Thomas Odermatt, chef/rotisseur, Rotisario

On July 17, Ubuntu will be the second restaurant in history to serve a “vegetables only” menu at the James Beard House in New York City. In honor of this occasion, Chef Jeremy Fox will prepare the same multi-course tasting menu, along with complementary wine pairings at the Napa restaurant the week before the dinner, July 7-11 and the week following the event, July 21-27.

Thomas Odermatt can talk turkey about chicken.

Thomas Odermatt, chef/proprietor, Rotisario

The wait for a table on the terrace at the Wine Spectator Restaurant at Greystone just got shorter. The restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone has doubled its outdoor seating for alfresco lunches and twilight suppers.

Shuli and Ronit Madmone

A form of insanity runs in my family. My parents exhibited signs of it, and my sisters show the symptoms as well. It didn’t skip a generation when it came to me, either. Apparently we all have a particularly quirky genetic mutation that results in a strange, compulsive activity.

Creamy-chunky, spicy-tangy — everybody loves dips. Hot-cold, spooned or dipped — the possibilities are endless. As a cook, I find dips a slam dunk because there’s nothing easier to prepare for impromptu summer barbecues. But my favorite part is that they can be made well ahead of time so I can enjoy my parties with my guests.