Thomas Keller & Michel Richard at Citronelle 11/16

[VenerableBede]

Sorry if i've missed this somewhere, but was wondering if anyone was going to this event?

Store Event

Where: Washington, DC

Event: An evening with Thomas Keller

Date: 11/17/04

Time: 7pm-9pm

Cost: $35.00/person

Contact: (202) 237-0375

Details: Join America's Top Chef, Thomas Keller, owner of The French Laundry in Yountville, Bouchon in Yountville, and Per Se in New York City for a reception and book signing to benefit the National Capitol Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food. Thomas will be joined by Bouchon’s executive chef, Jeff Cerciello, to discuss classic bistro dishes from their new book, Bouchon.

Chef Jeff Heineman of the Grapeseed American Bistro and Wine Bar will prepare the evening’s food; wine will be provided by Michel-Schlumberger.

Book signings are limited to books purchased at Sur La Table. Please bring your receipt for books purchased prior to the event. Ticket sales will benefit the AIWF.

[bilrus]

I recieved an email about this on Friday, but by the time I called on Saturday they were booked up.

They did say that if people wanted to buy the Bouchon book they could have it autographed.

[bmiller]

I'm heading to the Thomas Keller / Michel Richard dinner at Citronelle tonight. I'm a little nervous that, as part of a Smithsonian program, it won't necessarily show the best of either chef, but I certainly can't imagine it going badly.

[DonRocks]

I'm heading to the Thomas Keller / Michel Richard dinner at Citronelle tonight. I'm a little nervous that, as part of a Smithsonian program, it won't necessarily show the best of either chef, but I certainly can't imagine it going badly.

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Consider that it's in Michel's own kitchen, and that he'll be cooking to impress Keller (and vice-versa).

[bmiller]

Consider that it's in Michel's own kitchen, and that he'll be cooking to impress Keller (and vice-versa).

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That's my hope. The menu that I was mailed a month or so ago didn't wow me, but it also looked as though it had been worded by a Smithsonian staffer rather than someone on the food side ("Red and white wines").

[MCJB2]

Consider that it's in Michel's own kitchen, and that he'll be cooking to impress Keller (and vice-versa).

←

That's my hope. The menu that I was mailed a month or so ago didn't wow me, but it also looked as though it had been worded by a Smithsonian staffer rather than someone on the food side ("Red and white wines").

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I will also be attending the Keller/Richard dinner tonight at Citronelle. I agree that the menu they sent a few months ago didn't look so great, but we shall see!

[Seand04]

Consider that it's in Michel's own kitchen, and that he'll be cooking to impress Keller (and vice-versa).

←

That's my hope. The menu that I was mailed a month or so ago didn't wow me, but it also looked as though it had been worded by a Smithsonian staffer rather than someone on the food side ("Red and white wines").

←

I will also be attending the Keller/Richard dinner tonight at Citronelle. I agree that the menu they sent a few months ago didn't look so great, but we shall see!

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Review anyone? Sounds amazing, "the Citronelle Laundry"...

[bmiller]

<B>The Smithsonian Associates Presents “Meet the Chef” With Thomas Keller And Michel Richard at Citronelle</B>

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

<I>After a warm up at the bar, I had my name checked Smithsonian’s list and headed down the stairs, spotting Keller and Richard at the chef’s table. I was directed to the combined private dining room, which was set up to seat about 60, and wandered around for a while before settling in (I was dining solo, and didn’t want to disrupt the seating plans of lager parties at the round 10-tops). </I>

Laurent Perrier Brut Reserve

<I>Champagne was poured, introductions were made, small talk ensued. Keller was signing Bouchon cookbooks in a nook in the hallway – unaware guests may have been somewhat surprised to pass by him on their way to the restrooms. A few minutes later, a voice came out of the speakers introducing Keller, at which point everyone in the room swiveled their heard wildly, looking for someone who’s tall enough that he shouldn’t be that hard to find. As he began to speak and applause came through the speakers even though the tables were quiet, it slowly dawned on us that he was in another room entirely. This led to an awkward phase in which people had to decide whether to keep staring at the speakers, look at each other without interrupting the speech, or (my choice), intently read and re-read the menu and hope to hell the night would get better. It did. Keller, Richard, and Jeffrey Cerciello (I believe) of Bouchon came in and talked about the cookbook, the recipes they’d be preparing from it, and fielded questions from the audience.</I>

<B>Tapenade, Olivade, Salmon Rillette, Rabbit Rillette with Prunes</B>

Viogner, Miner Family, Napa Valley, 2003

<I>These were introduced by Keller and passed out in a variety of ceramic and glass containers, a vessel of every one at every table. They were served with a heaping basket of thinly sliced baguette toasts, and we were instructed to pass them around and generally make it social. We did, and it was my favorite course of the night. The communal aspect worked wonders in breaking the remaining ice at the table and the basket and jars made the rounds until everything was gone. The tapenade was incredibly rich, and the olivade (olives & fromage blanc) tasted remarkably similar to taramosalata. The salmon rillette was made with two combined preparations of salmon (I couldn’t make out what they were), and the rabbit was served with a layer of prunes across the top. The salmon was quite stiff and adhesive in nature, which made for some tense moments as people tried to fling it from spoon to plate with increasing force. It was already a lot of food and it quickly became clear that each piece of bread was going to have to count, shuttling an inordinate mass of spread between plate and mouth. I was feeling much better about the meal.</I>

<B>Butternut Squash Soup with Nutmeg Crème Fraiche and Fried Sage</B>

Vacqueyras, Domaines Perrin, 2001

<I>This was a bit of a lost course – it came out without introduction, the crème fraiche looking like a poached egg in the bowl. The soup was ladled over it and everyone started eating, but no one at my table really had anything to say about it. It was served a few degrees too cold, and the quantity of crème fraiche seemed much too large for the modest soup serving.</I>

<B>Lamb Ribeye with Winter Roast Vegetables, Perigord Truffle, & Lamb Jus</B>

Cabernet Sauvignon, “Modicum” 2000

<I>Prefaced by a lengthy Keller description of the source of the lamb, it was served as a gently seared cylinder atop thin winter vegetable slices. The truffle shavings were substantial, but had perhaps sat too long after being cut as neither the scent or the flavor was as intense as I would have expected. The elements were good but I was really looking for a change in texture at this point, as the only things in the meal so far that weren’t soft and rich were the toasts and the bit of fried sage.

The wine with this course was pretty amazing, a cabernet sauvignon developed by The French Laundry and shortly to become available outside California. It was enormous, enough so that a glass of crianza I had a couple of hours later tasted like rosewater. </I>

<B>Valrhona Chocolate Tart</B>

<I>This was a Michel Richard take on one of the Bouchon recipes, and it was excellent. The chocolate sat in an inverted shallow pyramid of crust with a pool of liquid chocolate over it, and my only wish is that I’d held some of my wine from the last course in reserve.

The company was great. Some of the food was great. But, much like my experience at Bouchon Las Vegas this spring, I left feeling that the ideas behind the meal and experience didn’t make it all the way to the plate. Looking back at the menu, it makes sense that the program was called “Meet the Chef”, as it seems that the dinner wasn’t the thing people were there for. I’m glad I went, but I can’t see myself doing something like it again. At least until I see the next listing that looks too good to pass up.</I>