Gourmet Dining with Organissimo

[Unk]

At $85 a plate, this sounds like a low-GREAZZZZZE affair.

Local chef flavor

Th Grand Rapids Press

255 words

29 August 2007

The Grand Rapids Press

All Editions

E5

English

© 2007 Grand Rapids Press. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights reserved.

Culinary demonstrations by The 1913 Room's Chris Madsen and San Chez, A Tapas Bistro's Andy Serba will be given at the Traverse Epicurean Classic

-- 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 -- Chris Madsen's Five Diamond Dining: Seasonal Recipes from The 1913 Room Kitchen ($39) will showcase the favorites from Michigan's only American Automobile Association's Five Diamond Award restaurant. Some of the dishes on a recent Madsen menu included Gewurztraminer poached foie gras, white truffle risotto, or celeriac cream soup with maple popcorn. This is the class for you to sharpen your Gaelic culinary skills.

-- 2:30 p.m. Sept. 15 -- Andy Serba's Once Upon a Tapas: Discover Traditional Spanish Tapas and Mediterranean Cuisine ($39) will prepare Paella Valenciana. An herbed-seared raw sashimi-style tuna with marinated carrot ribbons, a spicy mango coulis puree and a black bean falafel with a spicy cucumber taziki will be served.

-- 7 p.m. Sept. 15 -- The Grand Reception ($85) is the culinary festival's premier event, during which 25 guest chefs (including Madsen and Serba) will prepare small, decadent dishes from their acclaimed cookbook or restaurant. Wine tables hosted by prestigious wineries and importers such as Banfi, Marco Parusso, Penfolds, Perrier-Jouet, Kobrand, Vin Divino, Chateau Ste. Michelle and many of Michigan's best, as well as craft-brewed beers and aged spirits. All against a backdrop of the music of Organissimo and the Grand Traverse Bay setting of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Unk

[Big Al]

Heck, for about $50 less, I recently enjoyed fine dining with 2/3 of Organissimo (Joe & Randy), plus Chuck and Skid. (The tab would've been even less if I hadn't had so much beer!)