Five Stars and Full Stomachs

Talk about a gut-buster.

This weekend saw the year's biggest influx in culinary talent with the annual Five Star Sensation food and wine celebration on Saturday, June 27, held in three giant tents on the grounds of Tri-C Eastern Campus. A benefit for the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center (raising more than $2.3 million), this is perhaps the most exciting event for attendees since its inception in 1987, and among the busiest for restaurateurs. 

Guests waited as long as an hour to try
Symon's famous beef-cheek pierogies.

Hosted this year by Cleveland sweetheart Michael Symon (Lola), the event always draws lots of "oooohs" and "mmmms." But it's difficult to appreciate just how much work goes on behind the tents.

"There were [more than] 2,000 tickets sold," said Karen Small, chef and owner of the Flying Fig in Ohio City, who served burrata with caponata and garlic and jambon beurre (a delightfully rustic French ham sandwich). "We probably made too much."

About 2,300 people attended the 2015 Five Star Sensation.

Behind the smiles and crisp white chef jackets were rows upon rows of food warmers, portable ovens, stovetops and prep tables stacked with pans of every shape and size, and each chef came with an entourage to help grill, sauce, assemble and serve each meticulous plate.

Matthew Mytro and Paul Minnillo of Flour in Moreland Hills echoed Small's sentiments. Quickly, Mytro said over his shoulder, "It's been so busy. There are just so many people," as he continued to hand out his crispy-coated eggplant and zucchini meatballs.

Chef Douglas Katz's spring pea panna cotta
with smoked salmon, radish and pea tendrils

The star-studded event featured many of Cleveland's heavy-hitters — such as Rocco Whalen, Eric Williams, Douglas Katz and Jonathon Sawyer — but the event drew nearly 50 chefs in total, from Honolulu to Dallas to Boston, not to mention another three dozen vintners and importers of wine, Champagne and port. Know your stuff? Get ready for some name-dropping:

Traci Des Jardins (Jardiniere, San Francisco), Marc Forgione (American Cut, New York), Paul Kahan (The Publican, Chicago), Hubert Keller (Fleur by Hubert Keller, Las Vegas), Ken Oringer (Toro, Boston), Charles Pan (The Slanted Door, San Francisco), Aaron Sanchez (Paloma, Stamford, Connecticut), Francois Payard (Payard Patisserie & Bistro, New York), Daniel Skurnick (Buddakan, New York). The list goes on.

We're used to seeing the headliners milling about, directing their teams from afar, mingling with fellow chefs and trying some of the other dishes of the evening. Not so this night.

As the crowds thinned and the cook tents began packing up, Small took off her apron and looked around at all the tastes she'd missed. 

"The Slanted Door is probably one of my favorite places in the world, and I've traveled a lot," said Small, a little wistfully.

Obama, At Tri-C, Makes His Case For Four More Years

When Barack Obama entered the gym of Cuyahoga County Community College Metro Campus today, the audience — some wearing “Team Obama” T-shirts, others proudly sporting the iconic Shepard Fairey “Hope” art across their chest — got on their feet.

“There is one place where I stand in complete agreement with my opponent: this election is about our economic future,” the president told the crowd.

Obama’s Cleveland speech made up half of a dramatic day for Ohio and the presidential election. His appearance here, and Republican challenger Mitt Romney’s similar speech in Cincinnati, underscored how crucial the state will be in the November election.

As free-market advocate Romney increasingly pressures recession-burdened Obama on the economic front, the president has shied away from healthcare and zeroed in on his business plan.

Obama portrayed the dueling campaigns as offering “two very different visions.” He likened Romney’s plans to the Bush era, arguing that Romney would cut taxes by trillions and strip the government down to national security and a few other basic functions. He said skeptics should vote for Romney if they want to support the policies of the last decade.

“This is their vision; there is nothing new,” Obama said. “Just what Bill Clinton has called, ‘The same ideas they tried before, except on steroids.’”

Positioning himself as an advocate of creating middle class jobs, the president promised to invest in clean energy and revitalize the educational system with more teachers. Obama tied education to the economy by underlining the importance of science and innovation.

The president also defended his incumbent track record. He asserted that 4 million jobs have been created in the last 27 months, under his watch, more than in the seven years before the unemployment crisis. He also appealed to supporters of manufacturing, a classic move for politicians rallying in the Rust Belt, claiming that this is the strongest period for manufacturing job growth since 1995.

“I believe that you can’t bring down the debt without a strong and growing economy,” Obama said. “I believe you can’t have a strong and growing economy without a strong, growing middle class.”

But as Obama contrasted himself from Romney — from his approach to the economy to his threatening political ads — Romney was addressing the crowd in Cincinnati. Romney similarly focused on the economy, but indicated he would limit the size of government. You can read about Romney’s appearance downstate here.

Give, Learn, Eat

Some great food themed fundraisers and classes coming up in the next few weeks. Mark your calendars, line-up a spouse or a friend to bring along, and take advantage of the opportunities to donate, discover, and dine.

Cuyahoga County Community College hospitality students go toque to toque for the “Cleveland Culinary Challenge” on Wednesday, November 4th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at the Metropolitan Campus of Tri-C. There are five teams, each made up of two aspiring chefs. In preparation for the competition, each group got some coaching from a pro: Doug Katz, fire food and drink; Sergio Abramof, Sergio’s and Sarava; Zach Bruell, Parallax, Table 45, and L’Albatros; Marlin Kaplan, One Walnut and Luxe ; and Steve Schimoler, Crop Bistro. While guests nibble hors d’oeuvres and listen to live music, the kids will prep a dish featuring a special ingredient. I’m one of three judges deciding which masterpiece is the winner. The event is co-sponsored by Positively Cleveland and proceeds support paid culinary internships for the program’s students.

For those who want to get in on the action themselves Tri-C ‘s hospitality faculty are teaching hands on classes evenings and weekends for non-professionals. There are one time, how-to sessions in Knife Skills I and II, November 7 and 21; Winter Holiday Desserts, November 10; Pies and Tarts, November 14; and Italian Feast, November 17. Information and registration at www.Tri-C.edu/enrichment/fun or 866-933-5178

Dames Dish for the Holidays is the annual fundraiser for the Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an organization for women of achievement in the culinary and hospitality professions. Find inspiration for your own entertaining menus (and take home recipes), as you sample appetizers and desserts made by local chefs and Les Dames members accompanied by wonderful wines. It will be held Friday, November 6th from 5:30-8:30 PM at the Trevarrow Kitchen Showroom in Parma. Full disclosure- I am a Dame and will be cooking for the event, and I don’t want to deal with any leftovers. The money we raise goes to help projects promoting local sustainable food and agriculture. Pre-paid reservations required. Call 216-831-3767 and ask for Angela Williams.

Nurture the baker in you by signing up for a Film Feast dubbed the Cookie Jar at Sur La Table on November 21. Chef Bob Sferra of Culinary Occasions is leading this family-friendly Saturday afternoon class in the art of cookie decorating to benefit the Cleveland International Film Festival. Reserve a seat for the sprinkle and icing tutorial online or by calling 216-623-3456, ext.14.