Eye Candy: Shiitake Flatbread with Fontina, Vidalia Onions, and Thyme

Thirty-five years ago, Michael McCarty opened his eponymous restaurant in Santa Monica and put Southern California cooking on the map. The pioneering farm-to-table restaurant and its New York counterpart, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in November, launched the careers of chefs like Jonathan Waxman, Mark Peel, and Ken Frank and fundamentally influenced the country’s culinary evolution. To fête the combined anniversaries, Michael McCarty and his team prepared a lavish Beard House feast. During the reception hour, guests snacked on tasty treats such as this shiitake flatbread with fontina, vidalia onions, and thyme. Delicate yet packing a feisty umami punch, this canapé went fast—and had Beard House diners yearning for more.

View this event's menu and details here. For upcoming Beard House dinners, check out our events calendar. Photo by Jeffrey Gurwin.

Elena North-Kelly is senior editor at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.