FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BEYOND THE DISH ON NYC LIFE/CHANNEL 25
Eight Episodes Picked Up as a Part of “A Table for Two Steves” Series
Hosted by NYC Food Enthusiast Stephen Fried and Sopranos Actor Steve Schirripa

(New York, NY - June 30, 2010) – Beyond the Dish (www.beyondthedish.tv), a fun and exciting new cooking show, takes viewers behind the scenes of some of New York City’s finest restaurant kitchens. Now airing four days a week on NYC Life/Channel 25 (www.nyc.gov/vod), as a part of a half-hour series titled “A Table for Two Steves,” Beyond the Dish features Stephen Fried, New York City food enthusiast and Associate Publisher of Great Places venue directory. The second part of the program, Steve Schirripa’s Hungry, is hosted by Sopranos actor Steve Schirripa as he gives a guided tour of his favorite iconic restaurants to learn about Italian cuisine while preparing the chef’s signature meal. Schirripa also invites people off the street to share their cuisine experiences and dine with him. Eight weeks of programming has been picked up as part of NYC Life’s Thursday ‘All About Food’ line up.

In each Beyond the Dish episode, Fried, a food loving, Vespa-cruising host takes viewers behind the restaurant scene learning about what inspires each chef in the kitchen. Fried visits markets where he meets up with some of NYC’s most renowned chefs, talks about their inspirations and childhood food memories, shops for ingredients, and then cruises back to the restaurant and assists as they cook up one of the chefs’ noteworthy dishes. Beyond the Dish takes the intimidation out of the cooking process; it’s educational, fun and has a human interest element as well. It’s “No Ordinary Cooking Show!”

Chefs featured on Beyond the Dish include:
• Kurt Gutenbrunner, Wallse (Michelin star)
• Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern (Michelin star)
• Michael Bao, OBao and Baogette
• Bill Telepan, Telepan
• Marco Moreira, Tocqueville and 15 East*
• Marc Spitzer, Bond St.
• Jason Hall, Gotham Bar and Grill, and
• Sara Jenkins, Porchetta

“A Table for Two Steves” featuring Beyond the Dish airs Thursday nights at 9:30pm on NYC Life/ Channel 25 (or 22) in NYC. Repeat episodes run on Fridays at 12:30pm, Saturdays at 3:30am, and Wednesdays at 1:00am. Episodes are also available for viewing at www.beyondthedish.tv. Beyond the Dish is co-produced by IB Creative and Stephen Fried.

*This week’s episode, which airs on Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 9:30pm, features Brazilian-born Chef Marco Moreira of Tocqueville and 15 East.

Beyond the Dish is also running a contest to win a Dinner for Two at one of the seven restaurants featured on the show. To enter, fans can visit http://www.beyondthedish.tv/?page_id=426.

For additional information, please contact:
Ilan Lieman, Producer
IB Creative
646.729.9980
ilieman@ibcreativeinc.com
www.ibcreative.com
www.beyondthedish.tv

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXECUTIVE CHEF DAVID GILBERT IS SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE USA PAVILION AT EXPO 2010 SHANGHAI

Dallas, TX (June 30, 2010) – It is Expo time! As over 200 countries participate in the World Expo, officially known as Expo 2010 Shanghai, the United States will be well represented in its USA Pavilion by Executive David Gilbert, who will be showcasing New American Cuisine. Gilbert is traveling across the globe to begin his position at the Expo on July 1, 2010. He is excited to be cooking a compilation of American cuisine, taking local regional ingredients and presenting them in a unique way, focusing primarily on sustainability and sourcing only the best food products.

“I am honored to be invited to represent the United States,” states Gilbert. “It’s an once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am looking forward to sharing our New American cuisine with the world.”

The Expo with its 150-year history is a global, non-commercial Expo, regarded as the Olympic Games of the economy, science and technology. It aims to promote the exchange of ideas and development, allowing exhibitors to publicize and display their achievements and improve international relationships. Accordingly, the Shanghai event hopes to knit a stronger relationship between the United States and China, addressing vital global issues, from trade to climate change to security.

The theme of Expo 2010 Shanghai, which takes place from May 1 to October 31, 2010, is “Better City, Better Life,” representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments. The USA Pavilion will showcase American values, ideas, and culture to an estimated international audience of 70 million visitors.

Gilbert will be blogging and sharing photos from the Expo on his website, www.BeyondtheKitchen.com. He will be covering everything from his cooking at the USA Pavilion to eating local and traveling in China. Gilbert will be reachable via email, an Internet based phone number, and on Skype. For media inquiries, contact Shari Bayer at 212.245.1880 or shari@bayerpublicrelations.com.

About Executive Chef David Gilbert
Raised in Dallas, 32 year old Executive Chef David Gilbert credits his family with first inspiring his love for cooking – Gilbert’s grandfather owned a butcher shop and taught him to cook with simple seasonings and the freshest ingredients. Gilbert enrolled in the culinary arts program at Johnson and Wales University where he worked to master his technique. After graduating in 1997, Gilbert moved to Europe and landed a spot at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Vermeer in Amsterdam with Edwin Katz. In 1999, Gilbert returned to the U.S. to further his techniques at The Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, Atlanta where he worked under mentor chefs Michael Ganley and Joel Antunes and sharpened his leadership skills. Within a year, he was promoted to restaurant chef at The Ritz-Carlton in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

As Executive Sous at The Orient Express’ The Inn at Perry Cabin, Gilbert became known for initiating a fresh farmer’s market menu, which received national recognition. In 2000, Gilbert won a bronze medal for his cooking at the Chaine des Rotisseurs junior commis competition; in 2001 he took home the silver in 2002. Gilbert continued honing his skills in locales across the country before being named Chef de Cuisine at St. Louis’ Eau Bistro. After a year at Eau Bistro, Gilbert left Missouri for California, where he served as Executive Chef of The Beverly Hilton’s landmark restaurant. While there Gilbert served as the chef for the International Golden Globe Awards.

Gilbert returned to Dallas to become the Executive Chef at Luqa, entertaining the diners with his interactive dishes that involved tableside activation of rosemary aromas, sucking mousses from tubes, and breaking a crème brulée caramel that hovers a few inches above its generally attached custard. What set Gilbert’s food apart was that each of his dishes stood alone as a high-flavor, high-concept, sensual experience that aimed to please the diner rather than show off. He elevated lowbrow ingredients like barley, onion and bacon in a tender, concentrated risotto with pink slices of squab, and he sought out exotic products like kangaroo, paired with pillows of potato gnocchi.

Gilbert was the proud recipient of the national 2007 Rising Star Chef award from Starchefs.com. He has recently completed his six month culinary sabbatical across the globe in search for new and exciting ingredients and techniques. His travels brought him to Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Holland.

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