GAYOT's Blog

by Sophie Gayot

The opening night of the 2012 edition of City of Lights City of Angels, the 16th time this French Film Festival has been held in Los Angeles, was explosive! While we enjoyed Nicolas Feuillate Champagne, the attendees were treated to an exceptional performance by Belgian actor Jérémie Rénier in the movie “My Way”, a biography of the singer/songwriter Claude François directed by Florent-Emilio Siri. Every French citizen is familiar with François, who is known by the nickname “Cloclo” (which is the French name of the film). For those who are not familiar with him, Frank Sinatra’s song My Way, written by Paul Anka, was based on François’ song Comme d’Habitude.

Continue reading “Dancing with Cloclo at the Opening Night of the 2012 COLCOA” »

by Sophie Gayot

To celebrate the rich diversity of the French gastronomic tradition, Frédéric Lefebvre, French Secretary of State for Trade, SMEs, Services, Tourism, the Professions and Consumption, created La Fête de la Gastronomie last year. I had met Mr. Lefebvre at Les Etoiles de Mougins, during the 6th Festival International de la Gastronomie, in September 2011.

This year, for the second edition of La Fête de la Gastronomie, Mr. Lefebvre wants to expand to the U.S. Watch my exclusive video interview with Mr. Lefebvre to get a very first taste of what will take place on September 22, 2012.

Continue reading “La Fête de la Gastronomie 2012 in the U.S.” »

by Sophie Gayot

We are always happy to see the addition of new restaurants to the culinary scene. You will find the ones that impressed us the most in GAYOT’s just-published Annual Restaurant Issue. Check out our 2012 list of the Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S., which includes notable newcomers like GT Fish & Oyster Bar in Chicago, then watch my exclusive video interview with its chef/partner Giuseppe Tentori. Perhaps some of these places will grace a future list of Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.

Continue reading “GAYOT.com Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S.” »

by Sophie Gayot

The 16th edition of the French film festival “COLCOA, City of Lights, City of Angels” will start next week in LA. This year, Director & Programmer François Truffart and his team have selected fifty-five movies.

One of the documentaries, Step Up To The Plate, Entre les Bras, directed by Paul Lacoste, caught my attention. And if you are a foodie, you should try to see it as well. It is the story of chef Michel Bras at his Le Suquet restaurant in Laguiole in France. How talented is he? In 1988, we crowned him “Chef of the Year” and awarded him a rating of 19.5 (yes 19.5, even better than GAYOT’s top rating of 19 out of 20). Among his emblematic recipes is the Gargouillou, a dazzling mix of vegetables, leaves, fruits and flowers. Bras has decided to retire and let his son Sébastien take over Le Suquet. That will be a difficult task for Sébastien, who must honor his family heritage yet keep innovating as a chef, as his father has done for many years.

For more information, visit http://www.colcoa.org

by Sophie Gayot

If you missed Frank Mottek’s Business Hour radio show, which aired locally in LA on KNX1070 AM last Friday, April 6, here is another chance to listen to it. On the program, Mottek interviewed me about the Los Angeles restaurants which made the lists featured in the GAYOT 2012 Restaurant Issue.

The issue, which covers the US, includes lists in the following categories:
Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. – a tribute to the finest dining destinations in America
Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. – great places that opened recently
Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. – which chefs serve the best steak?
5 Rising Chefs – American chefs 30 and under who are making their mark
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. – appearing in the Restaurant Issue for the very first time
Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times
and the U.S. Best Restaurateur of the Year.

by Sophie Gayot

We have to nurture the younger generation as we rely on them for our future. Since the same is true when it comes to our palates, we recognize and reward five young chefs on the rise every year as part of GAYOT’s Annual Restaurant Issue. See who the winners are this year, and check out the rest of the issue. Watch my exclusive video interview with Top Chef contestant season 9 Chris Crary who made the list, after a very promising dinner he had prepared recently.

Other lists and features included in this year’s issue:
Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. – a tribute to the finest dining destinations in America
Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. – great places that opened recently
Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. – which chefs serve the best steak?
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. – appearing in the Restaurant Issue for the very first time
Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times
and the U.S. Best Restaurateur of the Year.

Continue reading “GAYOT.com Top 5 Rising Chefs in the U.S.” »

 

by Sophie Gayot

Chef/owner Bruno Serato of the Anaheim White House restaurant and I are joining forces for the next event in the GAYOT Dinner Series on April 26th to benefit Caterina’s Club.

Caterina’s Club is a non-profit organization, founded by Bruno Serato in 2005, that focuses on feeding the youth of America. Serato’s mission has expanded to feeding nearly 300 kids, 7 nights a week, 365 days a year. More than a quarter of a million meals have been served to date in Orange County. His dedication earned Serato the honor of being named one of the CNN Heroes 2011. Each year only ten people, selected from more than 4,000 candidates, are awarded this prestigious recognition.

Continue reading “Eighth GAYOT.com Dinner Series” »

by Sophie Gayot

Carnevino, Mario Batali’s steakhouse at The Palazzo in Las Vegas, features more than just great steaks. Watch my exclusive video interview with executive chef Nicole Brisson to see what goes on behind the scenes to make your meal at Carnevino so memorable.

Carnevino is one of GAYOT.com’s 2012 Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S., and is profiled in our just published Annual Restaurant Issue, along with
Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. – a tribute to the finest dining destinations in America
Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. – great places that opened recently
5 Rising Chefs – American chefs 30 and under who are making their mark
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. – appearing in the Restaurant Issue for the very first time
Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times
and the U.S. Best Restaurateur of the Year.

Continue reading “GAYOT.com Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S.” »

by Sophie Gayot

Watch this exclusive video with chef Jean Joho to find out why we just named him the 2012 Best Restaurateur in the U.S. It may be somewhat long, but you can bet that the chef who has earned the prestigious title of best restaurateur has a lot to say.

On Wednesday, we published our GAYOT.com Annual Restaurant Issue, which includes:
the 2012 list of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., along with
Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. – great places that opened recently
5 Rising Chefs – American chefs 30 and under who are making their mark
Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. – which chefs serve the best steak?
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. – appearing in the Restaurant Issue for the very first time
Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times.

by Sophie Gayot

Thomas Keller is the only chef to have two restaurants on GAYOT.com’s list of Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.: The French Laundry in Napa Valley in the city of Yountville, CA; and Per Se in New York City. Congratulations! Watch my exclusive video with one of America’s top chefs, filmed at the temple of gastronomy that is The French Laundry, and find out how he does it.

Yesterday, we just published the 2012 list of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., along with
Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. – great places that opened recently
5 Rising Chefs – American chefs 30 and under who are making their mark
Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. – which chefs serve the best steak?
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. – appearing in the Restaurant Issue for the very first time
Top 10 Insider Picks in the U.S. – reveals where to dine for a taste of local flavor, good food and good times
and the U.S. Best Restaurateur of the Year.

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