CHEF DARRYL E. EVANS SCHOLARSHIP TRIBUTE DINNER

Last Sunday I had the honor of attending The Edna Lewis Foundation’s Scholarship Tribute Dinner for Chef Darryl E. Evans. The event was put on by the Edna Lewis Foundation to establish a scholarship honoring Chef Darryl E. Evans, an Atlanta-based African-American chef that made tremendous impact on the lives of many that follow in his footsteps.

A little background:

Darryl E. Evans (November 24, 1961- February 26, 2014) was an internationally renowned executive chef in Atlanta and one of the top culinary artists in the nation. In 1988, as the first African-American member of the U.S. Culinary Olympics team, he won two individual gold medals, and team gold and silver medals. His numerous other culinary awards include winning first prize in the National Taste of Elegance recipe contest in 1994, and being named Chef of the Year by the Greater Atlanta Chef’s Association in 1996. His story, career and commitment to mentoring young African-American chefs is legendary.

The Edna Lewis Foundation was established “to honor, cultivate, and preserve, the rich African-American culinary history by offering a variety of events and programs designed to educate, inspire, entertain, and promote a deeper understanding of Southern culinary culture and heritage.”

The Foundation is named for Ms. Edna Lewis (April 13, 1916 — February 13, 2006). “A chef, cookbook author, and teacher, Edna Lewis was a champion of Southern cookery who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts.” A giant in the culinary world as well as in life, Ms. Lewis was a great chef, culinary ambassador and caretaker of traditional Southern foods and preparations. More than a skilled chef, Ms. Lewis touched the lives of everyone around her with grace and compassion.

Now on to the dinner. The evening’s courses were prepared by top African-American chefs and colleagues of Chef Evans that wanted to support the effort to establish a scholarship in his name.

Hors d’oeuvres (prepared by Chef Michelle Heusner-Wilkinson and L. Pepper Heusneer-Wilkinson, co-owners of TIME TO DINE, Chefs & Caterers in Marietta, GA) – Caramelized onion and goat cheese tart, smoked chicken roulade stuffed with sweet potatoes, brandied pear served on a corn cake with braised greens, low country risotto fritters with chicken sausage, shrimp and corn, and caramelized apple wood bacon skewers.

I admit that I didn’t have an opportunity to taste every single item, but of those I did taste (caramelized onion and goat cheese tart, low country risotto fritters with chicken sausage, shrimp and corn, and caramelized apple wood bacon skewers), my hands down favorites were the risotto fritters and the bacon skewers. I mean, who doesn’t like bacon! And the hint of sweetness and the smokiness of the apple wood were the PERFECT combination. Anyone that knows me know that I LOVE risotto and I love creole/Cajun flavors. The risotto fritters brought together all of my favorites. The fritters were crunchy on the outside and perfectly creamy on the inside. The layers of flavors, reminiscent of great creole food, were well-balanced and perfectly built on each other with each bite.

Appetizer (Chef Daryl Shular, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Tucker, GA) – Citrus-cured breast of duck, pickled root vegetable slaw and truffle-sabayon and herb oil.

Citrus-cured breast of duck, pickled root vegetable slaw and truffle-sabayon and herb oil

Citrus-cured breast of duck, pickled root vegetable slaw and truffle-sabayon and herb oil

Duck breast with a perfectly rare preparation and a slight hint of citrus was the perfect beginning for the dinner. The truffle-sabayon was a delicious way to experience the truffles’ unique flavor as a compliment to the duck breast, the citrus essence and the pickling flavor of the slaw.

Fish Course (Chef Troy Singley, Royalty Private Catering, Burlington, NC) – Herb crusted salmon on a bed of potato parsnip puree with shallot buttered asparagus and smoked tomato vin blanc.

Herb crusted salmon on a bed of potato parsnip puree with shallot buttered asparagus and smoked tomato vin blanc

I have to admit, this was my favorite course. Not only was it beautifully plated, it was DELICIOUS! I inhaled it so quickly, I had to pause between courses to capture my thoughts. Often over or under-cooked, the salmon was perfection on a plate! The potato parsnip puree was smooth and the perfect secondary palate for the shallot butter on the asparagus and the smoked tomato vin blanc. The items on the plate shared flavors in a way I’ve never enjoyed before. The entire course was artistry.

Soup Course (Chef Bernard Carmouche, Emeril’s Restaurants, Orlando, FL) – Prosciutto wrapped quail with sunchoke puree, gold beet gastrique and English pea essence.

Wrapped quail with sunchoke puree, gold beet gastrique and English pea essence

I am not a huge fan of quail, but this preparation was pretty good. The quail breasts were the perfect portion size for me. The prosciutto added a later of saltiness that perfectly complimented the sunchoke puree and beets. The English pea essence was added with a light touch, a bit too light for my taste, but another delicious course none the less.

Salad Course (Chef Timothy Dean, Timothy Dean Enterprises, Washington, DC) – Butter poached Maine lobster with watermelon, mache and citrus vinaigrette.

Butter poached Maine lobster with watermelon, mache and citrus vinaigrette

Never have I had a lobster salad with this much meat! It felt as if there were a full tail or two full claws. The lobster was succulent and perfectly poached with the butter adding a nice warm flavor. The watermelon, which I don’t usually like, was a nice balance for the mache and lobster in terms of texture. The lightness of the citrus vinaigrette was also a good compliment for the butter poached lobster. A wonderful counterpoint to some of the earlier courses and a perfect transition to the main.

Main Course (Chef Charlie Hatney, City Club of Buckhead, Atlanta, GA) – Cumin & fennel spiced lamb with a fava bean succotash blackberry infused lamb jus topped with white pepper and goat cheese ice cream.

Cumin & fennel spiced lamb with a fava bean succotash blackberry infused lamb jus topped with white pepper and goat cheese ice cream

Whereas the Fish Course was my second favorite, this was the highlight of my evening! These are the dishes and flavor combinations that always amaze me and make me truly envy the creativity of culinary chefs. The lamb and the fava bean succotash with the blackberry infused lamb jus was flavorful with a hint of tartness from the berry. All great. But the piste de resistance was the white pepper and goat cheese ice cream. Ice cream with lamb, really? YES! As Chef Hatney told us, the ice cream would melt over the dish and bring it all together and boy was he right. The pepper and goat cheese were the unifying elements for this dish. The pepper provided another layer of seasoning and complimented the cumin and fennel on the lamb. The goat cheese kicked up that hint of tartness from the blackberries and created this creamy, tart sauce for the succotash. The layers of flavors and textures were something I will never forget. AMAZING!

Dessert Course (Chef Heather Hurlbert, HHDesserts, Atlanta, GA) – Toasted sour cream pound cake with Georgia strawberries, rhubarb, caramel cream and sour cream sorbet-tropical banana pudding.

oasted sour cream pound cake with Georgia strawberries, rhubarb, caramel cream and sour cream sorbet-tropical banana pudding.

I love desserts and this duo didn’t disappoint. In addition to being beautifully plated, it tasted great. Though the pound cake was a little bit dry, the addition of the caramel cream and the strawberries and rhubarb, which are just coming into season, made that insignificant. It also had a bit of a citrus hint which worked well with the other flavors. The banana pudding, which I understand was Chef Evans recipe, was delicious. The tropical flavors (banana rum pudding, mango lime compote and coconut meringue) were refreshing and an uplifting way to conclude the meal.

Bread (Chef Joani Trotochaud, Crust Bakery, Atlanta, GA) – Mini French boules, caramelized onion focaccia and jalapeno-cheddar cornbread

I am not a big bread eater, so I didn’t’ have an opportunity to taste the bread offerings; but based on how quickly the assortment disappeared from the table, I’d say they were all delicious.

This was an amazing dinner. The chefs put their hearts and souls on the plates and the attendees were more than appreciative. I am humbled to have been in their company and am thrilled to be a supporter of this amazing Foundation and scholarship. I can’t wait until next year!

As always … I am the Tasteless Gourmand!