At Friday night's Couture and Cocktails event for the Joffrey Ballet, chefs at the Palmer House Hilton were tasked with creating two distinct menus. For a pre-fashion-show V.I.P. reception that took place in the hotel's Lockwood restaurant, "we wanted sophisticated, formal, and elegant fare," said Julia Jankowski, the Joffrey's events coordinator. For the after-party, however, "we wanted to ease in the direction of fun food," Jankowski said. The result? More food stations than we could highlight in one report. Here are more photos from the event.
Signage in the lobby called out sponsors such as Neiman Marcus, NetJets, and United Airlines.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
At the Lockwood reception, mushrooms and wheat grass decorated a station where a chef prepared sliced tenderloin with brioche, sauteed mushrooms, and Bernaise sauce.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
Butler-passed hors d'oeuvres at the V.I.P. reception included warm strudel with walnut, pecan, pear, and blue cheese.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
Marigolds also showed up in food-station decor at the after-party, which was held in the Empire ballroom.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
In the ballroom, a Cold Stone Creamery station doled out ice cream sundaes in waffle cones.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
At a food station decked with jars of giant pickles, chefs prepared classic deli sandwiches such as Reubens and Monte Cristos.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
Miniature sirloin and turkey burgers were also on offer in the Empire ballroom.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
At the after-party, a so-called Down Home BBQ station offered barbecued chicken, beef brisket, and pulled pork sandwiches and baskets of corn bread.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen
