Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the biggest and most formal meal of the day. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite, it gradually migrated to later in the day over the 16th to 19th centuries. The word has different meanings depending on culture, and may mean a meal of any size eaten at any time of day. In particular, it is still sometimes used for a meal at noon or in the early afternoon on special occasions, such as a Christmas dinner. In hot climates, the main meal is more likely to be eaten in the evening, after the temperature has fallen.
Sara Moulton is an American cookbook author and television personality. In an article for The New York Times, Kim Severson described Moulton as "one of the nation’s most enduring recipe writers and cooking teachers...and a dean of food television and magazines".
A supper club is a traditional dining establishment that also functions as a social club. The term may describe different establishments depending on the region, but in general, supper clubs tend to present themselves as having a high-class image, even if the price is affordable to all. In the 2010s, a newer usage of the term supper club emerged, referring to underground restaurants.
Pierre Franey was a French-born American chef, best known for his televised cooking shows and his "60 Minute Gourmet" column in The New York Times.
Sara's Secrets was a Food Network show hosted by Sara Moulton who was the executive chef of Gourmet magazine. Sara’s Secrets aired from 2002 until 2007. Sara's Secrets offers the viewer recipes and techniques specifically focused to fit the viewer's busy lifestyle.
The Ghetto Gourmet was an underground dining experience in Oakland, California that ran from 2003 to 2008. Diners paid between $40 and $100 and were served a table d'hôte meal prepared by a professional chef at a non-restaurant location. Local restaurant chefs cooked on their days off. Douglas Adesko at Time magazine wrote: "Jeremy Townsend, the original Ghetto Gourmet, came up with the idea when his brother, a line cook, wanted to try some dishes. They started in their house in Oakland, California. Two years and one visit from a health inspector later, Townsend took his idea mobile, trying out chefs in other cities. 'My ultimate dream is to tour the country like a rock band, except with dinner parties,' he says."
Jun Tanaka is an American-born Japanese-British television chef, best known for presenting Channel 4's Cooking It as well as appearing in Saturday Kitchen on BBC One. He was the third Grand Champion of the American competitive cooking show, Chopped.
A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food, and who eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby. The related terms "gastronome" and "gourmet" define roughly the same thing, i.e. a person who enjoys food for pleasure; the connotation of "foodie" differs slightly—a sort of everyman with a love for food culture and different foods. Some, such as Paul Levy, say the foodie can still be a "foodist".
Kevin Dundon is an Irish celebrity chef, television personality and author, known for featuring on television series such as Guerrilla Gourmet and Heat. He is the author of the book, Full on Irish: Contemporary Creative Cooking and his recipes have been featured in publications such as the Sunday Tribune and Weekend magazine in the Irish Independent. He has also cooked for The Queen and both an Irish and a US president.
Michelle Bernstein is an American chef from Miami, Florida. She excels at Latin-style flavors of cooking. She is a James Beard Foundation Award recipient.
A pop-up restaurant is a temporary restaurant. These restaurants often operate from a private home, former factory, existing restaurants or similar space, and during festivals. Various other names have been used to describe the concept of setting up a restaurant without the typical level of up-front costs, such as guerrilla diners and underground supper clubs.
Charlie's Burgers is a series of private dining events originated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2009 operated by Franco Stalteri and Donato Carozza. In 2010, it was ranked by Food and Wine Magazine as one of the top three "word of mouth" supper clubs on its list of "100 Best New Food and Drink Experiences in the World". Each dinner event is hosted by a different high-profile chef and is held in a different location, with the location being secret until the last minute. Charlie's Burgers has collaborated with chefs recognized by The World's 50 Best Restaurants, The Michelin Guide and Relais & Chateaux, in Canada, England and France. In January 2010 it held a dinner event featuring insects for which guests paid $155. In July 2010 it expanded beyond Toronto to offer events in London and Paris. In August 2011, Charlie's Burgers launched its own Champagne, a Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs from a grower from Oger, Marne, France. Franco is a voter on the world’s 50 Best Restaurant List.
Joseph Johnson is an American chef and author best known for cooking the food of the African diaspora. He is the 2019 recipient of a James Beard Foundation Book Award, which he received for Between Harlem and Heaven, co-authored with Alexander Smalls.
Flynn McGarry is an American chef based in New York City. He has been called the "Justin Bieber of food" and is known for hosting dinner tasting restaurant Eureka in Los Angeles and New York City since he was 11. he has staged at Eleven Madison Park, Alinea, Next, Geranium, and Maaemo. McGarry describes his cooking as modern American cuisine. He is known for being a young restaurant owner in NYC, opening the successful restaurant Gem at age 19.
Cow by Bear is an American pop-up steakhouse founded in San Diego by an anonymous chef dressed as a Kodiak bear.
Coreen Carroll is a German-American chef specializing in cannabis cuisine. She co-created the Cannaisseur Series, an underground cannabis pop-up restaurant based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.
The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize culinary professionals in the United States. The awards recognize chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists each year, and are generally scheduled around James Beard's May birthday.
