As I told you last week, I attended a dinner at the estimable Daniel restaurant in New York Wednesday. Although Daniel Boulud’s team prepared the hors d’oeuvres that were passed during the reception, the dinner was prepared by the international chefs who collaborate on the restaurant Remy, which is found on both the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream ships.
Scott Hunnel of Victoria & Albert’s (one day after learning that he had been nominated for a best chef award from the James Beard Foundation for a seventh time) and Arnaud Lallement of L’Assiette Champenoise near Reims, France, were given run of the kitchen at Daniel to showcase some upcoming menu changes for New York media. Here are a few more pictures and details:
An amuse bouche of Alaskan king crab in a broth tinged with lemongrass and lime.
Langoustine served with a red wine reduction as dressing, paired with the 2004 Bollinger La Grande Annee Rose. This was another course from Lallement. When I was in Paris, last summer, I toured the kitchens at the Shangri La hotel. The chef there was very proud of the langoustines that were one of his restaurant’s top sellers, garnering over 100 euro each.
Saint Jacques, a large sauteed scallop covered on all sides by shields of black truffle. Surrounding the tender mollusk was a jus of couscous — not the couscous itself, just the juice created by its cooking.
Lallement’s final course was halibut with salsify.
Hunnel’s team took over with the next course of Minnesota elk, a tenderloin with juniper and carraway spice, accompanied, among other things, by fingerling potatoes roasted in duck fat, finished with toasted carraway vinaigrette.
Perhaps the evening’s piece de resistance came next, a slice of Iwate beef from the Iwate prefecture in Japan. Iwate (ai-WAH-tay) is often compared with the more recognized (and increasingly misrepresented) Kobe beef. This was the real deal, pan-roasted, just barely, and served naturally. It was truly worthy of the term “melt in your mouth.” It required no chewing. It shared a plate with a ravioli stuffed with oxtail with Morello cherry jam on top and candied red pepper, sitting atop braised short rib with roasted red pepper sauce. What could one possibly pair with such an entree? The 2007 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, of course.
Erich Herbitschek then presented a Tanzanian chocolate timbale, decorated with gold leaf and chocolate eyelashes, and chocolate gelato, which looked like a little piglet, for some reason.
Daniel Boulud, center, greeted the guests after the dinner and led the parade of chefs from both teams, welcoming first Lallement, right, and Hunnel.
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