Shortcuts to a Vietnamese Dinner

Premade simmer sauces have become a big thing for shortcutting Indian cooking at home. Now, Charles Phan, the founder and chef at the Slanted Door restaurant in San Francisco, has taken the same approach to Vietnamese fare. He has introduced four braising sauces, two for quick stir-fries and two for slower simmers; each comes with…

Chocolate Mousse on the Move

Johan Halsberghe — a Belgian chef who started making fresh chocolate mousse for high-end markets to sell in little plastic cups a few years ago — has outgrown his Brooklyn kitchen and has moved his production to East Harlem. His new space includes a small dessert bar in the front, where he sells the chocolate…

A New Company Vying for Your Dinner Plate

Suppose you just want dinner, instead of making your own or opening a delivered collection of premeasured components. Enter Ipsa Provisions, a frozen food company from Micah Fredman, a chef who worked at several restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, and Joshua Brau, who was at Chipotle and Blue Apron. Among the company’s mostly uncommon offerings —…

A Champagne Wish Comes True

Jen Pelka, an owner of the Riddler in the West Village, has long wanted to serve her own Champagne. She finally found a small grower-producer in France, and now, with her brother, Zach Pelka, she’s got a Champagne that’s exclusively hers. One requirement was that it had to be from a house run by women.…