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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 25
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Nikolai’s Roof lines up top chefs for pricey benefit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You can’t accuse Nikolai’s Roof of procrastination. The four-star eatery atop the Hilton Atlanta downtown threw a lavish cocktail party Monday night to announce its Food & Wine Lovers Weekend, set for Feb. 2-4. The inaugural event will combine cooking classes, wine tastings and panel discussions with winemakers, sommeliers and chefs from all over the world. The hotel is offering exclusive weekend packages (with hotel room and Nikolai’s Roof dinners included) for $1,200 per couple (or $995 if you book before Nov. 30). The weekend serves as a benefit for the American Heart Association.
One of the weekend’s participants, Christophe Eme, the chef/owner of Ortolan in Los Angeles, flew in for the gathering. Eme was named one of America’s best new chefs in 2005 by Food & Wine magazine.
As a result of the honor, the very self-deprecating French chef told us: “I got a very large ego. That is why they are going to install double doors here for the February event. I am extremely grateful my English is really, really bad, and I am naturally very shy.”
Eme and Belgian-born Nikolai’s Roof chef Olivier de Busschere proved to be so shy as they effortlessly charmed the caviar- and vodka-sampling females in the room that the event could already be sold out.
A series of interactive wine and food experiences leading up to the February event begins Saturday with a series of cooking classes and wine tastings. Call 404-221-6816 for details or go to www.nikolaisroof.com.
And since it’s a benefit for the heart association, we attempted to overlook the fact that Nikolai’s Roof servers tried to ply us with delectable samples of cholesterol-choked foie gras all evening.
Paula dazzles Regis and Kelly
Food Network dynamo Paula Deen didn’t allow a little fashion faux pas to interfere with her “Live With Regis and Kelly” cooking demo with curmudgeon Regis Philbin on Tuesday. When she arrived on the morning show, she was wearing the very same orange shirt she’s sporting on the cover of her latest cookbook, “Paula Deen Celebrates!” Recognizing the style slip, Deen told Philbin: “I just got so upset back there in the green room!” The pair then attempted to whip up a batch of Deen’s oven caramel popcorn for trick-or-treaters. After she chastised her assistant for skimping on the ingredients (“Put in all of that butter, Regis!”), the talk show vet threatened to put his greasy hands on the Savannah restaurateur. “Don’t mess up my one and only orange shirt now,” Deen told Regis. Kelly Ripa showed up in the faux kitchen at the end of the segment as Deen pulled a finished tray out of a cold oven. “It’s hard as a rock,” Deen complained, tapping the congealed corn. Eyeing Deen’s retina-damaging wedding ring, Ripa cracked: “Why don’t you hit it with your diamond ring, Paula!”
The Lady and Sons owner brings her book tour here with appearances at Borders in Buckhead (7 p.m. Friday), Wal-Mart in Loganville (noon Saturday) and Costco in Buford (1 p.m. Sunday).
And FYI: Our all-time favorite lunch companion has agreed to once again have a meal with us while she’s in town. On the off chance Miss Paula says something colorful, we’ll be sure to report on it.
Overscene
Kristin Cavallari, star of the MTV reality show “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,” dining on the patio at the InterContinental hotel in Buckhead. The backstabbing bad girl is a snooty sorority girl in the remake of “Revenge of the Nerds,” filming around town. On Sunday, Cavallari was also spotted at the Falcons-Steelers game. Alas, we attempted to obtain all the details Tuesday, but oddly, the female Buzz reader who was in the ladies room stall next to Cavallari declined to dish on the record.
TomKat: Making it official
Those “FreeKatie.com” folks better start working overtime. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have set the date. The Hollywood couple/chum for paparazzi will marry on Nov. 18 in Italy, Cruise’s representative, Arnold Robinson, confirmed Tuesday. Holmes will wear a dress designed by Giorgio Armani.
Holmes, 27, and Cruise, 44, became engaged in June 2005. Their daughter, Suri, was born April 18. She made her debut on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine last month. The photo showed Suri peeking out of a jacket worn by Cruise, with Holmes looking on.
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Marion Ross is 78. Singer Speech (Arrested Development) is 38. Actor Adam Goldberg (“Saving Private Ryan”) is 36. Country singer Chely Wright is 36. Singer Ciara is 21.
Contributing: news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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