Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published July 1, 2008 Hunger Fought; Leah Chase Honored; Eat Club Table Open; A Pound Of Pork Per Brunch Taste Of The Nation Jazz Brunch This Sunday, July 13, Noon For the eighteenth year, a collaboration of the best and most involved chefs in New Orleans fills a Sunday afternoon with great food and wine Sunday, July 13. It’s New Orleans’s highly popular effort in a nationwide program to remedy hunger among children. Share Our Strength acts locally both in its fundraising and its benefits; most of the money stays in the New Orleans area to help the surprising number of families who don’t have enough to eat. Last year, the brunch brought in over $30,000 to that end. In its history, Taste of the Nation has given $400,000 to New Orleans area food banks and other local hunger charities. And it tastes good, too. I don’t have the menu yet, but last year’s was incredible. With good reason: there’s major talent in the kitchen. Frank Brigtsen repeats his turn as chairman of the event. He will be joined by and all-star team of chefs: Greg Collier--Red Fish Grill Justin Devillier and Joel Dondis--La Petite Grocery Tenney Flynn--GW Fins Adolfo Garcia--Rio Mar and La Boca Tariq Hanna--Sucre Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski--Herbsaint and Cochon Darin Nesbit--Bourbon House Ian Schnoebelen--Iris Susan Spicer--Bayona Danielle and Richard Sutton--Saint James Cheese Co. They’ll work together to turn out a five-course brunch, paired with Champagne, wines, and cocktails. The price for the VIP admission is $125, inclusive of everything. General admission at $75 opens an hour and one course later. All the proceeds go to the charity. Three years ago, a new wrinkle was added: the Fleur de Lis Award. It’s given annually to someone who’s made notable contributions to New Orleans hospitality. This year’s honoree will be Leah Chase, owner and chef of Dooky Chase restaurant, and one of the most revered figures in the local restaurant business. As it did last year, the brunch will take place at Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House, on the corner of Iberville and Bourbon. The doors open for the VIP attendees at 11 a.m. The main event begins at noon. Here's the menu : Mango Balsamic Champagne Cocktail Rum Cocktail Rosewater Scented Mint Juleps ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Delice de Bourgogne Canape St. James Cheese Co. (VIP reception only) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pork and Black-Eye Pea Gumbo Cochon/Herbsaint ~or~ Corn and Crab Soup Bourbon House ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spanish Potato Tortilla with Garlic Sherry Shrimp Bayona ~or~ Pulled Pork with Corn Pancake & Pepper Jelly Glaze Brigtsen's ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fried Crispy Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee with Bacon & Eggs Red Fish Grill  ~or~ Braised Veal Cheek Tartine with Celery Root Remoulade La Petite Grocery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Homemade Pies: Apple, Strawberry, Rhubarb, Lemon Meringue GW Fins ~or~ Dulce de Leche Trio RioMar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chocolates Sucre I have reserved a couple of tables at the $75 level for the Eat Club. We did this last year and it was great fun. If you would like to join me, e-mail me at tom@nomenu.com. (If you’d like to be a VIP for $125, let me know; we’ll have a table for that, too.) I will put your name on my list. Then you must buy your tickets directly from the taste of the Nation contacts: toll-free 877-268-2783. Or online at www.tasteofthenation.org. And I don’t know where to put this, but it’s interesting: for every person who attends the Taste of the Nation brunch, the National Pork Board will donate a pound of pork to the cause against hunger. See you there! © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com