James Beard is considered the father of American gastronomy and the prestigious awards given in his honor have come to be known as “the Oscars of the Food World.”  Michel also made the semifinals for last year ‘s award; the only other Kentuckian nominated for Best Chef Southeast is Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia in Louisville. Winners will be announced May 4 at the foundation’s Awards Gala in New York City.

To sample Michel’s culinary handiwork yourself, check out these upcoming events at Holly Hill Inn in Midway:

The fifth annual Fat Tuesday Feast begins at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 24. Lisa Laufer, Holly Hill Inn’s sous chef, will lend a hand in creating this dinner, a tribute to the foods of New Orleans and Louisiana. The four-course menu will feature Lisa’s famous crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, Ouita’s boudin with Creole mustard sauce and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. Drink specials, beer and full bar will be available. The cost is $40, and reservations are highly recommended.

On March 11, a Wine Tasting & Seminar will showcase wines of the Pacific Northwest. Limited to 18 people, the class begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by an optional meal cooked by Chef Ouita. Each session is $25, and includes six wines, as well as cheese and crackers. Dinner afterward is only $15 more. For reservations, call Donna at (859) 846-4732.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

“Artisanal American olive oils were on the market; small-batch bourbons, too,” the article quotes Mr. Jamie, who was a chef at the time. “And it hit us: soy sauce. No one in America was making small-batch soy sauce.”

According the article by John T. Edge, Jamie’s soy sauce “boasts an impeccable Kentucky pedigree. He buys soybeans that have not been genetically modified and soft red winter wheat from a downstate farmer whose family has been plowing Kentucky land since before the Civil War.”

Relying on limestone-filtered water from a nearby spring, he boils the beans, roasts the wheat and ferments the sauce in a converted factory in Louisville before aging it in old whiskey barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Woodford Reserve Distillery.

Priced at $5 for a five-ounce bottle, Bluegrass Soy Sauce is sold with a batch and bottle number hand-lettered on the label, just like the best small-batch bourbons. The sauce is available at various Kentucky retailers and through its website.

In the article, Edward Lee, chef owner of Louisville’s acclaimed 610 Magnolia restaurant, describes Jamie’s soy sauce as “more pungent, more smoky, more flavorful” than other brands in this country. “Kikkoman is like liquid salt,” he says. “This stuff has more aromatics, more umami. What he’s done is make soy sauce into an American product, something more aggressively flavored. We use it sparingly, but we use it.”

Bluegrass Soy Sauce is one of the latest additions to the Bourbon Barrel Foods line up. Jamie utilizes charred staves salvaged from spent bourbon barrels to perfume a range of spices and condiments with a Kentucky-distinct flavor. Other products crafted at Jamie’s Louisville-based company include smoked paprikas, peppers and sea salts, sweet sorghums, bourbon vanilla sugar, and condiments like Worcestershire sauce.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Juanita’s For Sale: An Old Louisville institution — Juanita’s Burger Boy — can be yours for the low price of $130,000. We found the listing at Craigslist. Juanita Hargrave is retiring. Let’s hope the buyer continues Juanita’s open arms policy, catering to early birds and late night drunks.

Ralph Loves The Ville- The stylish folks over at Ralph Lauren Magazine took a look at Louisville’s dining scene in their latest issue. With dozens of upscale dining options to choose from, the Philadelphia-based writer chose to highlight 610 Magnolia, Basa, and Proof.  We can’t imagine a negative experience at any one, but it’s too bad the writers couldn’t have made a few more stops. We hear Ralph Lauren himself has advised his models to stay away from the six-course meals over at 610.

Chefs Need Homes Too: Ever dream about how the city’s coolest chefs unwind at home? Velocity visited Jay Denham’s pad near Bowman Field, and got you a vision for that dream. The Park Place on Main executive chef has a garden that rivals his kitchen, complete with healthy grape vines, cherries and apples. Jay- our schedule is always open, so let us know if you want us to stop by for dinner. The mag also visits the homes of a local bartender, architect and rock star.

Napa’s Moving On Up: Napa River Grill is leaving the cozy confines of its DuPont Circle location for newer, flashier surroundings in Westport Village, finally, in a move that’s been on the drawing board for nearly a year.  Napa was opened in 1999 by Michael Grisanti, Simon Fields and JD Rothberg. Fields and Rothberg bought out Grisanti in 2002.  Along with a new menu, the new Napa will feature outdoor dining with fire tables (tables which surround a fire pit) and two bars.The restaurant will be open June 16.

Cool Off at Cumberland: The summer heat and unbearable humidity had us down, so we headed over to Cumberland Brews on Bardstown Road for dinner and a few beers. Try the steak and seafood quesadilla, which comes loaded with steak, shrimp, crabmeat and jack cheese. Wash it down with a couple handcrafted pale ales, or mix it up with a Nitro Porter. Great food, drinks, and interesting people make Cumberland a great choice for a summer night.

Found – Anoosh: Beloved local chef Anoosh Shariat has landed.  After months of local speculation and guesswork, we know now where he’ll be cooking, though we’re still waiting for details, like the name of the new place. It’ll be in Holiday Manor. In March, we found out that Shariat was shopping for locations.

Win Dinner at Palermo: We love the empanadas at Palermo Viejo, and we love winning contests. Take a shot at guessing the local celebrity in the silhouette, and we’ll buy dinner at the Bardstown Road hotspot. No extra charge for the view of the former local Hillary Clinton HQ next door.   Get the details here on Page One.

Even Iowa has Smoking Issues: Check out this Q and A on smoking bans in the Des Moines Register, one of those in the Gannett chain with the hip new look the C-J is putting in. What is the effect on businesses in communities with smoking bans in bars and restaurants? It depends. What is the chance of changing someone’s opinion on the issue? Zero.

Easter, Already: Easter comes early this year (March 23), so while I’m trying to figure out what to eat with my green beer this weekend, the Brown Hotel is touting its Easter Bruch menu, featuring a buffet with all sorts of tasty treats, from herb-crusted Mahi Mahi to Kentucky Ham with Honey Glaze. Or you can get the world-famous Hot Brown. It’ll cost you $32 a head, half that for kids. Check it out at the website.

Planning Ahead: As I said, I’m not thinking past Monday night’s bowling night and some St. Patty’s green beer, but it’s really not too early to make dining reservations in Louisville during the Ryder Cup. According to the C-J this morning, 610 Magnolia’s reservation book is half full for the week of Sept. 16-21.

Way more after the jump…

Easter, And Thunder: Want to have your fancy Easter dinner in your own living room? Park Place on Main has a deal for you. Just order the “to-go” gourmet feast and pick it up on Friday or Saturday. PPOM is also a great spot for your upper crust Thunder Party. While they’re selling corn dogs on the street outside, you can munch on gourmet snacks all day, a first-class buffet dinner and, to start with, four adult beverages. Just $80. But you’re on your own for parking.

Filling Your Social Calendar: The Bon Vivant Savant wine enthusiast club has four events scheduled in March, and plenty more in April. Next Thursday, for example, there’s a wine tasing at Jennica’s downtown. This is mainly for, like, single people, who don’t have their social schedules filled with carting kids around all the time.

Oh, for the Seafood at Morton’s: This’ll get your mouth watering. At Morton’s, they’ve introduced the Chilled Ocean Platter, featuring Lobster, Morton’s signature Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, fresh Bluepoint Oysters on the Half Shell and the sweet savory pre-split Alaskan King Crab Legs. ‘Nough Said. Reservations here:

Green Day on Parade: The best spot for the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, which runs from Broadway to Mid-City Mall on Bardstown Road, might be Molly Malone’s, or maybe O’Shea’s. Heck, there’s not a bad place on the Parade route. But Molly’s is treating guests to four bands on Monday and will open its back tent. 40 million Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland, and anyone who doesn’t claims to on Monday.

Happy Weekend!