People reported the other day of the birth of Giada De Laurentis‘ daughter:

“De Laurentiis and husband Todd Thompson welcomed their first child, a healthy baby girl, on Saturday March 29 in Los Angeles,” her rep tells People. “Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson weighed in at 5lbs, 13oz.” The baby is the first for the Food Network star and Today show contributor, 37, and her husband since 2003, Todd Thompson, 44, a clothing designer.

As part of yesterday’s April Fool’s Day, various newspapers online around the world pulled their stunts. The one we found most interesting (and germaine) was the Independent UK’s gag which stated the Australian Parliament was refusing to allow “foul-mouthed” Gordon Ramsay to have a restaurant in Sydney citing obscentity rules. In response Ramsay is to have then not only put a ban on any employee in any of his kitchens should they curse, himself included, but also charging penalties against any of his patrons if they cursed in his restaurant dining rooms. …. Ramsay not curse?! Puh-leeze! When braised pork cheeks fly!

We’ve seen or heard of the clam bar, the oyster bar … Nancy Silverton sold the Pizzeria Mozza idea to partner Mario Batali with the concept of the mozzarella bar … Now (sigh) Burger King is (really, it’s true) going to create Whopper Bars. From the Wall Street Journal:

The menu and size of the Whopper Bars will be smaller than a typical Burger King, but they will sell Whoppers not typically available at all times in the chain’s traditional restaurants. Executives say they haven’t finalized the menu, though it could include as many as 10 types of Whoppers, such as the Western Whopper, the Texas Double Whopper and the Angry Whopper, a version topped with spicy onions. One menu sketch has a section called “Pimp Your Whopper,” where patrons can chose from additional toppings like jalapeno peppers, bacon and barbecue sauce.

{02 Apr 2008}