Happenings 3/12-3/19:
A number of my close friends happen to be both chefs and philanthropists and last week I went to go support (and eat of course) at this charity event called the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program or CCAP Awards at Chelsea Piers. Started in 1990, Richard Grausman started C-CAP in 12 NYC high schools with a mission to promote and provide opportunities for underserved youth. Motivated by the teenagers’ enthusiasm for the classes and the food service industry’s need for skilled workers, C-CAP has grown into a highly respected not-for-profit organization serving thousands of students nationawide. Wow. What a night of eating. I ate so much that I felt hung over this morning even though I didn’t even drink!
These were my Personal Favorites:
- Herb Marinated Lamb Chops Waldy Malouf of Beacon
- Cauliflower Tortellini –braised short rib,root vegetables, parmigiano regiano Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill
- Chili rubbed brisket of beef with cabbage slaw and ancho chili mayo Michael Lomonaco of Porter House New York
- Individual Cherry Crumb Pie Sarabeth
- Chocolate peanut butter crunch cake Nancy Olsen Gramercy Tavern
- Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Soup – chocolate mochi, peanut candy and yamamomo cream
- Saw my buddy Tom Collichio and gave him a big hug and congratulated him on being in the Diet Coke commercial..saw it during the Oscars!! You know him… Top Chef… He has been coming to my Pot Luck Dinners for years.
- Saw Alfred Portale, who happens to be my neighbor. He just opened a new Gotham Steak in Miami and has been working his cute butt off.The new venture is doing well but is quite a challenge.
- Saw Waldy Malouf… Beacon. He has the best pizza in NYC and is going to open up many more pizza joints… a great business for now.
- Talked to Drew Niepieront…. What an amazing man and he accepted the award this year. Also, Jerry Ruotolo.. one of the best photographers in NYC.
- Such an amazing night
- I ended the night with chocolate soup from Nobu. I couldn’t just stop at one.. I had to have 2 of them and so did my friend Shar. Divine…
Check out this link for more details on the event. http://www.the-feedbag.com/the-high-life/last-nights-c-cap-benefit-in-convenient-slideshow-form.
