A delightful unexpected dish, was on the menu when brilliant American superchef  Wolfgang Puck was at his 20.21 restaurant at the Walker Art Center, Minnesota.

The restaurateur, celebrity chef and voice of Chef Smurf in an upcoming Smurfs movie,  launched his Open Bar & Grill, an outdoor addition to already-existing 20.21 restaurant, because “people in Minnesota love to eat outside,” he confided.

And he signed copies of his latest cookbook, “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy (He SO does).

“Is Kelsey Grammer a Republican? I didn’t know that,” said Puck, who noted that politically, “I go both ways,” he said in that charming Austrian accent.

But he’s married to one—Gelila Assefa Puck, a clothing designer and philanthropist. She’ll instantly get the T’s fashion joke, although Gelila doesn’t seem like a woman who ever wears T-shirts. www.tinyurl.com/2dwx7xz .

Gelila has heightened Wolfgang’s interest in fashion. “She always comments on the fashion,” Puck said, sharing his wife’s remarks about the blue, one-shoulder Peter Soronen gown the First Lady wore to the state dinner for Mexico’s president.

“She didn’t wear it right. This one was too tight up here [he gestures to the bodice and breast areas],” he said, paraphrasing his wife. “She wants to be her fashion consultant.”

I thought the dress was fine and the hair much better—I don’t like the First Lady’s forehead exposed—but everybody’s entitled to an opinion.

“Exactly,” Puck said.

This should give them something to talk about when their worlds meet, as both Puck and Obama are on the same page of the cookbook these days with his emphasis on healthful, inexpensive dining and the First Lady’s mission to fight childhood obesity.

Celebrity chef John Burton Race seems to be more fond of women than ever. Despite having a girlfriend – his former mistress who bore his love child – he has been spotted on an intimate outing with a female friend.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1286307/John-Burton-Races-recipe-trouble-hes-spotted-arm-woman.html#ixzz0qoWIFD3J

The Fat Duck restaurant has won yet another prestigious award to keep its three Michelin stars company on Heston’s mantlepiece. But this time it is a staff member, not the super chef himself, who has merited the prize.

The restaurant’s head sommelier, Isa Bal was named Best Sommelier in Europe by l’Association de la Sommellerie International (ASI)

The annual competition, which took place in Bulgaria last month, saw entrants from 30 countries going nose to nose for the title.

The competitors were judged on three main skills: decanting technique, ability to indentify wine varieties and vintages, and flair for recommending a suitable wine to different dishes.

With Bal – and his conk – safely back in Bray, plonk remains firmly off the menu and nobody will sniff at the wine list. Another triumph for Heston and co. Now, which wine complements fat duck..?

Australia’s national newspaper, The Australian, has hinted that the country’s foodies may need a break from the potty-mouthed chef once his upcoming promotional tour is over. The star’s no-nonsense macho attitude on ‘The F Word’ has divided opinion Down Under, ensuring the celebrity chef is barely out of the papers. To heighten the hype, later this month Ramsay will fly over for Sydney Good Food and Wine Show. The visit will tie in with the publication of recipe book number ten, entitled ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite’, which was inspired by ‘The F Word’.

Due to the – perhaps self-created – Ramsay-mania, The Australian asked: ‘is there a teeny-weeny possibility that Gordon Ramsay, he of the 12 Michelin stars and motor-driven mouth, is becoming overexposed?’

Luckily for Gordon, the proof was in the pudding, and the undisputable quality of recipes in his new book meant the article ended on a positive note.

The paper admitted his dishes are ‘delicious-looking…tasty and achieveable’ while being low fat.

‘Call Ramsay what you like (and by all means include an expletive)’, the article continued, ‘but this man has his food down pat’.

Once his self-promotion is over, Gordon will no doubt receive a warm Antipodean welcome when he returns to Oz. Knowing Gordon, welcome or not, he probably couldn’t give a…

Over twenty celebrity chefs took part in an Observer Food Monthly survey, published yesterday, to discover which supermarket staples they would be lost without.

Among the brands listed by top chefs including Raymond Blanc, John Torode, Tom Conran, and Anthony Worral Thompson, there were a few shocking confessions.

Adam Byatt, a chef at Thyme, said he could not live without McVitie’s digestive biscuits. Rose Gray, co-owner of the River Café, chose Gentleman’s Relish, which she eats spread on rye toast. Tom Aitkens, founder of posh fish and chip shop Tom’s Place, plumped for Green and Black’s cocoa powder, while Torode stayed true to his roots and declared a weakness for Vegemite.

Popular choices included Maldon sea salt, which was picked by Jamie Oliver, Rowley Leigh and Sally Clarke. Olive oil in all its incarnations cropped up regularly, closely followed by balsamic vinegar. Even sickly sweet Nutella made the list.

Condiments like brown sauce, mayonnaise, Lea and Perrins, mustard, horseradish and Heinz ketchup were also revealed as an essential part of our chefs’ larders, including that of one Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. He, of course, favours the organic version. Both Angela Hartnett and Gordon Ramsay save time using tinned tomatoes.

The piece was not just an exercise in shameless celebrity endorsement. Although Jamie managed to cram in a Sainsbury’s product or two, Ramsay refrained from trying to convince us he used gin to liven up dishes.

But by allowing readers to rummage around the store cupboards of their culinary idols, OFM showed how simple tips using affordable products can enrich our dishes and edge us closer to the greatness of these masters of cuisine.

So next time you add pickle to your cheese on toast, or put ketchup on your chips, remember that you are following in the footsteps of the masters.

OFM’s full list (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/)

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup
Tracklements strong English mustard
The Seed Company cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Fish 4 Ever sustainable tinned fish
Clipper organic and fairtrade teas

Clare Smyth, Chef, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
Heinz Tomato Ketchup
Waitrose Modena balsamic vinegar

Jamie Oliver
Maldon sea salt
Belazu balsamic vinegar
Sainsbury’s Fattoria Selvapiana extra virgin olive oil
De Cecco dried pasta
Ortiz anchovy fillets in olive oil

Gordon Ramsay
Napolina tinned tomatoes
Goats’ cheese

Angela Hartnett, Chef
Rosebud Preserves onion marmalade
Maldon sea salt
Tracklements strong horseradish and cream
Bovril
Hellmann’s mayonnaise
Green & Black’s Dark 70% chocolate
De Cecco pasta
Napolina tinned tomatoes
Parmesan

Thomasina Miers, TV chef and co-owner, Wahaca, London
Karimix tamarind chutney
South Devon Chilli Farm’s hot apple chilli jelly
Aspall’s organic Cyder vinegar
Sabores Aztecas’ Mole Rojo sauce
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco
Colman’s mustard

Adam Byatt, Chef, Trinity, London
Forum chardonnay vinegar
Hanayuki Panko breadcrumbs
Pommery moutarde de Meaux
McVitie’s digestive biscuits

Raymond Blanc, Chef, Le Manoir Quat’ Saisons, Oxfordshire
Laverstoke Park Hebridean lamb
Valley Smoke House smoked salmon
Hill Farm extra-virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Waterperry Gardens apple juices
Rhug Organic Farm whole chicken

Giorgio Locatelli, Chef-owner, Locanda Locatelli, London
Manni olive oil
Cheeses from Gastronomica

Rose Gray, Chef-owner, the River Café, London
Natoora smoked pancetta
Olive oil
Gentleman’s Relish

Tom Aikens, Chef, Tom’s Kitchen, Tom’s Place, London
Duchy Originals wholegrain mustard with honey
Waitrose balsamic vinegar of Modena
Green & Black’s cocoa powder
Doves Farm Malthouse bread flour

Sam and Eddie Hart, Owners, Fino and Barafina, London
Joselito jamón
Hildalgo La Gitana Manzanilla
Urbina Crianza Rioja
Chorizo Picante

Allegra McEvedy, Head chef, Leon, London
Vinaigre de Jerez, AR Valdespino sherry vinegar
Mrs Elswood Haimisha pickles
El Rey de la Vera smoked paprika
Tesco prunes in juice
Suree Tom Yum paste

Michael Caines, Chef, Gidleigh Park, Devon
Tracklements beer mustard
Merchant Gourmet Sunblush tomatoes
Waitrose Fairtrade Swiss dark chocolate

Antony Worrall Thompson, TV chef
Geo Watkins anchovy sauce
Anila’s chilli pickle
Belazu rose harissa

Rowley Leigh, Chef owner, Le Café Anglais, London
Maldon sea salt
Cook’s Ingredients anchovy paste
Bread

Tom Conran, Restaurateur
Bragg organic raw apple cider vinegar
Wilkin & Sons Tiptree brown sauce
L’Himal salt

Claude Bosi, Chef, Hibiscus, London
Organic Smokehouse smoked olive oil
Bacheldre Watermill flours

Stuart Gillies, Chef, Boxwood Cafe, London
Oysters
Burford Brown eggs

Giancarlo and Kate Caldesi, Chefs/owners, Caldesi, London
De Cecco pasta
Nutella hazelnut spread

John Torode, Owner, Smiths of Smithfield, London
Vegemite
Guinness
Squid Brand fish sauce
Mrs Elswood sweet and sour pickles

Pierre Koffman, Guest chef, Mark’s Club, London
Maille walnut vinegar
Poilâne bread
Papillon Roquefort

Sally Clarke, Chef-owner, Clarke’s, London
Grey Poupon mustard
Maldon sea salt
Alziari olive oil

One half of the time travelling foodie duo is none other than restaurant critic Giles Coren. His dining pal for the series is comedienne Sue Perkins. Together they test fare from twelve periods of history, including Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian eras, as well as dishes from the Second World War and the Seventies.

The show has an educational purpose: to discover which dishes our modern diet could benefit from, and to learn from the mistakes of the past.

But that does not stop the programme from having fun, as it films the duo stifling their gagging reflex and forcing down pig jelly and glands while dressed to the nine in the costume of the age.

Perkins declared the Elizabethan era as the most unappetising, due to its reliance on exotic spices imported from the New World.

As for Coren, viewers can see him lending his professional palate to morcels such as cockerel testicle while sporting a frilly hat.

‘The Supersizers Go…’ starts tomorrow on BBC2 at 9pm.

Jamie Oliver has been credited for the revival of the fortunes of supermarket Sainsbury’s.

Shoppers are responding to the new advertising campaign featuring the chef preparing simple meals for under a fiver. Analysts report that more consumers are buying the products promoted by Oliver.

The supermarket, the thrid largest chain in the UK grocery sector, last week annouced a 28% increase in profits. It predicts further growth by 2010 despite the forecasted economic slowdown.