Tyler Florence's Hot Tub, Cupcake Classes, More!

TY-FLO - Forbes can help you make sense of Tyler Florence with this wonderful three minute video. Ty-Flo's business empire is now valued at $50 million: four restaurants, three retail shops, a Tyler Florence wine label, trademarked cutlery and cookware lines, a national gourmet food line, a baby food brand called Sprout and, naturally, an iTunes cooking app. And where does one of the most followed chefs on Twitter get all his inspiration, "it's an executive meeting every night, my wife and I in our hot tub, about 11 o'clock." [Forbes]

COMING ATTRACTIONS - Mission Minis will do cupcake baking classes with an unlimited wine bar on June 5th and 10th. It costs $48 and includes 12 mini cupcakes, a take-home cupcake-making kit, and all of that wine. Tickets here. [EaterWire]

CULINARY OLYMPICS - Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jerome Bocuse have started the epic search for the next Team USA to compete in the Bocuse d'Or. The competition a.k.a. the Culinary Olympics will take place in Lyon, France in Janauray of 2013. It's a formidable test of culinary moxy, indeed; but at least the bar isn't set too high. More info on the application process can be found here. [EaterWire]

NAPA - Sir Paolo hath decoded the latest legal document detailing the state of Vita. Remember this was Laura Cunningham's big deal restaurant to watch, and now it's not looking so hot. [ISSF]

FREEBIES - The Press Club is hosting an event with free chocolate from 6 p.m. to 9ish next Friday. If you're one of the first 100 folks to arrive, you'll also get a free taste of Zinfandel. [EaterWire]