VANITY FAIR & USA NETWORK'S SECOND ANNUAL CHARACTER APPROVED AWARDS: CELEBRATING CULTURAL INFLUENCERS AND TRAIL BLAZERS

To recognize the Character Approved honorees and their accomplishments, USA Network, in partnership with Vanity Fair, hosted an invitation-only VIP cocktail reception in New York City on Thursday, February 25.  I was thrilled to have been invited, and can say that this special event was nothing short of my greatest expectations.  I've never seen so many flashing lights, gorgeous people, and overall cheer in the face of one of the city's messiest evenings of 2010 (snow, sleet, rain, slush).  

The event was held at the iconic IAC Building, which was designed by Frank Gehry.  USA’s Mark Feuerstein officially unveiled the 2010 honorees and their on-air vignettes (Dan Barber's is attached below).  The cast of Green Day’s “American Idiot" performed their first live appearance in New York City ahead of the show’s Broadway debut on Wednesday, March 24.  Alexandra Richards held court as the DJ for the evening and several from USA’s roster of stars were in attendance, as well as many of the 2010 Character Approved honorees.

More about the event:

USA Network's second annual Character Approved Awards is a multimedia campaign honoring ten individuals who are changing the face of American culture.  Inspired by USA’s Characters Welcome brand, the initiative is dedicated to celebrating the true trail blazers across a variety of disciplines such as art, philanthropy, new media and film. 

“Character Approved is a celebration of the real Characters making an impact on our culture today,” said Chris McCumber, USA executive vice president, marketing, digital and brand strategy.  “Our honorees are all at the top of their game, and we’re thrilled to shine a light on their unique accomplishments.”

Character Approved honorees are innovators in their field who are influencing our opinions, our style and our view of the world. They surprise us and inspire us with fresh ideas. They are celebrated by their peers and have an authentic style. USA recognizes these ten individuals for their cultural impact, legacy and persona with the hallmark of recognition, the USA Network “seal of approval”:

• Green Day, Grammy Award-winning rock band (Music)
• Kathryn Bigelow, Academy Award-nominated film director, “The Hurt Locker” (Film/TV)
• Nora Ephron, best-selling novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright (Writing)
• Narciso Rodriguez, multiple award-winning American fashion designer (Fashion)
• Angela Brooks, groundbreaking sustainable architect, principal of Pugh + Scarpa Architects (Architecture)
• Kehinde Wiley, revolutionary urban arts painter (Art)
• Yves Behar, innovative industrial designer of the Jawbone Bluetooth headset and the $100 XO laptop (Design)
• Dan Barber, renowned restaurateur, Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture (Food)
• Jessica Jackley, social entrepreneur and micro-financier, co-founder Kiva.org (Giving)
• Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, game creators of Guitar Hero and Rock Band (New Media/Technology)

*In the program’s inaugural year of 2009, USA honored seven visionary characters including Lupe Fiasco, Shepard Fairey, David Chang, Patrick Robinson, Charles Best, Jimmy Wales and Jennifer Siegal.

Please enjoy my collage of pictures from 2010's Bocuse d'Or, a.k.a. the culinary world's equivalent to a Star Trek convention.

Welcome foodies!David Chang book-signingBocuse d'Or competition's cooking arena, which transformed the CIA's gymnasium. The chef in the glasses is Georges Perrier, who oozes with humor and personality.These large screens projected the delicious detail of the competitors' culinary creations.The judges: quite the "who's who" in the culinary world, wouldn't you say?Chef Paul Liebrandt and your Lunch BelleThe Lunch Belle & Dana enjoying a glass of Tattinger bubblyVIP lunch VIP desserts: creme brulee topped with almond shortbread

VIP dessert: French macarons

Gorgeous hostess Kelly Choi stands amongst a crowd of white chef's hatsA competing team presents their edible creations to the judgesChef Thomas Keller samples one of the team's entrees 

Daniel Boulud and your Lunch Belle

"Who's who" bios for the chef's panelChef Alan Wong takes the microphone (I can't say enough wonderful things about this man! He was the exact opposite of how you'd think a famous chef would act: kind, genuine, engaging, polite.)Clockwise from the front: Andre Soltner, Grant Achatz...two heads of hair...Timothy Hollingsworth, David ChangThe Lunch Belle & David ChangChef Daniel Boulud poses with one of the Bocuse d'Or's sponsorsLaurent Tourondel's succulent cocktail meatballs served at the award's dinnerAnd the winner is...(envelope opens)...Chef James Kent from "Eleven Madison Park" in NYC! In January 2011, this team will head to Lyon, France to represent the US of A and compete against other countries for the world-title of the Bocuse d'Or!!

Just after the preview party at The Wright (restaurant at the Guggenheim), Saveur Magazine's Holiday Pot-Luck Dinner was our second stop of the evening. Given an inconspicuous address on 32nd Street, we were led to an elevator via the lobby of a random office building. When the doors opened on to the 12th floor, we found ourselves in Saveur's weekday work space, which had been transformed in to a culinary labyrinth.  Upon turning each corner of the pseudo-maze, delicious surprises were divulged in the form of a sweet hors d'oeuvre (think Pichet Ong's chocolate cupcakes with caramel-bacon buttercream), or the pot-luck creation being plated by its celebrity-chef mastermind. 

Aside from the cupcakes mentioned above, some of my favorite samples included:

• Marco Canora's Rabbit Stew with Nicoise Olives and Rosemary
• John DeLucie's Truffled Macaroni & Cheese
• Alexandra Guarnaschelli's Sugar-Cranberry Pie

From the left: Saveur Magazine's publisher, Merri Lee Kingsley, poses for a photo. *Check out the smiling local-yokel just behind her in the charcoal sweater...that's your's truly!

THIS, my friends, is a tangible piece of heaven. Note the crunchy, chopped pieces of bacon and delicate sprinkle of sea salt crowning the top of the caramel buttercream schmear.

Held at Sushi Samba's second floor space (in the West Village) was a small soiree honoring Al Roker's first novel, The Morning Show Murders.  Based on a mystery that unfolds at TV personality Billy Blessing's mega-successful Manhattan bistro, the plot thickens when a guest dramatically dies from a tainted plate of coq au vin.

After he autographed my copy of The Morning Show Murders, I briefly caught up with Mr. Roker between sips of champagne and bites of some fabulous passed hors d'oeuvre.  We talked turkey, BBQ, and my personal favorite, Al Roker's Hassle Free Holiday Cookbook.

The Lunch Belle: Congratulations on the publication of your novel and happy holidays!  What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

• Al Roker: Thank you so much and happy holidays to you, as well.  We're going over to my brother's house for Thanksgiving this year.

The Lunch Belle: Ah, so you don't have to entertain; lucky you!  Are you planning to bring a favorite holiday staple, or does he have the meal covered?

• Al Roker: (chuckles) No.  This year he is taking care of everything.

The Lunch Belle: Speaking of the holidays, I'm a big fan of Al Roker's Hassle Free Holiday Cookbook.

• Al Roker: Thanks!  You know it's funny, sometimes I think that I actually like that cookbook better than my BBQ ones!  What I also love is the fact that the recipe tester prepared everything on a single burner hot plate!

The Lunch Belle: Wow, that is truly incredible, especially for us small-space dwellers in NYC.  I think that many times we shy away from cooking because our living quarters are so intimidatingly pint-sized.  We automatically assume that nothing delicious can be conceived in such a tiny kitchen.  What I love about the holiday cookbook is that it encompasses 365-day's worth of celebrations; not just Thanksgiving/Christmas.  

So far, I've been on a roll when it comes to meeting genuinely nice celebrities, and Al Roker was no exception.  Proving this, his entire family (both on and off of TV) was in attendance to support his latest endeavor.  To me, that speaks volumes. 

 

• Boils water faster than gas and twice as fast as radiant electric
• Cost efficient (retails for $1999.99)
• 20-minute SteamQuick cleaning feature
• Induction uses magnetism to heat cookware, so only cookware gets heated (not entire stove top)
• 3-fan convection cooking combines true convection with a multi-fan system to circulate heat evenly

xx,
TLB

My website has brought me so much joy and opportunity over its 2 1/4 years of life: new friends, a passion for food photography, therapy (writing relaxes me), worldwide exposure, etc.  In September, my alma mater published a Q&A/interview spotlighting The Lunch Belle entitled "Alumna Takes a Bite out of the Big Apple, and Tells About It." Within days, I was contacted by a fellow alum and Texas ex-pat living in NYC who invited me to guest-judge her company, BlissPR's, annual cook-off.  How could I say no to such a deliciously flattering invitation? 

Held in spacious apartment just steps from Washington Square Park, the cook-off began promptly at 6pm on Wednesday, November 4th.  From the moment I exited the elevator on to the 6th floor, I smelled a fragrant bouquet of baked goods and savory dishes.  I was warmly greeted by a an enthusiastic group of approximately 30 BlissPR employees who were busy icing, sprinkling, stirring, topping and slicing the final steps of their submitted recipes.  Having been exposed to various public relations firms within the past year, I've noticed that the industry seems to have shockingly high turnover.  However, after speaking with some of the BlissPR employees at the cook-off, I learned that most of them had been with the company for years.  And who would want to jump ship when the firm has morale building and boosting monthly wine tastings, annual cook-off's, etc.?  This certainly wasn't the same culture that I was used to in finance!

With twelve sweet and savory cook-off submissions, we each had a lot of tasting to do!  From a range of beef meatballs, sweet & sour pork ribs, potato salad; to pumpkin bars, apple crisp, mini pecan pie tarts; each recipe had a unique story or family origin behind it. 

Dishes were judged both on their overall taste and their written description.  My personal favorites included: Banofee Pie, Sweet & Sour Ribs and French Breakfast Puffs (click *here* for some of the cook-off's most popular recipes).   

The first prize winner and recipient of a $100 check went to Emily, who made Seared Beef Tenderloin with Mustard-Horseradish Sauce.  Please enjoy her candid post-triumph photo and prize-winning recipe!