JBF Lunch: An Exhilarating First Round
By Mayte Almada
Photo by Isabela Elizondo
Our first event taking place at the James Beard Foundation was a great honor for all of the team members, everyone’s initial anxiety for our first JBF event could be felt miles away as prep started. The service staff was very cheerful, extremely professional, and efficient during prep and the event. This helped calm our nerves and when the service started, the adrenaline kicked off as service turned on.
There were some strong, show stealers from the menu that captivated diners. The carta fata used in the acqua pazza sea bass preparation/presentation was a definite wow factor for the guests who really enjoyed the surprise contained in the transparent baking paper. After an ecstatic response from both NJCU and HSFI for eye-popping and sophisticated desserts, our pastry brigade yet again stole the crowd with Chef Simone’s “Tree of Life” dessert. Literally shaped like a tree shaped from chocolate and arising from a mound of cake and mousse, the dessert represented the rebirth of classic Tuscan desserts in a way that was both symbolic and visually stimulating.
It was a great honor for us to interact with Francesco Mazzei from the Marchesi Mazzei wineries, who attended the lunch. He was a great asset for speaking with the guests at all tables. Many of the wines paired with our dishes were from Mazzei productions and the guests highly appreciated the direct, one on one contact with the wine producer.