There was plenty to nibble on last Wednesday, when the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (N.A.S.F.T.) and Ridgewells Inc. hosted back-to-back tasting events. Starting at 5:30 p.m. at the downtown CulinAerie cooking school, N.A.S.F.T. showcased the 33 Gold Award-winning products (think outstanding oils and condiments), chosen from entries at the association’s 2009 winter and summer Fancy Food Shows, held in San Francisco and New York, respectively
. Across town in a vacant Georgian mansion in Chevy Chase, starting at 6:30, caterer Ridgewells rolled out a new partnership and hospitality division: José
André
s Catering With Ridgewells.
At CulinAerie, the New York-based N.A.S.F.T. laid-out samples of sauces, snacks, and jams—even a healthy dog treat—on the school’s stainless steel tables. Overhead in the classroom setting, four flat-screen TVs showed a montage of the product packaging. The two-hour tasting for 30 journalists and food association reps was a pilot project for N.A.S.F.T. that the group plans to take to other cities. Also announced: Washington will host the summer show in 2011.
“We are on a mission to bring our products to regional audiences,” said N.A.S.F.T. communications director Louise Kramer. “We realized, as a trade organization, we have a gem here with our awards, now in their 37th year. These product tastings are our ambassadors going on a mission.” Speakers included award winners Jeffery Garstka and Tom Gorski for their Seaside Barbecue Sauce and Henry Wainer, owner of Sid Wainer & Son Specialty Produce and Specialty Foods in Bedford, Mass.
Branded, reusable shopping bags filled with a selection of the products awaited departing guests at the door.
At the Ridgewell’s event, more then 200 event planners, press, and clients roamed an otherwise empty (and for-sale) mansion and its grounds, visiting carving stations and trying Andrés’s menu of Mediterranean, Mexican, Spanish, and molecular gastronomy cuisine found in the chef’s ThinkFoodGroup restaurants: Jaleo, Café Atlantico, Zaytinya, Oyamel, and Minibar by Jose Andres.
Ridgewell’s C.E.O. Susan Lacz proposed the partnership to Andrés last year after attending a ThinkFoodGroup catered event for the Young Presidents Organization. “They did this fabulous paella and I said to myself, 'We should be doing this,'” Lacz said, as an identical shrimp and monkfish paella, served from an eight-foot-wide pan, simmered in the distance. She added that her company will provide day-to-day operations and staffing.
In the center of the ballroom, chefs carved lamb shoulder, served with rosemary jus and salt-crusted whole red snapper topped with a parsley sauce. Poolside, guests found a gin and tonic bar and an Andrés specialty: foie gras dipped in ground corn nuts wrapped in cotton candy. A Vista provided lounge seating around the pool and projected the new catering division's "Eat Drink Dream" slogan on the back and front of the brick mansion.
The take-away was a small canvas branded tote holding the company’s new menu, recipe cards, chocolates, and a bottle of Patron tequila.
