Gwyneth Steals Mario's Show | What?s Tom Colicchio's Big News?

	September 22, 2008
Two for Eight Tables Available at Chanterelle, Annisa, Elettaria; Rainbow Room Fully Booked It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Romance. Read More » Foodienomics Economic Forecast: Eat Bad Food, Drink More Soup, cereal, and ramen manufacturers are high-fiving each other for every dip in the stock market. Packaged food sells well during these troubled economic times, especially since food prices spiked before the banks began to fall. Kellogg's, Campbell's Soup, General Mills, and Kraft Foods all reported double-digit profits last quarter, while casual restaurants like Cheesecake Factory and Ruby Tuesday are losing sales. Read More » FoodTV Kenny Shopsin on Conan Curmudgeonly cook Kenny Shopsin will appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien tomorrow to discuss his new book, Eat Me. Will Kenny refuse to answer Conan's questions? Set your DVRs to cranky. [Serious Eats] Openings New Pizzeria in Cobble Hill Lost City reports that La Pizzetta will soon open at 145 Atlantic Avenue (near Henry Street) in Cobble Hill. The brick-oven pizzeria has signage and is hiring staff. [Lost City] Tom Colicchio What’s Tom Colicchio’s Big News? Tom Colicchio slinging hash? Well, kinda. The Craft emperor and Top Chef judge is holding court at a media breakfast on September 30, where he will "share news on some upcoming projects." Camp Colicchio is keeping mum till next week, but we have an idea of what it might be. Read More » Openings Porchetta Ready to Take Your Order The Robs have some good intel on Sara Jenkins's Porchetta in this week's mag, including a shot of one sweet-looking slow-roasted pork sammich. A quick check yesterday when the butcher paper came down from the windows (nice hand-painted, gold leaf sign) confirmed Porchetta would be open from midday "until whenever we feel like it." Read More » Book Deals Publisher Orders Another Book From ‘Waiter Rant’ Author Are you ready for the next course? Waiter Rant's Steve Dublanica has signed on for another book, covering the "dynamics of tipping across the industry." This round includes incognito restaurant work by the Waiter himself. As the delicate pas de deux between tipper and tippee was a frequent topic on the Waiter Rant site, Dublanica should have no problems spinning this one out to book length. The book is titled At Your Service, but we think that's a missed opportunity: No Jack the Tipper? Read More » Party Lines Gwyneth Steals Mario’s Show, But What About Next Season? Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't giving many interviews at the launch party for her PBS food-centric travel show Spain…On the Road Again last night at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, but the actress still stole everyone's thunder. Spanish actress Claudia Bassols — one of the two "babes" on the show, according to Batali — waited patiently for reporters to notice her while Paltrow did an interview with a Spanish TV station in a perfect Castilian accent. (Paltrow did an exchange program in Spain during high school and told the crowd, "My heart is there.") Read More » Johnny Iuzzini Practice Your ‘FourPlay’ With Johnny Iuzzini Jean-Georges pastry chef and motorcycle owner Johnny Iuzzini's first cookbook, Dessert FourPlay, comes out December 30, but is now available for pre-order. The title refers to the mini-dessert quartets Iuzzini serves at Jean-Georges. They contrast classic and exotic textures and flavors, and innovative recipes (strawberry soda and leather) are tempered with traditional ones for cakes, cookies, and ice cream. Read More » Openings Corton to Open This Weekend? In an interview with Gillian Duffy at the New York Culinary Experience on Saturday, Drew Nieporent joked that Corton won't open until after Rosh Hashanah (which ends on October 1). But when Duffy told attendees that Corton would open this weekend, he didn't correct her. Read More »