Wylie Dufresne may never make it to Wimbledon, but he was in the company of court royalty like Andre Agassi and Roger Federer at the fourth annual International Taste of Tennis at the W New York. Celebrity athletes in town for the U. S. Open teamed with celebrity chefs and just-plain-old celebrities to raise money for Citymeals-on-Wheels. When it was over, 400 people had stuffed themselves.
The event, founded by AYS Sports Marketing president Judi Lerner, was a foodie feeding frenzy. Seventeen top chefs, including Emeril Lagasse of Emeril's Delmonico and Todd English of Olives presented samples of their favored fares. In the evening's major photo op, Lagasse prepared shrimp remoulade with Agassi. Among some of the tennis touches were Heartbeat pastry chef Wendy Israel's cute chocolate tennis rackets that served as platters for her mini chocolate chip cookies and other sweets.
Decor was simple, for the most part. Gobos of the logos of various event sponsors, like Nike, AIG and Softsoap, illuminated the walls above each restaurant's food station. A white and blue lounge provided an intimate atmosphere using a white shag rug, white sofa with blue pillows, clear plastic chairs and white cubes. Clear glass vases held more than just flowers—in a clever touch of product placement, they also held bottles of Ciroc vodka, the event's alcohol sponsor.
—Erika Rasmusson
The event, founded by AYS Sports Marketing president Judi Lerner, was a foodie feeding frenzy. Seventeen top chefs, including Emeril Lagasse of Emeril's Delmonico and Todd English of Olives presented samples of their favored fares. In the evening's major photo op, Lagasse prepared shrimp remoulade with Agassi. Among some of the tennis touches were Heartbeat pastry chef Wendy Israel's cute chocolate tennis rackets that served as platters for her mini chocolate chip cookies and other sweets.
Decor was simple, for the most part. Gobos of the logos of various event sponsors, like Nike, AIG and Softsoap, illuminated the walls above each restaurant's food station. A white and blue lounge provided an intimate atmosphere using a white shag rug, white sofa with blue pillows, clear plastic chairs and white cubes. Clear glass vases held more than just flowers—in a clever touch of product placement, they also held bottles of Ciroc vodka, the event's alcohol sponsor.
—Erika Rasmusson
At the International Taste of Tennis tasting event at the W New York, Heartbeat pastry chef Wendy Israel created chocolate tennis rackets that served as platters for cookies and other sweets.
A W covered with orchids decorated the table of Icon, the in-house restaurant of the W New York—The Court.
Clear glass vases held more than just flowers—in a clever touch of product placement, they also held bottles of Ciroc vodka, the event's alcohol sponsor.
A white and blue lounge provided an intimate atmosphere using a white shag rug, white sofa with blue pillows, clear plastic chairs and white cubes.
