Giada in Chicago
Chicago fans of Giada De Laurentiis, the cookbook author and Food Network star, gathered on a warm October day to meet the celebrity chef at a cooking demonstration and book-signing for her most recent cookbook, Giada at Home. Read more »

Fast Food Chefs
Fast food might not be your ideal industry, but culinary innovation is possible in unexpected places, including fast food restaurants. Read more »

How to Saber a Bottle of Champagne
Impress your friends and future customers with this stunning technique. Instructions courtesy of the French Culinary Institute's Cooking Issues blog. Read more »

James Beard Foundation Scholarships
In 2008, the Foundation awarded 80 scholarships worth over $265,900. Fifty-three culinary students received cash awards, while 27 students received tuition waivers.

2009 Chef's Challenge Raises $50,000
The Orlando Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu program, along with the International Academy of Design and Technology, played host to the 2009 Chef's Challenge, which benefited the Threshold Center for Autism.

Threshold, a non-profit, has helped parents with autistic children for more than 30 years. The proceeds of the dinner, estimated at $50,000, will go to the construction of a state-of-the-art activities center for the developmentally disabled of Central Florida.

The Puzzle of an Impossible Dinner
Did you catch the episode of Dinner: Impossible with brawny Robert Irvine? In it, he was challenged by New York Times puzzle creator Will Schortz to cook lunch for roughly 500 (!) crossword puzzle experts attending the American Crossword Puzzle Championships. The real puzzle? To make each dish a clever and subtle clue to an actual phrase involving food.

Mexican Cuisine's Elegant Side
If when you think Mexican food, you think only of the late-night burrito joint down the street, or tortillas and guac, you are missing out on some of the most exciting trends in Mexican cooking -- namely the gourmet and authentic approach to Mexican cuisine pioneered by Rick Bayless of Chicago.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo All Week
Love Cinco de Mayo? There's no reason to limit the celebration to one day. And you don't have to be Mexican to enjoy the culinary arts of Cinco de Mayo. In fact, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the United States than it is in Mexico.