DETAILS
Sunday, October 9, 2011 4 - 7 PM
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
Fairhope, Alabama
Parking Instructions to TBA
Chef Mike Wallace, Executive Chef of The Grand Hotel, Point Clear
Assisted by Chef Deese Chatwood, Restaurant Chef of the Grand Hotel, Point Clear
Chef Mike Wallace, Executive Chef of The Grand Hotel, Point Clear
Assisted by Chef Deese Chatwood, Restaurant Chef of the Grand Hotel, Point Clear
TICKETS
Tickets $95 per person, all inclusive, dinner and wine pairings
Space is limited to 100 diners
Tickets will be available at the Windmill Market, Walcott, Adams, Verneuille Architects, and Red or White in Fairhope and Mobile.
ABOUT THE CHEFS
Chef Mike Wallace received his degree in Occupational Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 1990. Chef Mike came to The Grand Hotel from the Del Lago Resort in Montgomery, Texas, where he was the Executive Chef for the past four years. He has worked at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, Le Marignac Restaurant and the Ramada Renaissance in Switzerland, and The Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. He was Executive Sous Chef at the Dana Point Resort, Chef/Consultant for Posh Catering and Executive Chef at the Etienne’s Restaurant. He was the Chef/Chef Instructor in the Cascades Seafood Restaurant at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, and Executive Chef with Hilton Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island.
A native of Fairhope, Chef David Deese Chatwood, Jr. grew up appreciating the local abundance of seafood, fresh produce and the amazing beauty for which the Eastern Shore is known. Some of his fondest memories involve hauling in ice chests full of seafood from Mobile Bay after a Jubilee. Another favorite activity while growing up was throwing a cast net or pulling a trawling net out in front of his house for Mobile Bay’s prized white shrimp.
A native of Fairhope, Alabama,
Not only did he appreciate the bounty that Mobile Bay brought forth, he also had a desire to learn how to properly prepared and cook what he caught. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and two minors (Anthropology and Spanish), he continued his pursuit of learning all he could about cooking. Deese went to Johnson and Wales University and graduated with an advanced Culinary Arts Degree while working in some of the finest restaurants in Colorado (Shrine Mountain Inn, Gore Creek Grill, Mirabelle, Terra Bistro). He also traveled to Sedona, Arizona and worked at L’Auberge de Sedona as well as Brisbane, Australia where he worked at Chevaliers.
After traveling the world and learning everything he could about the culinary arts, he returned to his hometown of Fairhope and to his love of Mobile Bay. He now manages the kitchens for the 4-Diamond Grand Dining Room and the casual seafood restaurant, the Saltwater Grill, as well as Bucky’s Birdcage Lounge and Room Service. Throughout all of his endeavors, he has continued to tout the importance of fresh, local ingredients.
MENU
(Menu subject to change based on availability and at the chef's discretion)
Grand Gulf Crab Salad spoons
House Made Mozzarella and Pesto Pinwheels with Smith Farms Tomato Confit
Gulf Shrimp Martinis with Bama Vodka Cocktail Sauce
Alabama Belle Chevre Goat Cheese with Local Marc Micro Greens, spiced B&B Pecans with a Casa Perdido Satsuma Vinaigrette
White Oak Pastures Grass Feed Beef Tenderloin Medallions
Conecuh Ridge Whiskey Demi-Glace
Gulf Seafood Gourmet Mac and Cheese
Mc Ewen & Sons Blue Corn White Cheddar Cheese Grits
Crossville Farms Sothern Succotash with Alabama Fudge Farms Ham Lardons
Baldwin County Trio of Desserts
Fiddler Farms Peanut Parfait, Pennery Farms Sweet Potato Cheese Cake and B&B Pecan Tart
WINES
Wine pairings for each course will be selected by Randy Williams, owner of Red or White. Randy Williams started in the wine business by helping the wine manager of the incredibly busy Broadway restaurant in Seattle putting away orders. Randy was paid with good bottles of wine and interesting facts about them. Thinking this was more interesting than his job offers in finance, he joined Kobrand Corporation, a prestigious New York Importer. He spent ten years there and other shorter periods with Chateau Estates, Sonoma Cutrer, and finally Chalone, running the eastern part of the country and national accounts. These jobs gave Randy the opportunity to taste and consume, as he says, way too much great wine and explore many of the world’s best wine regions. He opened Red or White Fairhope with wife Sherri 7 years ago, and the Mobile location 3 years ago, and both enjoy working with their many customers from all over the South.
List of wines for Moveable Feast coming soon!
