Wall Street big shots, frantic over stock-market fluctuations, are taking it out on the poor waiters who live on their tips. [NYP]

Will Goldfarb holds forth to Restaurant Girl at great length on his “brand identity”: “I think that Room 4 Dessert would definitely be credited with starting the pastry chef trend as crossover/rock star status that it has found in the media in the last 18 months.” Oh, definitely. [Restaurant Girl]
Related: Room 4 Dessert Is Dead, Long Live Room 4 Dessert

Frank Bruni tries to get in on the Top Chef action but has it all wrong: “Has Top Chef ever had a villain as obnoxious as Howie?” A villain? What show is he watching? [Diner's Journal/NYT]
Related: Truces and Vanilla Candles Ruin This Week's ‘Top Chef’

Oh, those food blogs! But why do there have to be so many of them? A well-meaning codger like David Hinckley just can’t keep up. [NYDN]

Mario Batali has a whole vacation home set up in Michigan — where he still walks around in orange clogs and cargo shorts. [NYT]

Self-proclaimed guy's-guy restaurant critic tells the world that a real man should be able to cook — especially such "guy-centric" treats as crab-salad sandwiches, French toast, and cake. [NYDN]