battle, made a version of one of my favorite dishes – chicken and waffles. But his approach to the classic combination was much more fun. And when you dig in and find pieces of lobster stuffed inside the waffle with lobster whipping cream dripping down, well, enough said. This was an inventive take on this dish and a good representation of how I think Steve likes to cook in general. He also wowed us with his dessert: foie and apple tart with cardamom anglaise. Yes kids, foie gras for dessert. Can’t say I’ve had it before but certainly hope I do again.

Despite the heartbreaker over the Jets (though I am still so proud of my Brownies), this was an absolutely perfect Sunday. Thanks to the Fabulous Food Show for extending the invite and a special thank you to the most amazing husband in the world who passed on  tickets to the game to come out and support me along with our little future foodie who wisely flirted with all the chefs, especially the witty Jason Roberts (I think she’s vying for a spot on his upcoming show).

This year’s show, held November 12-14 at the I-X Center, features celebrity chefs Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, Alton Brown, Anne Burrell and of course, Michael Symon. Aside from the chefs, there are also 225 exhibiting food-related companies, the Main Kitchen Theatre and Culinary Celebration Theatre, Taste of Neighborhood Stage, Grand Tasting Pavilion, Sweet Street and 100 ongoing demonstrations on six different stages.

But perhaps what I am personally most excited about is the Sub-Zero/Wolf Culinary Classic which benefits Autism Speaks, hosted by Symon on Sunday 4pm. Myself, along with the Plain Dealer’s Joe Crea and Gary Sitton with Clos Du Bois have the amazing opportunity to judge Dante Boccuzzi, Jonathon Sawyer, Steve Schimoler paired with a few celebrity sous chefs, aka CAVS players J.J. Hickson, Joey Graham and Jamario Moon.

The competition will take place in the Main Kitchen Theatre. Each team will race against the clock to prepare: an appetizer, entrée and dessert. The not-so-secret ingredient: Ohio Apples.

Want to go to the show? I have four pairs of tickets to attend any of the three days. Just leave a comment between now and noon on November 11 telling me who would be your celebrity sous chef.

Half Roasted Chicken in Brioche Bread w/ fresh black truffle, petit wood ear mushrooms & natural jus

Purchasing and Prep

1)    The simplicity of this recipe is foil for how much of a show stopper this dish is. It is a combination of two of my favorite things in the world: whole roast chicken and fresh baked bread. The presentation is just stunning.

2)    This recipe relies on the high quality sourcing of tasty local ingredients.

3)    So, in a mixing bowl combine butter, mushrooms, herbs, vinegar and S&P.

4)    Preseason chicken twenty minutes before you are going wrap and cook it. This helps ensure even seasoning.

 To wrap and bake

1)    Roll dough out to 1/8^th inch thick circle on a lightly floured surface

2)    Use egg wash (egg & water equal parts) around the edges of the dough

3)    Center chicken in middle of the dough with an inch of leg sticking out of the dough. Add mushroom butter to top of chicken

4)    Work clock wise wrapping chicken in dough. Ensuring it is completely wrapped. No holes in the dough.

5)    Cook for 60 mins at 350

6)    Allow bird to rest for 15 minutes and allow juices to redistribute themselves. Carve and Enjoy!

For a side dish, Sawyer shares this simple but tasty veggie with a couple preparation ideas.

Whole Grilled Spring Peas

This recipe, “Ohio Edamame,” can be done in two ways:

“Pot sticker” Style:

• Toss peas in olive oil and salt to coat.
• Place peas on hot flat griddle or cast iron pan. Add 2 ounces of water and cover.
• Allow steam to evaporate for about four minutes; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.
• Remove from heat, toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.
• Place on serving platter, garnish with sliced radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

Grilling method:

• Bring an 8 quart pot of salted water to a boil; add peas blanch for about two minutes.
• Remove from water and shock in ice water; peas should be a bright vibrant color with a pliable shell.
• Toss in bowl with salt, lemon juice and olive oil to coat.
• Place on hot grill, until outsides are browned.

• Remove from grill, place on serving platter, garnish with radishes, finely grated horseradish root, olive oil and lemon zest.

This post is sponsored by Heinen’s. When making this dish at home, Laurie, the wine expert for the Avon store, says if she had to pick one wine for both dishes it would be the Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay.  This is an unoaked Chardonnay she says, that would be delicious with chicken – especially with the Chablis vinegar, fresh herbs and mushrooms.  Since the wine does not see oak it has a clean and bright flavor profile and complements the vinegar and herbs, she adds.  There is butter in the recipe and the cleanness of the wine would cut through the butter. The wine would pair with the peas and tame the heat from the horseradish. The lemon in the vegetable dish would pair with the citrus in the Chardonnay. This wine is regularly $29.99 but currently on sale for $19.99.

“What kind of wine do you like to drink?” asked Jim Clendenen, named winemaker of the year in 1991 by Food & Wine and in 1992 by the Los Angeles Times for his Santa Barbara winery, Au Bon Climat. “Usually cabs – heavy, full-bodied, cabs,” I replied. “Oh. Then I’m afraid I’m not going to make you very happy,” he quickly answered.

Jim was seated at our table for the Au Bon Climat wine dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern last week. Actually, we had quite the table. In addition to Jim, was one of my best gal pals, Lori, Charity (I Heart Cleveland and Chartreuse), Ruth (Gatherings Kitchen) and Drew Neiman of Neiman Cellars. The company and conversation, coupled with the perfectly-paired courses and wine made for an exceptionally fun evening.

Chef Jonathon Sawyer prepared five courses for the dinner based on wine his team sampled and selected prior to:

1. Potato crusted monk fish (poor man’s lobster) with herb salad / paired with Au Bon Climat pinot blanc
2. Corn roasted pork with spicy soubise and fresno chilis / paired with Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay
3. Ratatouille with zucchini flower, Chevre de Provencal, tomato broth and fresh herbs de Provence / paired with Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
4. Fatted calf with poached cherry, proper polenta and filbert (hazelnuts) / paired with Isabelle pinot noir
5. Pinot noir granita / paired with Dogfish Head Red & White

It’s true, I like heavy wines. I can’t even tell you the last time I intentionally ordered a white wine out (best guess late ‘90s). So truth be told, I was fully expecting to walk away with another ridiculously good meal from Greenhouse and sample a few wines, but not really be impressed by any of them.

I’m really beginning to enjoy when I’m wrong. I was really taken back by how much I liked the wine. While I still don’t think ordering white out or picking up a bottle is in my near future (unless for company), I certainly appreciated the whites we sampled, especially the chardonnay (even more so with the fried hominy in the pork). But what really won me over were the pinot noirs. I have tried to like this wine before and sampled plenty. But it just never did it for me. So I expected more of the same here. Not even close. These were light – but also rich. I was smitten. First with the Santa Barbara pinot but then came the true gem of the night, the Isabelle pinot named after his daughter (actually, the original name of this wine was Isabelle Morgan but he dropped Morgan from the name after his divorce – you learn a lot when seated with the winemaker!). Of course it was also the most expensive wine of the night at $55 a bottle, but it was worth it. In fact, I bought a bottle that night to enjoy with Jamie, and suspect more bottles are in our future.

Jim, a native of Akron, moved to California in the ‘60s. His winery, which means a well-balanced vineyard, was also listed on Robert Parker’s Best Wineries of the World in 1989 and 1990. He’s also recognized by Food & Wine as a master cook for sharing several published recipes with the magazine.

In between each course and prior to the start of our dinner, both Jim and Jonathon would talk and explain their approach. The two of them had great delivery and obvious enthusiasm for what we were about to experience. I actually learned quite a bit, without feeling like I was just schooled.

Jonathon explained that he is fairly picky with the wine dinners and only interested in holding them when the winemaker is willing to come in and represent themselves. He explained that his goal is for the quality of the wine to enhance the quality of the food and to peacefully coexist. When this can happen, he shared, is when they thoroughly enjoy putting together these types of dinners for people to experience food and wine in a way they might normally not.

When talking about his wines, Jim shared that his winery was the first to get rid of asbestos, long before wineries were told they had to. He shared that he makes healthy wine – not because he “cares” about our health per se, but because he drinks more wine than anyone he knows and wants to be healthy. His wines, he added, have low alcohol content and low acidity. He joked that he likes to drink early and drink often, and with his wines, he can (low alcohol or not, I did have to take a few Excedrin in the morning!).

As for his favorite wine, that would be pinot noir – whether it’s his or someone else’s. He explained that it goes with absolutely everything. Especially duck with crushed raspberries and maybe a little garlic and ginger, his favorite pairing.

As for what we ate, once again the chef and his team made me a very happy woman. Seriously, these people can cook and have yet to disappoint me. These types of dinners are fun because you get to sample things not typically found on the menu and I would imagine it gives them an opportunity to play around and get creative. My favorite of the night though was the fatted calf – hands-down. As Sawyer put it, this animal lived a wonderful life, not as long as their parents perhaps, but still enjoyable.

Thanks again to GHT for inviting me to this dinner and for allowing me to give away a pair on the blog. Now seeing first-hand the time that goes into planning and executing these events, and how seriously the team takes them, I highly recommend checking out the next one for yourself. You will not be disappointed.