Halloween Treat Decorating Class
The folks at the Little America Hotel say “We’re thrilled to announce a one-of-a-kind Halloween event at Little America—our first-ever Halloween Treat Decorating Class, led by our talented Little America chefs!”
“This exclusive event is the perfect opportunity for your kids to immerse themselves in the magic of Halloween creativity. They’ll design and decorate eerie and delightful cookies and cupcakes, guided by our expert pastry team. With a variety of spooky toppings and decorations, each child can let their imagination run wild and create unique, take-home treats.”
The class takes place on Saturday, October 26, 2024 from 2 to 3:30 pm at the Arizona Room of the Little America Hotel. The cost is $45 per child (ages 6+), plus tax.
New Chef at Bambara
For the past few years – since longtime Executive Chef Nathan Powers left – Bambara restaurant seems to have a revolving door in the kitchen, with chefs coming and going like swallows to Capistrano.
Enter the latest Executive Chef, JV Hernandez. The team at Kimpton Monaco Salt Lake City – home of Bambara restaurant and The Vault bar – had this to say about Chef Hernandez. “With 15 years of culinary experience, Executive Chef JV Hernandez brings a diverse background rooted in American cuisine with European and Japanese influences, as well as personal touches inspired by his childhood with a fine dining twist.”
“Originally from Puerto Rico, the love for cooking runs in JV’s family as his father and grandmothers were chefs. Initially working in sales and revenue management, JV took a leap of faith to follow in his family’s legacy and pursued a career in gastronomy, graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in 2012”
“Since then, his career has spanned high-level roles working and learning alongside prestigious chefs, including a Chef de Cuisine role at Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver, where he cooked alongside James Beard award-winning Chef Alex Seidel and Chef de Cuisine at The Joule Hotel in Dallas where he was mentored by Chef Junior Borges, a James Beard Semi-Finalist for Outstanding Chef. Most recently, JV was Culinary Director at Rear View Mirror Concepts where he oversaw kitchen operations for Community Supper Club’s upscale casual French-American dining and Birdhouse’s casual dining concept in Lafayette, CO.”
“At Bambara, JV focuses on creating seasonal menus that highlight local ingredients, building relationships with nearby farms to craft unique culinary experiences with a local connection – something he’s very passionate about.”
“When he’s not leading a kitchen, JV loves spending time outdoors with his dog, Truffle, and enjoys activities like mountain biking, hiking and snowboarding.”
How can you not love a chef with a pet named Truffle? Welcome to Utah, Chef!
Beltex Thanksgiving
Last week I reported the sad news that Beltex Meats is closing permanently on December 23, 2024. However, there is still time to indulge in Beltex’ turkeys and hams for the upcoming holidays.
Owner Philip Grubisa says, “I can only hope through well sourced meat, I and my team, have brought you and yours a bit of happiness to the holiday table throughout the years. I can’t thank you all enough who have come back year after year. And to those just finding us we thank you for catching a glimpse of what we do here at my shop.”
For Thanksgiving 2024 Beltex’ offerings include brined & maple glazed hams and turkeys, 72-hour brined & garlic herb butter under the skin. Roast Ready. Hams are $18/lb. And turkeys are $14/lb (free-range, antibiotic & hormone free from Marshall, MN) and can be ordered via the Beltex Meats website.
