ACHIEVEability’s Food for Thought Gala 2013
Every year, ACHIEVEability’s annual Food for Thought Gala takes over the Urban Outfitters at the Navy Yard. This year’s event took place this past Saturday, March 23, 2013. With guests dressed to the nines, fare courtesy of acclaimed chefs throughout Philadelphia, and enviable raffle and auction items galore, it was a tantalizing night all in support of a great cause.
ACHIEVEability works to permanently break the cycle of poverty for low-income, single parent, and homeless families. The West Philadelphia non-profit provides housing and services so that parents can pursue higher education and work towards self-sufficiency. More than 30 outstanding chefs and restaurants from across the city came together to support the cause.
Marc Vetri, Tia McDonald, and his crew at Alla Spina (including a young’un getting a head start in the food industry) get ready to dish out some grub.
Alla Spina’s mortadella hot dogs with spicy pickles and cabbage relish.
Shake Shack’s renowned burgers and boston cream pie custard.
A warm turnip and radish barigoule with homemade mustard came from the hands of Shop 543’s Steve Linneman.
Lamb sausage crepes with red pepper jam and peanut butter chocolate pudding courtesy of Keith Rudolf from Terrain Garden Café.
Terrain Garden Café’s smiling crew.
Mitch Prensky of Supper turned out a creamy, spicy, cheesy rendition on grits: Buffalo Grits (Anson Mills grits, smoked chicken cracklins, hot sauce. buttermilk blue, pickled celery) (left). Sbraga’s famous foie gras soup (right) is made with garlic, shallots, Thai chile, brandy, and foie. The mixture is puréed to a silky cream and paired with a rose petal relish and pumpernickel croutons.
Chef Kevin Sbraga and his colleague from Sbraga chat with guests; Mitch Prensky can be seen whipping up grits in the background.
Sylva Senat (right) of Tashan and his sous chefs prepared nontraditional Indian-inspired desserts for the crowd: Gol-Gappa (hollow durum puff filled with mixed potato and chickpea salad; cilantro-mint water added upon being handed to a guest) and Gulab Jamun Crème Brûlée (Tahitian vanilla bean, milk dough soaked in rose water, cardamon and star anise).
The Gol-Gappa was light and savory, while the silky crème brûlée had unique underlying tones of fragrant cardamom.
The Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises (featuring Mia and Me and 4 Every Occasion) brought both savory and sweet dishes. For the savory portion, the team doled out bite-sized crab cakes topped with sweet potato purée, which had a lovely seafood taste with hardly any filler.
For the sweet portion, there was a selection of five different cupcake flavors: we elected for the fragrant carrot and the simple-yet-satisfying vanilla.
Check out Part II of our gala recap!
— Nicole Woon and Marisa Denker