It is early Wednesday morning, and I am standing in a kitchen area in the Miami-Beach Convention Center, watching some 50 FIU students getting to work on food prep for Friday nights' Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ event at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. I am not the only one looking on -- FIU chef-instructor Michael Moran, chef and culinary coordinator of the Festival, is keeping a close eye on things. He is, at the same time, on the phone going over innumerable details with a host of peo
Executive chef and Iron Fork finalist John Critchley of Area 31.​Last night, New Times held the pre-chef challenge for its Iron Fork event at La Cuisine Gourmet in Coral Gables. Four chefs competed: executive chef Maria Manso of the Blue Door at the Delano, executive chef John Critchley of Area 31, executive chef Sean Brasel of Meat Market, and executive chef Giancarla Bodini of Escopazzo. In the end Critchley and Bodini came out on top. Both will face off at the actual Iron Fork on October 15
