The Oscars of the food world, The James Beard Foundation Awards, were held Sunday night at Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center in New York City. Like the famed movie awards, this extravaganza featured a red carpet, flashing cameras, celebrities, plenty of cleavage, and more than a few “I’d like to thank my beautiful wife” acceptance speeches.
But, unlike the Hollywood version, this event also featured spectacular food prepared by more than 30 of the country’s best-known chefs at the reception that followed the three-hour show.
Danny Meyer took the big award for Outstanding Restaurant of the year for Gramercy Tavern, which he opened with chef/partner Tom Colicchio in 1994. Meyer, who’s been making waves in the food world ever since he opened Union Square Café in 1985, also captured the medallion for Best Wine Service with his restaurant Eleven Madison Park.
Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali shared the Best Restaurateur award in recognition of their stunningly successful Babbo restaurant (which celebrated its 10th anniversary at a party earlier that day). At the podium, Joe sweetly thanked his mother, cookbook author/restaurateur Lidia, for teaching him to be a restaurateur, and his wife, for letting him be one.
Other top awards, introduced by super-chef Bobby Flay and "Sex and the City"'s Kim Cattrall, went to Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud for Rising Star Chef of the Year (see yesterday's post below); to the effervescent Michel Richard (who literally danced onto the stage with his very “Fraaaaaanch” white scarf flapping in the breeze) for Best New Restaurant (Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C.); and to Grant Achatz for Outstanding Chef. In his poignant acceptance speech, Achatz (of Alinea restaurant in Chicago) thanked the food community for supporting him through his recent battle with tongue cancer. (For other award winners, see below.)
When the ceremony concluded, it was party time. Guests, who included chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, publicists and other food-lovers who paid $450 for a ticket, strolled the stations on two levels of Avery Fisher Hall and even spilled out into Lincoln Center.
The theme of the evening was “Artisanal America: The Craft of Cuisine,” and each award-winning chef created a dish that showcased the goods of an artisanal producer (some of whom were present with the chefs).
Scott Peacock, who won the JB Best Chef Southeast award last year for his restaurant Watershed in Decatur, Georgia, created weensy southern buttermilk biscuits, brushed them with sweet butter, tucked a piece of Smithfield ham in each, and served them with homemade strawberry jam. Bill Telepan, whose restaurant Telepan is just a few blocks from Lincoln Center, offered delicious pork scrapple topped with a quivering poached egg and sweet pork sauce. (Photos are from Gothamist.com.)
Other highlights of the most sophisticated “buffet” in town included an intense mixed berry sherbet with candied mint and rose petals from Chez Panisse; Ana Sortun’s (Oleana, Cambridge. Mass.) wispy green garlic pancakes with spring peas and homemade string cheese; a sweet-savory summer squash tart with Laura Chenel goat cheese and preserved strawberry tomatoes from Helene Kennan of L.A.'s Getty Center café; and Nancy Silverton’s (Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, L.A.) amazing "mozzarella balloon" filled with ricotta and paired with a braised baby artichoke stuffed with pine nuts and currants.
But my favorite of all was the rich, crackly wafer topped with "Salt-Cured Local Foie Gras," warm strawberry-black pepper jam and arugula that came from chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli of NYC restaurant Butter.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their field. The Foundation's stated mission is to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America's culinary heritage and diversity.
Other 2008 award-winners were:
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, Tartine Bakery, San Francisco
Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional: Terry Theise of Terry Theise Estate Selections
Outstanding Service: Terra, St. Helena, Calif
Best Chef Great Lakes: Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago
Best Chef Mid-Atlantic: Eric Ziebold, CityZen, Washington, D.C.
Best Chef Midwest: Adam Siegel, Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee
Best Chef New York: David Chang, Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York
Best Chef Northeast: Patrick Connolly, Radius, Boston
Best Chef Northwest: Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, Wash.
Best Chef Southwest: Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, Colo.
Best Chef South: Michelle Bernstein, Michy's, Miami
Best Chef Southeast: Robert Stehling, Hominy Grill, Charleston, S.C.
Best Chef Pacific: Craig Stoll, Delfina, San Francisco
can we come on turkey day to taste the sweet potato gratin?
Posted by: who who | June 24, 2008 at 09:50 PM