Author: Bryan Schaaf

Bryan is a modern-day Hamburglar, minus the mask and kitschy catch phrase. There’s not a burger on the planet he wouldn’t take on — even those token ones for customers with less-adventurous palates. In his spare time, he’s a soccer junkie, musician, husband and father of the most adorable little carnivores this side of Jurassic Park.

Boot scootin’ from Texas to Today Show

If you’ve spent any time following us here at GoRare.com or surfed the succulent variations of the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, chances are you’ve been introduced to Chef Rory Schepisi. You may have been a fan of hers since her Food Network Star days. If that’s true, consider yourself ahead of the game. Tomorrow, …   Continue Reading

Q & A with Chef Seeholzer

Cleveland’s long history is filled with dynamic duos … Big Chuck and Little John. Lanigan and Webster. Mark Price and Brad Daugherty. Ernest Byner and Kevin Mack. But it’s the culinary scene in this city on the shores of Lake Erie that produced Cleveland’s latest prolific pair. Chef Jonathan Seeholzer is a chef and partner at  The …   Continue Reading

On the cutting edge

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards, in high heels. * * * * * Remember when Julia Child was the exception to the rule — a rare female chef holding her own in the culinary kingdoms of the masters: James Beard, Paul Prudhomme and Graham Kerr? Not the case today, at least …   Continue Reading

For the love of Bacon

photo by Leslie Ryann Charleston and its surrounding metropolitan area has fewer than 800,000 residents — less than just about every other major U.S. city. Despite its {relatively} small confines, Charleston boasts a mighty reputation. It’s home to some of the most innovative and cutting edge cuisine and a cast of talented chefs of all …   Continue Reading

South Florida flavor

If Cindy Hutson was a musician, she would be the one who spent years playing gigs in small bars and pool halls, honing her craft before she hit the big time. She wouldn’t be the one-hit wonder who struck it big on some reality television show type. You may have seen Hutson on TV or …   Continue Reading

Stark reality

Mark Stark is less of a chef today than he was a year ago – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Especially if he’s working in a small kitchen. The man behind the hip Santa Rosa, Calif., based Stark Reality Restaurant group — which includes the classic Stark’s Steakhouse, Mark Stark has undergone a …   Continue Reading

Face of the mad meat scientist

To accurately describe Dr. Phil Bass, take two minutes and complete the following exercise: Empty one packet of Pop Rocks candy into a small Styrofoam cup. Add one shot of espresso, two cups of Mrs. Butterworth pancake syrup and a Ghost chili pepper. Shake well. Set cup on fire. Sprinkle with gasoline. There has, perhaps, …   Continue Reading

Turn on the Water Works

source Spend any time in Philadelphia and you’re bound to encounter Chef Darryl Harmon. Be it in newspapers, magazines, television or Internet, the executive chef at the highly acclaimed Water Works Restaurant & Lounge is in high demand on the local food scene. And Philadelphia, it should be noted, is regarded as one of the …   Continue Reading

Follow the leader

We’re cooking up something tantalizing here at Go Rare and we’d like you to come along on our virtual adventure. Wanna know more? It involves beef … tender, juicy, tantalizing Certified Angus Beef ®. Stay plugged in to GoRare.com in the coming weeks for more!  Continue Reading

Mess with Texas and get the boot

With a population of 936, the Texas town of Vega isn’t exactly the first place you’d consider for a world-class meal from a celebrity chef. Of course you wouldn’t be reading this if it wasn’t. Vega, situated on historic Route 66, is home to Rory Schepisi, a born and bred Jersey girl who came to town …   Continue Reading

Meet Chef Michael

Michael Ollier’s philosophy on cooking can be boiled down to two simple terms: quality and seasonal. Classically French trained at one of Cleveland’s iconic fine dining establishments, Parker’s New American Bistro, Ollier learned early on in his culinary career the benefits of using not only the highest quality ingredients from those who produce the best, …   Continue Reading

Chef Chat with Ric Rosser

Mention the name Ric Rosser around Texas and you may get a few hardcore foodies who’ll perk up and recognize the long, lanky chef with the southern draw. But mention his food, and you’ll set salivary glands blazing, because it’s quite likely your audience will have indulged themselves many times over. Rosser is executive chef …   Continue Reading

Burger chain is smashing success

The official physical home of RARE blog can be found in a town of about 25,000 people halfway between Cleveland and Columbus. It’s a beautiful area. We enjoy the fruits of all four seasons, have access to endless acres of rolling countryside and big city amenities are just a short drive up the interstate. We thought we …   Continue Reading

Toronto underground

According to Bureau of Labor, there are more than 85,000 grocery stores in the United States. And there’s a good possibility you won’t find any as unique as the one located north of our border in downtown Toronto. Unveiled just over a year ago as part of the massive Maple Leaf Square complex, the flagship …   Continue Reading

Heading south for supper

Few things conjure up more images of the deep south than a a Sunday afternoon oversized dinner table stuffed with all the fixins, friends and family gathered around to share in the feast. Although he’s a Yankee, our very own Chef Scott Popovic has been welcomed into the fold this weekend at the acclaimed Sunday …   Continue Reading

Proud to be a carnivore

If you do a Google search for “famous vegetarians” you get an endless list of high profile activists who have used their fame to promote their sans-meat way of life. From Pamela Anderson to John Salley to (this pains me to say it) Paul McCartney, there is a swell of people who not only choose to be …   Continue Reading

Time to make the sausage

Week 2 of the Great Food Truck Race took seven mobile, motorized kitchens and Chef Chris of the Cleveland-based Hodge Podge Truck from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City.  Unlike most follow-up episodes, (does anybody remember the SECOND installment of Small Wonder? Didn’t think so), this one gave us much more than its predecessor. For …   Continue Reading

Start your engines

(photo from Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race) If The Great Food Truck Race was a dinner, our staff here at GoRare.com would have just cleared the appetizer course. The premiere episode of the reality show satisfied a vacant niche on our palates and left us eager for more. There is drama. Lots of …   Continue Reading

Truckin’ and the grateful fed

Throughout history, mankind generally has had limited options when it came to dining out. In the early days, if the Neanderthal Jones family didn’t want to stay home and feast on grubs and stewed gravel, they could hitch a ride on the back of a Triceratops and roll through the drive-thru at McDinos or Tyrano …   Continue Reading

The chilly cheese guys

Aside from beef and beer I’ve got a real soft spot – or many soft spots if you catch my drift – for cheese. I love cheese. I love it in the block and shredded form. I love it in the crumbly form. I love it in the neat little individually wrapped slices. I even …   Continue Reading