Patton Signed

-Marina del Rey, Ca.
-In an unusually late-offseason string of signings and transactions, Feast Fest scouters signed their fifth new chef of the offseason, Miranda Morimota Patton on Wednesday.

FF had been courting Patton to revamp Asian influences in the kitchen after Ai Okoworth, the Japanese master, announced his resignation from the event in June.

Morimota Patton (9/3/80) was described by Head Scouter Jim Dall as "a rising chef who will do a masterful job of filling Ai's former role as a Japanese culinary master at our event." Dall revealed that FF had secretly negotiated with Morimota Patton in 2011 but that "negotiations had broken down."

"I am without words right now," Morimota Patton said via Skype. "I have followed Feast Fest for so long, and to be a part of it? I'm so grateful to Jim Dall, Stephanie McOneguew, and everyone who was a part of the scouting team who worked so tirelessly to get this deal done."

Morimota Patton, who is an assistant head chef at a Japanese 5-star in Vancouver, B.C., will make her first Feast Fest appearance on Aug. 31 at the Kitchen Stadium exhibition in--where else?--Tokyo. Morimota Patton, who is Canadian-born but who is of Japanese descent and who trained extensively in Japan, called it "appropriate." "I'm very excited."

The deal's details haven't been disclosed, but it is a one-year contract for $212,244.

Jahswheich Signs $464K Extension

-Marina del Rey, Ca.
-Already signed on through Feast Fest 2013, Alizone Jahswheich avoided having to sign an extension right after Thanksgiving by clearing the matter away Wednesday.

Jahswheich, already signed on for FF 2013 and slated to receive $441,237 this November, signed a two-year extension for $464,118 through FF 2014 and 2015.

The deal was confirmed around 8 p.m. Wednesday through Jahswheich's agent, and confirmed thirty minutes later by Scouter Nevin Wilson. Wilson said the contract had been inked.

Jahswheich turned down a one-year extension for the same amount last week, saying he wanted at least an additional year tacked on. "Now Mr. Jahswheich can go through Feast Fest XXI in 2015 without having to worry about re-inking a deal," the agent said.

Wilson released a statement saying, "Alizone is an eclectic and committed member of our Feast Fest team, one of our international mainstays, and we are thrilled to have secured his presence here beyond just this November." Wilson also stated how Jahswheich's contracts had been murky in the past. "Jahswheich signed all one-year deals from the time he joined in 2009. He signed subsequent one-year deals in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. And some of those negotiation processes were very argumentative. So I believe he had become disillusioned with the process and that he was very pleased to finally slam down a multi-year deal here on good terms today, for the first time in his so far illustrious Feast Fest career."

Jahswheich has racked up 204 NCA points over his four Feast Fests. In January, he won the Most Valuable Chef honor at the Edelyn Cooking Arena exhibition, his first as a Feast Fest chef.

"He ought to have been signed to a multi-year deal before now. He's brilliant," Wilson said. He added, "That was a mistake on our part."

Beryl Shady's Schedule

-Marina del Rey, Ca.
-Here is FF Executive Assistant Beryl Shady's schedule.

TRIP 1
Aug. 14 Los Angeles - Chicago
Aug. 15 Chicago - Phoenix
Aug. 16 Phoenix - Denver
Aug. 17 Las Vegas
Aug. 18 Seattle - Vancouver
Aug. 19 Honolulu
Aug. 20 Maui
Aug. 21 Los Angeles

TRIP 2
Aug. 26 Los Angeles - New York City
Aug. 27 New York City
Aug. 28 New York City
Aug. 29 Travel to Singapore
Aug. 30 Singapore
Aug. 31 Tokyo
Sept. 1 Tokyo
Sept. 2 Los Angeles

TRIP 3
Sept. 7 Los Angeles - San Diego
Sept. 8 San Francisco
Sept. 9 Yosemite N.P.
Sept. 10 Sacramento - Boise
Sept. 11 Milwaukee - Detroit - Toronto
Sept. 12 Toronto
Sept. 13 Toronto
Sept. 14 Travel to London
Sept. 15 London
Sept. 16 London
Sept. 17 Paris
Sept. 18 Paris
Sept. 19 Rome
Sept. 20 Rome
Sept. 21 Oslo
Sept. 22 Amsterdam
Sept. 23 Dubai
Sept. 24 Dubai
Sept. 25 Antananarivo
Sept. 26 Travel to Mumbai
Sept. 27 Mumbai
Sept. 28 Phnom Penh
Sept. 29 Travel to Los Angeles