LACMA Dinner

Baked Potato "Parfait"

Last weekend we got to work on an incredible dinner for the LACMA collector’s committee.  This is the committee that raises money every year and decides what pieces of art LACMA will procure that year.  Here is the LA Times article about this year’s picks .  We don’t get to work on small functions most of the time so it was a really nice change of pace.

Stunning Stacked Leaf Sculpture

The chef for this particular dinner was Christopher Kostow of the famed Meadowood Resort in Napa Valley, one of my favorite places to stay in Napa.

Chef Kostow and the lovely Stefanie Cove

Chef Kostow is uber talented and was so delightful to work with.  The menu included a baked potato “parfait” with Osetra caviar and Beausoleil oyster & a sweetbread canneloni with puffed farro (my favorite grain), glazed morels and truffle broth. Dessert was decadent, foie gras and white chocolate ganache with passion fruit, black walnuts and bananas. The wines were supplied by Bill and Deborah Harlan, of the world renowned Harlan Estate and Bond Estates, who were equally delightful.  The spectacular table setting was designed by the always talented and ultra imaginative Krislyn Komarov of Krislyn Designs.  The centerpieces included real vine branches (very apropos, n’est ce pas?) with delicate oyster mushrooms. The vines were surrounded by dainty glass votives.  It looked incredible as the evening fell.

Centerpiece at Dusk