Grand Rapids, MI - The downtown Grand Rapids music scene may have a new venue to look forward to! This new venue will be called “The Pyramid Scheme" and could employ 35 full and part-time people. Mark Sellers and the brother-and-sister team of Jeff and Tami VandenBerg plan to launch their new business at 68 Commerce Ave. SW. This new venue is located across the street from the building that houses Stella's/Viceroy (Also new to Grand Rapids). Good luck to Mark Sellers and the VandenBergs!!!

Grand Rapids, MI - The hospitality industry in Grand Rapids has more job opening to look forward to. Financing has been secured to bring a P.F. Chang's Chinese restaurant to Knapps Corner. The new restaurant will be located in the new Knapp's Crossing lifestyle center. Knapp's Crossing sits on the very northeastern edge of the city of Grand Rapids, northeast of the corner of Knapp Street and East Beltline Avenue. Construction could start as soon as next month.

Did you know that the asian carp tastes like a cross between scallops and crab meat? Here in Michigan all we seem to hear about is the downfall and negative plublicity surrounding Asian Carp, its an invasive species, its size and rate of reproduction are overwhelming to Lake Michigan, its carp, and the list goes on. In Lousiana there is a promotion currently trying to rebrand the fish as a culinary delicacy. They're going with "silverfin," which does sound better than Asian carp.

This approach has been used before Patagonian toothfish was scarcely eaten in the U.S. before it was remarketed as Patagonian Sea Bass. Once this was done it was done it became so popular that overfishing become a concern. In vietnam and china the carp has been farmed and considered a delicacy for ages. What we as Americans and Michiganders are doing is confusing the Asian Carp with bottom-feeding, strong-tasting common carp. The Asian carp can grow as large as 50lb on a diet of mainly plankton, not garbage on the floor of rivers and lakes. Also, unlike commonly percieved the Asian Carps flesh is low in mercury content.

I say bring on the Asian Carp!

Grand Rapids, MI - GRCC's Secchia Institute for Culinary Education will be hosting the tryouts for the World Pastry Cup U.S. Team Saturday April 17. The public is welcome to view these masters at work with pastry, chocolate and sugar from 10am - 3pm and to view their finished creations from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. For more information visit the original article here .

Michigan, USA - May 11th will mark the 77th anniversary of the end of prohibition in Michigan while the rest of the U.S. was legally able to abide on April 7th of the same year. Michigan did however lead the way by being the first state in the Union to pass the 21st Amendment - by a vote of 99 to 1 with the lone vote being from the now great beer city of Hastings, MI. So this May 11th celebrate the end of prohibition by enjoying a pint of some of Michigan's finest micro brews!

Grand Rapids, MI - Playstation Pub is hosting a Dip & Salsa cook-off on March 18, 2010. To enter a dip and/or a salsa here's the rules: You may enter a dip and a salsa or two dips or two salsas or four dips and one salsa, no matter how many you enter, it's a $5 entry fee for each dip/salsa. If you want to come taste test and vote, it's $5 per person, all you can eat!!!! Sign up at the bar if you would like to enter!!! Cash prizes to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!

Dallas, TX - A new kind of "pop-up" restaurant called 48 Nights has opened in Dallas that I found to be quite unique. The restaurant will be open for only 48 nights, the furniture was donated from the Salvation Army, but the food is supposed to be the kicker. The courses are quite expensive but the profits are donated to charitable organizations such as the Red Cross. For more information click here.

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GRAND RAPIDS -- Eateries throughout Kent County would celebrate the region's first Restaurant Week in November under a plan being developed by the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau.The event is expected to be a celebration of the region's various culinary options, its chefs and Grand Rapids Community College's well-known culinary school.Read more at: Mlive

The NW Foodservice Show is coming up in April 18th & 19th. This Expo will be held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. $25 Registration Fee. If you would like more information follow this link http://www.nwfoodserviceshow.com/index.php

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