When All-Clad Cookware launched back in 1971, celebrity chefs realistically numbered in the ones (Julia Child), and an ingredient likely qualified as fresh if the jar it came in had just been opened. Clearly, things have changed. And when All-Clad set out to mark 40 years of creating cookware, the company's celebration reflected today's significantly heightened culinary consciousness. On April 13, the company gathered a select crowd of food and design media, chefs, architects, and interior designers at the Sub-Zero Wolf Showroom to celebrate the landmark anniversary and the launch of commemorative and new brushed stainless steel product lines.
The event featured cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, displays of All-Clad cookware both old and new, a short video history of the brand, and remarks from All-Clad executives. Famed chef Michael Stadtlander brought star power and a seasonal menu to the celebration, preparing roasted lamb, carrot ravioli, and artichoke soup for guests on site. Sonya Latreille, All-Clad's Groupe SEB Canada product manager, enlisted the help of Praxis PR to produce the event. Michele Enhaynes, senior account executive at Praxis PR, explained that Stadtlander was a natural choice for the event, due to an existing working relationship with All-Clad: The cookware company is a sponsor of his Canadian Chefs' Congress, which works to connect Canadian chefs and artisan food producers, as well as celebrate the country's food culture.
Stadtlander's involvement ensured the use of fresh and seasonal ingredients (harvested from his 100-acre farm in Collingwood, Ontario), but it also demanded a certain amount of flexibility. "We knew ahead of time that we wouldn't necessarily have access to the menu up front," Enhaynes said. "We had to anticipate what we might need or not need [to serve the food.]"
The event's targeted guest list, which included several of the city's renowned chefs, also influenced the selection of the event's date. "Scheduling the event on a Friday wouldn't necessarily make sense, when that's one of the busiest times in the kitchen," Enhaynes said.
