October 31, 2011 by Mark H. Anbinder
Ithaca Taste of the Nation, the local group that hosts an annual fundraising showcase of local food and wine, is reprising its successful event to raise awareness and money to fight hunger. This fall, the organization's fourth annual "Chef's Night Out" series, bringing 15 local chefs together for a trio of special nights, wraps up on November 8th with a dinner at Celebrations.
Chefs Rupert Robbins and Mark Papera prepare a dish at Chef's Night Out.Held last month, the first two dinners took place at the Carriage House Cafe in Collegetown and La Tourelle on Ithaca's South Hill. Tickets for the third dinner, at Celebrations on Slaterville Road east of town, are available at the Ithaca Taste of the Nation web site.
The local celebrity chef line-up for the November 8th dinner includes Anthony Jordan of Taverna Banfi preparing a butternut squash soup course, Seth Gregory from Fine Line Bistro offering a chevre-stuffed-fig appetizer course, Jim Durkee from Cayuga Medical Center preparing a maple grilled stuffed pork tenderloin entree, Samantha Buyskes of Simply Red Bistro making a a braised beef oxtail dish, and McKinzie Klein from Celebrations preparing a tri-chocolate dessert. There's a vegetarian option for each meat dish, and each course will be paired with a Finger Lakes wine.
Proceeds from ticket sales support Cornell Cooperative Extension's Cooking Matters program, formerly called Operation Frontline. This 11-year-old program brings in local chefs and nutrition experts to help educate low-income families from the area on affordable and healthful food preparation. Each class session ends with a shared meal consisting of dishes prepared in that class, and each participant leaves with a grocery bag filled with the ingredients used that day so they can replicate the meal at home.
