Adele's owner, Charlie Abowd, perfects the placement of the garnish on the purée of butternut squash during a meal prepared for the James Beard House Nov. 10 in New York. Photo Contributed by Mitzi Morris
Charlie Abowd, owner and executive chef of Adele's Restaurant and Lounge, recently had a humbling experience in the Big Apple.
Abowd and several members of his staff were invited to cook Nov. 10 at the James Beard House in New York City. The house is the home of the James Beard Foundation, which invites acclaimed and emerging culinary talent to prepare meals for patrons, including chefs, wineries, food publications and people in the food industry.
"We spent a week there and we tried to take in as much of New York as we could. We slept about four hours a night and had a wonderful time," said Abowd. "Outside of personal and family experiences, it was the most memorable week of my life."
Abowd said that getting the opportunity to work in the same kitchen where famous chefs like Julia Child have prepared meals was unforgettable.
"Spending time in the kitchen at the James Beard House and walking in the footsteps of some of the great chefs, that was exhilarating. Listening to the stories of the people who work in the Beard House was inspirational," Abowd said.
The staff prepared four appetizers, including seared sashimi and smoked salmon, followed by Mount Tam triple-cream cheese, purée of butternut squash, tequila-cilantro jumbo prawns, baked Florida grouper, rack of lamb loin and a dessert of three kinds of homemade ice cream and a Syrian cookie.
While Abowd said the meal went off perfectly, it was the support from his clients that made the experience memorable.
"One of the humbling parts of this was the several people from Northern Nevada who made the trip to spend time with us and be a part of the event. It's a gratifying and humbling experience that our clients would do that," said Abowd.
Abowd said the dinner wouldn't have been a success without the help of his wife, Karen, and the preparation by his staff.
"My wife was the perfect hostess, she extended the hospitality of Northern Nevada to New York. The flower arrangements on each table helped give the feeling that we were back home," said Abowd. "All of those things helped make it the perfect event."
-- Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
