Story by Dave Eckert | Photos Courtesy of James Beard Foundation
It was an evening to remember, one I certainly will never forget. On Saturday, February 10, The American restaurant held its 19th annual James Beard Foundation Dinner. The night was special in so many ways. It was the first official dinner for The American’s New Executive Chef Andrew Longres. The dinner also continued the longest running Friends of James Beard fundraising event in the world. And, it brought together six award-winning chefs from around the planet for one of the most delicious evenings I have spent in a long time!
For the uninitiated, James Beard was a cookbook author, teacher, and champion of American cuisine. Today, The James Beard Foundation is one of the leading forces in the American food scene, dedicated to celebrating and honoring chefs and other leaders. The goal of the foundation is “to make America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.” The American and the James Beard Foundation are a perfect fit.
The American’s Executive Chef Andrew Longres
The dinner was especially poignant for Longres, a Kansas City native who was named Executive Chef at The American in December 2017. Longres, who had previously worked at the American, as well as 40 Sardines and Napa’s Valley’s famed French Laundry, came back to The American after holding the Executive Chef Position at Blue Stem.
“I can think of no better way to make my return to The American than by honoring the James Beard Foundation’s mission at a prestigious event like the Benefit Dinner,” Longres shared. “It’s also wonderful to be working alongside chefs that I’ve looked up to and are making innovative moves in the culinary world.”
Each of the six visiting chefs prepared a course for the meal, and each course was paired to a specific wine. The matches, selected by Guest Wine Director Micah Clark from the excellent Restaurant at Meadowood in St Helena, California, were excellent.
Participating chefs from left to right… Brady Williams, James Syhabout, Jeremiah Langhorne, Jeremy Fox, John Shields and Mark Lundgaard Nielsen
“Ultimately, this dinner is about the chefs and their food, so more than anything, we want to pour wines that will amplify everyone’s experience without getting in the way of any particular dish. Our local partners have been extremely generous in donating great wines that each have their own story to tell, so we can provide context for each wine and how it complements each dish,” Clark commented.
I particularly enjoyed Clark’s selection of Washington State’s Market Vineyards 2013 Benchmark Merlot with the course of Pate en Croute from Danish chef Mark Lundgaar Nielson. The combination of a New-World Merlot with a very Old-World Dish was a home run.
This was also one of my favorite courses of this multi-course extravaganza. Nielson is the Director and Chef de Cuisine at Kong Has Kaelder, Denmark’s oldest gourmet restaurant and a Michelin star holder. “I am very honored to be invited all the way from Denmark to cook for something as special as the Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner, and to have the opportunity to showcase what’s cooking in Copenhagen,” Nielson said.
Jeremiah Langhorne came to The American from The Dabney in Washington, D.C. The Dabney earned a Michelin star in 2016 and was nominated for best new restaurant in 2016 by the James Beard Foundation. Langhorne created a course of Beaver Creek Quail, cornbread, bitter winter greens, preserved sour cherry, and foie gras jus. The wine match here was a Mas de Boislauzon Cotes du Rhone Village-my favorite pairing of the night!
“I have always had great admiration for the dinner because of the cause and the people involved. It consistently features chefs at the forefront of cuisine that I have looked up to for many years. Having the chance to see them cook in the same restaurant at the same time is an incredible opportunity! There’s no words to describe how excited I am to be able to be a part of such a great group of chefs,” Langhorne exclaimed.
At the end of the evening, I wasn’t just sated, but satisfied to my core. I was moved by the dedication of the people involved in pulling an event of this magnitude together-from the chefs to the servers and everyone behind the scenes who get very little credit or recognition. What a marvelous debut it was for new Executive Chef Longres as The American heads for a half century of the finest dining Kansas City has had the privilege of taste.
“I’m hoping to continue the tradition of culinary excellence at The American with seasonal events that bring fine dining to locals and promotes Kansas City as a culinary destination,” Longres stated.
I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve.
