Last night Chad and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the Star Chef’s Rising Stars Gala and Tasting event. The venue could not have been more picturesque as it was held on the rooftop of Charlie Palmer Restaurant at 101 Constitution Avenue NW. Luckily the rain held off to allow for a beautiful night with an amazing view of the Capitol and the Washington Monument.
Beautiful view of the Capitol at the Star Chef's event
Each Rising Star had their own table set up that allowed them to share a signature dish with the crowd along with a pairing. Chad and I were sure to make our way around the roof in order to get a taste for all of the amazing offerings. In the end we agreed on three favorites, all of which were incredibly delicious and unique and really proved how deserving these chefs truly are. Our first favorite was from Keswick Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia where Dean Maupin shared duck confit and ricotta gnocchi with butternut squash, arugula, cracklin’s, and grated Wisconsin SarVecchio Parmesan. This small plate was rich in flavor and incredibly savory as the duck confit and the butternut squash provided a delicious base sauce for the light and airy ricotta gnocchis that melted in your mouth upon each bite. I was wowed by this dish and it made me want to take a trip down to Monticello to taste more of what Keswick Hall has to offer.
Our other favorite dish of the night was from Ruben Garcia of minibar by Jose Andres and ThinkFoodGroup. Ruben served a cotton candy eel that was wrapped into a small leaf, smothered in a delicious Asian flavored sauce, and topped with a dollop of cotton candy. Ruben instructed us to eat it in two bites and each bite delivered a pop of sweetness that was incredibly enjoyable.
Ruben Garcia of minibar Holding up his Cotton Candy Eel
Finally, it was time for dessert and boy were we impressed. Chris Ford, the pastry chef from Trummer’s on Main delivered a plate of perfection with his chocolate soup, cocoa nib sherbert, cinnamon marshmallow and devil’s food cake. (Sidenote: You should check out his amazing blog: Butter Love & Hardwork) It was a wonderful dish as it combined textures and temperatures all with chocolate flavors at the center. What a wonderful way to end the night!
Chocolate Soup from Trummer's on Main
The Star Chef’s gala was a great event that EatMore DrinkMore was proud to be able to attend. It was a great night that allowed us to celebrate the talent of our local Washington chefs and also to recognize the continued growth of the already impressive D.C. food scene. Congratulations to all the award winners!
See what others are talking about "Star Chef's Rising Stars Gala"
Tagged as:
chocolate soup,
chris ford,
cotton candy eel,
dean maupin,
jose andres,
keswick hall,
minibar,
ricotta gnocchi,
ruben garcia,
star chefs,
thinkfoodgroup,
trummer's on main
Star Chef’s Rising Stars Gala
by Jenna on October 27, 2010
Last night Chad and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the Star Chef’s Rising Stars Gala and Tasting event. The venue could not have been more picturesque as it was held on the rooftop of Charlie Palmer Restaurant at 101 Constitution Avenue NW. Luckily the rain held off to allow for a beautiful night with an amazing view of the Capitol and the Washington Monument.
Beautiful view of the Capitol at the Star Chef's event
Each Rising Star had their own table set up that allowed them to share a signature dish with the crowd along with a pairing. Chad and I were sure to make our way around the roof in order to get a taste for all of the amazing offerings. In the end we agreed on three favorites, all of which were incredibly delicious and unique and really proved how deserving these chefs truly are. Our first favorite was from Keswick Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia where Dean Maupin shared duck confit and ricotta gnocchi with butternut squash, arugula, cracklin’s, and grated Wisconsin SarVecchio Parmesan. This small plate was rich in flavor and incredibly savory as the duck confit and the butternut squash provided a delicious base sauce for the light and airy ricotta gnocchis that melted in your mouth upon each bite. I was wowed by this dish and it made me want to take a trip down to Monticello to taste more of what Keswick Hall has to offer.
Our other favorite dish of the night was from Ruben Garcia of minibar by Jose Andres and ThinkFoodGroup. Ruben served a cotton candy eel that was wrapped into a small leaf, smothered in a delicious Asian flavored sauce, and topped with a dollop of cotton candy. Ruben instructed us to eat it in two bites and each bite delivered a pop of sweetness that was incredibly enjoyable.
Ruben Garcia of minibar Holding up his Cotton Candy Eel
Finally, it was time for dessert and boy were we impressed. Chris Ford, the pastry chef from Trummer’s on Main delivered a plate of perfection with his chocolate soup, cocoa nib sherbert, cinnamon marshmallow and devil’s food cake. (Sidenote: You should check out his amazing blog: Butter Love & Hardwork) It was a wonderful dish as it combined textures and temperatures all with chocolate flavors at the center. What a wonderful way to end the night!
Chocolate Soup from Trummer's on Main
The Star Chef’s gala was a great event that EatMore DrinkMore was proud to be able to attend. It was a great night that allowed us to celebrate the talent of our local Washington chefs and also to recognize the continued growth of the already impressive D.C. food scene. Congratulations to all the award winners!
See what others are talking about "Star Chef's Rising Stars Gala"
Tagged as: chocolate soup, chris ford, cotton candy eel, dean maupin, jose andres, keswick hall, minibar, ricotta gnocchi, ruben garcia, star chefs, thinkfoodgroup, trummer's on main