The star studded evening was emceed by Jenn Hobby, Co-Host of Q100’s The Bert Show and Scott Slade of WSB. Eric and Robin Gagnon, restaurant brokers with We Sell Restaurants enjoyed a rare menu featuring five distinguished chefs accompanied by a pairing from some of Atlanta’s most well-known sommeliers. The lineup of prestigious Chefs read like a Who’s Who in the Southern cooking scene and included Chef Chair Michael Diehl of East Lake Golf Club, Anthony Gray of Southern Art and Bourbon Bar, Pano Karatassos of Kyma, Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill, Eric Karell of St. Ives Country Club and Heather Hurlbert, of Top Chef Dessert Fame and HH Desserts.
The restaurant brokers and other invited guests were treated to creative and delicious cuisine that was beautifully paired by equally talented and well known sommeliers from some of Atlanta's best restaurants. The Sommelier Chair for the event was Silvio Garcia, Cherokee Town Club and the Sommeliers featured Andrés Loaiza of Aria along with Niko Karatassos of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Matt Bradford from Canoe and Dorine Buche at BLT Steak
The menu opened with an appetizer by Chef Anthony Gray who prepared an exquisite Beef Carpaccio with grilled Rye, Coriander Mustard, Cured Eqq Yolk, Baby Pickels and a sauce. Dorine Buche of BLT Steak paired this with a Muller Thurgau “Dolomiti” wine.
The second course was prepared by Atlanta chef and Top Chef fan favorite Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill who brought his unique use of port to a soup he termed a “Refined Potlikker Soup.” It consisted of Smoked pork Broth, Braised Pork Should and Collard Green Dumpling, Fresh Peas, Local Corn and Cornbread Puree. The wine pairing reflected the genius of Matt Bardford of Canoe who paired the soup with Perrin et Fils, “Les Sinards,’ a Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc from 2009.
The salad course was shared by best friends Michael Deihl and Eric Karell. Chef Diehl’s creation included Local Baby Lettuce, Oven Roasted White Corn and Tomators, Duck, Quail and Foie Gras Terrine, Roasted Red Pear Vinaigretta , Toasted Walnut Dust and Pecan Shortbread Cracker with a Consomme Gelee Shooter. Restaurant broker Eric Gagnon stated it was “the most delicious salad I’ve ever tasted.”
Chef Karell’s inspired salad choice was titled a “Trio of Late Summer Flavors” and included Lobster mousse with Tuna Carpaciom Watermelon & Feta Gazpacho Saldad and Red & Gold Baby Beets in Brioche. It was served to rave reviews.
Both salads were paired by Silvio Garcia with a 2008 Pinot Noir, Bouchaine.
The entrée course was an absolute culinary delight prepared by Chef Pano Karatassos of Kyma. The Cretan Crusted Aegean Sea Striped Bass with Red Wine Braised Fennel, Wild Mushrooms “a la Grecque” was melt in your mouth perfect. Niko Karatassos of Buckhlead Life Restaurant Group chose to pair this with a 2008 Boutair Naoussa Xinomavro, a nod to the earthy tones in the fish dish.
Though the restaurant brokers and others in the room were by now sated on the flavors and beauty of the first four courses, anticipation was high for the fifth course, dessert created by Chef Heather Hurlbert of HH Desserts and a recent contestant on Top Chef: Just Desserts. Her light and delicious Milk Passion, Milk Meringue, Milk Sorbet and Citrus with Caramel Cremeu, Passion Fruite Pulp, Lemon sable and Passion Poached Peaches was a delightful and refreshing end to a night of palate indulgence.
While the star studded evening was filled with incredible cuisine and wine pairings, the focus remained on the charity Share Our Strength. Generous diners pulled out their credit cards to purchase auction items, silent auction items and simply "raise their paddles" to contribute. The final count is pending but by these restaurant brokers measure, Share Our Strength will be able to contribute strongly to their mission to insure no child in America ever goes hungry.