Chat Chow TV (HD)

Sun Wah’s humble beginnings started in New York’s Chinatown. Squeezed into a nine-foot wide storefront, Eric Cheng, Sun Wah’s founder, perfected his skills as a Hong Kong-style barbecue chef. Deciding the environment was not right to raise their family, Eric and his wife, Lynda, uprooted themselves, their four children, and Eric’s mother. The destination: Chicago

Andrew Carmellini is a two-time James Beard Award winner from New York City with a string of roaring hit restaurants including Locanda Verde inside Robert DeNiro’s Greenwich Hotel. You might even remember his Grandpa Carmellini if you were hanging out at Miami Beach’s Surf Club in the 40′s and 50′s. Andrew is also the author of two cookbooks, Urban Italian and American Flavor.

Haven is a sexy lounge with high-tech edge that extends from its decor to its cocktails. Boasting all-encompassing HD projection walls, the backdrop shifts from a Saharan Desert landscape to ice-capped mountains to a pastiche of the Miami skyline with the blink of an eye. As the night progresses, the interactive display transforms from these static landscapes to graphics that move with the beats of the DJ on deck.

Sakaya serves a concise menu of casual Asian/Southeast Asian fare such as Filipino egg rolls, Japanese miso soup, Vietnamese bao (steamed buns), and a predominance of Korean street foods such as kimchi, bulgogi wraps, and spicy chicken wings. Natural meat, poultry, and seafoods are used, along with organic dairy and produce, some of which comes from local farms. All menu items are made from scratch, including the curing of meats, pickling of vegetables, and preparation of ssams, ssamjangs, and such.

When I was 20 years old, traveling through Napa Valley, I fell in love with the food, the wine, the atmosphere, and everything in between. A couple years later, stepping into what is now Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, I knew immediately what I fell in love with in that famous wine growing region could happen here. It would not be an easy task, but after an enormous amount of effort, imagination, and recipe testing, we now have Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar. A uniquely themed restaurant, honed as the first of its kind in Miami, whose inspiration lays on the vines.

Street food is the great equalizer—no glamour required. Yakitori, when well-executed, is about the simple flavors of authentic street food. A hot grill provides intense flavors from seasonal proteins and vegetables, grilled to order over a chattering, hissing fire. Beer, wine and sake selections compliment the fresh-grilled flavors. Craft cocktails, wines and spirits are chosen for customized meal pairings. Experiment and discover!

Saigon Sisters Restaurant, the latest addition to the Fulton River District’s lively restaurant scene, is run by Vietnamese sisters, Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, along with their mother, Mama Suu. The main inspiration for beginning their business came from influential family members. Mama Suu and the sisters’ grandmother began as successful entrepreneurs in Vietnam, growing an open-market grocery into a large food market operation that served as the main supplier to nearby embassies. After the Nguyen family moved to the United States, Mama Suu encouraged her daughters to achieve their goals and do what they love, which eventually happened to be following in her footsteps. The original Saigon Sisters opened as a booth at nearby Chicago French Market in December 2009, and now proudly expands to a second location and full-service restaurant.

The Grinder originally started as a written Q&A with folks who were involved with Burgers. This new version is produced by Chat Chow TV and is part interview, part roast and 100% fun. All guests do not know what exactly they are going be asked or be put through. But, hey those are the breaks if you’re gonna be on The Grinder. About Lee Shrager Lee Brian Schrager, one of the nation’s preeminent event planners and media relations experts, serves as the Vice President of Corporate Communications & National Events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. He joined the company in 2000 and oversees projects in all 35 states in which it does business. Schrager is known for his creation of both the Food Network South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals.

Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet is a celebration of food and wine showcasing more than 100 of Chicago’s finest restaurants and chefs, as well as hundreds of renowned vintners, spirit makers and premium breweries from around the world. Guests enjoy dozens of live cooking demonstrations, expert seminars, gourmet tastings, and book signings by internationally renowned chefs, master sommeliers and winemakers.

When speaking about can’t miss desserts, no other name in the region elicits a more passionate response than that of Hedy Goldsmith. Recently awarded a James Beard nomination (Outstanding Pastry Chef 2012), the Executive Pastry Chef of The Genuine Hospitality Group of restaurants (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami and Grand Cayman, Harry’s Pizzeria in Miami) remains one of the most respected professionals in the country. With the October 2, 2012 release of her debut cookbook, BAKING OUT LOUD: Fun Desserts with Big Flavors (Clarkson Potter), Goldsmith is busier than ever. Now in her 3rd season of Cooking Channel’s Unique Sweets, she has appeared on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Iron Chef America and Food(ography). Hedy and her recipes have been featured in People, The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, The New York Times, Bon Appétit, The New York Post, Wine Spectator, Huffington Post and MSNBC. Hedy is a regular contributor on foodnetwork.com and her seasonal recipes can be found on cookingchannel.com.

Daniel Serfer, chef and owner made Blue Collar the type of restaurant that you always want to go to with friends and family. Blue Collar is a casual place that has a warm and inviting team whose only goal is to make sure you have a good time while you are there. The food offerings are plenty diverse and super tasty. Some of the favorites are the homemade pastas, shrimp and grits, and the pork and beans. The menu will surely have something that you will enjoy even if you are a vegetarian. It’s the kind of spot you would want to eat at at least once a week. This is why the offerings are so diverse and plentiful. The beverage menu has a bunch of really cool choices that are soft on the wallet yet full of fun and flavor. Come by and say hello.

Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac believe that the best way to satisfy an appetite is to consume some of the most authentic foods from across the globe. Hand cut Italian pasta. French truffles. California oranges. Maine lobster. Foods as unique as the places they come from and the people that harvest them. That’s what we’re about.

The Grinder originally started as a written Q&A with folks who were involved with Burgers. This new version is produced by Chat Chow TV and is part interview, part roast and 100% fun. All guests do not know what exactly they are going be asked or be put through. But, hey those are the breaks if you’re gonna be on The Grinder. About Pincho Factory Cuts, Quality and Freshness are three things we take VERY seriously. Steak – Gorgeous Rib Eye aged for 25 days, marinated 24 hours before its served to you. Freedom of Choice is what Pincho Factory is all about. Choose your Vehicle, Protein, toppings, sauce it up a notch, and BAM! Your meal is complete at the end of the assembly line. Throw some cheese on there without thinking twice and Enjoy.

Bracha is no newcomer to the restaurant business. Having put himself through the Hotel & Restaurant Management program at NY City College by working in bagel and bread bakeries, he honed his culinary skills at La Caravelle, which was long known in New York as a “temple to French gastronomy.” Bracha then spent the next several years working under top chefs from New York to St. Thomas, which afforded him the well-rounded experiences that have brought him where he is today. Bracha made his way to South Florida in the late 1980′s where he worked with Chef Norman Van Aiken and Proal Perry at the beautiful Hoexters Market supper club and then opened the “Stars & Stripes Cafe” in the Betsy Ross Hotel. After branching out on his own at age 28 with “411″ Restaurant & Bar in South Beach, Bracha set his sights on the concept of casual upscale seafood and open the Fishbone Grill in downtown Miami & a second location in Coral Gables. Drawing from tropical setting of Miami, Bracha the opened The River Seafood & Oyster Bar, realizing it’s only natural to use the freshest seafood and produce available to create a collective menu of dishes that represents a modern twist on a classic seafood cuisine. The River consistently sources the best of the best ingredients to deliver an unparallel dining experience which has helped them win over locals, tourists and critics alike.

Kristine opened Pecking Order as an homage to the generations of women and men in her family who passed down their passion for cooking to her. The signature chicken marinade at Pecking Order is a family recipe that she grew up eating and craves endlessly. When the time was right to put her signature chicken in the spotlight, she opened the doors of Pecking Order with her mother, Melinda – making it a family affair all the way.