by contributor Donna Shor
Photo credit: Elana Levitan
Fifty of the best known local chefs dished up delectables and mixologists poured innovative cocktails for the 500 guests thronging The Carnigie Library in downtown Washington this week for the Taste of Hope event.
Chef Honoree Mike Isabella hosted the event with The American Cancer Society, which is marking its hundredth anniversary this year, as a fundraiser in the battle to help eliminate the disease. Isabella was one of the three signature chefs, including Brian Voltaggio and Robert Wiedmaier, who hosted food stations from more than one of their restaurants.
The three large party rooms were abuzz as guests greeted chefs from their most fave restaurants and compared notes on the dishes and the drinks. Bombay Sapphire Gin was ready to assemble anything your heart desired in drinkables, while Taha Isnail of Kapnos created an intriguing surprise with his “Grilled Lemonade.”
“First I put halves of Meyer lemons on the grill,” said Taha, “and I don’t juice them until after they are off the grill, not before.” The charred lemon halves on display may not have been appealing, but the result was terrific―a gin drink with a slyly smoky kick.
Presiding over the noisiest corner was master mixologist Todd Thrasher, from Alexandria’s Restaurant Eve, serving his “Detox” cocktail, a gin-based concoction which counts a dash of cayenne pepper among the ingredients. His technique calls for a lot of pounding, banging and swishing as he clangs the halves of the shakers together, then wields them up and down, one in each hand, beating out time like a pair of maracas.
Thrasher is back from Peru, drawn there by an international food fest, but he has been occupied since last June in a very special contest. It is one that puts to shame all of us who say we just can’t seem to lose a pound from our frames. Imagine the challenge this poses for a chef! Nevertheless, several of the chefs last night who were in the contest managed to do just that.
The two top weight-losing winners were tied: Todd and Will Artley of Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church. After the June to September contest ended, Todd had dropped an unwanted 30 pounds and Will had lost a whopping 70 pounds. (Didn’t recognize him.)
So how could the varying poundage end in a tie? Because they both lost the same exact proportion of body weight, 20 percent of their total pounds. Finalist R.J. Cooper of Rouge24 also did well, The James Beard Award-winning chef lost 40 pounds, 15 percent of his total weight.
The crowd wasn’t counting calories last night, not with offerings like Peacock Cafe’s Creole shrimp on a base of organic coconut and pureed cauliflower, or Art Smith’s “Art and Soul.” White Star Rose salmon on quinoa.” Firefly’s silky bisque was heightened with smoked sunflowers and a hint of apple butter; El Centro’s super-special tacos were a happy mixture; Vermillion’s rillettes-topped cucumber round sere nicely sharpened by their toppings; Del Campo’s delicious salmon with charred rapini and “burnt” avocado;was another example of all the “playing with fire” the evening’s chef’s and mixologists were doing.
Winning the title of Top Fundraiser for his efforts before last night’s event was Anthony Acinapura of Brasserie Beck, who collected $5,000 for the cause. Brasserie Beck Marcel’s, both Robert Wiedmaier restaurants, joined the cancer prevention battle through stressing healthy nutrition, distributing cards for healthy dishes.
Greeting fans was Scott Drewno, of Wolfgang Puck’s “Source.” Probably the most vivacious presenter of the evening was Shannon Overmiller,“Chef Red” of The Majestic in Alexandria.
Anchor Eun Yang of Washington’s NBC 4 was on hand to announce the auctions. both live and silent which offered such treat’s as Peacock Café’s Caviar and Champagne Dinner.
Shaker Shack topped things off with dishes of Red Velvet Ice Cream, a lovely melding. Georgetown Cupcakes did their thing, and Brandy of Todd Gray’s Equinox served delectable squares of layered chocolate and peanut butter flavors, topped with sesame crisps.
The crowd really got with the fun of the evening and the gourmet foods. By night’s end you could say everybody won, including the chef’s that shed all these pounds. Though big losers, they were all big winners, too.
