Tag Archives: chef walker stern

Food & Wine Best New Chefs Award Party 2015

27 Apr

I have amazing perks with my job.  One of them is going to some excellent media events and I was very excited to get a coveted invite to the Food & Wine Best New Chefs party.

IMG_2922

IMG_2925

They awarded the best new chefs their honors, but first, they fed us.

IMG_2942

And they fed us well.

IMG_2927

I really enjoyed the Johnnycake from Chef Linton Hopkins (without the spicy greens).

IMG_2926

And it was fun to be able to taste a dish from Chef Mei Lin (most recent Bravo Top Chef winner)

IMG_2928

Her pork belly paté egg rolls were quite divine.

IMG_2933

Chefs Joe Ogrodnek & Walker Stern (two of last year’s best new chefs) had a dish I would never have ordered from a menu…

IMG_2937

A buttermilk parfait with vegetable muesli.

IMG_2938

But this little dish was actually packed with flavor. It looked so simple, but it was refreshing and flavorful at the same time.

IMG_2940

Upstairs, there were 2 tucked away tasting areas and another bar.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Chef Daniel Humm, seeing as though Eleven Madison Park remains my #1 favorite restaurant in the city and I’m slightly obsessed with The NoMad (especially for breakfast).

IMG_2943

He served “The Humm Dog” which was a bacon wrapped hot dog with gruyere cheese with black truffle mayonnaise and celery relish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this hot dog!

IMG_2945

Among the many celebrity chef tasting tables, they also had passed little bites.

IMG_2948

Chef Koren Grieveson had a tucked away area where she was hamming it up with her staff

IMG_2955

She was so incredibly friendly and welcoming and you could tell she was just tickled to be there.

IMG_2949

Her confit chicken was so light and I loved the pairing of orange with it.  I wish I could have this for lunch every day.

IMG_2953

Back downstairs, the longest line was for Chef Stephanie Izard (first female Top Chef winner and current Chicago restaurant owner, who runs one of my favorite places, The Girl and the Goat).

IMG_2935

I enjoyed her personalized chopsticks teasing a new restaurant, Duck Duck Goat, coming to Chicago this spring. (I’m dying to try it! Peking Duck by Stephanie Izard? I’m in!)

IMG_2957

And mini goat greeting us.

IMG_2958

The dish was a spicy noodle dish, which I couldn’t have.

IMG_2959

 

She sadly sad that they could give me a plain noodle dish and apologized that I’d be missing out… but there was NO missing out! Even these “plain” noodles were packed with flavor. Super delicious.

IMG_2960

Before they gave out the awards, we were treated to an aerialist show that was beautiful.

IMG_2967

Then it was award time.

IMG_2974

They listed out the names of the honored chefs and New York Chef Bryce Shuman (of awesome restaurant, Betony) was last and VERY excited to be there.

IMG_2978 IMG_2980

The reason I got to attend is because one of my clients, BelGioioso Cheese (awesome cheese in your grocery store if you haven’t tried it) was one of the featured sponsors with a yummy dish.

IMG_2985

After the awards and the food was served, the music got cranked up and everyone let loose.  The celebrity chefs were having a blast on the dance floor and we spoke to a few (including Chef Stephanie Izard, who could not have been nicer).  It was at this point that my slightly inebriated husband decided to set up a fun photo shoot with any chef who was game… The sell: “My wife is pregnant and we want to take a picture of chefs pointing at the belly.”  After I swallowed my ever so slight embarrassment at asking all these lovely people to pose, we actually wound up with a great set of pictures:

IMG_2994

Thank you for humoring us, Chefs Stephanie Izard, Marc Murphy, Elizabeth Falkner, Ilan Hall, and CJ Jacobson… and of course Food & Wine.

Awesome event!