On the Menu: October 11 to October 17

by jbfauthor on October 09, 2009

Here’s what happening at the Beard House and around the country next week: Sunday, October 11, 12:00 P.M. Jacques Torres & Friends Chocolate Brunch At his beloved chocolate shops, JBF Award winner Jacques Torres turns out handcrafted sweets featuring classic ingredients and some unexpected surprises. At this decadent brunch, Torres and his friends from the French Culinary Institute (where he’s the dean of pastry arts) will prepare a delicious sweet and savory chocolate-laden menu. Sunday, October 11, 7:00 P.M. Don Q Celebrates Flavors From The Land of Rum It’s sure to be an unforgettable evening when Top Chef alums Jeff McInnis and Fabio Viviani team up with mixologist Esteban Ordonez to create an exciting multi-course feast. Join us for a taste of McInnis’s refined global cuisine and Viviani’s satisfying Tuscan cooking, all paired with delicious cocktails featuring premium Don Q rum. Tuesday, October 13, 7:00 P.M. Colorado Garden-to-Table Supper Called “one of the most ambitious locavores” in the state by the Denver Post, chef Eric Skokan of the Black Cat has created a soulful menu of French-inspired dishes that feature locally sourced ingredients—many from the restaurant’s own ten-acre farm. Join this innovative Boulder chef as he makes his Beard House debut. Wednesday, October 14, 7:00 P.M. Blanc de Blancs Champagne Dinner Described by Eric Asimov of the New York Times as “the lightest and most refreshing Champagnes of all,” Blanc de Blancs bubbly gets top billing at this decadent dinner. The celebrated Champagnes will be paired with the effortlessly executed, creative French fare of Bar Blanc’s top chef, Sebastiaan Zijp. Thursday, October 15, 7:00 P.M. Celebrity Chef Tour: NYC Celebrity Chef Tour events are dinners produced by Inner Circle that benefit the James Beard Foundation, in which JBF Award winners and other celebrity chefs travel to private clubs, resorts, and other exclusive venues across America to prepare dinners and promote the culinary arts. Friday, October 16, 7:00 P.M. Canadian Farm to Table Earth to Table is not only the name of Jeff Crump’s new cookbook, it also perfectly describes his cooking philosophy. Join this pioneer of Canada’s Slow Food movement (whose résumé includes a stint at the legendary Chez Panisse) at the Beard House when he creates an autumn-inspired dinner that’s sure to satisfy even the most ardent locavore. Saturday, October 17, 7:00 P.M. Farm, Ranch, and Rombauer The former chef of Dallas’s Ciudad, Joanne Bondy now runs the kitchen at the Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord Texan Resort. For this event she has designed a different sort of steakhouse dinner—a menu of locally sourced, Southern-inflected twists on traditional chophouse favorites paired with outstanding California wines from Rombauer Vineyards. For details and reservations, visit www.jamesbeard.org/events or call 212.627.2308. (Photo by Krishna Dayanidhi)