Table talk

The Art Institute is sponsoring its ninth annual Best Teen Chef Competition for high school seniors in the United States and Canada. Top prize is a full-tuition scholarship to one of the 30-plus Art Institute locations, including The Art Institute of Salt Lake City. The Best Teen Chef also gets to be an "intern for a day" at the Food Network kitchens. Entry forms are available at www.artinstitutes.edu/btc.

A Utah chef's book on Danish cooking won the "how-to" category of the 2007 London Book Festival. "Cooking Danish: A Taste of Denmark," by Stig Hansen (Favorite Recipes Press, $34.95), features 150 recipes using English measurements. Hansen, of Eden, grew up in Denmark, went to the Danish State Culinary School and was a chef for the Danish Navy before he came to the United States. He is corporate chef and director of food service development for the Iron Skillet restaurant (801-745-0388 or www.cookingdanish.com).

Ruth's Chris Steak House Inc. opened a new franchise restaurant in the Hotel Park City, 2001 Park Ave., Park City, bringing its total number of restaurants to 117. The restaurants serve USDA prime-grade steaks and seafood. The chain also has a location in downtown Salt Lake City (www.RuthsChris.com).

Bambara, 202 S. Main, is hosting a New Year's Eve event with live music and an a la carte menu prepared by chef David Jones. Dishes include lobster-roasted pears and toasted hazelnuts, king crab Yukon potato and prime filet of New York steak (363-5454 or www.bambara-slc.com).

Souperman Gourmet Soups has opened at 1890 Bonanza Drive in the Park City Plaza. Souperman offers homemade soups, stews and chowders, ranging in price from $3.95 per cup to $10.50 per quart. The restaurant's packaging, paper products and utensils are biodegradeable. Owner-chef Bob Murphy will donate five cents for every 16 ounces of soup sold to the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (435-604-0419 or www.soupermanparkcity.com).

The Blue Boar Inn and Restaurant, Midway, is hosting a Bavarian Splendor celebration on New Year's Eve. The menu, prepared by chef Jesse Moreno, includes oysters in cracked pepper and champagne, truffled cauliflower puree, butter poached lobster tail, grilled pineapple and coconut pastry cream napoleon.

The 5 p.m. seating features a five-course meal for $85 per person. The 7 p.m. seating, which is $175 per person, includes social hour, a seven-course meal, dancing to live music, a toast and Alpenhorn blowing at midnight (888-650-1400 or www.theblueboarinn.com).