Bits of Info and Food Reporting from Vinny Event

[opinionatedchef]

Ate a lot of great food and talked w/ a number of chefs tonight (Monday) at a fundraiser for Vinny, the ebullient Neptune Oyster waiter who had a horrific car accident last month.
Isl Creek Oyster Bar donated the space, tables,linens etc. and chefs and beverage companies donated their product and themselves.Great to see the Boston food community come together to help such a great guy.

It was interesting to try food from restnts I have both visited and never visited; talented chefs never cease to amaze and everyone gladly donated their food and presence to the cause. Vinny has worked in the industry a long time and many chefs know him from the past as well as the present. There were maybe 15 food stations . The #1 thing i tasted (Madrid, you will not be surprised by this) was the amazing grains/vegetable/chevre salad from Oleana’s chef, Cassie Kyriakedes. It had prob 25 ingredients and was a textural Pandora’s box. ‘Smoked Green Wheat’ or Freekeh, was the ingredient of the hour for me. (Sometime soon, off to Watertown to find it!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freekeh

Behind this salad was Charles Dragghi’s Parmesan Crisp topped with Prosciutto and Fruit Mostarda and ?’s Cheese Gougere filled with Smoked Pork and Celery Remoulade. I cannot remember the restnt name- it started with an S but i don’t think it was sorellina or sportello and i thought it had a second 's' in it, but darned if i can remember... tall friendly chef w/ shaved head> what a talent! sorry.......I even looked through all opentable's S restnts and tried google. sigh.Maybe another CH was present ( w/ a brain that works?)

Hey, what about The Salty Pig? How come no CH buzz about them? I found a few comments but no recent dedicated thread for them. The very enthusiastic chef(owner?) Josh Smith served some absolutely beautiful cheeses from VT- Fuzzy Wheel, Conundrum, and La Petite Tomme, all from 3 different producers.
http://www.thesaltypig.com/img/saltyp...

Island Creek was there with their beauty babies. Will Gershon did a BLT in a rice paper wrapper. He said he’s hoping to open his new place by August (Another name with 'Bridge’ in it> sicr-sorryicantremember. ) It will be in Inman Sq’s former Bosphorus space and the decor will be ‘urban farmhouse’.I’m guessing that it is going to be a big success, locating in a good area for his former Garden in the Cellar fans. I’m really looking forward to it. Strip T’s Tim and Sean were there with Lettuce wrapped Pickled Mussels over Cattail kimchee. Kimchee was in Jamie Bissonette’s Italian Sub wedges as well. Lots of restaurants and other vendors donated great things to a silent and live auction, and the evening, organized by Michael Serpa, Neptune’s Exec Chef, and other NO staff , was deemed a big success- for the goal of helping Vinny.

[naughtywaitress]

Mystery solved! Sorriso and Les Zygomates, Chef John Paine.

I agree that Oleana's salad blew my mind. I will be thinking of those flavors for a long time to come. Also Sofra's cashew and sesame desert- wow!

It was a great event. I am very happy to see all the people who came out for Vinny. Let's all put together our good thoughts and hope that he makes a speedy recovery.

[Madrid]

any ideas on what was in the Oleana salad besides freekeh and chevre? Of course, I want it!

[opinionatedchef]

madrid, she said she's email me recipe so, send me yours again and i'll forward it.
opinionatedchefatcomcastdotnet

sooooo many things!

[opinionatedchef]

yay; th you!! you know, for some reason, i THOUGHT it was zygomates related but WHY when i even went to the Z website, did i see nothing for Sorriso? gotta check out that place. nice fellow too.