Catering for 200

The Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn, New York (of which I’ve been a member since 2003 and where I shop for groceries), held their first annual “Cooking in Harmony” cook-off event this weekend. Back in June, the Steering Committee (spearheaded by Chef John Tucker of Rose Water restaurant and Chef Katy Sparks of “Quilty” fame) held a tasting and I was one of the lucky few (and only raw chef) to be chosen along with nine other cooks to participate.  It took careful planning and several meetings to orchestrate this event, which finally took place at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture with much success this past weekend.  To read more about the event in the Co-op’s Linewaiter’s Gazette publication, click here to access the .pdf version.)

Here below I am at my station, which I also designed and decorated.  The menu:

Raw Lasagna
Zucchini, Pesto, Marinara, Ricotta
garnished with Tomato Concassé, Micro Basil, Olive Tapenade, Basil Oil

paired with Azienda Vitivinicola Chiorri Colli Perugini Bianco 2007

The dish was such a hit — no sooner as I would place the finished dishes on my buffet table, my crew (which included my dear friend Angela Wong, and Co-op volunteers) and I would have to immediately plate some more as the guests would quickly devour them.  The wine, a perfect match, was hand-selected by none other than Co-op and Steering Committee member Thomas Matthews, Executive Editor of Wine Spectator.  Who could ask for more?

My goal for the evening was to create a most memorable dining experience and to introduce to the public delicious raw gourmet cuisine artfully presented in a beautiful setting.  Mission:  Accomplished. Photo Credit: Angela Wong