FOODSERVICE MONTHLY'S Sauce on the Side

Seibel's Celebrates 70 Years of Dipping Homemade Ice Cream

2009-07-10T23:43:25-04:00

After a week of attending futuristic food theatre and preparing food for the gourmet future from Stouffers that appeared via FedEx on my door step (more on both of those in my next post), I was hungry for good news and a satisfying food experience. Thanks to Lynn Martins, who with her sister Karen Leach run Seibel's in Burtonsville on Route 198, for sending me an e-mail about a 70th anniversary special for July and August: 70-cent ice cream cones on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday from 4 to 8 p.m.

After a Friday afternoon meeting at the Willard in DC, I headed up I-95 for a pre-dinner treat.

Sure enough when I arrived someone was getting a cone to go … you see it’s a carryout offer. I asked the young man dipping and shaping my cone how long he had worked at the restaurant … when he said 10 years, I looked surprised. He quickly said, “I’m part of the family.” Chad Leach is a fine representative of the family that has watched over the restaurant since 1971.

From the Web site I learned Buck Seibel started Seibel's Dairy Bar at its present location in 1939. The original dairy was the Seibel farm two miles west on Route 198 in Spencerville, Md. The new location in Burtonsville bottled milk to deliver to homes in nearby communities. Seibel’s soon began making Super Premium ice cream and became a popular destination for a ride in the country and to enjoy an ice cream cone or milk shake.

In 1971 Harry and Joyce Ground purchased the restaurant, then serving breakfast, homemade soups and hamburgers. After two additions and four remodels the Ground family has helped Seibel’s grow from ten tables to a 182-seat restaurant. The daughters of Harry and Joyce, Karen Leach and Lynn Martins have been running Seibel’s since 1998 with Mom and Dad watching every move from afar.

I can tell you it’s worth the drive for one of their ice cream cones … and you might as well have dinner first since you made the trip.

Karen Cathey: We Lost a Special Person Today

2009-07-06T18:31:16-04:00

Karen Cathey died today from complications from a battle with colon cancer that she had bravely fought since January 2008. Karen was the president of Bon Vivant, LLC, a food marketing consulting firm in Arlington, Va., and past chairman of The American Institute of Wine & Food that was co-founded by Julia Child and Robert Mondavi, Richard Graff and Robert Huttenback in 1981. She was founding chairman of The AIWF National Capital Area Chapter and remained active as its chairman emerita. Karen wrote her noted column “Marketing Mix” for Foodservice Monthly since our start up in 2002.

More than that Karen Cathey was a dear friend – someone with whom I could share openly my passion for fine food and wine and great hospitality. I first met Karen in the mid-nineties when she was doing public relations and marketing work for Greggory Hill at his old Gabriel restaurant where Urbana is today. I can still remember our first lunch together as we got to know each other over a two-hour plus lunch while sharing stories of past and present while looking forward with vision and purpose. Greggory’s great food emboldened our spirit and conversation. It was that kind of immediate connection where we both knew we would be friends forever. People like Karen share their goodness – their love of life. I will always remember Karen’s strength – her good will – her passion.

Karen Cathey began Bon Vivant in 1991. She started her business by doing special events for the food and wine industry, mostly restaurants and products sold in restaurants, like specialty foods and wine. Karen expanded into all areas of marketing except advertising, and always limited her clientele to the food and beverage industries.

For 18 years she had refined her expertise working on food marketing projects ranging from market research, analysis, strategy and planning for restaurants and food companies to being a marketing coach. She wrote and lectured extensively about food marketing, and she wrote a weekly cookbook review column called “Devouring Cookbooks” that was syndicated nationally.

Karen Cathey was one of 50 founding members of the Southern Foodways Alliance, an affiliated institute of the University of Mississippi.

She was a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), the James Beard Foundation, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Culinary Historians of Washington (CHoW), and the National Press Club. She was a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine and holds a bachelor’s degree in European Studies from George Mason University.

Immediate arrangements are being handled by her family in North Carolina. There will be a memorial service in the upcoming weeks here in the Washington area so her friends can come together to remember and celebrate this wonderful woman. I will announce that information as soon as the details are confirmed.

Taste of Elegance Names Eight National Finalists

2009-06-29T16:49:11-04:00

The 20th Annual Taste of Elegance sponsored by America's Pork Producers is holding its national culinary competition tonight at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace. Taste of Elegance brings chefs together from around the country to compete in regional and national recipe competitions. Andrew Little won the local regional competition in November as reported here. The first regional Taste of Elegance was held in 1987.

Since its inception, the program has evolved into over thirty regional competitions, with more than 500 chefs participating. This afternoon the eight finalists from the 30 regional winners were announced after two days of competition. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. the final eight will start to serve for the final judging. Look here for the winner sometime after 8:30 p.m.

And the eight moving on to the finals tonight are:

James Abbott, Fusions Catering, Sioux Falls SD, Thai-Style Pork

Mark Brown, The River Club, Suwanee GA, Piedmont Pork

Joel C. Cooper, Puck’s of the Midway, Chicago IL, Pork Loin Stuffed with Gorgonzola Dolce and Medjoul Dates Cooked Sous Vide

Rudy Bazan Garza II, True Flavors Culinary Planners, San Antonio TX, Burnt Orange Glazed Pork Crepinette

Stephan Hesse, The Oak Grill, Minneapolis MN, Curry Pork Belly & Coconut Panna Cotta

Robert Iannaccone, Brookside Country Club, Macungie PA, Baby Back Confit and Truffled Stuffed Pork Loin, Sauce Perigueux

Stephen Marshall, Medici, Las Vegas, NV, Spiced Pork Belly, Fresh Hearts of Palm Cannelloini, Braised Leeks and Apple Glaze

Eddie Tancredi, Rosendales, Columbus OH, Pan Roasted White Marble Farms Pork Loin, BBQ Glazed Pork Belly

Washington Movie Groupie

2009-06-26T01:12:24-04:00

First I have to say I didn't plan it to be ... Danielle Tergis and I were walking from DC Coast to the Sofitel to join the many friend of Katy Adams, the wonderful special projects producer at FOX 5, for her birthday celebration. We looked across the street ... across from the Sofitel and a block away from Potenza and there they were ... Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon shooting a movie in DC ... I shot some fotos with my iPhone and then hung around until a dark SUV whisked Reese away.

After a couple of hours enjoying my time with Katy and friends, I left to go find the Metro station. It had started up all over again -- now with Reese alone. At this point I took put my real camera ... raised the ISO to 1600 and turned off the flash ... these are the fotos I took ... Reese taking a light check before we were all chased from the sidewalk so she could act without all of us in the background ... in her "eye line." Too cool! I turned from a food dude into a movie groupie without hesitation.

Chef Geoff's Tysons Corner Is Open for Business

2009-06-25T14:53:42-04:00

Northern Virginia joins Maryland and DC as the home of their very own Chef Geoff's as of today. Chef Geoff Tracy of Chef Geoff’s, Chef Geoff’s Downtown, Lia’s and Hank’s Tavern & Eats has opened his first Northern Virginia location in Tysons Corner.

Last night a benefit for Children's National Medical Center introduced the restaurant to invited guest, dignitaries, family and media. The event even attracted the Democratic nominee for the Virginia governorship Creigh Deeds, who I must note was the first politician I've ever seen show up early for a function. In case you don't know Geoff's wife is Norah O’Donnell who is the chief Washington correspondent for NBC News' MSNBC. It was somewhat ironic as Deeds was arriving with all the televisions tuned into MSNBC, the breaking story of the Argentinian worries of the South Carolina was on the tube. But that's not a story for her. We were celebrating a new restaurant with plenty of passed menu bites, signature cocktails including a Grey Goose vodka one named after Norah. Hmmm!

John Leinhardt joins the team as the general manager, having worked before at the Inn at Little Washington and 2941 Restaurant.

The newly renovated space (this is the not-so-old Colvin Run Tavern space) has more than 200 seats and serves lunch and dinner daily. The restaurant will also offer the option of three private dining rooms as well as an eighty-seat outdoor patio. The bar will have an extensive offering of specialty cocktails as well as large wine selection and 30 specialty beers on tap. Brunch will be offered on Sundays.

The summer menu will showcase many of Geoff’s favorite dishes: Day Boat Scallops with Mushroom Risotto and the Cuban Salmon with Mojito Vinaigrette.

Chef Geoff’s is located at 8045 Leesburg, Pike Vienna, VA next to Tiffany and Company in the Fairfax Square building. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. until midnight. For more information, www.chefgeoff.com or call 571-282-6003.

Pictures of the event last night at Chef Geoff's can be found in the foto gallery.

Agraria Opens As Agraria Farmers & Fishers on June 24

2009-06-18T11:54:40-04:00

In case you haven't been in Agraria since June 1, you've missed a restaurant rebranding from Agraria to Agraria Farmers & Fishers -- right before your very eyes and palate. Chef Russel Cunningham has been presenting guests the new menu in stages as testing has taken place for three weeks now. The new menu goes into effect 100% on June 24, along with the official name change.

Vucurevich Simons Advisory Group (VSAG), the restaurant company that manages Founding Farmers, recently took over the contract for Agraria Farmers & Fishers ... and the new name and positioning is an evolution of their “Farmers” brand. The two restaurants are owned by the North Dakota Farmers’ Union. Agraria Farmers & Fishers intends to bring a dining and hospitality focus to the waterfront – and the coastal regions of the US.

If you dine between now and June 24, you will be presented the new menu with help provided by the server as to what is available on that day.

Take a peek at the new menu: Download Agraria Farmers & Fishers menu

At Restaurant Eve, Make Mine a Double

2009-06-17T22:36:11-04:00

At the foto shoot at Restaurant Eve last week for my July Foodservice Monthly cover (remember they just won a RAMMY for Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year), I had to do a double take when I saw Cathal Armstrong's chef de cuisine Alex Dreyer on one side of the kitchen and then with another glance I saw him on the opposite end of the line. Meshelle Armstrong helped me out ... she explained Cathal has hired identical twins Alex and Austin for his culinary team. Meshelle said there are a number of a number of coincidences with the two young men that have added to the story ... like both having at one time different vegan girl friends. It used to be one way you could tell them apart was a birthmark Alex has on his right ear ... well Austin had an accident and now he has a blemish on his right ear in the same spot as Alex. And we don't need to go into the fact that both have tatoos of trees ... albeit different kinds.

In the foto, it's Austin and Alex ... I think.

BrainFood Skillet & Spatula Awards Go to Team Central's Maupillier and Team 1789's Giusti

2009-06-16T16:33:16-04:00

Brainfood, one of those cool nonprofits that uses cooking to teach life skills and healthy living to DC youths, held its annual Brainfood Grill-Off competition last week at the Decatur House in Washington. Top local chefs participating included Teddy Folkman, a finalist on The Next Food Network Star; Cedric Maupillier, Central Michel Richard; Daniel Giusti, 1789; Shannon Overmiller, The Majestic; Bryan Moscatello, Stir Food Group and Tony Chittum, Vermilion. They teamed up with Brainfood volunteers and Brainfood students in a competition to become the 2009 Grill-Off champion.

Cedric Maupillier's team with Brainfood chef Tyler Giles won the Brainfood Skillet Award – they were a team of friends from NCF/PKS & Friends. The winning team members were given Shun Chef Knives.

The winner of the BRAINFOODies Choice Spatula Award was Mercator XXI who teamed up with chef Daniel Giusti of 1789 and Brainfood chef Jovell Rhock. They were given Shun Utility Knives.

“The Brainfood Grill-Off was inspired by a competition that caps off the graduation celebration for every Brainfood after-school and summer program,” said Paul Dahm, executive director of Brainfood. “This is an opportunity to bring the Brainfood experience to the local DC community, while raising vital funding for our programs."

Dishes were judged by a panel: Clarice Dionot, L’Academie de Cuisine; Amanda McClements, Metrocurean.com; Mark Michael, Occasions Catering; and Mark Kuller, Proof.

Sponsores included Reznick Group and the law firm of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker among others. 100 percent of ticket sales support Brainfood programs.

Brainfood is a youth development organization that uses food and cooking as tools to teach life skills and healthy living to teenagers in a safe, healthy and positive environment. Local high school students participate in our programs either twice a week after school or five days a week for six weeks during the summer. Brainfood is in its 10th year of operations and has locations in the Columbia Heights and Chinatown neighborhoods of Washington, DC. For more information, visit: www.brain-food.org.

foto 1: Team 1789 with chef Daniel Giusti and Brainfood chef Jovell Rhock (great name!)
foto 2: Team Central chef Cedric Maupillier is interviewed by Leon Harris, ABC 7 News
foto gallery: the pictures are downloadable from the gallery page

2nd Annual Joan Hisaoka 'Make a Difference" Gala Features CityZen and Eric Ziebold

2009-06-15T00:57:23-04:00

Robert Hisaoka contacted me Sunday to let me know the 2009 2nd Annual Joan Hisaoka "Make A Difference" Gala will be held at the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. on Saturday October 24. In an extraordinary announcement, Hisaoka revealed that the James Beard award winning chef Eric Ziebold of the hotel's CityZen will close the restaurant for the evening and will dedicate his entire staff to the four-course dinner. The dinner will include wine pairings from recent RAMMY winning sommelier Andy Myers.

The black tie event will also include a reception, dancing, and silent and live auctions. This year, the beneficiary will once again be the Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts, a 501(c)(3)
organization, located in Washington, DC. The Smith Farm Center offers week-long retreats, workshops,
support therapy, an artist-in-residence program, a healing arts gallery and nutrition education. In the past year, they have been able to expand their services to reach almost 10,000 people.

Joan Hisaoka, founder of Hisaoka Public Relations, was 48 when she lost her battle with
cancer on May 14, 2008. To honor her memory and her dream of assisting those living with cancer, the
1st Annual Joan Hisaoka “Make a Difference” Gala raised $700,000. Joan was a close friend of mine and advisory board member for Foodservice Monthly. Our magazine won the first Joan Hisaoka Associate Member of the Year award given by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington in the honor of her dedication to the industry and her unparalleled integrity and spiritual being.

The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery is an integral part of the work of the Smith Farm Center.

The number of women served through the community navigation program has doubled – requiring more staff and volunteers to meet this critical need. The funds raised from this year’s gala will allow the Smith Farm Center to assist even more people living with cancer in the Washington, DC area, and to expand their facilities to “serve more and serve better”.

Hisaoka recognizes the economic downturn has caused everyone to reevaluate their financial giving.
However, he also knows many of us have had our lives touched in some way by cancer and people living with cancer cannot wait for an economic recovery to receive support.

The sponsorship opportunities for this year’s gala are enclosed in the attached forms that can be access via this pdf: Download Make a Difference Gala Packet. While these are for cash financial support, there are opportunities for auction items as well - those special events and benefits only restaurants and chefs can provide.

Dianna Lopez of BRAVO! Events by Design can be reached by phone at 202-543-7388, or via e-mail at makeadifference@aboutbravo.com.

Stay tuned as we learn of more news of what should be the premier dinner of the Fall 2009.

foto: Ris Lacoste and Heather Chittum (center) donated a dinner for last year's live auction and then helped the auctioneer bring in the proper winning bid.

Today's Market Visit: Bethesda Central Farm Market

2009-06-14T20:46:25-04:00

Just into their second week today, Ann Brody and Mitch Berliner have a winning farm market at their Bethesda Central Farm Market (BCFM) near the intersection of Woodmont and Elm (right behind Jaleo). Their Sunday market will continue at this location until some time in November from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

With 20 or so vendors on hand, I was able to find what I was looking for and kept finding more than I had anticipated when I arrived. I had to finally stop walking with Ann who should be on commission. She enthusiastically took me to each tent telling me as we walked a little history about each. Then she introduced me to the principals on hand while recommending something I had to have. That's the beauty of markets: that building of a relationship between yourself and the producer.

I hadn't seen John Jamison of Jamison Farm (famous for his lamb) for four or five years since an evening at Equinox with chefs and producers. We both remembered the evening (amazing for me) and picked up our conversation right where we had left it that night.

I bought some lamb kebab meat. I love their little brochure with recipes: " ... there really is a Sukey and John. If you ever have a question, we are only a phone call away (800-237-5262)."

Of course I stopped at the Berliner MeatCrafters table where I picked up a package of Stachowski Berliner Kielbasa. That will be a grill dinner later this week when I follow the Web site recommend: poach for 12-15 minutes and then finish on the Weber. Let's see I also got some radishes from Gardner's Gourmet (410-876-7940), sugar snap peas and strawberries from Twin Springs Fruit Farm (where I also found several copies of popular Rene Catacalos's Edible Chesapeake), more strawberries from Toigo Orchards, a rosemary oil rub for my lamb from catering by anna saint john (301-949-7603) and an awesome almond croissant from praline Bakery & Bistro.

This Thursday, June 18, BCFM will open a mid-week market on Bethesda Lane between 3 and 7 p.m.

Also Ann told me they are having their first farm dinner June 29 at Assaggi Restaurant on Bethesda Avenue. The menu and price are to be determined shortly and already 10 of the 30 seats are sold. To reserve, e-mail ann@bethesdacentralfarmmarket.com