James Beard Awards Finalists

So far so good for the Bay Area as it's sending a busload of final nominees to the 2010 James Beard Awards at Lincoln Center in New York City on May 3rd.

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR
Pat Kuleto, Boulevard, Epic, Farallon, Jardinière, Martini House, Nick's Cove & Cottages, and Waterbar, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING CHEF
Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
Boulevard, San Francisco

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Timothy Hollingsworth, The French Laundry, Yountville, CA

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Flour + Water, San Francisco
Frances, San Francisco
RN74, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF
Nicole Plue, Redd, Yountville, CA

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE
A16, San Francisco
Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL
Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Wines, Sebastopol, CA
John Shafer and Doug Shafer, Shafer Vineyards, Napa, CA

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC
Jeremy Fox, Ubuntu, Napa, CA
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco

BOOKS BEVERAGE
Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology

PRINT JOURNALISM NEWSPAPER FOOD SECTION
San Francisco Chronicle

Food Crack

I'm blissfully addicted to truffle & salt. Ever since a friend gave me this small jar of truffle & salt for my birthday I got hooked. I put it in most of what I eat now: breakfast eggs, pasta of all sorts, soups, steak, and salads.

During the day I dream about what dish I can devise later that night to sprinkle more of this gastronomic dope. I'm sure there's a gazillion uses for it. I really should have it in my pocket at all times just in case. Try it in buttered popcorn while watching a movie, you'd be amazed. And it's a wonderful thing to sneak into a restaurant, the chef may hate me for it, yet I know he'd want some once he tries it. But no! This precious jar contains so little, not enough to share really.

I wouldn't want to pass my dependency on you, but if you're enough of a food fiend already, Amazon pushes it.