My wife and I returned late Friday night from New York where we were attending the James Beard Awards. While the awards ceremony was on the evening of Monday, May 3rd, we spent a few extra days researching ideas for Heartland's new location. It's good that we did so because the night's festivities proved to be rather exhausting once the exhilaration of that evening was long gone. What follows is a look inside the event sans the $450 general admission ticket price.
Mega and I arrived at Lincoln Center right on time and about half an hour before the opening ceremonies. Standing there in the plaza outside Avery Fisher Hall, I scanned the crowd for fellow chefs that I know and have worked with over the years. The first familiar face I saw was Joyce Goldstein. She and I cooked together one afternoon and evening over twenty years ago at Fetzer Vineyards. I wanted to say hello and reconnect, but she was being mobbed by folks, and I just wasn't going to elbow my way through. It wasn't until fellow nominee Alex Roberts and his wife Margo toting new baby Nia that we connected with some friends. Isaac Becker, another fellow nominee, and his wife Nancy St. Pierre soon joined us. I did get to wish my friend Tony Mantuano of Chicago's Spiaggia good luck with his nomination in the Outstanding Restaurant category. Later that evening we would embrace each other and declare, "Better luck next year," as we both came up short of the winners' circle.
The place was a madhouse of culinary luminaries, food groupies and media folks. It was almost overwhelming. We took our seats and waited anxiously as the various categories, nominees and winners were announced. I was fortunate enough to be seated in an aisle seat just two rows in front of Alex so I was the first person after Margo to congratulate him as he made his way to the stage to accept the Best Chef Midwest Award. I was so happy and proud that he brought one home for Minnesota. It was such a thrill to see him up there at the podium.
Later on, Wayne Kostrowski gave a stirring call to arms to feed the hungry. It was an inspiring moment. I've known Wayne for a long time, and his Humanitarian of the Year Award was one of the highlights of the evening. Like most winners, he got a little choked up as he thanked his spouse for all of her support. It was very touching.
Another highlight, especially for me and Isaac, was Tom Colicchio's acceptance speech for Outstanding Chef. Standing there not far from Ellis Island where both his and my grandparents entered this country without documentation at the turn of the last century, he called upon us to recognize, lest we forget, that we are a nation of immigrants and that our country and especially our industry has been built upon their labor. It was a bold and brave statement that, given these politically charged times, was long overdue; and it was met with resounding applause.
I was disappointed that Michelle Gayer was passed over for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Later on, I was able to touch base with her fellow nominee Mindy Siegel. Mindy went home empty handed as well. Either of those women could easily have won. It just goes to show how difficult it is to handicap those awards.
After four hours of slapping ourselves on our backs and declaring how wonderful we all are, the awards ceremony was finally concluded. It was time for some serious eating, toasting and elbow rubbing. The reception hall was packed to the gills with culinary glitterati. Farmer Lee Jones of Ohio's Chef's Garden was in his signature overalls and red bow tie. He never fails to entertain. It was good to see my old friend Juliet Glass, daughter of composer Philip Glass, who is one the most unpretentious and down to earth people I know. One would never guess she is the progeny of an American icon. She still writes for Food Arts, but lives in Washington, D.C. now; and I miss her frequent visits to Heartland. I got to spend some time with Lee Dean, Rick Nelson and Sue Zelickson as well as with my buddy Andrew Zimmern who brought home his own prize the night before during the media portion of the awards. I was sorry that I didn't get to see Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, who was also a previous night winner, but I think she high tailed it out of town earlier in the day. I believe this is her fourth award, and it must be getting old hat for her. Timothy Hollingsworth of the French Laundry, who won Rising Star Chef of the Year, looked positively shell-shocked.
This was Alex's night, and we counted upon him to guide us to the after party. After putting Margo and Nia to bed in their hotel, the remaining five of us headed off to Colicchio & Sons. As we turned the corner and cut through the parking lot of the gas station on the corner not far from the hotel, who did we see coming around the bend but Outstanding Chef nominee José Andrés. He immediately put me in a bear hug and asked me where we were going. Once I regained my breath, I explained we were headed off to see Tom. Apparently, so was he, but he was headed in the wrong direction. I told him to stick with us, and we would make sure he got there safe and sound. Little did I know that I would have to back those words up not five minutes later as he stepped off a curb into oncoming traffic. I pulled him from the path of a speeding taxi just in the nick of time as he declared, "Just run me over! I'm an immigrant!" I think he was referring to the new controversial Arizona statute. I told him to calm down since I was pretty sure that the cab driver was an immigrant as well. That's when he offered to refund my money for the purchase of his latest cookbook. I told him it wasn't necessary. His life is one worth saving without any remuneration.