BOSTON, MA (October 19, 2018) —The James Beard Foundation’s 2018 Taste America® cross-country culinary series will visit Boston from November 1-3 for a weekend of food-filled events. Traveling to ten cities this fall, Taste America celebrates the country’s diverse culinary culture and the important role that chefs play in advocating for a more delicious, sustainable, and equitable food world

Boston’s weekend-long itinerary will kick off on Thursday, November 1, with a Welcome Reception (Location TBD), where guests will be able to interact with the participating chefs and enjoy a special cocktail and tasting reception.

Taste America’s weekend in Boston will continue on Friday, November 2, with a benefit dinner at The State Room, featuring a culinary dream team made up of the country’s top chefs, including Taste America Visiting All-Star Renee Erickson* (The Whale Wins***, Seattle), Local All-Star Tony Maws* (Craigie on Main, Cambridge, MA), and Host Chef David Blessing (Longwood Venues and Destinations, Boston). A portion of the proceeds from the benefit dinner will directly contribute to the Foundation’s Scholarship Programs. In keeping with the Foundation’s commitment to promote a more sustainable food system, Feeding America®, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, will be rescuing food left over from the benefit dinner to distribute to those in need.

As a complement to the Friday night festivities, Taste America will also be presenting a pop-up event on Saturday, November 3 at Sur La Table®—Boston Copley Place. Among the day’s activities will be cooking demos and book signings from Boston’s Taste America Visiting All-Star Renee Erickson* and Chef Ana Sortun* (Oleana***, Cambridge, MA), both of whom – as well as Boston’s Local All-Star Tony Maws* – are alums of the James Beard Foundation’s Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change, which empowers chefs to become advocates for food-system change. Throughout the pop-up experience, guests will have the opportunity to speak with the chefs and gain their input on how we can create a better and more sustainable food world. In keeping with this theme, Sortun’s cooking demo will feature a recipe from the James Beard Foundation’s latest cookbook, Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food.

 

Friday, November 2

Boston’s benefit dinner will kick off with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvre from local chefs and restaurateurs. Afterwards, guests will be seated for an exceptional dinner prepared by Taste America Visiting All-Star Renee Erickson, Local All-Star Tony Maws, and Host Chef David Blessing, who will collaborate to create a unique, multi-course menu that diners won’t soon forget. To cap off the evening, guests will be treated to a walk-around dessert reception featuring sweet bites from local chefs.

The opening tasting reception menu will include Crispy Duck Croquettes with Spiced Tangerine and Ginger (David Blessing, Longwood Venues & Destinations, Boston), Burritos de Carne con Sonoran-Style Chile (Daniel Bojorquez), Verlasso Salmon Sashimi with Spicy Relish (Tracy Chang, Pagu, Cambridge), Kalbi-Style Braised Oxtail with Korean Rice Cakes (Tony Messina**, Uni, Boston), Fluke Ceviche with Buttermilk, Habanero, and Finger Limes (Meghann Ward, Tapestry, Boston), and Mushroom Caponata with Frico Tramezzino (Douglass Williams, MIDA, Boston).

Following the reception, guests will be seated for dinner and enjoy an exceptional menu†:

  • 1st Course: Renee Erickson
  • Smoked Black Cod with Pepper Crème Fraîche and Pickled Chanterelles
  • 2nd Course: Tony Maws
  • Duck Confit, Cured Breast with Delicata Squash, Duck Egg Sauce, and Pumpernickel Purée
  • 3rd Course: Renee Erickson
  • Braised Beef Short Rib with Horseradish Gremolata and Robuchon Potatoes

 †Menu is subject to change

 A sweet finale to the dinner, the dessert reception menu will feature items such as Sticky Bun Kouign-Amann (Joanne Chang*, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston), Gianduja Chocolate Mousse with Mascarpone Sabayon and Candied Hazelnuts (Renae Connolly***, Benedetto, Cambridge), and Apple–Foie Gras Brûlée (Brian Mercury, Oak + Rowan, Boston).

Tickets for Boston’s Taste America benefit dinner are available for purchase at jamesbeard.org/taste-america-boston.

Saturday, November 3

The Taste America festivities will continue in Boston on Saturday, November 3 at Sur La Table—Boston Copley Place, where patrons will have access to free, in-store activities including book signings, up-close and personal access to the 2018 Taste America Boston chefs, tastings from local producers and artisans, and product demos and tastings from national Taste America sponsors.

A highlight of the culinary pop-up experience Boston’s Taste America Visiting All-Star Renee Erickson and Chef Ana Sortun. In keeping with the Foundation’s mission to build a better food world, Sortun’s cooking demo will feature a recipe from the James Beard Foundation’s cookbook, Waste Not.

For the full schedule of events and more information, visit jamesbeard.org/taste-america-boston. An infographic on JBF’s 2018 Taste America can be downloaded here (abridged version here).

The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America 2018 is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and partners, including premier sponsor Woodford Reserve; supporting sponsors Dinova, Gloria Ferrer, Kerrygold, Robert Mondavi Winery, and Windstar Cruises; retail partner Sur La Table; and founding partner Bowen & Company. Additional support for Taste America 2018 has been provided by Verterra Dinnerware. Local Partners include City Winery Boston, Dole & Bailey Inc., Hojoko, Longwood Venues and Destination, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Party Rental LTD., Santa Margherita, Seaport Shines, Sodexo, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Tripleseat and Verlasso Salmon.

For more information about Taste America events in Boston, please contact Nancy Bean at nancy@wiseupmarketing.com or 617-527-9473. Visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica for more details.

*Notes James Beard Award Winner

**Notes James Beard Award Nominee

***Notes James Beard Award Semifinalist

About the James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. For more than 30 years the Foundation has accomplished this mission through programs that highlight food’s central role in our lives. In addition to hosting guest-chef dinners throughout the year at the historic James Beard House in New York City, the Foundation administers the James Beard Awards; grants scholarships for culinary students; produces national events that include Taste America; and creates educational programs for the culinary community and food lovers. The Foundation addresses the growing challenges facing our food system through its Impact Programs, which include the Leadership Awards; Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change; Issue Summits; and Culinary Labs. Industry issues, such as gender imbalance and diversity in culinary leadership, are addressed through our Industry Programs. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org and follow @beardfoundation on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.