CHEF RICHARD BLAIS - WINNER BRAVO'S TOP CHEF ALL STARS
Perhaps most recognizable as the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars, Richard Blais has played an influential role in hospitality for the last 15 years. He began his career as the “poissonier” at McDonald’s. His developing passion for food and the service industry led Blais to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He spent time between semesters studying at the French Laundry in Yountville, CA under renowned chef Thomas Keller and alongside then rising stars Grant Achatz and Eric Ziebold. Upon graduating from the CIA in 1998, Blais ventured to New York for the opportunity to work with Chef Daniel Boulud at his famous flagship, Restaurant Daniel. He followed his professional compass to Roses, Spain and completed a brief stage at El Bulli with culinary wizard Ferran Adria. In 2000, Blais relocated to Atlanta to oversee a local seafood concept. His wildly creative approach to cooking and cuisine later led to the establishment of TrailBlais, a forward-thinking culinary company that has consulted on, designed, and operated some of Atlanta’s most popular eateries, including multiple outposts of Flip Burger Boutique and HD-1. He recently opened The Spence, a new restaurant concept in Midtown Atlanta, and his debut cookbook, Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate, will be published by Clarkson Potter in February 2013. Blais has appeared on TODAY Show, Good Morning America, LIVE! with Kelly, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as in numerous publications including The New York Times, InStyle, and Food & Wine magazine. He will be starring in Life After Top Chef premiering October 3rd on Bravo
ADAM GERTLER - "KID IN A CANDY STORE" - FOOD NETWORK
Inside Out Community Arts' '4th Annual 'Taste of Abbot Kinney,’ a fun and fabulous wining and dining charitable event in Venice Beach. In this event, over 500 guests will engage in a walking tasting tour featuring delectable bites and cocktails from over a dozen Abbot Kinney restaurants, all while supporting under-served youth in the community.
STAN HERD - CROP ARTIST - BEER LOVER
The world will end on December 21, 2012…the Mayans said so. As thousands of beer-lovers from across the country gather in Denver for the Great American Beer Festival, one brewer is taking the opportunity to turn a 5-acre wheat field into a canvas. Shock Top Brewing Co. is launching its limited-edition Shock Top End of the World Midnight Wheat beer at the festival. The brew is made with unfiltered wheat, chocolate malt, chilies and other spices; ingredients that will also be included in Stan Herd’s latest work of art. People have marveled over Stan Herd’s creations for many years, wondering how it’s possible to produce such amazing works of arts from the Earth. Well, wonder no more. The world renowned Earthwork artist is available on October 11 to share the secrets of his art and reveal his newest “End of the World” creation. Find out how the renowned king of crop art turns a plain field into a unique organic sculpture. It’s an amazing picture of the day that will have your viewers saying, “WOW!”
Herd’s work has been featured on CBS’s Sunday Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered, Dateline NBC, Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian Magazine, and The New York Times. A book about his earthworks, Crop Art and Other Earthworks, details Herd’s artistic journey through stunning pictures and stories.
ACTRESS & MOM SOLEIL MOON FRYE - "Punky Brewster"
Soleil comes from a family that cherishes traditions and appreciates homemade food, but with two kids and a full schedule, preparing meals from scratch sometimes isn’t possible. In this interview, Soleil will share some of her own simple, wholesome solutions for busy moms who want to give their families the best.
