What’s Up With Battman
Visiting Staten Island for a Good Cause
My mission for the day was to deliver the check for a $5,000 donation to the Burn Center at Staten Island University Hospital from the sale of the NYC Firefighters Calendar. So I took the ferry to Staten Island, and then a train to get to the hospital. I’ve been making the calendar for 24 years, and so far have raised nearly $750,000 for the Burn Center and also the Fire Safety Education Fund.
Self-Publishing in the Kitchen: A Success Story
“I’m not a foodie,” insists Alan Batt, or Battman, as he is known in culinary circles. However, anyone looking at his oeuvre of food photography might be surprised that he counts a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries as one of his favorite meals. Batt, who began taking photographs professionally in 1981, boasts a varied career, with stints at his father’s sweater manufacturing company in Brooklyn and as a toy salesman in California.
Insanity Tour: South Carolina to Cincinatti
November 14 On the flight from New York to San Diego I went through my itinerary knowing that this was going to be the insanity part of the Insanity Tour. In my carry on suitcase I had I had 7 days of clothes, 7 plates for the chefs to use and my tripod. My cameras...
Moon Palace Resort and Meeting Chef Joan Roca
My trip to Cancun was the first of two trips to work on a book about the Moon Palace Resort and Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour who is my good friend and partner on his books. He was commissioned to revamp their pastry department. The hotel’s story is wonderful and very...
What a Night! The Great Gathering of Chefs 2018
Nothing brings people together like a good cause, and no one brings some of the city’s top chefs together like Alan “Battman” Batt. His latest iteration of the Great Gathering of Chefs, which took place at the Prince George Ballroom on April 24th, united almost one...
Two Days in Kenya
A couple of weeks ago Adam Bosse, owner of Coffee Afficionado called me. During the conversation he mentioned that he was going to Kenya to check out some new plantations and that he wanted to work with me. My response was “Wow, that sounds cool!" Adam’s response...
Behind the Scenes in Canada
I flew to Quebec to watch the printing of the new Antonio Bachour’s new book Bachour the Baker in Beauceville, about an hour outside of Quebec.
Wellness in the Schools Gala 2017
Bill Telepan heads up a wonderful charity, Wellness in the Schools, which helps schools serve better lunches and teaches kids the benefits of eating healthy. The annual WITS Gala was held September 24 at Oceana in NYC, and I was there to take photos of the food. A...
Master Chefs, Contra, and Thai Food – Oh My!
This week wasn’t very busy, but there were still some good things that happened. I went to see Chef Jean-Louis Dumonet, President of Maîtres Cuisiniers de France USA/Canada, to show him the press sheets for the new Master Chefs of France cookbook. The printing was...
Battman Gets His Groove Back
It’s been a while, a few years actually, that I’ve been able make the rounds and visit some chefs that I haven’t seen for a while. I was finally able to make it happen this week, and my first stop was Tavern 62 to see David Burke (and to have 3 scoops of ice cream while I was waiting).
