new york food

Village Voice Announces Fourth Annual "Choice Eats" Food Event

The Village Voice has announced its fourth annual tasting event, "Choice Eats" in New York City. The event on March 29, 2011 at the 69th Armory on Lexington Avenue will feature 50+ restaurants and food from over 35 nations. The restaurants will be hand picked from all five boroughs by Village Voice resident food critic, Robert Sietsema.

Last year the event featured over 60 restaurants from 35 countries and sold out three weeks in advance. This year is also expected to sell out with tickets going on sales Wednesday January 25. Early bird ticket prices for VIP are $70 and general admission is $35. The VIP ticket allows ticket holders to skip the line and gain entrance to a VIP room one hour early for an early sampling from a handful of selected restaurants in addition to complimentary beverages and other surprises. General tickets will feature sampling from 6:30 - 9:30, complimentary beverages, entertainment and more.

This year there will be a dessert tasting hour called "Choice Sweets." For the last hour of the event, all VIP ticket holders can experience a handful of selected treats and sweets in the exclusive VIP room. All general admission ticket holders will have the opportunity to partake in "Choice Sweets" as well, with tables being set up in the event's lobby to try delicious desserts on their way out.

Also capitalizing on the food truck craze is "Choice Streets" a selection of some of the city's favorite and highly sought-after food trucks. The trucks will be parked along the front of the Armory and will offer snacks while waiting to gain entry to the main event.

The charitable partner for the event is Slow Food NYC, a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving a good, clean, and fair food system. A portion of the Choice Eats ticket sales will be donated to Slow Food NYC.

Tags: choice eats, food events, new york Food, new york food events, slow food, village voice

Chinese Chefs To Compete In Times Square

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Events

You think you know Chinese food? You might be surprised by the many variations of culinary delights at the third annual International Chinese Culinary Competition being held September 30 and October 1 in New York. Master Chinese chefs from all over the world will compete as part of a three-day event at Duffy Square in New York City's Times Square. Top chefs will compete in five major categories of Chinese cuisine. The winners will prepare a 10-course traditional Chinese banquet on Sunday, October 3rd at Pier 60. The competition and banquet will include traditional Chinese dishes from Szechuan, Shandong, Cantonese, Huaiyang, and Northeastern Chinese cuisines.

The Culinary Competition in Duffy Square is an open-air event transforming the street into an avenue from the ancient Tang Dynasty capital, Chang-An. From the Chinese architecture-inspired cooking stations to servers dressed in period-inspired costumes, the area will be transported back through time. The event is open to the public but you can watch the live competition action up-close in 32 reserved VIP seats in the heart of Times Square, and taste the actual contestants' creations. Tickets start at $100 for these prized spaces. Tickets for the 10-course traditional Awards Banquet on October 3 are $275 per person.

Tags: chinese chefs, chinese food, food events, international chinese culinary competion, new york food, new york food events

Chef Daniel Boulud's Street Food Success

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Monday afternoon a line of chilly foodies stretched along 51st Street where an unusual food truck was doling out more than the usual hot dogs and kabobs. Chef Daniel Boulud - thrice Michelin-starred - stood in the window, with lumberjack hat, earflaps and all, handing out free lunches to lucky winners.

The two-hour event featured four top New York chefs and was orchestrated by NBC New York to promote its new food site, Feast, which is scheduled to launch next week. Lucky winners who entered via the web site were given a spot at one of the four trucks. At Boulud's truck (above) eaters got to sample some of the menu items from his more casual, downtown restaurant DBGB Kitchen & Bar.