He may have inadvertently paved the way for McDonald’s, but great Victorian chef Auguste Escoffier was so slight a man that he even couldn‘t reach the stove. He had platform shoes made and went on to cook his way into culinary history. In a time before Twitter or even phone service, Escoffier, who was born in 1846, quickly rose to become known as the Ambassador of French cuisine and was eventually knighted for it.Kaiser Wilhelm II once remarked to Escoffier: “I am the emperor of Germany, but you

LOS ANGELES -- Fast-food eateries are in the throes of drive-through Darwinism as more upscale upstarts, such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread Co., grab market share from the likes of Taco Bell, Subway and Wendy’s.Chains that are fancier than fast-food options but cheaper than sit-down alternatives are part of a hybrid sector known as fast-casual that is maturing into one of the food industry’s strongest.That category is tapping into growing demand for more healthful, specialty foods t

Connie Rice is known in Los Angeles as a brilliant civil rights advocate and agitator, but people farther afield have often confused her with Condi, the former secretary of State. Connie narrowly escaped being Condoleezza, a family name; the two Rices are second cousins (and hold disparate political beliefs). Connie Rice dispenses with any confusion in the first pages of her memoir “Power Concedes Nothing” so she can get down to the business of telling her story.That story begins with a family h

New BooksLast installment of ‘Child 44’ trilogy disappointsAgent 6By Tom Rob Smith(Hachette)There are two books fighting for attention in Tom Rob Smith‘s latest novel, and the fact that one of them is fairly compelling isn’t enough to prevent “Agent 6” from becoming something of a mess. The third and final work in what has been up to this point a bracing, original series, “Agent 6” turns out to be a disappointment. It‘s overcrowded with plotlines and stretches over too long of a timeline to sust

Renaissance Seoul Hotel’s steakhouse Manhattan Grill is offering special dishes using seasonal oysters through Feb. 29. Using fresh oysters that are brought in from the Tongyeong region, Manhattan Grill presents the “Oyster Cocktail with Caviar” and “Special Oyster Set.”The Oyster Cocktail uses natural oysters that weigh approximately 1 kilogram and the chefs dress the oyster on the spot to maintain the freshness and the rich taste. The six-course Oyster Set gives one a chance to taste the winte

TOKYO (AP) _ Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda replaced five members of his Cabinet on Friday in a bid to win more cooperation from the opposition to raise the sales tax and rein in the country's bulging fiscal deficit.Two of the removed ministers had been censured by the opposition, including former Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa, who claimed he was unaware of the details of a 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen on the island of Okinawa _ an incident that continues to deepl

The Grand Hilton Seoul is helping guests celebrate Korea’s traditional Lunar New Year holiday in style with a choice of four “Very Sweet Holiday Package” deals through Jan. 24.All four packages include tickets to visit the “Sweet Museum,” which is being hosted by the Grand Hilton Seoul Convention Centre. The museum offers Korea’s first food and art exhibition staged by famous food artists using cookies, sugar and chocolates. The Cookie Package offers an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room, while The

Expecting some 45,000 Chinese tourists to visit Korea during the first quarter of the year, the Korea Tourism Organization is offering special events.Celebrating the 20th anniversary since Korea and China set up diplomatic ties, Korea will have a Visit Korea Year ceremony in Beijing in February and hold cultural performance road shows in some 18 major Chinese cities. Simultaneously, the country is offering special discount promotions for China’s Union Pay credit card users. Those who shop with t

The Korea Tourism Organization has selected the top six places in Korea to visit during the first month of the year for locals and foreign travelers. The selected places are Seoguipo on Jeju Island; Goseong in Gangwon Province; Suncheon in South Jeolla; Hadong in South Gyeongsang; Taean in South Chungcheong and Paju in Gyeonggi Province. While these regions are scattered all over the country, they are all great places to make New Year wishes while watching sun rise, the KTO said.The Seongsanilch