ON HOW HE HANDLED FOOD REQUIREMENTS… I did bring a couple of ‘secret’ ingredients with me, however the vast majority were sourced locally. Executive Chef Ron Jacobson was an outstanding host and did a fantastic job of sourcing my ingredients for my Abacus dinner held at Camana Bay. The same can be said for the Ritz-Carlton staff who were exceptionally helpful and professional.

Rogalski's souffle made beachside...in 85+ degree weather. Now that's talent.

ON WHAT ANTHONY BOURDAIN AND ERIC RIPERT ARE REALLY LIKE… On their own I can’t think about either one without smiling, as they are both equally fun, witty, brilliant and entertaining while in many ways seeming to be the polar opposites. Then you put them together and a shift in the karmic atmosphere occurs. I’m not really sure what the quantum physics behind it is, but I can tell you there is some high voltage electricity!

ON HOW HE WAS INVITED BY ERIC RIPERT… Eric personally invited me which is about the biggest honour a chef could receive. He visited Calgary last February and we had a chance to connect over dinner at Rouge. Shortly thereafter, I was invited to this fantastic event.

The media chat with the bare-footed chef before his beach demo

We would post the lobster borscht but we ate it too fast! Our other fave? Seared sablefish, braised romaine, fennel fondue w/ an "interactive mushroom tea"

 

Serving up a little taste of Canada, Rogalski made Maple Syrup Snow Cones for dessert - Knob Creek Bourbon infused with maple syrup

ON ONCE LIVING IN GRAND CAYMAN… Grand Cayman’s food scene has come a long way since I lived there. There are so many options to choose from and I had nothing but excellent dining experiences at an array of restaurants. Besides all of the fantastic things one could say about the Cayman Islands, now you can add a thriving restaurant scene to the list.

Chef Rogalski on Seven Mile Beach

Dreaming of a getaway had us pining for these luxe travel goodies...

So like many Canadians, we’re headed to sunnier climes in search of azure waters and sugar sand beaches. Lucky for us, we’re on our way to Grand Cayman for the 4th Annual Cayman Cookout with Eric Ripert (of Le Bernardin NYC fame). He’s invited just a few of his friends along – renowned chefs Anthony Bourdain, Laurent Gras, Richard Blais, Michael Schwartz and many more including Canada’s own Paul Rogalski of Rouge Restaurant in Calgary – for a weekend of fine wine and food at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. We’ll be taking along some food journalists for an unforgettable epicurean experience - no chance of eliminating those extra holiday pounds just yet…

Watch this space for all the delicious photos upon our return, but if you can’t wait that long, follow our adventure on Twitter and Facebook as we swim with stingrays, eat lionfish, pop over to tranquil Little Cayman, hang out on the beach with culinary bad boy Bourdain, sample Rogalski’s celebrated ”Foie gras mulligatawny” and much more.

Here’s how to keep track of our upcoming foodie adventure taking place from Jan 12-15, 2012:

Twitter hashtag: #culinarycayman
Twitter accounts to watch: @spotlightcity @WESTeditor @chefrogalski @cayman_islands @markfathomco @fathomco 
Facebook: Cayman Islands CANADA page
To join us next year or for more info on Cayman Cookout

So where are you headed this winter??

Eric Ripert takes foodies out to Stingray City during Cayman Cookout held each January at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

Apple a Day – Who doesn’t love something shiny and new from the Apple store? Our favourite gift this year is Apple TV which we purchased recently and are AMAZED at all it does – watch movies, TV shows (hello, Damages Season 4 is out!) and stream photos, videos and music straight to your TV using your iTunes account, Netflix, YouTube and more. And, no surprise here, Apple makes it so easy to install and use. At just $119.00, this is a gift that’s affordable and easy to wrap. We also love the adorably colourful UrbanEars headphones ($59.95) for the kids on your list. If they’ve joined the ‘iGeneration’, this is the perfect accessory to their iPod, iPad, iPhone, etc.

A Little London – Everyone knows London is our favourite city in the world, so we love to share just a little luxury from the city we call our second home. Every lady or gent on your list will love Molton Brown’s fabulously scented soaps, shower gels, lotions and potions. Plus, they always have gift sets on offer (beautifully packaged so they just need a tag, saving you wrapping time) during the holiday season. Let’s put it this way, whenever anyone visits our office they always ask, “Where did you get that soap?”…so head to Holt Renfrew to pick up the perfect scent for the hard-to-buy-for on your list.

Let it Glow – We just spent a week showing fab Scottish design duo, Colin and Justin, around Grand Cayman (more on that in a later blog), and while there, they told us all about their new C&J Home candle line, now available to us Canadians. We got an exclusive whiff of the stunning scents and needless to say, these candles went straight to the top of our must-buy list. Our personal favourite is the Lime & Lavender, but we also adore the Bergamot, May Chang & Grapefruit scent as well as the Festive Spice, which is helping us get into the spirit despite being a little late to the rodeo this year! We admit it may be too tight to meet Christmas delivery as the candles do come from the UK, but we’re betting you’re going to want to keep these to yourself anyways! Plus, they make the perfect hostess gift for throughout the entire year. Visit the C&J Home website for more information.

Get the Scoop – Client Alert: Yes, we represent Hamilton Beach Canada, but their new coffee system is generating mega buzz this year on social networks so we just have to share. If someone on your list loves coffee (and who doesn’t?), the new Scoop ($69.99) or Scoop 2-Way Brewer ($89.99) from Hamilton Beach is the ideal gift. Individual serving coffeemakers are all the rage and understanding this, they’ve come up with a genius coffeemaker that allows you to use your own coffee, without having to resort to those wasteful plastic capsules required by other machines. You just scoop and brew into a cup or travel mug, no filter required. The 2-Way Brewer provides the option of the Scoop individual brewer on one side of the unit and a 12-cup glass carafe on the other. Bonus for the holiday stressed: you can order on their website (retail listings also provided).

Tie One On – Scarves are one of our favourite gifts to give (and get) and because there are no sizing issues to concern yourself with, it’s the perfect item for us panic shoppers! But not just any scarf will do, this year it’s all about the SNOOD. That’s right, you heard us. OK, it may not be the most glamorous name, but the “infinity scarf” is the latest accessory adorning our neck and keeping us warm. Just about everyone looks fashionable in a snood without even trying, so trust us, they’ll love it. You’ll find snoods in just about every retail shop this season but we’ve seen some stunners in Holt Renfrew, Anthropologie, Club Monaco and on some of our favourite shopping sites like ShopBop and Net-A-Porter.

Remember: if you’re shopping online at this late date, be sure to click “expedited shipping” to ensure your gifts make it under the tree in time.

Happy Holidays! (and breathe…)

First up was Toronto’s LG Fashion Week, where we worked closely with luxury swimwear designer, Tosca Delfino, on behalf of our client, The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. Partnering with her super talented “swim team”, lead by uber creative brand manager, Mel Ashcroft of Houndstooth Inc., we assisted in the launch of her new GRAND CAYMAN print swimwear as part of the Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

Tosca kicked off the show with a clever little video that got the attention of everyone and had the room buzzing with anticipation for her designs: models parachuting out of a plane in her swimsuits and landing in where else, but…Grand Cayman. It was a smart and cheeky way to illustrate synergy between the two brands and we were excited to play a part in making it come to fruition. The video (view it here) was the brainchild of Mel and Tosca with videographer Tony Cicero mixing in some movie magic.

Check out the photos below from the show and the after party (the entire album is posted on our Facebook page) - attended by Toronto’s fashion elite and our eternally witty friends Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan. Stay tuned for more exciting updates of our work with Tosca Delfino and the Cayman Islands… 

A swimsuit from the GRAND CAYMAN collection by Tosca Delfino

 

Justin Ryan (L) and Colin McAllister (R) with Paul Minich of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Canada

Laura Johnston (L) and Mark Johnston (R) of Fathom Co with Cheryl Torrenueve and Colin McAllister of HGTV Canada's "Home Heist"

The people who started Pinterest describe the site as a “virtual pinboard” where you can collect and organize the images you find on the web. It’s also a social network where you can Like, Comment on or Repin images posted by other members. The site is visually appealing and very easy to use – setting up an account takes just minutes. Then you’re ready to pin to your heart’s content.

Pinterest provides suggestions for what to name your “boards” – that’s the place where you “pin” your images – but you can call your boards anything you please. Our main account @fathomco (see below) has just 6 boards for now but some members have dozens or even hundreds of boards so they can catalogue their interests and keep track of images that inspire them. It’s a great way to showcase your brand visually, whether you are a business or an individual. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Members pin everything from the books they want to read and how they dream of decorating their house, to where they want to vacation and the products they want to buy.

We know, we know…another social media site to follow. We thought the same thing but then once we started using Pinterest, we realized the potential for business:

1. Trend spotting - Pinterest is a great place to see what’s hot and what’s registering on everyone’s radar. You can also follow what Pinterest calls “Tastemakers” – the members who get the most likes and repins. Yes anyone can become a Tastemaker, but you’ve got to start pinning!
2. Finding inspiration - Being in a creative business, we find Pinterest to be a goldmine for ideas. It’s also a great site to visit in the morning to jumpstart your brain.
3. Building content - Pinterest provides you with great visual content to feed out through your other social networks. So if you’re a business, you could post the top products for the season, best sellers, lifestyle boards featuring your products or even your trend forecast. Check out Nordstrom’s Pinterest account as an example. Best of all, every pin provides a link to your website.
4. Web tracking- Pinterest provides an easy way to find out who has pinned something from your site. Simply type this into your browser: pinterest.com/source/nameofyourcompany/and a screen of images will appear. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what the Tastemakers think of your new product line?
5. Online Collaboration - The site also allows you to add Contributors to your board so that it can be a place where you (and perhaps your client) can share ideas on a specific event, project or idea. Pretty cool huh?

And that’s just for starters. 
You do need an invitation to join Pinterest. We got ours through the site itself but you can also ask people on Pinterest to send you an invitation. There are also some great YouTube tutorials on how to use Pinterest.

And yes it has its issues from time to time, and its iPhone app needs some work (remember the early days of Twitter?), but we think the site is definitely worth a look. We suspect this is just the beginning for Pinterest so jump in now and establish a following for your brand. Once you get started, don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest: @fathomco @markfathomco

Happy Pinning!
(How are you using Pinterest? We’d love to know. Tell us below.)

We asked Philippe if he would share the latest trends in kitchen design and his tips for keeping your kitchen current. Here’s his post below:

I wanted to start off with a bit of focus on kitchen trends and some of the things I find interesting these days. I’ll concentrate on these two aspects because they can make the most impact: cabinetry and flooring.

Cabinetry:
The preference between painted or wood stains is very much a personal choice. However the trend right now in wood finishes definitely leans towards mid-browns and grey tones. Try using wood finishes in a low sheen or matte to enhance the natural qualities of the material. Glazing or distressing cabinetry is no longer in favour, save the distressed or aged look for architectural finishes. As for painted kitchens, we seem to be moving away from the white kitchen trend that was spurred by the heavily referenced kitchen in the movie, “Something’s Gotta Give”. There have been a number of really well received black painted kitchens doing the trade show circuits recently. Also popular is using a warm grey colour. I am currently completing a project where we are using Benjamin Moore 2137-40, Desert Twilight for all the kitchen cabinets.

A Riverdale loft we designed featuring a warm mid-grey colour on the cabinetry.

Photography by John Heineman 

Flooring:
Painted cabinets also pair well with wood floors in the kitchen. However, this material choice has its pros and cons. It’s easy to stand on for long periods of time while cooking, but it does get damaged and doesn’t hold up well to spills and sitting water. So I recommend going with a tumbled or distressed wide board with an oil finish. The inevitable scratches or dents that will happen over time won’t be as noticeable.

Moncer Flooring

Other great options are tiles, which I suggest you do in a large format like 24×24 or 36×36. Your installer will hate you for it, but the look is refreshing and contemporary. If budget is a factor, consider using linoleum. I know it does come with some preconceived notions of being dated, cheap or commercial, but the product has a lot of merit. Use sheet material in a nice bold pattern or colour and don’t try to hide the fact that it is linoleum. I believe in being honest with your materials – embrace it and pick something that only looks like linoleum could. Check out Forbo for some ideas. I love cement coloured tiles by Blatt Chaya – their designs would look fantastic as a kitchen floor. I also really like arabesque patterns, a hot trend this year that would look great on a floor, ceiling or back-splash, just not all three in the same room!

Nienkamper Tables

I’ll be back in a future post to talk about lighting, how to make it work and move beyond the potlight. As well, I’ll cover what’s new with appliances and how to integrate them.

Foregoing a drink at the bar – which was buzzing btw – we sipped Ayala champagne and gazed over the menu. MAZE offers a tasting menu with a suggestion to order a minimum of 7 courses. As someone who follows a gluten free diet and is a self-professed “flexitarian” (a term I love to throw around thanks to being introduced to it by my friend Lisa), I decided to order the vegetarian tasting menu.

What happened next was pure magic. Ramsay’s tasting menu had my mouth doing back flips and high kicks. Let me assure you, despite what anyone says about Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen persona, the man knows his food. This is not a meal you passively eat while chatting with your dining companion. Quite the opposite: you can’t help but become fully engaged. Ramsay’s sheer genius is he knows how to wake up your senses like no other – he grabs you by the shirt collars and doesn’t let go. Coupled with amazing wines, fabulous service (albeit a little too rushed when you’re in the first seating) and an invitation to enjoy a kitchen tour* after our meal, MAZE was everything we hoped it would be – and definitely merits a return. (*Yes I asked whether Gordon actually cooks on the line when he visits MAZE – the answer: “Of course madam.”)

Here’s just a small sampling of what I enjoyed from my 7 course tasting menu that evening: Duck egg Jerusalem artichoke veloute, persillade of ceps; Marinated beetroot, Sairass cheese, pine nuts and Cabernet Sauvignon dressing; Vanilla pannacotta, passion fruit jelly, blood orange and cardamom granite; The piece de resistance: Blackberry and apple crumble, blackberry sorbet, apple mousse, streusel, blackberry and apple soup. Yes I said apple soup!

The contemporary bar and lounge area at MAZE London

Duck egg Jerusalem artichoke veloute

MAZE doesn't disappoint the carnivores. My husband enjoyed this rack of lamb dish artfully presented of course.

Fathom Co’s other top restaurant picks in London:

Bibendum

The Wolseley

The Greenhouse

Brasserie Roux (Sofitel London St James)

Tell us about your favourite London restaurants…