Kicking Off the Awards Season

At Cipriani Wall Street tonight, the Gotham Independent Film Awards began the 2009-2010 award season that will stretch straight through the New York Film Critics Circle awards, the Golden Globes and ultimately, the Oscars. It was a star-studded evening, with special career tributes being accepted by Stanley Tucci, (left), Natalie Portman, Kathryn Bigelow and producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. As busy and talented an actress as she is, how Portman, at age 28 and whose breakout role was in The Phantom Menace a mere ten years ago has earned a "career tribute" was not entirely clear.

Among the other celebs who took their turns on the red carpet this evening included Brooke Shields, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Rock, Oliver Platt, Willem Dafoe, Ryan Reynolds and a sidesplittingly funny (and super-generous with his time) Patton Oswalt, wearing a suit by L.A.-area clothier Savvy Row. Sadly, Meryl Streep, one of the night's presenters, was a red-carpet no-show.

NBC President Jeff Zucker, another expected guest, did not appear on the red carpet, but forgiveably so, given the ongoing negotiations between General Electric and Vivendi Universal, which the Times reports have made a breakthrough today, helping to clear the path for a deal with Comcast.

Joël Robuchon v. Meryl Streep

Joël Robuchon, the chef with more Michelin stars than Meryl Streep's got Oscar nominations, passed through New York this past weekend to introduce his new executive chef for restaurant L'Atelier at the Four Seasons. Xavier Boyer's appointment may have been the reason for Robuchon's Manhattan visit (he spreads his time among his various restaurants around the globe), but anytime Robuchon's in the house, it's clear who the main attraction is.

The gracious French chef is an icon in the food world and rightly so. His high-end temples of cuisine have won him more Michelin stars than have been earned by any other chef on the planet. Nonetheless, with Boyer in the open kitchen at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon at the Four Seasons hotel, patrons are not likely to be disappointed, as his recent menu, featuring ossetra caviar in fine fragrance of coral and free-range carmelized quail stuffed with foie gras, amply demonstrated.

If you do get in to L'Atelier, be sure to sit at the bar counter, where all of the action really takes place, and don't overlook dessert. We highly recommend the apple confit, sablé breton with Tahitian ice cream. For pics of that dessert and other delicacies from L'Atleier de Joël Robuchon, click here.

And in case you're counting, regarding Robuchon's Michelin star count versus Streep's Academy Award noms, it's 18 to 13.