Fantasy Dinner with 3 Men who Cook
Ranked #11,899 in Food & Cooking, #211,803 overall
The Joy of Men who can Cook
Almost nothing as far as I am concerned. Ah, the Joy....
But wait, ...
Even hotter is a man who... plans a gourmet dinner, has a great accent, does the grocery shopping, possesses a great personality, can make a mean sandwich & fantastic casual foods, and has an extensive knowledge about food, and the science of cooking.
Hhhhmmm, absolute Heaven...
- My dinner companions encompass all of these admirable traits. I've chosen them for this dinner because:
- I have been following the Chef's Challenges, so I have missed these shows, and when I happen to catch the shows in progress I can't help but stay tuned.
- I believe their diversity in personal styles and cooking techniques will make for a great meal with excellent dinner conversation.
That's as far as my fantasy goes.
Really.
I promise.
My dinner party will be attended by 3 very different, but talented gentleman. (I have no idea where my husband of 27 years is during this dinner party. He must be having his own fantasy dinner party.
Yeah, right. (I don't think I want to know the details...)
Please read on to meet my charming guests and enjoy the meal...
Original Idea concept goes to: jennysue19.
Photo Credit: Cooking with Curtis Stone: Easy, Everyday and Adventurous Recipes for the Home Cook available at Amazon.com.
Curtis Stone ~ The Take Home Chef
All around cooking Hottie
He runs into you at the grocery store.
Comes up with a menu plan right on the spot.
He goes home with you and prepares the meal with your help.
He cooks it and serves it to you and your significant other.
Did I tell you he is Hot? :D
I don't know why, but this show is no longer being produced, but you can catch it on the re-runs. I'm sort of thinking Take Home Chef might return in syndication since he is now the host of Top Chef Masters. I really do hope so. I'd love to see him exclusively on a regular basis again. :D
Click here to see more about him.
Guy Fieri
The Fun Guy's Guy who Cooks
Busy Guy.
Currently hosting his Food Network shows:
Guy's Big Bite
Guy Off the Hook
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
Tailgate Warriors...
and now, the non-cooking, Minute to Win It.
Fun to watch in all of them, but I think my favorite right now is Big Bite shot in a studio.
He's has his son(s?) appear, too. Aaaawww...
See more about Guy on his official website.
Guy Fieri Food: Cookin' It, Livin' It, Lovin' It
Amazon Price: $13.22 (as of 05/31/2012)![]()
List Price: $29.99
* 150+ recipes
* full-color photos
* lots of great cooking tips
Alton Brown
The Brains beneath the Chef's Hat
I don't know Alton Brown a well as the other two chefs, so I can't give you many details
I'll leave that to this Wikipedia article.
What I have seen has been interesting with a goofy, but scientific, take on the art of
food preparation. Oh, but I have been watching more recently on Iron Chef America.
I'm looking forward to seeing more.
The Setting

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Outdoor Dining Room... Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
Since this is my fantasy, this dining area is my well planned and gorgeous yard, next to a humongous grill station with a small sink and mid size refrigerator.
The cooking for this meal will be done here, and shared by me and my very willing dining companions. Because my husband and I love our house, a 1100 square foot ranch, I imagine it in pristine condition and decorated entirely to my marvelous taste, and for my husband, a four car garage to house his hobby and obsession...
Oh, and its located well south of it's current location.
The Main Course Entre: Crispy-Skin Salmon with Swiss Chard and Beet Reduction
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- For the beet reduction sauce:
- 1/3 cup/75 ml fresh beet juice (from about 3 red beets)
- 3 tablespoons/50 ml dry red wine
- 3 tablespoons/50 ml red wine vinegar
- * ~ * ~ * ~ *
- For the beet garnish:
- 1 golden beet
- 1 red beet
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon leaves
- 1/4 cup/75 ml red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup/75 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- * ~ * ~ * ~ *
- For the salmon and Swiss chard:
- 3 tablespoons/50 ml olive oil
- 1 bunch red Swiss chard
- cut crosswise into 1-inch/2-cm wide ribbons
- 3 garlic cloves
- sliced paper thin
- Four 6 ounce/180 g salmon fillets
- skin on and scales removed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To Make the Reduction Sauce:
Combine the beet juice, red wine and red wine vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces and forms a glaze.
To Make the Beet Garnish:
Using a Japanese mandolin, thinly slice the beets. Toss the sliced beets and tarragon in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk the red wine vinegar and olive oil together in another medium bowl to blend. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the beets with the vinaigrette to coat. Season the beets to taste with salt and pepper.
To Make the Swiss Chard and Salmon:
Place a heavy large pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons/30 ml of oil. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Immediately add the chard and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Strain the excess juices from the chard and keep the chard warm. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil into a separate unheated large non-stick sauté pan.
Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the salmon skin side down in the pan. Place the pan over medium-low heat. Increase the heat to high and cook the salmon for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skin of the salmon is golden brown. Turn the salmon and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until the salmon is just cooked through.
To assemble the dish:
Mound the sautéed chard in the center of 4 dinner plates and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the sauce and some of the vinaigrette from the beets around the plate. Stack the beet slices on top of the salmon and serve.
Recipe Credit: TLC Take Home Chef
Wine during Dinner
from Hearts & Hands Wine Co, Union Springs, New York
I must admit I'm a wine snob by locality. Whenever possible I will choose a wine from a New York Winery because:1. New York Wineries make fabulous wines in the Finger Lakes Region.
2. I live in Upstate New York, and have my entire life
I've chosen a 2007 Pinot Noir Barrel Reserve which won Best of Class in New York Wine & Food Classic.
I must confess I haven't have this particular wine from this company, mostly because of the $40 price tag, but I figure since this is a fantasy, I'll go with the best around. . .
The Desert
Served with an award winning Reisling
Yellow Delicious apples, Thompson Seedless grapes and orchard fresh tree-ripened Bartlet pears.
A fine selection of cheeses including Gouda, Edam, Gorgonzola, Brie, Muenster, and of course a New York State Sharp Cheddar.
Simple, but elegant and tasty.
Dessert Wine
from Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars, Hammondsport, New York
I haven't enjoyed this particular wine yet, but now that I know about the kudos, and very affordable price, it's on my "gotta-get-this" list.
Then coffee, after the dessert and wine...
and "Thanks for joining me in this marvelous evening."
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Picture Credit: Squid Chef created by SquidArtToo by Steve Thompson / tagsforkids
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Laddoo Feb 28, 2011 @ 4:24 am | delete
- Blessed by your friendly neighbourhood Chef Squid Angel!
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WordCustard
May 28, 2010 @ 9:25 am | delete
- What a fun read... and yes I do agree, Curtis Stone can cook for me anytime! :)
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RinchenChodron
Apr 28, 2010 @ 11:17 am | delete
- As a friend of mine always said - "I wouldn't throw him out of bed for eating crackers!" I envy any lady who has a man who cooks!
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purplelady Apr 19, 2010 @ 9:21 am | delete
- What a delicious lens. My husband is also my man in my kitchen. Thankfully, when I had grown tired of cooking so many meals and always responding to the question: "What's for dinner?"; my husband went from only being the grillin' guy to the man in the kitchen. Now I get to ask the question. This is a marvelous fantasy lens (I love Guy -Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is one of my fave) and I can see myself at your fantasy dining area with some of that wine of your area.
5 men who cook, 1 lensroll and some socializing. Great job with this.
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JaguarJulie Feb 28, 2010 @ 10:52 am | delete
- OK ... I'm in ... the next time you've got these guys cooking, please give me a holler.
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whitemoss Feb 26, 2010 @ 9:59 am | delete
- I loved this lens! My husband is a chef and great cook- and he often does the shopping too! Not quite as good looking as some of yours, but hey, you can't have everything!Congratulations on Graduation!
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RocketMoms_Graduates
Feb 23, 2010 @ 1:49 pm | delete
- What a fun lens!
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JenniferAkers Feb 22, 2010 @ 1:08 am | delete
- Love your fantasy dinner - nothing hotter than a man who can cook. :-) My husband, son, and I watch Alton's and Guy's shows. They're both entertaining to watch. Great lens!
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partybuzz
Feb 21, 2010 @ 8:19 pm | delete
- Very original idea...I'd like any one of these men to come home with me and cook dinner! :-)
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Feb 18, 2010 @ 10:32 pm | delete
- Sounds like a great dinner; can I come too?
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SoyCandleLover-Maker
Feb 19, 2010 @ 9:13 pm | delete
- Of course you may! Think we can convince these gentleman to attend at least once a month? With different menus, of course :D
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mistyriver
Jan 31, 2010 @ 11:51 am | delete
- I love this, very original! I lensrolled it to my Rachael Ray lens.
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skiesgreen
Jan 30, 2010 @ 3:25 pm | delete
- This is a nicely done fantasy lens with a touch of reality. 5* and fave
Norma
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WindyWinters
Jan 28, 2010 @ 11:32 pm | delete
- Cute. Gotta love a guy that can cook. Lensrolling to Curtis Stone & Guy Fieri lenses. :)
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kimmanleyort
Jan 28, 2010 @ 9:18 pm | delete
- What a great idea for a lens. These are 3 great cooks and I like your dinner suggestions. I had to marry a man who cooked so that I would be able to eat and drink well. Lensrolling back to choosing a pinot noir.
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KarateKatGraphics Jan 26, 2010 @ 12:28 pm | delete
- cute!! rolling this to Top Chef Guest Judges, and I think you should switch the lens theme to valentine ;)
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NaturalMommys
Jan 26, 2010 @ 12:35 am | delete
- Nicely done-very different! Will rate ya high!
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oztoo
Jan 24, 2010 @ 3:05 pm | delete
- Now here's a really neat fantasy. What more could any girl want? LOve the fantasy dining area too. Great lens.
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jennysue19
Jan 23, 2010 @ 6:43 am | delete
- Great successor to my fantasy dinner party lens - hope it inspires some more culinary dreams. Absolutely agree Curtis Stone is hot! We get him on the cable food channel once in a while. Well done, will rate and lensroll
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Mickie_G
Jan 21, 2010 @ 8:36 pm | delete
- I love hot men. Especially ones that can cook. My husband loves Diners and Dives and tries out the recommended eating places on his trips around the country.
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24websurf Jan 21, 2010 @ 8:01 pm | delete
- Ok, I'm with YOU.. if I could just get Alton Brown's brains, Guy Fieri's sense of humor (and glasses and car) with Curtis Stone's ..ummm.. face I would be sooo happy! Perfect dinner, I say! Love the lens!
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seashell2
Jan 20, 2010 @ 4:44 pm | delete
- Great focused lens... I had never heard of these fellow chefs! Thanks for the introduction!
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