There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
KITCHEN ON FIRE: Founded in 2005, Kitchen on Fire is located in Berkeley’s Epicurious Garden, an expansion and continuation of the gourmet cuisine legacy started by Alice Waters at Chez Panisse more than 30 years ago.Our mission is to help you integrate food that is both good and good for you into your life. When we succeed, you are better equipped to gift yourself good food and health for the rest of your life."
OLIVIER SAID: Prior to opening KoF in March 2006, Olivier Said spent eight years as an owner and bar managerfor Berkeley’s popular Cesar Tapas Bar. He has also co-authored three books – CESAR: Recipes from a Tapas Bar, named one of the Top 10 Cookbooks of 2003 by Food & Wine magazine, THE BAR: A Spirited Guide to Cocktail Alchemy and the last, Kitchen on Fire: Mastering the Art of Cooking in 12 Weeks (or Less) Born and raised in France, he is the descendant of at least five generations of restaurateurs dating back to the early 1750s in France. Said began his career at the age of 15 in his mother’s Paris restaurant. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s and worked at Ken Frank’s La Toque, one of the first restaurants in the country to feature California nouvelle cuisine. In 1987, Said returned to Paris and opened his own restaurant, the very popular Texas Coyote, which included three sprawling bars and a night club. It had frequent reviews in the press such as Gault Millau, Vogue, Le Point, Le Nouvel Observateur, Le Monde, Paris Capital magazine, Liberation and Marie Claire. Olivier Said was a regular guest host on the number two national radio station in France, Skyrock, live from his restaurant.
MAT WERTLEIB: Growing up in a family full of chefs and kosher caterers in New Jersey, Mat Wertlieb has felt at home in a kitchen since childhood. He first fell in love with the unique culinary scene of the Bay Area while working an externship at One Market Restaurant in 2000. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he spent a year and a half in Boston’s busiest restaurant, Grill 23, before the pull of Northern California’s food culture drew him back. He has worked for the past decade at some of the most successful restaurants in San Francisco and Berkeley, including Lark Creek Inn, Farallon, Lalimes, and Gather. Trips to Italy and Israel furthered his exposure and passion for the various cuisines of the world. Chef Mat now works part time at Gather restaurant when he is not teaching classes with the Kitchen on Fire team.
Plus, had enough ebates credit in my PayPal to bring this down to about $50. Can't go wrong at that price, right?! 😀