Culinary

Food & Cooking
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10 South Asian Food Brands & Chefs That Are Shaking Up The Culinary World

Bertie A. Kinser

South Asian influences can be found everywhere, but especially through food. Food is a labor of love. For South Asians, feeding and entertaining is part of the culture. No one goes to sleep hungry—ever. To honor the delectable cuisines of South Asia, I decided to dig below the surface to find South Asian chefs, business owners and innovators that are putting modern twists on traditional cuisines, filling much-needed holes in the food industry and creating an inclusive place to share and celebrate South Asian food. It’s time to expand your mind and your palate.

Below is a round-up of 10 South Asian culinary game-changers that are cooking up a storm. A Sri Lankan chef has taken up residence in a famous British hotel called The Dorchester and has revitalized the menu, while a MasterChef contestant shares her baked goods through her Instagram and cookbook. Meanwhile, a founder reclaims the

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Food & Cooking
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Pei Wei and Celebrity Chef Jet Tila Partner on Culinary Innovation and Menu Relaunch

Bertie A. Kinser

Published: Jan. 27, 2022 at 10:45 AM EST|Updated: 16 hours ago

DALLAS, Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Wok’s aren’t the only thing getting fired up at Pei Wei Asian Kitchen! Pei Wei is excited to highlight its partnership with Food Network star Jet Tila on a wide variety of NEW menu items.

Chef Jet Tila launched a trio of signature dishes, highlighted by the incredibly craveable, and...
Chef Jet Tila launched a trio of signature dishes, highlighted by the incredibly craveable, and low-calorie Thai Coconut Curry, along with the Spicy Korean BBQ Steak and Thai Basil Cashew Chicken. Chef Jet’s innovative recipes and unique flavors were an instant hit with guests.(PRNewswire)

On May 13, 2019, Pei Wei was acquired by financier Lorne Goldberg (who also owns Pick Up Stix, Leeann Chin and Mandarin Express). Combined with Pei Wei, the concepts boast a portfolio of nearly 300 Asian restaurants in the US. All restaurants are company-owned except for its airports,

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Food & Cooking
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A Jewish culinary renaissance is expanding the definition of kosher food

Bertie A. Kinser

By Noah Sheidlower and Radhika Marya, CNN

Leonardo Nourafchan wanted to do something different. After trying out jobs in real estate, the California native knew he wanted to break into the food industry, starting with catering from his home and creating blogs.

He worked long hours in the kitchens of New York restaurants, including Mike’s Bistro and Alenbi, then finally opened his Israeli restaurant Charcoal Grill & Bar in Los Angeles.

Nourafchan snuck Mexican-influenced dishes — inspired by the area’s culinary scene — onto his kosher menu. These included lamb shawarma tacos, which he said were incredibly popular. The restaurant shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, but by May 2020, Nourafchan was testing a new kosher Mexicali concept out of his former meat supplier’s kitchen.

Lenny’s Casita, a kosher Mexican restaurant, officially launched in July 2021.

“It’s kind of like a cross between a kosher Chipotle and Taco

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Food & Cooking
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Flavors from around the world have put Spring Mountain Road on the culinary map

Bertie A. Kinser

Walking through Shanghai Plaza, on Spring Mountain Road near Arville Street, it’s easy to lose track of the dining options. A Korean corn dog restaurant sits just a few doors down from a dessert store offering ube, matcha and black sesame soft-serve in fish-shaped waffle cones. A bit farther, you’ll pass a tea house, a Malaysian restaurant, two noodle shops, a Vietnamese eatery and a pair of Chinese restaurants among the storefronts of this two-story retail complex, which has become a popular day trip for guests of nearby Strip casinos.

“Tomorrow morning, by 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning, there will be about 12 limousines dropping off tourists,” says Joe Muscaglione, a partner in one of those Chinese eateries, Shanghai Taste, and one of the creators of the chinatownvegas.com website.

The stretch of Spring Mountain Road just west of the Strip has arguably become one of Las Vegas’ top

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Sunday September 19, 2021