Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Piers 19-21, Upper Deck
26-32 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont Point NSW 2009
http://foodforthoughtsydney.com.au
Eight chefs unite to raise funds
Thanks to Diana Kerr and Catriona McGauchie from the National Stroke Foundation for inviting me to attend their fundraiser dinner. Joanna Savill hosted the evening and throughout the night introduced stroke survivors who told their intimate stories of survival — it’s amazing and scary how young one can be to have a stroke. Eight well-known chefs donated their time and dishes for the cause and there were live and silent auction to help raise funds. Adriano Zumbo & Riccardo Momesso served up an interesting Calabrian Canoli canapé. It seems Adriano ‘freakin’ Zumbo enjoys making savoury dishes as well as desserts. I tried eating with my hand as suggested but it did get a little messy due to the sorbet. Colin Fassnidge’s entrée of Smoked regal salmon and confit pork was nicely presented and I really enjoyed Alessandro Pavoni’s Crudo di Trota using Petuna ocean trout which you’ll find at Tetsuya’s. The crispy mandarin was very interesting and gave a nice crunch to the dish along with the salty pop of the trout caviar.
Giovanni Pilu served up a White and green asparagus risotto with Sardinian truffle pecorino fonduta. It definitely tasted better than it looked on the plate and one to be eaten in moderation as I saw how much butter went into it. Risotto is a dish that any chef would be hard pressed to make look nice on a plate. I really enjoyed the salty truffle sauce on top that gave the dish extra flavour depth. One of my favourite dishes of the night was Soren Lascelles’s Prosiutto wrapped ballotine of quail, date purée, salsify and walnuts. It combined a lovely chicken mousse inside which balanced well with the other flavours. Richard Ptacnik’s Slowly braised beef cheek in marsala was a richly flavoured dish with tender meat that easily feel apart. The black grape salsa helped cut through the heaviness of the meat. Leanne Beck served up individual Bombe Alaska raspberry and vanilla for dessert which were crowd pleasers. I thought a bit of raspberry coulis or passionfruit would have also gone nicely with the dish.
Vittoria coffee
http://foodforthoughtsydney.com.au
Eight chefs unite to raise funds
“The National Stroke Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organisation that works with stroke survivors, carers, health professionals, government and the public to reduce the impact of stroke on the Australian community. Our mission as the voice of stroke in Australia is to stop stroke, save lives and end suffering”
Thanks to Diana Kerr and Catriona McGauchie from the National Stroke Foundation for inviting me to attend their fundraiser dinner. Joanna Savill hosted the evening and throughout the night introduced stroke survivors who told their intimate stories of survival — it’s amazing and scary how young one can be to have a stroke. Eight well-known chefs donated their time and dishes for the cause and there were live and silent auction to help raise funds. Adriano Zumbo & Riccardo Momesso served up an interesting Calabrian Canoli canapé. It seems Adriano ‘freakin’ Zumbo enjoys making savoury dishes as well as desserts. I tried eating with my hand as suggested but it did get a little messy due to the sorbet. Colin Fassnidge’s entrée of Smoked regal salmon and confit pork was nicely presented and I really enjoyed Alessandro Pavoni’s Crudo di Trota using Petuna ocean trout which you’ll find at Tetsuya’s. The crispy mandarin was very interesting and gave a nice crunch to the dish along with the salty pop of the trout caviar.
Giovanni Pilu served up a White and green asparagus risotto with Sardinian truffle pecorino fonduta. It definitely tasted better than it looked on the plate and one to be eaten in moderation as I saw how much butter went into it. Risotto is a dish that any chef would be hard pressed to make look nice on a plate. I really enjoyed the salty truffle sauce on top that gave the dish extra flavour depth. One of my favourite dishes of the night was Soren Lascelles’s Prosiutto wrapped ballotine of quail, date purée, salsify and walnuts. It combined a lovely chicken mousse inside which balanced well with the other flavours. Richard Ptacnik’s Slowly braised beef cheek in marsala was a richly flavoured dish with tender meat that easily feel apart. The black grape salsa helped cut through the heaviness of the meat. Leanne Beck served up individual Bombe Alaska raspberry and vanilla for dessert which were crowd pleasers. I thought a bit of raspberry coulis or passionfruit would have also gone nicely with the dish.
SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Eight top chefs cooking your dinner in one night, Raising awareness of the risk factors and signs of stroke and promoting healthy lifestyles, Raising valuable funds to support a good cause, Enjoyable atmosphere, Nice location
CONS: Not having enough money to auction bid for Otto's Richard Ptacnik Cooking in your own home for eight guests ($5500 winning bid), No free parking in the area
MUST TRY: Alessandro's crispy mandarin, Soren's prosciutto wrapped ballotine of quail
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Table setting
Bread with butter or olive oil
Adriano Zumbo & Riccardo Momesso
Canapé: Calabrian Canoli – Tomato & chilli sorbet, black olives, spanish onion crumbs and salami
Joanna Savill (co-editor SMH Good Food Guide and Director of the Sydney International Food Festival) and Chef Colin Fassnidge (Four in Hand)
Entree: Smoked regal salmon, confit pork
Chef Alessandro Pavoni (Ormeggio at The Spit and Spiedo)
Dish one: Crudo di Trota - Petuna ocean trout crudo, trout caviar, squid ink mayonnaise, crispy mandarin, dried sea lettuce
Chef Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater)
Dish two: White and green asparagus risotto with Sardinian truffle pecorino fonduta
Chef Soren Lascelles (Assiette)
Dish three: Prosiutto wrapped Ballotine of quail, date purée, salsify and walnuts
Chef Richard Ptacnik (Otto)
Dish four: Slowly braised beef cheek in marsala with Jerusalem artichoke puree, black grape salsa, hazelnuts and baby herbs
Chef Leanne Beck (Sweet Infinity)
Dessert: Individual Bombe Alaska raspberry and vanilla
Vittoria coffee
Cutting the cheese and toasting the meringues
Alessandro preparing the risotto
All chefs on deck
Soren getting ready to talk to the guests
Adriano fan photo
Richard getting prepped for this speech — I hope ;-)
Colin and Richard preparing dessert
Interesting footwear in the kitchen
Wait staff checking the program
Glassware holding — this looks pretty scary
Setting and decor
Stroke victim posters — many of which are quite young
Silent bidding and auction time
F.A.S.T. campaign to spot a stroke, Goodie bag for all guests
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