Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/523050
T ed Allen began his food television career as the food and wine spe- cialist on Bravo's "Queer Eye," which won a 2004 Emmy Award. Today, among numerous food-related activites, he hosts Food Network 's long-running series, "Chopped," which has fetched two James Beard Awards. He is a contributing writer for Esquire maga- zine and author of two cookbooks, including In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks (Clarkson-Potter, 2012). Here, he talks about his favorite food stores, making his own honey, and why new products inspire chefs and home cooks alike. How can a food entrepreneur or chef make their food stand out? I think standing out—for a food entrepreneur, restaurateur, chef, a writer, or anybody in this industry—that's the coin of the realm. All I can suggest is to follow your passion and make the quality job No. 1. Obviously there have to be beautiful graphics involved. There needs to be a story behind your product, just as there has to be a story behind every dish in every restaurant. And it should be a true story, and a real story, and something that is going to resonate with an audience. On "Chopped," we talk about presentation, taste, and creativ- ity, and all of those are very important but No. 1 is always quality and taste. INTERVIEW BY LOUISE KRAMER Ted Allen: Success & the City PHOTO: PETER ROSS q&a SUMMER 2015 123