Go Away With … Kathy Benziger Threlkeld

Kathy Benziger Threlkeld knows her wine. The 44-year-old Sonoma, Calif., resident is a partner in the family business: Benziger Family Winery. An avid traveler who enjoys destinations that offer both snow and beachfront views, she picks a Wisconsin resort as her all-time favorite hotel.

Go Away With … Steven Raichlen

For his latest book, “Planet Barbecue” (Workman Publishing, $35), master griller Steven Raichlen traveled to 60 countries to see for himself how grilling is done in places such as South Korea, Uruguay and South Africa. With his first-hand knowledge, he put together more than 300 barbecue recipes that are eclectic yet basic enough for the average home griller to follow. The 57-year-old chef describes his life as spending “half the year in Miami, half the year in Martha’s Vineyard and half the year on airplanes. No wonder I’m so tired.”

Go Away With … Jill Litwin

When a friend asked Jill Litwin to help her make healthy and tasty meals for her child, Litwin put together a few yummy, kid-friendly dishes. These ideas became the starting point for Peas of Mind, an organic frozen food company catering to kids who’ve outgrown standard jarred baby food. Based in San Francisco, the energetic 35-year-old CEO loves to travel, whether it’s to nearby Sonoma or to the beaches of Jamaica. Litwin talks about some of her favorite hotels, why she always travels with a scarf and a custard shop in Greenfield, Wis., that makes her mouth water.

The spice of the Caribbean: Flavors of jerk chicken, peppers a festival draw

The Chicago Carifete celebrated its 13th anniversary Saturday in Hyde Park with music, costumes and a parade. But it was the mouth-watering Caribbean dishes that attracted some of the fest’s most loyal attendees. “We love the food because it tastes really authentic,” says Arlene Levels of Indianapolis, who traveled with three bus loads of foodies for this year’s Carifete. “And it tastes really authentic because the vendors are all from the Caribbean. This isn’t something you can get in a mall.” She and her friends Carla Lewis and Baretta Shannon began their day eating Jamaican beef patties—a dish traditionally made with beef, hot peppers, thyme and paprika stuffed into a doughy pocket.

Celebrity restaurants

Oprah Winfrey couldn’t do it. Michael Jordan had to change his game plan. And even Wolfgang Puck hightailed it back to Los Angeles after his restaurant failed in Chicago. Could it be that the Second City actually is more persnickety about celebrity-owned eateries than its East and West Coast counterparts? Quite possibly, when it comes to restaurants owned by celebrities — whether they’re athletes or superstar chefs.

Cooking with the stars

Lisa Loeb and Dweezil Zappa aren’t the first two names to pop up when you’re think of potential hosts for a cooking show. The photogenic real-life couple have both had some success in the music world, but neither is a professionally trained chef. That’s OK, says the Food Network, which has been making an aggressive effort to include programming that’s as entertaining as it is instructional. Operating under the credo that you don’t necessarily have to have a degree in culinary arts to be able to show people how to saute and flambe, the Food Network has added the rocking duo to its stable of Emeril, Bobby Flay, Iron Chefs and the rest.

Food Network cooks up fun mating show

Sandy Dvorak is living every woman’s dream. While she sits behind a screen getting her hair and makeup done, two men she has never met before are sweating over stoves trying to create a dinner she’ll love. These men aren’t chefs, but rather Chicago singles hoping to win over her heart via her stomach.

100% pure Rachael Ray

Petite Rachael Ray looks exactly the way she does on her Food Network shows, “30-Minute Meals” and “$40 a Day.” But even she’s a little surprised when–as she leaves a Starbucks in downtown Chicago–a man stares at her cup of java and shouts, “Hey, Rachael! Is that on your $40 budget?” It’s not.

A movable feast

If you’re like most people, you choose your destinations based on things like beaches, museums, shopping and night life. But why be like most people? We’ve got one of the best reasons yet to hop on a plane: eclectic and fun cooking classes, where you can learn from the best and then splurge — go ahead, you’re on vacation — on your own creations.