Eric W. Kastel, CMB, CHE, is an associate professor of baking and pastry arts at The Culinary Institute of America. He is a 1990 graduate of the CIA, and has worked as production manager at Whole Foods Bakehouse in Dallas, Texas, and as head baker at the famed Bread Alone in Boiceville, New York.
Master Chef Martin Yan - "YAN CAN COOK"
The most important Chinese holiday, Chinese New Year, marks a great time to celebrate Chinese food and culture. Tsingtao beer, the No. 1 Chinese beer in the U.S., and Celebrity chef Martin Yan of the popular PBS television show Yan Can Cook have created tips and great recipes for Year of the Tiger celebrations to ring in the New Year with authentic Chinese food and traditional customs. Identify Your Chinese Zodiac: This year
marks the Year of the Tiger, one of twelve Chinese calendar years. Tigers are characterized as aggressive, courageous, candid and sensitive, and are said to pair best with Horses and Dogs. Famous people born in the Year of the Tiger include: Bill Murray, Demi Moore, Hugh Hefner, Jay Leno, Jim Carrey, Penelope Cruz, Tom Cruise and Victoria Beckham. Prepare Authentic Cuisine: Inspired by the flavors of Tsingtao, Martin has created recipes and will demonstrate recipes such as Steamed Clams in Garlic Beer Sauce and Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry. Drink Chinese Beer: The Tsingtao Brewery in Qingdao, China, was founded in 1903 and is one of the oldest in China. Tsingtao Lager and Tsingtao Pure Draft are produced with spring water from Laoshan, a mountain area famous throughout China for the purity of its water. Tsingtao Lager has a crisp, slightly malty flavor and nutty sweet taste and Tsingtao Pure Draft is a smooth, light-tasting beer. Decorate for Prosperity: Decorate in red and gold, the Chinese colors of prosperity that signify good luck and wealth; adorn your home with red balloons and gold streamers from a party store and red lanterns easily found in Asian stores. According to ancient tradition, every corner of your home should be swept and cleaned in preparation for your New Year's celebration. Spread Goodwill: Buy small red envelopes and fill with coins, in even dollar amounts, to give to friends and family as goodwill gestures. Guarantee good fortune in the New Year by assembling a centerpiece made from fresh flowers, oranges and tangerines, all symbols of good luck and wealth. A certified Master Chef, cooking instructor and author, Martin Yan is most well-known for his television show, Yan Can Cook, which airs on public television in the United States. In 1985, he founded the Yan Can Cooking School in California and in 2007 founded The Martin Yan Culinary Arts Center, a unique international culinary academy for professional chefs in Shenzhen, China. In 2010, Tsingtao will partner with Chef Yan for his Yan Can Cook Road Show tour, stopping in cities across the United States."Rip" Taylor - Comedian - King of Confetti
With recent appearances in JackAss, The Bonnie Hunt Show and next in Rob Reiner's new movie Alex and Emma, the legendary King of Confetti, Rip Taylor, has been introduced to a new generation of fans which is another reason he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard for movies, film and television. Although most of his new admirers don't realize it, Rip Taylor
has dazzled audiences worldwide in a career that has spanned over forty years. A master of comedic timing and a consummate showman, Rip has headlined in Las Vegas, appeared on hundreds of television shows, played the lead in various plays and musicals, and frequently taken a dramatic turn in feature films. It is no exaggeration to say that Rip Taylor has succeeded in every facet of the entertainment industry. The phenomenon that is Rip Taylor began when Ed Sullivan could not remember the young comedian's name, he introduced Rip as "The Crying Comedian." Ed Sullivan accidentally stumbled upon Rip's niche, and after that appearance Rip found himself booked solid for months. This taught the young performer the importance of having a memorable hook. Bright costumes, outrageous props, wacky wigs and colorful confetti soon followed - and Rip Taylor became a pop culture sensation. Rip is one of television's most recognizable celebrities. A guest star with over 2,000 television appearances under his belt, Rip has brought his wild energy to The Gong Show, Password, The Merv Griffin Show, The Mike Douglas Show,, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and to the coveted center square on Hollywood Squares. Perhaps Rip's greatest impact in television was when he was picked by Chuck Barris to host The $1.98 Beauty Show. The campy "beauty and talent contest" brought Rip icon status as he served as ringmaster, gloriously reveling in the glitter and kitsch of "The World's Tackiest TV Show." For decades, Rip has maintained his status as one of the top headliners in Las Vegas. He has been named "Entertainer of the Year" three times in a row, spent a year headlining The Flamingo Hotel's Rockettes Extravaganza, and in the 2002 brought Rip Taylor's Christmas Spectacular to the Rio. Additionally, Rip has played on Broadway and toured the country as the lead role in plays such as Sugar Babies, Anything Goes, Oliver, Peter Pan, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He is currently writing and producing a one-man-show entitled Let'er Rip. In addition to comedy and music, Rip is an accomplished "legitimate" actor. He played Demi Moore's surly boss in Indecent Proposal, and plays Kate Hudson's father in the soon-to-be-released Rob Reiner film, Alex and Emma In a career that has spanned five remarkable decades, Rip Taylor feels fortunate to have become a madcap mainstay in show business. He frequently donates his time and talents to numerous charitable causes including The Thalians, The Screen Actors Guild, The Actors Home, The Friars Charitable Trust and many, many more. In His Own Words "I always wanted to be a Vegas comic" Rip Says, "and that's what I am. Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Although I'm not a devout actor, it's nice to be able to do movies and tv, too. I want to be the second banana all the time. The ultimate for me would be to stay home and do a tv series for 13 weeks and then go do my nightclub act." From the beginning of his career, Las Vegas turned out to be TAYLOR-MADE for Rip, who was named "Entertainer of the Year" three years in a row in the '70's. His first appearance was in "The Eleanor Powell Show" at the Dunes. Rip was an instantaneous hit and was held over for four weeks. That led to other Vegas engagements, including guesting with Headlines such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Debbie Reynolds, Ann-Margret, Judy Garland, Mac Davis and Others. Over the Years, the "Prince of Pandemonium," as Rip came to be known, starred in many Vegas Revues, including "Funny Farm," (Aladdin), Donn Arden's Spectacular "Hello America" and "The Follies Bergere" (Tropicana). To this day, Rip is a favorite performer in the city. He recently spent a year Guest Starring in "The Rockettes Extravaganza" at the Flamingo Las Vegas and in December 2002 "Rip Taylor's Christmas Spectacular" to the Rio Suites Hotel and Casino. In the tv arena, the former host of his own syndicated tv show, "The $1.98 Beauty Show" (which was #5 in syndication when Chuck Barris took it off the air). Has graced the small screen on shows of every kind. He Guest-Starred on "Saturday Night Live," "The Kids in the Hall," "The Martin Short Show" and "Johnny Bago." He was Stanley, an Angel, on the cable series "Down to Earth" (26 episodes). He has been a constant guest on "The Jerry Lewis Telethon" and has entertained millions on various talk and variety shows, including "Circus of the Stars."