IN THIS ISSUE

1. Off the Menu: Foie Gras Banned in Chicago!
2. JobFinder Employer Tip: The Top 10 Interview Questions from StarChefs and our Rising Stars
3. Back to School this Father's Day
4. Italian Pantry Essentials: You Could Win a Trip to Italy!
5. Mango Seduction with Chef Craig Petrella of Norman's LA

1. Off the Menu: Foie Gras Banned in Chicago!
For years, chefs across the country have balanced personal beliefs with the desires of their customers when choosing the ingredients that drive their menus. From Chilean Sea Bass to veal, chefs in top restaurants have faced ethical dilemmas, debating between what they're driven to cook and what diners will choose to eat. In Chicago, a third party has entered the debate: the city's government. A city-wide ban on foie gras will go into effect on June 26th, thus freeing the kitchen from the problem, but also the right, of making the decision to serve this controversial delicacy.

Prohibition Returns to Chicago: http://www.starchefs.com/news/news/foie_gras/index.shtml

2. JobFinder Employer Tip: The Top 10 Interview Questions from StarChefs and our Rising Stars
StarChefs.com asked the chefs across the country to give us their top interview question. Here are some of their ideas to help you select the best line cook candidates:
1. What got you into cooking? - Gabriel Bremmer, Salts, Boston
2. Why did you leave your last job? - David LeFevre, Water Grill, Los Angeles
3. What do you think characterizes good food? - Gene Kato, Japonais, Chicago
4. What is your favorite ingredient? - Carmen Gonzalez, Carmen, Miami
5. What do you read? - Amanda Lydon, Straight Wharf Restaurant, Nantucket
6. What's your absolute strength? - Jill Davie, Josie, Los Angeles
7. How much drive do you have? - Ken Oringer, Clio, Boston
8. Do you know how to cook everything? - Jose Andres, Café Atlantico
9. What do you aspire to be at the height of your career? - Lidia Bastianich, Felidia, New York
10. What's your definition of a bad boss? - Tony Maws, Craigie Street Bistrot, Boston

3. Back to School this Father's Day
Unlike Mother's Day, Father's Day does not assure restaurants a steady stream of brunch customers from the first seating to the last. To make the most of a holiday that often focuses on a dinner of steaks and chops, consider hosting a morning cooking class for fathers and their children. Isabella and Olivia Gerasole, the James Bread Award-winning hosts of Spatulatta.com, have created simple recipes that children will enjoy making and their fathers will actually enjoy eating. So invite customers to go back to school this Father's Day, and create an anticipated, and profitable, tradition.

Invite Kids to Cook this Father's Day: http://www.starchefs.com/features/fathers_day/2006/html/index.shtml

4. Italian Pantry Essentials: You Could Win a Trip to Italy!
Tell StarChefs.com what's in your Italian pantry and be automatically entered to win a professional culinary adventure for two in the heart of Italy! Aged balsamic vinegar? Capers? White truffle oil? Let us know what you keep on hand to enliven Italian meals and you could win a trip for two where you'll tour top producers, hone your culinary skills at a renowned gastronomic center, and enjoy the culture and food of the Italian countryside.

What's in Your Italian Pantry?
http://www.starchefs.com/survey/surveypastry.shtml

5. Mango Seduction with Chef Craig Petrella of Norman's LA
Chef Craig Petrella's love affair with mangoes began in Miami and has followed him to his Los Angeles kitchen. As the chef of Norman's at the Sunset Millennium, he features mangoes on his summer menu, often paired with rich meats and fish. The sweet tang of the cooked fruit cuts through smoky, roasted flavors while the smooth, soft texture of the raw mango complements chilled dishes and desserts. In recipes like Hamachi Carpaccio with Pickled Beets, Mango Ice, and Cancha, Chef Petrella gives LA diners a taste of the tropics.

Add Mangoes to Your Summer Menu:
http://www.starchefs.com/features/mango/html/index.shtml