Starchefs.com Returns To Los Angeles For The Rising Stars Revue

StarChefs.com, the magazine for culinary insiders, has named its 2006 Los Angeles Rising Stars award recipients. These up-and-coming chefs will serve their signature dishes at the Rising Stars Revue, a walk-around tasting event at The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Tuesday, May 16, 2006 from 7:30 -9:30 pm.

StarChefs 2006 Los Angeles Rising Stars include:

Jill Davie {Josie}
Lee Gross {M Cafi de Chaya}
Sean Hardy {The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills}
Mohammad Islam {Chbteau Marmont}
Ludovic Lefebvre {Bastide}
David LeFevre {Water Grill}
David Lentz {Hungry Cat}
James Richardson {Nook}
Jason Travi {La Terza}
Pastry Chef Elizabeth Belkind {Grace}
Pastry Chef Kristy Choo {Jin Patisserie}
Pastry Chef Ron Mendoza {Sona}
Sommelier Matthew Straus {Wilshire}
Bar Chef Vincenzo Marianella {Providence}
Host Chef Gregg Wangard {Ocean & Vine at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel}

The StarChefs.com Rising Stars Revue is a traveling series of tasting events showcasing chefs from around the country who are coming into their own as young leaders in the culinary field. Each Revue features a walk-around tasting including signature dishes created by the Rising Star Chefs and Pastry Chefs, carefully paired with premium wines by the Rising Star Sommelier. Tickets to the Revue cost $95 per person and are available online now at www.starchefs.com/risingstars.

A VIP Champagne and caviar reception will take place before the gala at 6:30 pm featuring 1996 Palmes d'Or Champagne from Nicolas Feuillatte and caviar from Tsar Nicoulai. VIP tickets are available for $135.

The Rising Stars were recommended for selection by the StarChefs.com Advisory Board, which is made up of over 20 of the country's most influential chefs including Daniel Boulud, Norman Van Aken, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Todd English, Ken Oringer, Marcus Samuelsson and Bobby Flay. Final choices were made by StarChefs.com's editorial team.

This year marks StarChefs.com's first return to Los Angeles since 2004, when it honored the following chefs: Govind Armstrong of Table 8; Michael Cimarusti of Water Grill, Neal Fraser of Grace, David Myers of Sona, Troy Thompson of Jer-Ne at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey, Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts of Amuse Cafi, Pastry Chef Thomas Gerard of Patina, Pastry Chef Julien Wagner of Opaline, and Bar Chef Brian Kimmet of Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante.

"Los Angeles' culinary landscape has changed quite a bit since we were here two years ago," said Antoinette Bruno, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of StarChefs.com. "These chefs are embracing simplicity and elegance. They are exercising restraint on the plate. But that doesn't mean aren't creative with their use of ingredients and developing new techniques."

In addition to Los Angeles, Rising Stars Revues will also be held in Boston, New York and Washington, DC this year. As part of StarChefs' commitment to encouraging future rising stars, the proceeds from the Jade Products Range Raffle at the Revues will be donated to local educational programs in the pursuit of culinary excellence.

Lead sponsors of the 2006 StarChefs.com Rising Stars Revue include Nespresso Professional, Jade Range, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Vineyard 7 & 8, and S. Pellegrino. Additional sponsors of the Los Angeles Rising Stars Revue include Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Cervena Venison, the California School of Culinary Arts, and Angeleno Magazine.

StarChefs.com is an award-winning online culinary magazine, serving the foodservice industry and food aficionados since 1995. It is both a backstage pass to the celebrity chef world for food and wine-savvy consumers and an essential information resource for aspiring professional chefs. StarChefs.com features 25,000 published pages of original, chef-focused culinary co