FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2008
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Contact : Heather Caufield |
Amy Benson |
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Dumplings & Dynasties
The James Beard Foundation Celebrates the Evolution of Modern Chinese Cuisine with Annual Gala Dinner/Auction and Two-Day Conference.
New York, NY (November 18, 2008) – The James Beard Foundation celebrated the evolution of modern Chinese cuisine last Thursday at Dumplings & Dynasties, a gala dinner and fundraising auction. The exceptional banquet of modern Chinese fare prepared by guest chefs from China and North America for over 240 people at The Edison Ballroom raised funds for the James Beard Foundation. Following the gala, the Foundation hosted a two-day conference featuring experts on the food and culinary culture of China.
The evening began with a dim sum reception created by Terrence Chan of Lai Wah Heen at the Metropolitan Hotel in Toronto. The banquet dinner was prepared by Chen Jun of Peninsula Restaurants in Shanghai; Richard Chen of Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas; Chow Chung of Chow Chung Restaurant in Hong Kong; JBF Award Winner Susanna Foo of Susanna Foo in Philadelphia; Susur Lee of Madeline's and Lee in Toronto and Shang by Susur Lee in New York City; Patrick Lin of Metropolitan Hotels in Toronto and Vancouver; Terrence Chan and Ken Tam of Lai Wah Heen at the Metropolitan Hotel in Toronto; with support from Joe Ng of Chinatown Brasserie in New York City. Wine and beverage pairings for each course were chosen by guest sommelier Joshua Wesson. The event's décor was created by Marc Wilson of Marc Wilson Design.
Notable guests included Ming Tsai, B.D. Wong, Vivienne Tam, Daniel Boulud, Joe Bastianich and Gael Greene. The event featured once in a lifetime live auction packages, including an auction lot sold for $26,000 that included dinner for 12 at Shang by Susur Lee with Champagne pairings by Nicolas Feuillatte and Oysters from Taylor Shellfish Farms of Shelton, Washington, plus a dazzling pearl and diamond necklace from Mikimoto for the hostess. The top selling package of the evening was a seven-day gourmet excursion for two to China, provided by Imperial Tours and courtesy of Valerie Wilson Travel with Delta BusinessElite airfare for two to Shanghai, which sold for $30,000. In all, the silent and live auctions raised more than $160,000 to support the James Beard Foundation's mission and programs.
The James Beard Foundation's 2008 Conference on Cuisine and Culture on Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15 featured a day of presentations, panels, and discussions with experts from around the world on a wide range of topics, followed by a day of experiential learning activities designed to give participants an opportunity for hands-on education.
Sponsors
The Dumplings & Dynasties events were sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Metropolitan Hotels, Lee Kum Kee, Saveur Magazine, Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, Mikimoto, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water with cultural partners Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU and Asia Society, and event partners Astor Center, Chinatown Brasserie, Savory Productions and TMI Trading – Chef.
About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs.
