Heaven’s Kitchen

If you can't get invited to watch the filming of a Top Chef episode live and in person, the next best thing is probably the Heart of a Chef Festival. Organized and run by the Florida Heart Research Institute, the fest features some great opportunities for up-close-and-personal demonstrations from culinary...

By P. Scott Cunningham

April 16, 2009

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If you can't get invited to watch the filming of a Top Chef episode live and in person, the next best thing is probably the Heart of a Chef Festival. Organized and run by the Florida Heart Research Institute, the fest features some great opportunities for up-close-and-personal demonstrations from culinary celebrities.

The day kicks off at noon with a four-chef competition hosted by Hell's Kitchen's Ralph Pagano and featuring none other than Sandee Birdsong and Jeff McInnis of Top Chef fame. Perhaps even more enticing is the "Chef Interactive" lineup, which includes a demonstration on Italian salads by Fratelli Lyon's Ken Lyon and one on molecular cooking from some of the chefs at Trump International's Paradigm. Pair those with two wine seminars and you're walking out with enough knowledge to start your own restaurant, or at least stop burning the macaroni and cheese.

There will also be kid-centric demonstrations, and all of the food is true to the festival's name — heart-healthy. Since the alternative is hanging around the counter at your nearest fast-food joint for tips on frying, we think the choice is pretty clear.
Sun., April 19, noon, 2009

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