The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: James Beard

12/16/2014

Ian Boden to Cook at James Beard House

Boden

Our area’s dining continues to rack up the accolades.  Ian Boden has joined the list of area chefs to be invited to cook at the James Beard House, a much-deserved honor.  He will appear on February 2, 2015, for an evening titled “The Mighty Virginia Shack”, after his Staunton restaurant.  His menu, below, looks like it might be worth traveling all the way to New York.  Our favorite part may be that all of the wine and cider pairings come from Virginia.  Bravo Ian!

MENU

 

  • Hors d’Oeuvre

    • Buttermilk Biscuits with Chicken Liver Mousse and Concord Grape Jelly
    • Rappahannock Oysters with Pickled Salsify–Finger Lime Relish and Ice Plant
    • Fried Chicken withSchmaltz Aïoli, Caper–Parsley Purée, and Pickled Shallots
      • Thibaut-Janisson Brut NV
  • Dinner

    • Pumpkin Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Concord Grape Vinaigrette, and Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil
      • Foggy Ridge First Fruit Hard Cider
    • Roasted Lamb Neck Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Vegetables, Hozon Seasoning, and Herbs
      • Ankida Ridge Vineyards Chardonnay 2012
    • Snail-Pork Belly Posole with Jimmy Red Corn, Chile-Fermented Cabbage, Cilantro, and Radishes
      • Ox-Eye Vineyards Riesling 2012
    • Smoked Beef Brisket with Egg Barley, Young Carrots, Marrow-Sorghum Gravy, and Herbs
      • Jefferson Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2012
    • Forbidden Rice Pudding with Pickled Apples, Bourbon Cherries, Rice Crackling, and Nasturtium
      • White Hall Vineyards Petit Manseng 2012

 

05/22/2014

Palladio Receives James Beard Invite

Melissa

Chef Melissa Close-Hart. Photo by Jackson Smith.

The national spotlight continues to shine on Charlottesville area food.  Just a week after news broke that Parallel 38 will cook at New York City’s The Beard House this August comes news of another area restaurant being invited there: Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Vineyards.

Of course, this type of attention is nothing new for Palladio, or its chef Melissa Close-Hart.  In her 14 years at the Italian fine dining destination, Close-Hart has won more national acclaim than any other area chef, with four James Beard nods as a semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic.  And, while it is special for a restaurant to receive even just one invitation to cook at The Beard House, this will be Palladio’s fifth appearance there.  Yes, fifth.  “It’s such an honor to be asked to bring the Palladio crew back to the Beard House,” said Close-Hart, who previously cooked there in 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2012.

Scheduled for February 24, 2015, Palladio’s dinner will be a multi-course affair, paired with Barboursville wines, that will celebrate Virginia’s bounty of wonderful produce, like Rappahannock River Oysters, Caromont Farm Cheese, and Border Springs Lamb.  “We have a talented team here,” Close-Hart said, “and I’m ecstatic to go to New York and showcase what we are accomplishing here in Virginia. We are still working on the menu, but I plan on focusing on Virginia products paired with Luca Paschina’s great wines! ”

Congratulations to Melissa and the rest of the Palladio team.

 

05/13/2014

Parallel 38 Receives James Beard Invite

justin-ross

Photo by Andrea Hubbell for The Scout Guide – Charlottesville.

Parallel 38 is going to The Beard House!

One of the great honors an American restaurant can receive is an invitation to prepare dinner at New York City’s The Beard House.  While the James Beard Foundation hosts many events each year, invitees are often acclaimed chefs from established restaurants in big cities.  It’s rare for a Charlottesville restaurant to receive an invite, and unheard of for one that’s just a few months old.   Yet, that’s just what happened to Parallel 38, the restaurant that opened in Stonefield just five months ago.

Owner Justin Ross (left) and chef Alfredo Malinis, Jr. are still finalizing the menu, but they expect it will involve a reception of three hors d’oeuvres, followed by a sit-down five course meal.  Ross, a wine and spirits expert, will handle cocktail and wine pairings for the reception and dinner.  The Parallel 38 team is understandably thrilled with the news.  “You can work your entire career and never have this opportunity,” said Ross.  “We have an incredible team and they’re doing incredible things. It’s an honor to showcase that.”

Parallel 38’s invitation is just the latest example of the growing national attention on the great food scene we all enjoy in the Charlottesville area. Congratulations to Parallel 38.