Annual James Beard-Citymeals fund-raiser taps Asian-cuisine theme

Nation's Restaurant News, May 24, 2004

NEW YORK -- The 19th annual "Chefs Tribute to James Beard" gala event to benefit Citymeals-on-Wheels is scheduled for Monday, June 14, at Rockefeller Center here. More than 1,200 chefs, celebrities and industry leaders are expected to attend, and Citymeals hopes to raise $1 million during the event, according to the event's organizers.

Nick Valenti, chief executive at Restaurant Associates, will host the gala along with Raymond Bickson, managing director of Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, India: Ninah and Michael Lynne of New Line Cinema: Laura and John Pomerantz of Citymeals-on-Wheels; Shep Gordon of Alive Enterprises Inc.: and Kevin and Susie Davis of Man Group USA.

This year's theme, "Feast of Many Moons," will "unify the diverse cultures of Asia and South Asia through the universal language of food," according to Citymeals.

New York-based restaurant architect and designer David Rockwell is set to decorate the gardens of Rockefeller Center with dramatic Asian and Indian designs, including sari-clad greeters distributing floral garlands.

Leading chefs from around the globe will prepare a variety of dishes representing the many cuisines of Asia. Chefs scheduled to participate include: Hemant Oberoi and Michel Nishan of Taj Hotels, Masa Takayama of Masa in New York, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Gray Kunz, Pichet Ong and Stanley Wong of Spice Market in New York, and Nobu Matsuhisa of Nobu, also in New York. Other chefs participating in the event include Masaharu Morimoto of TV's Iron Chef, Floyd Cardoz of Tabla in New York, Alan Wong of Alan Wong's in Hawaii, Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's in Hawaii and Susanna Foo of her eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia.

Entertainment will include live Punjabi folk and bhangra music with dhol drums, live sitar and tabla music, and children's Chinese dance performances from members of the New York Chinese Cultural Center, The cast of Bombay Dreams, a Broadway musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Weber, also will perform.

Founded in 1981 by New York magazine food writer Gael Greene and the late James Beard, Citymeals-on-Wheels is a not-for-profit organization that provides meals for homebound elderly New Yorkers. In conjunction with the New York City Department for the Aging, Citymeals funds more than 100 community-based meals-on-wheels programs in the New York metropolitan area.