Cocktails Downtown - Dinner Uptown!
One evening last week, I went to two special events. My friend, Jill Dienst, of Dienst + Dotter Antiques, hosted a cocktail party at her new location on Lafayette Street in Manhattan, for The New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), of which she is a Trustee. This was a reception for Jack Lenor Larsen, internationally known textile designer, author, and collector and Thomas Woltz, renowned landscape architect. These two men will receive honors this April by NYSID at their annual spring benefit. It’s always a pleasure visiting Dienst + Dotter Antiques and it was certainly an interesting group to mingle with.
I then traveled uptown to the fabulous restaurant, Daniel, for a thrilling fundraising dinner benefitting Bocuse d’Or USA. I attended with my television chef, Thomas Joseph and my friend, Frédéric Fekkai, invited us to sit at his table. The chefs for the night included Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Eric Ripert, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Humm, Tom Colicchio, Gabriel Kreuther, Emeril Lagasse, George Mendes, and Michael White – a real dream team! During dinner, an auction was held of various lots of private dinners prepared by star chefs. This dinner supports the education of young French chefs and proceeds from the auction help Richard Rosendale, the USA Chef Competitor for Bocuse d’Or 2013.
1 Here I am with Thomas Woltz and Jack Lenor Larsen, who will be honored at the The New York School of Interior Design's annual spring benefit in April.
2 The pottery on the wall is a display of very well-known Danish and Swedish potters of the mid-20th century. On the table, amazing pottery by new, young Danish ceramicist, Christina Schou Christensen, solely represented by Dienst + Dotter Antikviteter.
3 Eric Pike, Kevin Sharkey, Jill Dienst, and Emma Dienst - Jill's daughter and business partner
4 Dan Dienst, Emma, me, Jill, Kevin, and Eric
5 David Sprouls, the acting president of The New York School of Design
6 Hanging from the ceiling is an 1890 Penny-farthing from Sweden. The light fixture is a stunning Butterfly Chandelier by Poul Henningsen with real amber shades.
7 Jill decorated the shop with beautiful green hydrangeas.
8 Hors d' oeuvres included gravlax on Scandinavian crispbread.
9 This table is Norwegian Rococo from about 1750.
10 And this is a fabulous original production 1958 chair by Arne Jacobesen, commissioned by The Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.
11 Drinks were served on an early Swedish Baroque drop-leaf table with original paint, great patina. The shelving unit against the wall is a Mogens Koch. And the wall hanging is tooled leather from Germany and Poul Henningsen sconces.
12 Susan Magrino and her sister, Allyn and a better look at the tooled German wall hanging
13 This is Mario Buatta, the well-known interior designer long known as the Prince of Chintz.
14 Music was provided by Russell Kaplan, on staff in admissions at NYSID. The piannette is a Poul Henningsen design.
15 These pots are also by Christina Schou Christensen, called Soft Folds.
16 Pat Sovern, chairman of board NYSID, spoke briefly.
17 Stephen Sills, celebrated interior designer and Michael Boodro, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Decor and former Editor-in-Chief of Living
18 These amazing sandstone lions are the signature of Dienst + Dotter Antikviteter.
19 Jill, looking lovely, as always
20 At the Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation dinner - This is the auction booklet containing the various lots of private dinners one could bid on prepared by different notable chefs, such as Emeril, Michael White, Daniel, and others.
21 We started with a delicious Nantucket Bay scallop ceviche with cucumber and tapioca. All of the hors d'oeuvres were prepared by Chefs Daniel Boulud and Gavin Kaysin.
22 These crispy and savory frog leg lollipops with sweet garlic, served atop asparagus, were amazing!
23 The bar area of the restaurant was quite crowded during cocktail hour.
24 In the dining room the staff waited attentively for the guests to filter in.
25 Large green arrangements on the back wall of the restaurant
26 My seat, menu, and auction booklet
27 I asked Thomas Joseph, from the TV kitchen, to join me for this event. He sat across the table from me.
28 Chef Daniel Boulud spoke about the benefit and past competitors.
29 Thomas Keller waited for his turn to speak about the importance of supporting the American delegate.
30 One of the first courses made by Chef Daniel Humm — lobster poached with Meyer lemon, with a burnt leek and shellfish bisque.
31 Salmon Coulibiac, mushroom duxelle and spinach farci - Each plate was dressed table-side with a wonderful emulsion. This plate by Thomas Keller included a pickled shallot mouselline.
32 Daniel Boulud also made this Four Story Hill Farm squab leg pastille, savoy cabbage with black truffle, roasted breast and sauce Rouennaise.
33 Thomas sat next to Brooke Neidich - a wonderful philanthropist, Stephen Haimo - an attorney, and Chiara Ferragamo - socialite.
34 Chiara and Massimo Ferragamo - Chairman and president of Ferragamo USA, Inc.
35 John Idol - CEO of Michael Kors - He was bidding a lot that night! Shirin Fekkai - Frédéric's wife and Dan Deidich - real estate mogul
36 Two plated desserts were served, a chocolate and fruit option, as well as chocolates, madeleines, and assorted petit fours.
37 Pastry Chef Sandro Micheli of Daniel made this dark chocolate leaf, caramel hazelnut crémeux with tonk a bean sorbet.
38 Laurie Moran, pastry chef for Eric Ripert's restaurant Le Bernardin, made this mandarin spehere, with bergamot-olive oil sorbet and basil.
39 The chefs came out at the end of the night for a much-deserved round of applause.
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Wow, your life is so exciting but how can you keep up the pace? Thanx for including all of us who admire LIVING in this fabulous night on the town.
Posted by: ann | March 7th, 2012 at 5:13 am
Beautiful place, love the furniture and accessories. The presentation of food and menu is amazing, Lovely evening.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | March 7th, 2012 at 7:41 am
What lovely pieces Jill Dienst has in her shop, Dienst and Dotter Antiques. I like the Swedish Baroque drop leaf table the drinks were served on. Martha, you looked very chic in your ensemble! And the food served at the fundraising dinner for the Bocuse d'Or USA looked so exotic and gourmet! Thanks for sharing your exciting evening with us!
Posted by: Cindy F | March 7th, 2012 at 8:58 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | March 7th, 2012 at 10:09 am
I hope you invite Mario Buatta to appear on your program. He is a fantastic talent. Your audience can learn a lot from him.
Posted by: Steve Shelton | March 7th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Hi Martha, I recall seeing your delightful tweets about your food at Daniel's a few days ago and the website is fantastic-great place to go! Your friend Jill Dienst has a great place to vitit and great website, too! You sure did have fun that evening, didn't you! All of your photos are wonderful and how fun to see so many friends attending both places! All of those great chefs are fantastic and it's so much fun to see as many as possible on your TV Shows! The cocktails, antiques, and the foods are outstanding! Can't wait to see you on the Today Show in a couple of hours and of course am waiting for your TV Show with Sarah Carey in a while!! Hope you are having a great day! Off to view the Daily Wag where Ghenghis Khan is on his way to more dog shows in Tennessee! Love it all! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | March 7th, 2012 at 10:21 am
Hi Martha,
It is commendable that you are always there when your friends call. Thanks for sharing both events with us. Your friend Jill has a beautiful shop and Thomas Joseph must have really enjoyed being with all those great chefs at the second event. He’s pretty great too with the recipes he prepares on your show. Have a great day and thanks for the recipes you provided on the Today Show this morning. I especially want to try the parsnip chips. Trish
Posted by: Trish | March 7th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Martha,
Thanks as always for showing us the interesting events you are attending. I always enjoy how people display antiques. The raw wood floor against a 1750 table is interesting and having the 1890 Penny-farthing hanging from the ceiling also is an interesting display.
The fund raising dinner is nice. We can all appreciate the providing working professionals ways of becoming more successful.
Posted by: Margie | March 7th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
What an evening! I'd love to be you for a day ( and night)!
Posted by: Lin Cheney | March 8th, 2012 at 3:32 am
My fiance and I recently had a chance to dine at Daniel - we absolutely loved the menu and the wine pairings were spectacular! What a line-up of chefs you had. A serious all-star list! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kristin | March 9th, 2012 at 10:22 am