Be still our heart.  It’s chefs Mario Batali, Eric Ripert, and Tony Bourdain all together in a studio room full of cheffy  goodness.  It’s an excerpt from the debut of “Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert: Turn & Burn,” the series co-hosted by the renowned chefs on Martha Stewart Living Radio via Sirius Radio.  Does Mario Batali suffer from “fine dining fatigue?”   Watch the video for the answer, including true confessions from the celebrity chefs regarding street food vs. fine dining in restaurants.

The Hotel Cipriani is located on the gorgeous island of Giudecca in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy.  Chef Renato Piccolotto is the Executive chef of all of the Cipriani restaurants, where he proudly cooks authentic Venetian dishes, many featuring produce and herbs from the hotel’s garden.   Our friend Barry Frangipane from the delicious culinary travel group Savory Adventures interviewed chef Renato on his last visit to Venice, and has been kind enough to share it with us.   Chef Renato discusses how Italian food and consumer tastes have changed over the years, and gives valuable advice to new chefs beginning their journey.

We love this one. This new video featuring Rick Bayless was just published yesterday and comes to us via Earthbox, which is a maintenance free, water saving gardening system perfect for urban areas.

Chef Rick Bayless uses the Earthboxes for his urban rooftop garden for Frontera Restaurant in Chicago.  In the video, Rick speaks about how freshness is used to expose the Mexican culture in Chicago.   He discusses working with local farmers as suppliers, sustainability, and organics.  Rick also speaks about a  wonderful program that he has initiated to provide grants to local family farms.

For our recipe lovers, Rick Bayless has several authentic Mexican recipes on his site here, and we also have a collection of short recipes that he has shared on Twitter.   If you visit Chicago, treat yourself to Rick’s newly opened restaurant, XOCO.   It has received countless fantastic online reviews already, and features contemporary expressions of Mexico’s most beloved street foods.