 |
| North Fork Table & Inn partners accept Slow Food East End Carlo Petrini Award, L-R: Chef Claudia Fleming, Mary Mraz, Mike Mraz, Chef Gerry Hayden |
The
votes are in.
And
the winner is the acclaimed East End restaurant, The North Fork Table & Inn
and its James Beard award-winning chefs and co-owners, husband and wife
culinary team: Gerry Hayden and Claudia Fleming, along with their managing
partners, Mike Mraz and his wife, Mary.
The
Inn was presented with the first-ever Slow Food East End Carlo Petrini Award for its exceptional embodiment of the Slow
Food principles of universal access to good, clean and fair food.
At
the same time, the sold-out event was a “double feature.”
East
End foodies gathered to raise funds to help combat the devastating ALS disease,
while saluting and celebrating Chef Gerry Hayden and his fight against ALS.
Chef
Gerry is also James Beard nominee this year for Best Chef, Northeast.
All
the really big stars -- in the culinary constellation, that is -- were in
attendance at Sunday’s very big night at The North Fork Table & Inn.
In
fact, there were 50 chefs, staff and volunteers and nearly 20 chefs who
participated in the evening’s star-studded night.
The
event was a sell-out with more than 220 tickets purchased and even more donations
were tallied online, garnering a total of approximately $40,000.
Chef
Gerry was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. The money raised helps provide for his
quality of care.
Donations
can still be made at:http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Your-Invitation-to-a-Special-Event.html?soid=1102409732378&aid=JzL3I54d_bg
The
evening’s menu was extraordinary – with local, homegrown ingredients dazzling
the Out East plates and palates. (Check out Rosa Ross' Vegetable Rolls!)
The
best ingredient of the night? Love.
Hat’s
in the air to all the effort and community that helped make the night a
success, especially, event planner Maria McBride of Peconic Productions, Kontokosta
Winery and Anne Howard, Slow Food East End.
 |
| Slow Food East End Membership Chair & event hero, Anne Howard, Center |
Chefs
Gerry Hayden and Claudia Fleming are featured chefs in this Examiner’s book, The
Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook, as are many of the chefs
who turned out to support the fundraising event.
Of
course they did. That’s what Homegrown Chefs do…
Special
mention goes to Chef Kevin Penner, Bryan Futerman, Robby Beaver, Frisky Oyster, Rosa Ross, Scrimshaw, Gretchen Menser, Fresno, James Carpenter, Citta Nuova, and Jason Weiner, Almond, NYC/L&W Oyster Co.
 |
| Chef Bryan Futerman, Left |
 |
| Exuberant & beautiful: Chef Claudia |
I
wrote about Chef Gerry and Claudia’s vision and culinary leadership for the
North Fork Table & Inn’s profile in the Homegrown Cookbook,
“The couple is dedicated to
fulfilling the North Fork’s potential as a food lover’s paradise. They opened
the restaurant here because they believe it offers the best of the culinary world’s
future, with the highest-quality ingredients steps away from their door. And because of their philosophy, The North
Fork Table & Inn has become a food-lover’s destination.”
And
inspiration, it should be added.
Photos Courtesy of Slow Food East End, photographer: Brittany Calderale
