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August 2014

Get To Know These Powerful Authors! Chefs and Food Enthusiasts

Adult Education: Lifelong Learning

The Back-To-School Issue: Our Favorite Teachers and Mentors

We Bring Authors and Readers Together

Author, Carl Waters

Author, Keyanna Ford

Author, Terry Hill

New Author Spotlight

National Book Club Conference

Tips From A Literary Consulting Agency

Foodie & Fête Magazine

August/September 2014

Your Open Invitation To The Celebration™

Food Visionary Leader

Joseph “JJ” Johnson Chef de Cuisine

Food Truck Feature Flirty Cupcakes

DJ Nixon, Food Critic Gives You The Scoop

Travel In Style 3 Luxe Getaways

YouTube Sensations 5 Style Favorites

www.foodieandfete.com

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A lifestyle catering company dedicated to the art and experience of intimate dining

EAT. LIVE. & LOVE IN LUXURY.

Web: Demure Delights | Email: damedemure@gmail.com

Demure Delights™

This magazine is a dream come true for me. It has been YEARS in the making and I finally decided to take the plunge into the publishing side of my business.

Anyone that follows my blog or any of my guest blog posts across social media knows that my background in journalism and communications has

always fueled everything that I do. When I decided not to return to corporate America several years ago, it was a major decision that did not come without many bruises and learning experiences.

My mission for this publication is to take all of the things that I love and put them into one space, much like my business. I took my degrees in communications along with my organizational skills and created an event planning and PR firm. This is more than a labor of love for me; this is what I was born and meant to do!

Anyone that knows me or has been a part of my monthly newsletter understands very well how I have meshed all of this together. In fact, it is at the behest of my many supporters that I am delving into this venture. I would always get notes back from newsletter subscribers about how I needed to start a magazine. Honestly, folks are waiting for me to write a book! LOL! That is definitely in the works and I will be sure to keep folks posted on that through the process.

So, it’s finally here, my publication along with the help of my Creative Director and AMAZING sister, Rhonda! She just puts the icing on the cake to everything and she is always up to being along for the ride!

This will not be a stuffy lifestyle magazine! We want this to highlight the everyday people doing extraordinary things! We want Foodie & Fête to be a leader for the home cook as well as the accomplished celeb stylist.

Anything surrounding the art of events, from the food, to décor…even the chefs that prepare the delicious fare, which leads me into our highlight. I am SUPER excited to share with readers, Chef JJ. We have been cool for a few years now and have worked together in the past. I always like to see good and deserving people do well and he exemplifies this in a major way!

Chef JJ agreed to be our cover feature story for this debut issue and we couldn’t be happier! Enjoy this journey with us! This is Your Open Invitation To The Celebration™.

Enjoy, Reneé Lowe - Founder and Publisher

Foodie & Fête www.foodieandfete.com

FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER Reneé Lowe CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rhonda Murray DIGITAL LAYOUT, DESIGNER AND COPY EDITOR OnyQueen Media (Graphics Division) CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Reneé Lowe, Rhonda Murray and DJ Nixon PUBLIC RELATIONS OnyxQueen Media (Communications) FIND US ON THE WEB!

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Food & Fête Magazine© is published by OnyxQueen Media, LLC. Views expressed in articles, photographs or advertisments are strictly those of the author and do not reflect any position of Food & Fête Magazine or OnyxQueen Media, LLC. Some links are affiliate advertising. No part of this publication shall be reproduced without written permission from OnyxQueen Media, LLC.

Publisher’s Note

©

6 Cover Feature Story Meet Food Visionary Leader:

Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson

9 Follow That Food Truck: Flirty Cupcakes

12 Wanderlust: 3 Top Luxury Travel Destinations Photo Credit: AlilaHotels.com

18 Vino and Vittles: Baker’s Crust - Food Review

21 Fashion Passion: YouTube Style Sensations

24 Explore Décor: Our Creative Director Shares Her Design Inspirations Cover Photo Credit: Laurie Ulster

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Photo Credit: Laylah Amatullah Barrayn

AMA

Food Visionary Leader

Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson

Chef JJ, a champion for the use of high quality and

flavorful ingredients, firmly believes that a chef

should cook with what is in season. A graduate of the

Culinary Institute of America he was inspired to

pursue his love for food by the cuisine of his

Caribbean grandmother.

Chef JJ's talents were further honed in the kitchens of New York's most highly esteemed restaurants such as Centro

Vinoteca, 'Jane' and Tribeca Grill. He has spent time in Ghana studying West African cuisine and showcased his skills at

Villa Monticello, Ghana's Premier Luxury Boutique Hotel and Spa.

Chef JJ is the winner of Rocco DiSpirito’s Dinner Party competition where he wowed the culinary elite with his eclectic

twists on straight ahead cooking. His specialty is taking the simplest dish and making it complex by applying bold

flavors and unexpected ingredients.

FF: Please tell us how you got started in the world of food. Who were your early inspirations? Chef JJ: I started off in the food world right underneath my grandmother. She would cook in the kitchen and she made it super fun, dancing and singing and getting me to eat food that I hated. As I got older I would make crab cakes with my uncle and then I went on to culinary school at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. FF: We recently saw your TEDx Talks presentation. What prompted you to cover the subject of slavery and its roots in cuisine? Chef JJ: What I am cooking now is the celebration of the African Diaspora. This is the biggest food conversation, its literally the roots of how everyone cooks today. The flavors, the techniques, the same traits that we use today in the most classic kitchens started from the history and origins of slaves, but no one wants to talk about it, but I am going to talk about it now.

FF: What are the main things you learned while on your cuisine

tour in Ghana?

Chef JJ: All of this truly amazing cuisine and flavors that I love and grew up with but was pleasantly surprised it was in Ghana, a thousand miles away. FF: Being the Chef de Cuisine at The Cecil in Harlem, NY. What has this experience brought to you? What have you learned on this culinary journey so far? Chef JJ: So many things. I’ve learned that Harlem is the true

Cover Feature Story

Chef JJ and his Grandmother

Chef JJ with the Villa Monticello kitchen staff in Ghana

Photo Credit: Laylah Amatullah Barrayn

Bio Credit: Culinary Institute Of America (CIA)

definition of support. We had a concept that is so difficult and has levels, and Harlem has been great in supporting the restaurant and myself. I’ve learned that you have to get up every day wanted to be great, and people will follow. FF: What is your personal favorite appetizer? Main course? Dessert? Drink? Chef JJ: If I had to sit down as a guest in my restaurant right now, I would start with the oxtail dumplings, and then go into the Feijoada as my entree. For

dessert, I would order the Goat cheesecake with hibiscus gelee and my cocktail of choice would be the Masi made with bourbon, fresh lemon, and pomegranate juice. FF: Please share with us something most people don’t know about you that they might find surprising. Maybe a hobby that we would unlikely associate with you? Chef JJ: I love to have a good time and I always want my friends to have a good time as well. I love diner food… diner hash browns are something I cannot leave alone and I coach a basketball team as well. FF: We know you work great with kids. What does this mean for you to give back to our youth? Chef JJ: Giving back is so key! I cannot stress this enough. The younger generation really is the future and they need to see someone young in the industry that cares about them. It means a lot to me. FF: Congrats on making the Forbes 30 under 30 and Zagat’s 30 Under 30 lists! You are helping to put Harlem on the map! What are some other goals that you can share? Is there anyone you would love to collaborate with? Chef JJ: Thank you. Goals...I always have goals, but it is more of positive energy. Thinking positive is so important on what you to accomplish, it literally gets me through my day. I would love to work with the great chefs out there, but I would also like to cook alongside my friends in the industry because we are the next wave.

FF: You have come a long way since winning Rocco’s Dinner Party a few years ago. Do you have any upcoming projects or appearances that you can tell us about? Chef JJ: I’m so grateful for all the amazing events that’s on my calendar. I have a few appearances: NYC Food and Wine Festival, Forbes 30 under 30 Summit in Philly, Food and Wine Miami (Meatopia) FF: What advice would you give to up-and-coming chefs on becoming successful? Chef JJ: Honestly, stay focused on the task. Everything will come true

for you through the food that you cook every day. Study everything, taste everything, observe everything and everyone. You can learn something from every experience. Passion + drive = success!

Connect with Chef JJ:

Twitter: @ChefJoeJohnson | IG: @ChefJJ | Web: www.thececilharlem.com | Chef JJ’s TEDx Talks Presentation

The Cecil Restaurant - Photo Credit: The Cecil

Photo Credit: Clay Williams

Broiled Giant Spicy Prawns, Yam Flapjack and Piri Piri Sauce

Photo Credit: Lucy Schaeffer

Oster® Silver Electric Wine Opener with Chiller {Click} To Shop

Flirty Cupcakes Dessert Garage was created to meet the

demands of their customers. When they say demands, they mean

demands. When that craving hits, their stalkers want their cupcakes

immediately and sometimes it isn’t practical to track down the van.

They know their customers love the experience of chasing their van,

so they wanted to continue to give them a one of a kind experience

in their bakery that resembles an industrial chic garage. It’s a really

fun place to hang out, relax, work, visit or just eat. For Flirty

Cupcakes on Wheels, it’s a great “garage” to park at when not

squealing it’s tires curbside.

Sweet tooth seekers…this one is for us! This

truck first caught my eye under the train tracks at

Quincy & West Adams, in the heart of the west loop in

downtown Chicago. Hmmm, who art thou?

A Tiffany blue truck dedicated to just cupcakes? Food AND Fashion? Oh, yes! I needed to track down this situation!

It turns out that Flirty Cupcakes has quite a

following. Specializing in the art of cupcakes, Flirty

has two booming locations in Illinois.

They regularly park this sweet truck around

the downtown area to tantalize the urbanites!

I recently tracked down the truck near

Millennium Park on the corner of Clark and

Monroe.

Alexis, the bubbly van driver and cupcake

connoisseur, welcomed me with a smile and

happily broke down the menu while posing for a

picture!

Follow That Food Truck - Chicago:

Flirty Cupcakes On Wheels

By Rhonda Murray

Bio Credit: flirtycupcakes.com

There were tons of choices but I went with the "Turtle" and oh my! The flavors were perfectly paired! It is

a chocolate cupcake with a caramel pecan filling, pillowed in a caramel pecan cream cheese frosting! Whoa!

Web: www.flirtycupcakes.com | IG: @flirtycupcakes | Twitter: @flirtycupcakes

What a treat! If you're near the Downtown Chicago Area - Follow THIS Food Truck!

Rhonda is the CEO of Demure Delights, a Chicago based cuisine and lifestyle company. She is also a self-taught chef and has traveled to various countries in Europe. She earned her degree in Multimedia Make-up Artistry for film, television, fashion and retail. She provides custom makeup instruction and advises on the latest fashion trends as well as fashion forecasting. Her work can be seen on the faces of countless brides, music video shoots and on the runway for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

Connect with Rhonda: Web: www.demuredelights.tumblr.com | IG: @demure.delights | Email: damedemure@gmail.com

Keurig K65 Special Edition Single Cup Coffee Maker

I’m a travel snob. I admit it and I am NOT ashamed! LOL! I have to travel a certain way and feel comfortable when I arrive at my destination. Now, I am not a difficult traveler and I don’t give hotel staff a hard time, but if I am not comfortable, it puts a damper on my trip. I have been researching luxury vacation destinations and I am in awe at the levels of luxury you can attain for the right price. Not everyone has the money to travel luxuriously all the time, but you MUST treat yourself every now and then to a first class vacation, even if it is every few years. This list of resorts caught my eye, so I wanted to share them with you. They are all part of the Alila Hotel chain. If you are not familiar with Alila Hotel and Resorts…GET READY! They offer some of the most top-of-line destinations for the traveler looking for an extraordinary experience. These are just three of their properties. Links are at the end of the pictures. Indulge!

1. Alila Manggis: is a secluded, stylish seaside resort in Manggis, East Bali – a soothing haven of serenity set amidst a coconut grove, nestled between the sea and the majestic Mount Agung, Bali’s most sacred mountain.

Wanderlust:

3 Top Luxury Travel Destinations

By Reneé Lowe

2. Alila Purnama: translated as The Full Moon, is one of the most luxurious live aboard Phinisi ships in Asia, providing ultra-modern and relaxing accommodation for up to ten guests. Handcrafted in the traditional style of a Phinisi, as used by the Bugis seafarers from south Sulawesi in Indonesia, the 46- metre-long Alila Purnama consists of three decks.

3. Alila Jakarta: Conceived as a haven of relaxation and contemporary style, Alila Jakarta offers a cool,

modern retreat for young urbanites and executives. The clean, modern lines of our stylish Jakarta hotel embrace an abstract-minimalist interior combining functional office space and chic living areas.

1. Alila Manggis | 2. Alila Purnama | 3. Alila Jakarta

How often are you duped by the acclaim of fine

dining - only to leave with a blank face, room in your

stomach, a dent in your wallet, and then hear that ever

so dry proverbial pat on your rear as you exit asking,

“Was everything to your satisfaction? “. If you could

use a break from pretentious elegance to enjoy great

food and amazing customer service, in a homey

environment - Baker’s Crust is the place to be.

Carytown in Richmond Virginia is filled with

specialty shops, clothing boutiques, art studios and

many dining options, but Baker’s Crust remains my favorite stop.

The in-house bakery produces around twenty types of bread and fresh desserts daily from semolina, garlic

parmesan baguettes and challah to key lime pie in a jar, cinnamon rolls and salted caramel chocolate cake. There

is also a plethora of options for the conscious spender like $3 mimosas during Sunday Brunch, discounts for the

armed services on Military Mondays, $8 entrees during Take Me Out Tuesdays and 5$ Pizzas and Craft Beers on

Thursdays.

Although it is slightly reminiscent of Panera Bread when you first arrive, I almost feel rude making that

comparison. The ambiance of Baker’s Crust is very pleasant, with seating comfortable and distanced enough to

only hear snippets of your neighbor’s conversation. The very

affordable menu is extensive; ranging from breads, breakfast,

sandwiches, soups, salads, wood-fired pizzas and gluten-free

selections. Saturday and Sunday Brunch highlights include frittatas

and signature omelets as well. Once seated, beverages are brought

promptly to the table with fresh focaccia and seasonal in-house

favorites, such as berry walnut or jalapeno-cheddar bread.

My personal favorite is the Asiago Chicken- a generous portion

of grilled chicken, meaty mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, asparagus

and hickory smoked bacon with an Asiago cream sauce served over

orzo pasta. I can’t imagine it prepared any other way – the orzo’s rice-

like soft pasta texture, meshes the best of both worlds with a savory

taste that complements the smoky chicken and sweet crunchy bacon.

If you close your eyes, you can enjoy a temporary escape from reality.

It is truly like a dash of heaven on a plate.

If you are a “seafoodie”, I recommend the Shrimp and Crab

Vino and Vittles:

Baker’s Crust – Food Review

By DJ Nixon

Rockefeller Crepe; a light savory crepe filled with tiger shrimp, lump crabmeat, spinach and hickory bacon. Sadly,

the Shrimp and Crab Rockefeller Crepe is not always on the menu. A great alternative is the Shrimp and Crab

Linguine, which consists of tiger shrimp, jumbo lump crabmeat, asparagus and hickory bacon, sautéed in white

wine, garlic, cream, Parmesan cheese and tossed with linguine. In both dishes, the freshness of the cream and

garlic mesh very well with the shrimp and lump crabmeat. It is also finished off with the smoky flavor of bacon.

Another great choice is the meatloaf; served over grilled rustic sourdough bread with mashed potatoes,

house dressing and topped with tobacco-fried onions. Baker’s Crust meatloaf was not your typical ketchup mush -

it was crispy outside with a juicy tender inside. The mashed potatoes were rich and creamy, and the sourdough

bread did a great job of absorbing the dressing without becoming soggy.

I was definitely surprised at how fulfilling a meal it was – I even caught

the neighboring tables curiously glancing over after hearing moans of

satisfaction.

When it comes to dessert, try the Jamaican crepe - flambéed

bananas in rum and brown sugar served with ice cream and topped with

chocolate sauce. I am not usually big on sweets but one chocolate

dripping forkful of the warm light crepe, sweet banana and vanilla ice

cream - and you are sure to understand why it’s a customer favorite.

It’s amazing how Baker’s Crust has evolved from a small

breakfast/sandwich shop confined to a 300 square foot storefront and now boasts five full service restaurants -

while consistently maintaining the same comforting “home” feeling at

each location. Validated by the smiles and genuine satisfaction on every

patron’s face as you enter the restaurant, “Eat Well, Be Happy” is a

mission accomplished. Visit your nearest Baker’s Crust location and “let

the good times roll. My “Bring her home to mom” rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Definitely, she will like her.

If there was a contest for world’s cheapest dad, I’m sure my own would be in the running. As a child, I was pretty much confined to the dollar menu or at restaurants. I was a “tall for my age” 7-year-old. I lived for the day I could eat whatever I wanted and when I acquired the means – eat I did. What started as a simple conquest to order steak from Applebee’s, transformed into a genuine appreciation for great food and high quality service. My personal and business relationships open doors to many different cultures that take me from “fine dining” to “hole-in-the-wall joints” in search of the best eateries. Not just the most publicized, but the underrated underdogs too. My food reviews go deeper than what’s on the menu – my “Bring Her Home To Mom” ratings are all about what is best for my readers.

Connect with DJ:

Web: www.smackedbyafoodie.com | IG: @openhandsmack | Facebook: www.facebook.com/dalton.nixon

1 Star = No Way Jose 2 Stars = Is it Worth the Risk?

3 Stars = It Could Go Either Way 4 Stars = Definitely, She Will Like Her

5 Stars = Love at First Bite!

www.bakerscrust.com

{Click} To Shop

Social media has become the go-to platform to reach the masses with information. Social media has also

become a lucretive business avenue for many brands in the foodie and fashion world. Major companies are

realizing that to reach the eveyday people, you have to live as the natives do and walk where they walk.

YouTube is at the top of list for me when it comes to social media. It has become a bit of an obsession for

me…LOL! I watch it more than regular television! I find the down-to-earth nature of the channels to be refreshing and insigtful. I have learned more about ways to style my natural hair, food and wine pairings, along with discovering great discount codes to shops that I would normally have overlooked.

I will be featuring many more of my favorite YouTubers in the coming issues of the magazine, but these

five ladies are definitely in my top list for style and fashion. Enjoy and be sure to check out their channels!

Focus: Beauty, Fashion, Travel and Photography

Web: www.youtube.com/user/shirleybeniang | IG: @ShirleyBEniang Email: s.b.eniang@live.co.uk (General Email)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Focus: Beauty DIY, Reviews and Lifestyle

Web: www.youtube.com/user/AprilAthena7 | IG: @aprilathena7 Email: management@AA7media.com (General Email and Business)

Fashion Passion:

YouTube Style Sensations

By Reneé Lowe

Focus: Beauty, Reviews and Fashion

Web: www.youtube.com/user/Naptural85 | IG: @Naptural85 Email: Naptural85@gmail.com (Business Only)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Focus: Beauty and Fashion

Web: www.youtube.com/user/NaturallyFashionable | IG: @NaturallyFashionable Email: thenaturalfashionista@gmail.com

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Focus: Beauty (Makeup)

Web: www.youtube.com/user/tinatina90 | IG: @msqueeniirozenblad Email: queeniirozenblad@gmail.com (Business Email)

{Click} To Shop

Everyone has a personal style. From the uptown chic to the downtown boho, style is something that just

is, whether you choose it or not. Our Creative Director, Rhonda recently made the big move from New York City

to Chicago and she loves it! Her personal style is always impressive and we felt this would be a great way to debut

this section of the magazine called: Explore Décor.

This is where we will feature the décor of homes, chic businesses and anyone that wants to share their

design inspiration. You don’t have to be a professional designer to have style, but an eye for detail does make it

fun and exciting! We have created a bit of a look-book on the next few pages…Check out Rhonda’s new digs in

Chi-Town and share with us what you think!

Décor Shopping

Explore Décor:

Our Creative Director Gives Us

A Peek Into Her Home Design

Foyer Mirror

Coffee Table

Dining Room Table (Extension)

Bathroom Shelves

Built-in Book Shelf

Sofa Pillows

Dining Room Window and Table

Dresser and Mirror

Want to show off your design style? Send five high resolution pictures for consideration to:

info@onyxqueenmedia.com

Connect With Us

Official Website:

www.foodieandfete.com

Twitter:

@FoodieFeteMag

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/foodieandfete

For Ad Rate Inquiries or to Send Artwork: info@onyxqueenmedia.com

Director’s Cut:

Meet Dee Dee M. Scott