Podcast appearances and mentions of laurent tourondel

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Best podcasts about laurent tourondel

Latest podcast episodes about laurent tourondel

Hospitality Hangout
From Michelin Stars to Instagram Likes, The Restaurant World with Chef Laurent Tourondel

Hospitality Hangout

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 42:57


Chef Laurent discusses his culinary world. He tells us of his early days in France to becoming a renowned chef and restaurateur in the United Stated. His blend in fine dining techniques with accessible, high-quality food experiences has led to successful concepts and his latest venture into Philadelphia. Laurent shares his thoughts on the evolution of the restaurant industry, the role of social media in modern hospitality, and the delicate balance between culinary artistry and business operations.Key Takeaways:Breaking News: Chef Laurent announces the return of LT Burger to Sag Harbor, reopening in the same location with the same great food this summer.Laurent discusses his new ventures in Philadelphia, including a 175-seat grill and a pizzeria focusing on pizza, small bites, and wine.Chef Laurent's Smash Smoke Burger, originally created for the Miami Food & Wine Festival, is now featured at Red Robin after they picked up on the concept.Advice for aspiring chefs – “Don't try to be a celebrity. Try to be a chef.” Laurent touches on culinary passion over fame, stressing the importance of focusing on long-term career goals and developing a clear culinary identity.Chef Laurent reflects on shifting dining trends, including the rise of casual dining, evolving dress codes, and the impact of social media on guest experiences.Hot Takes: Laurent plays “Hot or Not,” sharing his views on fine dining tasting menus, QR code menus, open kitchens, and plant-based proteins. He also discusses the impact of open kitchens on restaurant operations, guest experience, and kitchen discipline.The social media dilemma – The group debates the pros and cons of social media in hospitality, the increasing restaurant visibility and guests delaying meals for food photography. Chef Laurent discusses the challenge of balancing atmosphere and engagement in modern restaurants.Thank you for tuning in to Hospitality Hangout, brought to you by Branded Hospitality Ventures. Stay connected for more captivating stories, industry trends, and expert insights shaping the future of hospitality. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

Park Street Insider Podcast
What's Trending— How Spirits Brands Can Build Connections With Bars

Park Street Insider Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 39:14


The landscape of on-premise spirits consumption has undergone significant shifts in the past few years, challenging the long-held view that primary drivers of growth for spirits brands take place on-premise. The aftermath of the pandemic has seen consumers engage differently with bars and restaurants, learn to be at-home bartenders, display increased health consciousness, and grapple with inflationary pressures that affect their spending habits. These macro-level changes have affected brands' approaches to on-premise strategies. Despite the challenges, on-premise continues to offer unique opportunities for brands to educate consumers, facilitate product sampling, and drive sales. The question now is how brands can best leverage the opportunities presented by bars, restaurants, and other venues in this evolving landscape. To explore this topic, Emmett Strack sat down with prominent players in the New York City on-premise scene at Bar Convent Brooklyn this past June. This in-depth conversation delves into strategies for fostering meaningful relationships between brands and bars in 2024 and beyond, addressing the changing dynamics of the industry and exploring approaches to on-premise engagement in a post-pandemic world.Featured Guests:GN Chan, Co-Founder, Double Chicken PleaseSebastien Derbomez,  Manager of Brand Advocacy, William Grant & SonsJason Hedges, Director of Beverage, Laurent Tourondel & Founder, Bar IQMentioned in this episode:Double Chicken PleaseWilliam Grant & SonsLaurent Tourondel Bar IQWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Fill out the form below: https://share.hsforms.com/1MEb-81x2TXi3f15qO_yEpA4tip1Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

Menu Feed
Roast pig, ancient grains and Perkins' menu mission

Menu Feed

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 30:31


Despite what are usually characterized as the “lazy days of summer,” there's been a lot of menu action this week. Pat and Bret both attended an outdoor pig roast at Back Bar in the Eventi Hotel in New York City. The patio party was hosted by Chef Laurent Tourondel and his team, who operate the dining venues at the hotel. They started cooking the pigs at noon, inside a charcoal-fired China box or “caja chino,” which is a Cuban style of cooking pork. The pigs were roasted to perfection by 6 p.m. with burnished, crackly skin and tender meat. The cooks sliced the pork and sandwiched it in bao buns with a creamy, garlicky green sauce. Also on offer was chicken shawarma and elote, where the ears of corn were cooked over live fire and topped with cotija cheese and spices. Bret was a guest at Heritage Grand Bakery, a grab-and-go eatery that's connected to a full-service restaurant with wood-burning pizza ovens. The owner, Lou Ramirez, is into ancient grains and uses a product called “population wheat” for baking. It's a type of wheat that results from tossing 17 different grains into a field, and whatever sprouts up is harvested and milled. Chef Ramirez uses population wheat in pizza crust and in a whole-grain pasta that's served with a mushroom sauce. Both check the boxes for sustainability, healthfulness and abundant flavor. Our guest this week was Mindy Armstrong, VP of menu innovation at Perkins and Huddle House. Perkins is on a revitalization journey, recently changing its name from Perkins Restaurant & Bakery to Perkins American Food Co. But Armstrong points out that the bakery will remain a differentiator, setting the chain apart in the family-dining segment. Pies are still menu mainstays, as are breakfast and comfort foods, but the plan is to offer more portable items, lean into sandwiches and burgers and innovate the beverage lineup. At Huddle House, the R&D strategy focuses on the core menu instead of creating limited-time specials. And with both chains, it's risky to get too wild with flavor. Family-dining chains seem to be on a reinvention streak lately, with Cracker Barrel, Friendly's, Denny's and now Perkins and even Huddle House all refreshing their menus and images. It will be interesting to watch this segment in the months ahead.

Menu Feed
Low-alcohol beer, prix fixe steak and Laurent Tourondel's latest moves

Menu Feed

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 27:03


This week on Menu Talk, hosts Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, start off with a beer tasting. Bret discovered a low-alcohol brew called kvass in his new Brooklyn neighborhood, which is populated by Russian, Ukrainian and Eastern European residents. As Pat visited Sysco headquarters in Houston to get an inside look at how innovative products get into the distributor's supply chain. Steak seems to be an ongoing topic of discussion here on Menu Talk. This week, we chat about Michael Mina's newest branch of Bourbon Steak, which opened in New York City recently. Along with Entrecote and Skirt Steak, two restaurants that offer a prix fixe steak dinner. Skirt Steak is one of Laurent Tourondel's restaurants, and reservations are hard to come by. One reason: for $45 per person, diners get grilled steak, fries, salad and bread. That's a pretty good deal at a chef-driven restaurant in Manhattan. Tourondel started as a chef in France, but has since operated restaurants in several U.S. locales, including New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and South Florida. Listen as the accomplished chef-restaurateur shares his journey and talks about what's next. A bakery is in the works. But another French restaurant? Not so fast.

Defining Hospitality Podcast
Reimagining Spaces - Jun Aizaki - Defining Hospitality - Episode # 154

Defining Hospitality Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 69:07


For a vision to come to fruition, there must be a level of persistence to make it happen. Here to share his insight is a designer skilled in interior and custom furniture. Please welcome the Owner and Founder of CRÈME, Jun Aizaki.Host Dan Ryan and guest Jun Aizaki discuss CRÈME's award winning Gourd project. Jun dives into how he finds inspiration for new projects, shares his early career and what led him to be a successful designer, and reveals advice to future innovators on the mentality needed to be successful.Takeaways: Hospitality revolves around the service you provide for guests, and the problems you solve for them. By providing meaningful solutions, you make someone's life richer, more interesting, and more practical.Persistence is key when it comes to stating your vision. Having the mentality of not taking no for an answer goes a long way, by forcing yourself to try different directions, you may stumble upon new solutions. When it comes to working towards what you want, you may have to put in extra time and effort. While it may not be time that your getting paid for, if you continue to put in the extra hours, the results will pay offWhen creating a new project, inspiration should come from the uniqueness of the environment around you. Each design should tell a story and be special in order to capture the eyes of others.Creativity can strike at any moment, and having a way to capture it is crucial. Keeping a sketchbook or digital tablet on you at all times allows you to put pen to paper whenever an idea pops into mind. The gourd project was born out of a need to replace single use plastic drinking cups in the hospitality industry. By growing a gourd in a cup shaped mold, you are left with a disposable option that biodegrades safely. Good design comes from the minds of many, rather than a solo visionary. Encouraging communication and empowering your team creates products that draw on the strength of diverse backgrounds.Quote of the Show:“If you can dream something up, there's always a way to get there.” - Jun AizakiLinks:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creme.design/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jun-aizaki-a2820b5/ Website: https://cremedesign.com/ Shout Outs:1:28 - Kimpton Theta: https://www.hoteltheta.com/ 7:06 - The Rockwell Group: https://www.rockwellgroup.com/ 13:04 - David Allen: https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Allen/author/B001ILIG4C?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true17:06 - Kimpton Eventi: https://www.hoteleventi.com/ 24:58 - Laurent Tourondel: https://www.laurent-tourondel.com/ 25:52 - DLJ Capital: https://www.dljrecp.com/ 25:53 - Andy Rifkin31:45 - Bermanfalk: https://www.bermanfalk.com/ 35:37 - Sheraton Kagoshima: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/kojsi-sheraton-kagoshima/overview/ 40:20 - Morris Lapidus53:19 - Kosciuszko Bridge53:52 - Pulaski Bridge01:03:59 - Margaret McMahon: https://www.watg.com/people/margaret-mcmahon/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

The Good Vanilla
Episode 98 : Barefoot Contessa Burger Joint (Back to Basics ; Season 5 : Episode 7)

The Good Vanilla

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 31:13


This week Ina is talking burgers and sides. On the menu is seafood chowder, two types of burgers (with an assist from Laurent Tourondel), homemade buttermilk ranch over a wedge salad, and baked sweet potato fries. To wrap it up, we have a burger themed "Ask Ina!"

Pizza Quest
Marc Forgione, From Iron Chef to Peasant

Pizza Quest

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 47:01


Once upon a time, in New York City 1999, there was a restaurant created by Chef Frank DeCarlo, built around a wood-fired oven, called Peasant. Who knew then that this now iconic place would foreshadow a movement toward cooking with wood that has embedded itself throughout our food culture? Chef Marc Forgione, a friend of DeCarlo's and a regular at Peasant, was on his own culinary journey back then that included working for his father, the legendary Larry Forgione, at An American Place, and then on to France, apprenticing with the Michelen-starred Michel Guerard, then back in the states with Laurent Tourondel (think BLT Prime), and Patricia Yeo -- legends all. Marc then won the Next Iron Chef competition and appeared on the series, competing with mystery ingredients in the moment, in the deep-end, against talented challengers, honing his culinary improvisatory skills that he then manifested at Restaurant Marc Forgione, American Cut, and now, at Peasant, when Frank DeCarlo retired and handed his old friend the baton. You'll hear all about Marc's journey of finding and discovering his unique culinary voice in this latest episode of Pizza Quest.Click here for the video versions of Pizza Quest. If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.Pizza Quest is Powered by Simplecast.

Inside Wine Podcast
Marika Vida On Why You Should Taste Wines Blind - #022

Inside Wine Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2021 26:22


Have you ever tasted a wine "blind"? Do you even know what that means?  Marika Vida, a longtime wine director for The Ritz-Cartlon in NYC and now known as The Mom Somm, explains how to taste wines "blind" and why doing so will help you understand why you like the wines you like, and empower you to explore beyond your comfort zone. You'll also learn how to host an incredibly fun blind wine tasting party for your friends. About Marika Vida For the past decade, Marika Vida has been one of the most in-demand, highly respected wine professionals in the business. She has served as Wine Director of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park; Sommelier of the top-rated Laurent Tourondel Bistro BLT Market; Sommelier for the Philadelphia Ritz Carlton with ‘Top Chef' Winner Kevin Sbraga. She also developed the opening wine program at 10Arts with Chef Eric Ripert and Chef de Cuisine Jennifer Carroll. Under the auspices of her new consulting firm Vida et Fils, she most recently consulted as the Wine Director of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Her most recent project there was the critically acclaimed Phenomenal Femmes Program, which featured female winemakers from around the globe, including a popular dinner series. Marika also consults for Architectural Digest and Wines of Provence. She was recently the Consulting Sommelier for The Essex House JW Marriott New York. Marika is currently a Wine Educator for the famed Argentine Winery Catena Zapata and she is a member of the Full Circle Sommelier Network, working with Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein on projects for Wines of Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Soave and Monterey programs. She has served on Eric Asimov's Tasting Panel for the New York Times and been featured on Barrons.com for romantic wine picks. Marika's work as Wine Director and Sommelier includes much more than simply developing, managing, and selling the wine programs. Her enthusiasm for wine, unique ability to convey knowledge to consumers, and background in broadcast journalism have lead to the creation of some of the most popular, enjoyable seasonal programs to which consumers have access. These include The Ritz Carlton's wine and chocolate pairing course “Chocolate Takes Flight with Marika Vida,” the Viking Culinary Center's “Pairing Wine with Tricky Ingredients,” and a number of charity events, notably a highly successful, 5-course pairing menu with Chef Laurent Tourondel for the charity “Autism Speaks to Wall Street: 4th Annual Celebrity Chef Gala.” She also has served as a judge for the Starchef Sommelier Competition and Wine Director for the James Beard Foundation Book Broadcast and Journalism Awards. She is a Member of Les Dames d'Escoffier New York. In addition to her hotel and restaurant work, Marika is passionate about enhancing the wine education of consumers and colleagues alike. To that end, she has instructed for the American Sommelier Association in New York and the French Wine Society. She holds titles of Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and the American Sommelier Association. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators and holds the Advanced Certificate for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. She is currently enrolled the WSET Diploma program. Marika is that rare wine professional who has successfully worked in nearly all aspects of the business. She started her career in the competitive wine-auction world, honing her skills and knowledge as Marketing Director for prestigious Sotheby's and their then retail partner Alden Cellars and was Cellar Manager for premier New York retailer, Morrell & Company. She also works with corporate clients, aiding them in the development of menus and wine pairings for special events. Clients include Glaxo-Smith-Kline, NYSE, Prologis, IMG, Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCoy, R.R. Donnelley among many notable others. With her highly regarded reputation and unique ability to connect with everyone she encounters, Marika continues to work at the forefront of the wine industry, helping to shape it for other professionals and connect it more intimately to consumers. It's an all too rare combination in this highly competitive industry. Connect with Marika Websites: http://www.themomsomm.com/ | https://marikavida.com Instagram: @themomsomm (https://www.instagram.com/themomsomm/?hl=en) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marika.vida.9 Twitter: @Marika_Vida (https://twitter.com/@Marika_Vida/) Have a question, comment, or idea for an upcoming episode? Email me at joe@insidewinepodcast.com or leave a voicemail at 917-727-9242 You can also find more wine, food, and entertaining tips at the home of Inside Wine Podcast - https://Wine365.com Listen to Inside Wine Podcast on the Wine365 app, it's available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. If you enjoy this episode please be sure to subscribe (it's free!) and also pass along to a friend, thank you!

Unstoppable Real Hospitality
Fred Dex-Master Sommelier

Unstoppable Real Hospitality

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 73:55


Fred Dex is one of only 236 Master Sommeliers in the world. Fred’s career as a wine and beverage professional spans nearly two decades and has touched upon nearly every aspect of the business.He got his start early in childhood while growing up in a multi-concept family business Wolfey’s in Central Pennsylvania that included a video arcade and miniature golf course replete with a pizza and burger joint.After traveling and working in some of the US's top seasonal spots like Nantucket and Jackson Hole an offer to move to New York City to work at the four-star Restaurant Daniel was too good to pass up. The rest, as they say, is history.Fred has spent nearly 20 years in NYC working in some the the top gastronomic and wine savvy temples in the city. His many years and resume highlights include working closely alongside James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurateurs including Jean Georges Vongerichten, Danny Meyer and Chris Cannon. He then spent five years with his good friend and mentor Chef Laurent Tourondel as the National Wine and Beverage Director for BLT Restaurant Group where he helped develop and open over a dozen outposts across the United States.In 2009, Fred started a consulting business, Juiceman Consulting, with the mission of making the world a better place to drink. Fred has built an incredible array of diverse clients and has worked as the exclusive United States Educator for both Wines of Chile & Wines of Southwest France. He’s been consultant to Chef Laurent Tourondel, Motorino Pizzeria, Max Brenner Chocolate, The Grand Hyatt NYC, Tao Group, Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment, Full Circle Wine Solutions, Nespresso, Star Chef’s and more.Fred is an accomplished mixologist and cocktail enthusiast. He has had several of his cocktail creations published in The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan and Bill Hamilton’s Shaken and Stirred.His goal is to Rock Your Wine World!

Andrew Talks to Chefs
Episode 37: Marc Forgione

Andrew Talks to Chefs

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2018 69:10


After some emotionally draining weeks, Andrew & Caitlin dispense with their usual introductory chit-chat and get right to this week's interview: a fun and free-ranging conversation with Chef Marc Forgione recorded recently at his eponymous restaurant in lower Manhattan. Andrew and Marc discuss the blessing/curse of being the son of a legendary chef; his formative days cooking for chefs such as Paticia Yeo and Laurent Tourondel; the origins and development of his restaurants Marc Forgione (which turns 10 this month), American Cut, and Khe-Yo; and what "New York food" means to him. Oh, and they also get into the Forgione family's premonitory gifts (seriously). Here's a thought: If you like what you hear, please tell your chef-fascinated friends, subscribe to Andrew Talks to Chefs (it's free) on iTunes or Stitcher, follow us on your favorite social media platforms @ChefPodcast, and/or rate or review us on Apple's podcast store. Thanks for listening! Andrew Talks to Chefs is powered by Simplecast

Adult Harder
Throw a Swanky Cocktail Party

Adult Harder

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2017


This week, we bring on a surprisingly high-end guest, Percy Rodriguez, who has worked in wine, cocktails, and mixology with some pretty impressive chefs, including Mario Batali and Laurent Tourondel. With Percy’s cocktail guidance, we dive into the grown-up world of luxurious liquors and talk about the finer points of hosting a real swanky-ass cocktail party. This ain’t your college kegger, folks…this is the adult AF version of drinks with your friends, and there’s a lot to consider if you want to cocktail right. In this week’s show notes, we’ve got four cocktail recipes–three amazing drinks from Percy, and also one from Ryan, who is, you know, fine, but not a professional–and we also have a link to a Spotify playlist we put together for your next adult AF cocktail night!

The Line
Episode 37: Laurent Tourondel, Chef & Owner of L'Amico

The Line

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2017 40:20


A native of France, Chef Laurent Tourondel parlayed his love of food at an early age into a four year program at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine in Montlucon, France where he earned a “d'Aptitude Professionnelle de Cuisinier.” After graduating he received his first post in the kitchen as chef to the Admiral in the French Navy. Following this position he worked at several restaurants in France and then traveled to London where he cooked at the famed Gentleman's Club, Boodle's. This was followed by stints at the three-star Michelin Relais & Chateau Troisgros in France and the former Cello in New York City, for which he received three stars from the New York Times. Laurent is currently the Executive Chef and Partner in the BLT ("Bistro Laurent Tourondel") Restaurant Group, which has more than six restaurants in the United States and Puerto Rico: BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Fish, BLT Fish Shack, BLT Burger, and BLT Market. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Chef's Story
Episode 94: Soulayphet “Phet” Schwader

Chef's Story

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2015 48:09


This week’s guest on Chef’s Story is Soulayphet “Phet” Schwader. Born in a small village outside the capital of Laos, “Thangone,” Soulayphet Schwader immigrated to the U.S. at a very young age. Growing up in Kansas Soulayphet recalls a youth spent clamoring for a ham sandwich instead of the traditional Laotian lunch his mother would pack for him each day. It wasn’t until he secured his first job as a fry cook, while studying philosophy in college that the possibilities inherent in his colorful background began to materialize. Schwader began his formal education at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. After completing an externship at Dundee Bistro in Oregon where he was exposed to the nuances of wine and its relationship to food, Schwader came to New York to work under Patricia Yeo at AZ. Working with an award-winning team that counted Chef Pino Maffeo among its members. When Chef Maffeo headed to Boston to open Restaurant L, he recruited Schwader as his Chef de cuisine, who was able to explore his Asian roots, playing with flavors and ingredients that lent an eclectic distinction to the acclaimed restaurant. After two years under the tutelage of the famously creative Chef, Schwader returned to New York where he would take on his first post under his trusted mentor, Laurent Tourondel, at BLT Prime in New York. He was later tapped to open one of BLT’s first outposts outside of Manhattan in Washington, D.C. As Chef de cuisine for BLT Steak, Washington, D.C., Schwader’s influence was felt in the kitchen and on the menu, leading BLT Steak to become a popular destination for many Washingtonians. Schwader returned to New York in 2008 to work with colleague and friend King Phojanakong to open their highly anticipated restaurant Umi Nom. While at Umi Nom, Soulayphet explored his Asian heritage, incorporating flavors associated with great memories of food and flavors his mother would bring to the table growing up in Kansas and using all the techniques and influences in his culinary career to make Umi Nom a wonderful dining destination in Brooklyn.

Chef's Story
Episode 51: Laurent Tourondel

Chef's Story

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2013 46:53


This week on Chef’s Story, Laurent Tourondel comes into the studio to tell us his story! A native of France, Chef Laurent Tourondel parlayed his love of food at an early age into a four year program at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine in Montlucon, France where he earned a “d’Aptitude Professionnelle de Cuisinier.” After graduating he received his first post in the kitchen as chef to the Admiral in the French Navy. Following this position he worked at several restaurants in France and then traveled to London where he cooked at the famed Gentleman’s Club, Boodle’s. In the years that followed he worked under such notable chefs as: Bruno Tison at Restaurant Beau Geste in Manhattan; Jacques Maximin at Restaurant Ledoyen in France; and Chef de Partie at Restaurant Mercury at the Hotel InterContinental in Moscow. Tourondel then worked at the three-star Michelin Relais & Chateau Troisgros, before taking a post as Executive Chef of C.T., Claude Troisgros’ debut restaurant in New York City. Next came a stint as Executive Chef at Palace Court Restaurant at the world famous Caesar’s Palace Hotel & Casino, followed by his return to New York City at Cello. When this restaurant closed its doors, Tourondel saw an opportunity and spent time traveling through South America, Asia and Africa, to further develop his own cooking voice. He returned to the states to open BLT Steak, BLT Fish, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, BLT Market, LT Burger in the Harbor, LT Burger in Bryant Park, LT Signature and most recently Arlington Club. Currently, he is also the Executive Chef at Brasserie Ruhlmann in Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. In October 2007, Bon Appétit magazine named Tourondel Restaurateur of the Year. This award guaranteed his place among the top in the culinary world. Tourondel has published three cookbooks, Go Fish: Fresh Ideas for American Seafood, Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking, which earned him a 2008 James Beard Foundation Award nomination and Fresh from the Market: Seasonal Cooking with Laurent Tourondel. Tune-in to find out how Laurent manages his empire of restaurants, how he continues to find inspiration and creativity within food, and his advice for young chefs willing to break into the industry. Learn more about the award winning chef on today’s episode! This program has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. “Out of the job, I developed a passion. My next step was to go to France and work with the big guys.” [12:50] “Its not only about cooking. It’s a business.” [27:10] “You have to trust people a lot. You have to hire the right person. It’s not easy.” [29:05] “I think we all start because of the passion for food. At some point in your career, you reach a certain age when you want to control things, and control your own food.” [40:30] — Laurent Tourondel on Chef’s Story