"Join us at the Grand Feast" (New York City)
At this year’s Grand Feast, a 25+ chef tasting taking place in the 36th floor ballroom at the Mandarin Oriental (with sick Central Park views to boot), the exploding interest in the flavors of Asia will be celebrated. And, yes, there will be a feast as well.
“The energy and vibrancy is very contagious,” says chef Jehangir Mehta, a multi-year participant. Mehta is chef-owner of New York City restaurant Graffiti and a runner-up on The Next Iron Chef. “It’s nice to see that the public is wholeheartedly appreciating Luckyrice,” he continues. Born in Mumbai before working in some of the world’s top-tier organizations, his cooking is reflective of his upbeat personality, which at the chef-studded event translates to tamarind glazed bacon pineapple chicken satays.
Alain Allegretti serves as the executive chef at La Promenade Des Anglais, a modern French bistro located in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. He worked with Ducasse and Sirio Maccioni, refining a sensibility indebted to the masters of European luxury. But if you ask him about his real cooking passions, the flavors of Asia land near the top of the list. Born to an Italian father and Vietnamese mother, he hopes to show Grand Feast attendees the other side of Allegretti. He will be serving a bite of red shrimp tartar prepared with rice wine vinegar, pickled fennel and cucumber, daikon radish chips and lemon grass oil.
Mehta and Allegretti are being joined by an established cast. Hung Huynh, a former Top Chef favorite and executive chef at The General, will serve what he describes as Cinderella Rice: Shiitake and beech wood mushrooms, parmesan cheese, truffle, chives, parsley. Chef Craig Koketsu of The Hurricane Club will present chili lobster rolls. Additional restaurants include upscale favorites Hakkasan, Buddakan and Gaonnuri. And of course, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto will be on hand to bump fists and kiss babies.
“I cannot wait!” says Perry St chef Cedric Vongerichten, who will return this year with a plate of pan-seared shrimp with jade sauce, asparagus and market greens. “It represents me as a chef for using local and seasonal market products, with a touch of Thai influence.” He would know the Thai influence part. It is where he was born after all.
Grand Feast in NYC
http://www.luckyrice.com/#grand-feast-new-york
-- Matt Rodbard
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b00e11c4dbf61244d929c8d5d&id=542623f878
