Anita Lo

Num Pang Chef Ben Daitz on Easy Drinking and What Pairs Well With Venison

Food and wine are natural companions, so I'm polling some of New York's most illustrious chefs to find out what kind of wine they are drinking off and on the job. After establishing they actually drink wine (a surprising number prefer beer!), I'm asking a few questions to find out who's got a pencha ... More >>

Annisa Chef Anita Lo Talks Amarone, Chardonnay and Her Perfect Food Wine

Food and wine are natural companions, so I'm polling some of New York's most illustrious chefs to find out what kind of wine they are drinking off and on the job. After establishing they actually drink wine (a surprising number prefer beer!), I'm asking a few questions to find out who's got a pencha ... More >>

James Beard Foundation Announces 2013 Chef and Restaurant Award Semifinalists

Hollywood has the Oscars. The food world has the James Beard Awards. The annual ceremony that recognizes both outstanding and upcoming talent in the restaurant industry has just announced its 2013 crop of semifinalists. The current (incredibly long) list will be narrowed down to finalists on Monday ... More >>

What New York's Chefs Eat and Drink to Fight the Flu

We've been offered a lot of fairly obvious flu-fighting tips lately, like avoiding close contact with sick people and washing our hands. But what to eat and drink? Chefs fight off the flu with some interesting homemade concoctions, featuring guest appearances from ingredients like cachaça, raw eg ... More >>

Marcus Samuelsson at GOP Convention, Bourdain Says He Can Die Happy

Mario Batali doesn't like it when people yell in his kitchen: "One of the big rules for our kitchens is that if you're not close enough to be able to touch me, you can't talk to me." [New York Times] Obama supporter Marcus Samuelsson is hanging with Arianna Huffington at the Republican National Co ... More >>

Fordham University: The Most Disgusting Food in the Country?

College-cafeteria food can be gruesome. Anita Lo, for example, started cooking because she couldn't stand the food over at Columbia. But apparently Columbia isn't the worst when it comes to campus food -- Fordham University is. The Princeton Review ranked the Bronx-based school in the category of ... More >>

Andrew Zimmern Launching Food Truck, Anita Lo Hates Cafeteria Food

Columbia University's magazine interviews Anita Lo and reveals that she started cooking because her college cafeteria was really gross. "'At the time, Columbia's was known as one of the four worst university cafeterias in the country,' says Lo. 'I wasn't giving in.' She moved off campus after her fr ... More >>

Kitchit's 'Bespoke' Dining Launches in New York Today

Kitchit, a service that connects food lovers to local chefs, launches in New York today. Like in San Francisco and L.A., Kitchit's members can work directly with restaurant chefs to create intimate events at their homes. Check out an example of a Kitchit menu (pictured above) after the jump; this on ... More >>

Under the Toque: Bagel and Lox Creations, Art Installations

Mario Batali and artist Jim Dine teamed up to make a super fancy, limited-edition cookbook up for auction on eBay with a minimum bid of $1,200 a copy. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Lunchbox Fund. [Eater] For the annual conference of the International Academy of Culinary Professionals, chefs ... More >>

Three Cookbooks to Read Now

Fall doesn't just kick off the start of school or represent the beginning of many cold months to come. It also signals the start of publishing's cookbook season. Needless to say, our desks have been sagging under the weight of such recipe tomes. So over the next two months or so, we'll occasional ... More >>

More Tainted Produce; Sandwiches from Around the Country Come to NYC

Killer cantaloupes are still a concern, and now you also have lettuce to worry about. A California lettuce grower has recalled 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine over more Listeria monocytogenes fears. [CNN] Alton Brown says that Good Eats 3 will be his last traditional cookbook. His next ... More >>

Restaurants to Hike Prices Like Airlines; 10 Best Uptown Restos

​The latest survey shows that concerns about weight and weight loss are at an all time low. Not that people aren't fat; they just don't care about it. [WedMD] Some New York City prep schools have professional chefs, call students "clients," feed them locally sourced, grass-fed beef, and host ... More >>

It's Good to Be Anita Lo

Photo courtesy of AnnisaShe's smiling for a reason.​People may continue to argue about how hard it is to be a female chef, but one thing it seems that everyone can agree on is that Anita Lo is in a badass class of her own.

Rickshaw Dumpling to Park It Permanently in Midtown

​Given that the Rickshaw Dumpling truck is a more or less constant presence in the lives of Midtown office workers, its original storefront on West 23rd Street can seem like a bit of an afterthought. But bricks and mortar are still very much a part of the company's MO, as their plans for expan ... More >>

Devon Gilroy Launches Private Dining Company; Jimmy Bradley Battles Cancer

​Devon Gilroy, who left East Side Social Club months before it closed and is now cooking at Park Avenue Tavern is launching a private dining company called Parkerhouse. The project could evolve into catering business even a restaurant. [Paper] Food Network is premiering Chopped All-Stars in M ... More >>

The Luckyrice Festival Returns; Tickets On Sale Tomorrow

tucker_zoe/Flickr​Just in time for Chinese New Year (which begins tomorrow), the Luckyrice Festival has announced it will return for a second year, from May 2-8.

Posts of the Week

It's late Friday afternoon, and thus time to look back at the week that was ... Veritas's Rubén Sanz Ramiro talked about wines with energy and the restaurant's craziest bottle. Cops also have a thing for Magnolia Bakery. Our 10 Best Things to Eat in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Annisa's Anita Lo Reveals Her Fave Five Cookbooks and What She Wears to Ward Off Evil Spirits: Interview Part 2

Read the Joy of Cooking, and you can cook (almost) like Anita Lo.​ Yesterday we spoke with Annisa chef Anita Lo about Chinese New Year and all the foods one should eat to ensure prosperity. Today she tells us about the books every foodie needs to read and what it was like getting feng shui'd.

Anita Lo Discusses Chinese New Year, a Holiday She Never Celebrated Growing Up

Anita Lo knows to eat long noodles for a long life.​ American New Year has come and gone, but Chinese New Year, which follows the lunar calendar, is just around the corner, beginning on February 3. Drooling over the special menu to be served at Annisa, we decided to call up chef Anita Lo to l ... More >>

Chefs Don't All Have Big Kitchens; Foodspotting Raises $3M

​Think you could be a better cook if only you had a kitchen like a five-star chef? Maybe not. Mehangir Mehta of the newly opened Mehtaphor, Anita Lo of Annisa, and husband-and-wife team Jo-Ann Makovitzky and Marco Moreira of Tocqueville and 15 East are among chefs with tiny apartment kitchens. ... More >>

How New York City Chefs Prep for Thanksgiving

free-extras.comIt's Turkey Time!​ By now, the turkey should be brining, the cranberry sauce underway, and the medicine cupboard stocked with an ample supply of Valium should the family get-together take a turn. And how are New York City restaurant chefs prepping for the big day? We checked i ... More >>

The Barneys Food (Network)-Themed Holiday Windows: Some Pictures

​Mario Batali's decapitated head is surrounded by a garnish of Crocs. On Tuesday, Barneys unveiled its much-anticipated food-themed holiday windows. Inscribed with the command "Have a Foodie Holiday," the three tableau offer an assemblage of 70 Food Network "personalities," chefs, and assort ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Yee Kee H.K. Style and East Ocean Palace; Sarah DiGregorio at Honeychiles'

This week in The Voice, Robert Sietsema finds true Hong Kong cuisine at Yee Kee H.K. Style in Brooklyn and East Ocean Palace in Queens, while Sarah DiGregorio discovers Louisiana fare at Honeychiles' in the Williamsburg punk rock bar The Charleston that is "far, far better than you'd expect to get a ... More >>

David Bouley Gets $1.4M for Two Bedrooms; Daniel Boulud a Free Man

​David Bouley has sold his apartment on East 10th Street for $1.4 million, a million less than what it was first listed for back in 2007. [NY Times] Daniel Boulud is about to be single again: His wife, Michelle, filed for divorce. Whether the split could affect his assets, including Bar Boul ... More >>

Annisa Loses Jennifer Scism, Co-Owner, Wine Director, and General Manager

Robert SietsemaAnnisa​Weeks after scoring two stars from the Times (and the love of just about every other restaurant critic in town), Annisa is losing its co-owner, wine director, host, and longtime general manager Jennifer Scism.

Anita Lo Parts Ways With Rickshaw Dumpling

Anita Lo dumps the dumplings.​Five years after she co-founded Rickshaw Dumpling, Anita Lo has decided not to renew her contract with the company.

Robert Sietsema at The Commodore; Sarah DiGregorio at Takashi

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema has a stiff drink and the usual "retro-Southern-locavoric-hash-house fare" at The Commodore in Williamsburg. Sarah DiGregorio chews on some raw tripe and grills beef heart at Takashi. Sam Sifton approves of the newly reopened Annisa, where Anita Lo, "is not b ... More >>

Anita Lo Gets a Feng-Shui Boost at Annisa; Starbucks Launches Low-Cost Coffee Brand

​Steve Cuozzo takes aim at bad hotel restaurants, listing The Fives at Peninsula, Arabelle at Plaza-Athenee, and Commodore Grill at Grand Hyatt among the worst offenders. [NY Post] Despite being something of a "non-believer," Anita Lo hired a feng-shui consultant to help her redesign the inte ... More >>

An Asian Food Fest Starts This Week, A Latino One is Coming in June

dslrninja/flickrA food fest for every breed.​The first LUCKYRICE Festival kicks off this Thursday, celebrating the tastiest foods from Asia (and Asian Americans). Opening night will feature an Asian-inspired cocktail party at The Bowery Hotel hosted by Top Chef Masters' Kelly Choi, with a drin ... More >>

Anita Lo's Annisa in the West Village

​The makeshift sign has come down, and now there's nothing to identify the week-old, revamped Annisa. Last July a fire in the kitchen at Annisa closed down the Sheraton Square favorite. Re-opening was predicted for November, then reset for February. Finally, late last week a makeshift sign we ... More >>

Posts of the Week

It is Friday afternoon. And thus time for a look back at the best posts of the past week: Tabla's Floyd Cardoz talked about misconceptions about Indian food, the state of Indian restaurants in America, and culture shock in the kitchen. We ranked Our 10 Most Overrated Restaurants. Anita Lo's Annis ... More >>

Michael Psilakis Out at Anthos; Thomas Ferlesch Leaves Fort Greene for the Bright Lights of Manhattan

​ Michael Psilakis, who has been spotted sniffing out a new space in Williamsburg, has announced his departure from Anthos, his restaurant with partner Donatella Arpaia. She has reportedly bought him out. [NY Times] Ferlesch, the chef-owner of Austrian bistro Thomas Beisl in Fort Greene, is l ... More >>

What Anita Lo Likes to Do with her Holiday Leftovers

Anita Lo likes her leftover turkey wrapped in mu shu.​Anita Lo of Annisa and Rickshaw Dumpling Bar is more than just a one Asian-fusion-y trick pony. She also knows her way around a good old-fashioned holiday bird. Last month, she was enlisted by Martha Stewart to man the homemaking maven's Th ... More >>

Susur Lee's Shang Celebrates One (Hard) Year with a Who's Who of the Food World

​Susur Lee, the Canadian chef who made his New York debut with Shang in the Thompson LES Hotel, celebrated the restaurant's first birthday last night with an A-list guest list of chefs, food media, and attractive scenesters. Lee welcomed guests with a toast to his restaurant, despite the "diff ... More >>

More Delays at Annisa Pushes Reopening to 2010

​The last word on the reopening of Anita Lo's Annisa, which closed after a fire earlier this year, was November. Unfortunately, a dysfunctional sprinkler system has delayed those plans, according to Lo, who is now hoping to reopen early next year. "More headache and delays," the chef said yes ... More >>

Does the World Need Another Burger List?

​ Clearly, the ground beef recall has not slaked the food press's hunger for more burger coverage. Today, yet another discussion of the ground beef patty sandwich has surfaced in Time Out New York. This one is notable for the fact that it lists the burger favorites of luminaries like Anita Lo, ... More >>

Under the Toque: Glimpsing Grand Tasting Menus; Anita Lo Writing a Cookbook

​ The three-month-old Mott has announced that Brian Bieler is out at the restaurant, which still has no liquor license. Brian Murphy, who worked under Bieler, will take over for the new fall menu. [Eater] Fabio Trabocchi, formerly of Fiamma, has taken over as the new head chef at The Four Sea ... More >>

Under the Toque: Bradford McDonald Heads Upstate; Jason Neroni (Maybe) Heading to L.A.

​Bradford McDonald, formerly of Per Se and Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, has taken over as the executive chef at Crabtree's Kittle House in Chappaqua, N.Y. McDonald's new menu features such dishes as Malpeque Oysters with Sorrel Foam and Nori Powder, and Slow Roasted Berkshire Pork Belly w ... More >>

Dole Goes Public Again; Vendy Finalists Announced

​Dole Food has filed the paperwork to go public, the second time it has done so after going private in 2003. The company, currently owned by LA billionaire David Murdock, hopes to raise $500 million. [NY Times] Since Whole Foods CEO John Mackey publicly criticized President Obama's health car ... More >>

Under the Toque: Michael Schaefer Leaves Mermaid Inn; John Schaefer Sues Irving Mill

​Douglas Rodriguez, who was beat out by Anita Lo on Top Chef Masters, is no longer affiliated with the Flatiron project, Nuela, which has been in the works for some time. Rodriguez said he left due to "creative differences," and is rumored to be in talks with Drew Nieporent. [Eater] Matthew ... More >>

Posts of the Week

It's Friday afternoon, which means it's time to give a little love to the best posts of the week:Sietsema rounded up the 10 Best Food-Themed Shows of all time.LUPEC stands for Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails.Anita Lo has returned from her Mongolian boar hunt, and has no pl ... More >>

Back From the Hunt: Anita Lo In No Hurry to Kill & Dismember Her Next Meal

Anita Lo in Mongolia​Two weeks ago, six women -- five chefs and one "avid foodie" -- took to the wilds of Northern China for a hunting and fishing expedition. Traci des Jardins of Jardiniere and Loretta Keller of Coco500, both in San Francisco, as well as Mary Sue Millikin of Ciudad in L.A. jo ... More >>

Under the Toque: A Spanish Chef in the House at Mercat; Lady Chefs Gone Wild

Ryan Skeen--formerly of Resto, the General Greene, and Irving Mill--has officially been named the new executive chef at Allen & Delancey on the LES. Both chef Kyle Bailey and pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac have left the restaurant. A new pastry chef has yet to be named. [NY Times] Spanish chef Paco G ... More >>

Let Anita Lo Take You Away--The Annisa Chef Teams Up With Tour de Forks to Bring You South Africa

Anita Lo will have hands full competing on Top Chef Masters this year, but the Annisa chef has other plans for next year--plans that involve traipsing through Africa with a bunch of food-loving strangers. If you've ever wanted to travel with the Asian-fusion whiz, now's your chance. Tour de Forks, ... More >>

Under the Toque--Chefs and Food Sellers Band Together to Create Supply Chain

Bravo announced the chef'testants slated to compete in the upcoming Top Chef spinoff, Top Chef Masters, which include New Yorkers Wylie Dufresne, Anita Lo, Nils Noren, Christopher Lee and Jonathan Waxman. [Eater] Christian Delouvrier of La Goulue in Bal Harbour, Miami and previously of Alain Ducas ... More >>

Our Man Sietsema and the Franken-cue

Favorite West Village Chef Diddles With 'Cue and Cocktails at Bar Q

Trying out Anita Lo's new venture, aimed at the cocktail crowd, with a menu of potables far longer than the food menu

Chowhounds on Sietsema Diss in Time Out

Codless

Chicken Rehab