Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris
Originally published October 20, 2008
Emeril Hosts; Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Michael Mina Cook
Carnivale Du Vin, A Real Spectacular,
Explodes Here On November 15
Three years ago--just in time for Katrina to force the event to Las Vegas--Chef Emeril Lagasse held the first Carnivale du Vin. Even by the standards of the food-and-drink bashes we give here in New Orleans, it was a mind-blowing evening of food and wine. And brought in over two million dollars for educational charities here in New Orleans. It's repeated that success twice more.
This year's Carnivale is set for November 15, and the program is set. As in past years, the big dinner will be orchestrated by Emeril and the top rank of his celebrity-chef friends:
Thomas Keller, the owner of the The French Laundry in Napa and per se in New York, and one of only two chefs worldwide who own two Michelin three-star restaurants.
Mario Batali, he of Beppo, and numerous other lusty Italian country-style restaurants around the country. Mario has joined Emeril for the Carnivale every year.
Michael Mina, chef-owner of his namesake restaurant in the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, among others.
Gale Gand, the pastry chef of TRU, the hottest restaurant in Chicago.
The wine program is equally impressive. Not only are the major players from California there, but a couple of the wines are being produced especially for this dinner. (When I last attended in 2006, those were the best wines of the evening.)
There's a big wine event before the dinner starts, with an impressive auction of some unique bottles. Live music goes on throughout, but the big blowout after the dinner features Sammy Hagar and the Wabos.
The tickets are really expensive: $1200 a person and up. Tables of ten go for $10,000. All this money goes to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which has disbursed many millions of dollars to local educational charities in the cities where Emeril's restaurants operate. New Orleans has been a particularly favored beneficiary. Educational programs at many levels have received grants in seven figures, for critical and creative programs.
The Carnivale I went to was a superb evening. The people attending came from all over the world, as well as many familiar local faces. The music started with Irma Thomas and Allen Toussaint--a duet made in heaven--and ended with Michael McDonald. I've been to a lot of big deals in a lot of cities, and there aren't many in this league.
You can register for the event there, too.
© 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com