Inspiration and Information for your Tabletop

This beautiful mushroom salad was created by sous chef Ashley Goddard of Climatec Café in Phoenix, Arizona for the December 2009 Deep Plate exercise.

Whether it's cars or coffee cups, German-made is know for quality, while cheaper imports are usually sold on price. But what does that actually mean?

The phrase “it’s all about the food” is often used when discussing the end goal of chefs, restaurant owners, or food and beverage directors. And while it is all about the food in most culinary circles, it certainly isn’t only about the food.

A New Year means fresh starts, bold resolutions, and perhaps a slight hangover from that New Year’s Eve party. How did you ring in the New Year? Did you start the year with a drink in your hand? More than likely, you did. And more than likely, that drink was Champagne.

This beautiful salad was created by Kelly G. Mullarney, the owner of Chef Innovation, Inc., in Orange, California. It was first published in the December 2009 Deep Plate exercise.

No wedding, anniversary, or New Year’s Eve party is complete without a glass of “bubbly.” Champagne is the ultimate celebration and luxury beverage. Regardless of what part of the globe you may reside in, Champagne is universal in its significance.

In this Deep Plate Spotlight that was originally published in 2009, we're reviewing several extraordinary plates from Domenic Battistella, Executive Chef of the Red Rocks Café in Huntersville, North Carolina.

Everyone has heard “The 12 Days of Christmas” before. But for all those drummers drumming and turtle doves, they forgot the best gift of all – beer! Seasonal beers come and go, but Christmas craft beers are always an extra special addition to an already special time of the year. Before you send that list to Santa, make sure you add some holiday “spirits” to that wishlist.

This complex pumpkin soup was created by Executive Chef Bradley Labarre of the Cabarrus Country Club in Concord, North Carolina for the December 2009 Deep Plate exercise.

This beautifully plated Chilean Sea Bass is from Kelly G. Mullarney, owner of Chef Innovations, Inc. in Orange, California.