On August 5th of 1986 we drove up to Miami from Key West. I was the Executive Chef/Partner of “Louie’s Backyard”, which was by many folks reckoning the most beautiful place to dine on the Island and arguably the best. I was accompanied by my wife, Janet our pastry chef Sue Porter and my business partner/friend/wine expert Proal Perry to do the very first “James Beard Dinner” in the state of Florida and among the very first in America. It was at a restaurant culinarily helmed by Chef Michael Chiarello. I prepared, ‘Conch Lasagna’ for a main course as well as ‘Grilled-Chilled Tuna with Oriental Vegetables and a Ginger Vinaigrette’ for my first. Sue made ‘Black Pepper, Apples and Calvados in Puff Pastry with Warm Chocolate Sauce’. When we were invited a month or so before that night I knew of Mr. Beard’s work. His cookbook, “Theory and Practice of Good Cooking” was the very first cookbook I purchased. But doing the dinners to celebrate the newly formulated foundation was so novel I had to ask for an explanation from the gentleman who put the event together.
Years have passed and I have spent many times doing many more events with the James Beard Foundation. Some at the legendary townhouse in Greenwich Village where he lived and taught his cooking classes. Some at my dear friend Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in Chicago with chefs coming in from all around the world to join in. We also did the first International James Beard Dinner in Mexico where I cooked with a ‘who’s who’ of chefs that week. Thomas Keller, Jean-Louis Palladin and others. We also did one in Milan, Italy just a few years ago. And we held many at NORMAN’S in all our locations. An honor at every one of them.
I spent nearly three years as the first chef to become part of the JBF Board starting in 2006 when a new administration came in lead by the late, great Dorothy Cann-Hamilton initially and then by JBF President Susan Ungaro. I can remember in detail how impressed I was with the people, their dedication and brilliance. I felt fortunate to be amidst them. One of key members and lomg serving members of the foundation is Izabela Wojcik. She is the ‘Director of Special Fund-Raising Initiatives’. I am thrilled that Izabela will be attending our celebration on October 10th. She has so much love for hospitality and knows just about every chef of consequence in America past and present. She was the person who first put the idea forth about seeing if I wanted to ‘make a little noise’ as the saying goes in music.
On October 10th we are doing another. The attendant image will explain.