Star Chefs ICC- Congress Cocktail

On night two of Star Chef's the conference space turned into a fabulous cocktail party with bartenders from all over shaking up wonderful new drinks.  This year the ever popular Negroni was the theme with cocktail guru's like Jim Meehan pouring an East India Negroni made with Island Rum right beside his PDT predecessor Jeff Bell.


Each bartender had a different spin on the drink.  Nacho Jimenez of the Daily created the delicious Solera Negroni made entirely without gin.


James Beck from the Patterson House in Nashville, TN created a frothy pink Dee-Dely-Dee made with coconut and cocoa nib infused Ford Gin, vanilla infused Cocchi Americano, Campari, whole egg and dusted with fresh cinnamon.


It was great to see some NYC newcomers on scene like Katie Stipe from one of Brooklyn's best new bars Grand Army creating an incredible espresso bean infused Campari cocktail.


But it was Williamsburg's Extra Fancy that stole my heart with the Chennai Express; an experiment using the Nespresso Pure Origin India coffee combined with gin, passion fruit, cardamom and lime leaf by Robert Krueger.


Another highlight were the refreshing Sake Snow Cones created by Trevlor Hutchins of Tempo Dulu in Portland, ME.


I absolutely loved the flavor combination of yuzu, smoked pineapple and Laphroaig.


And of course watching John daSilva of Spoke in Somerville, MA cook up his Smoked Diver Scallops with potato, creme fraiche, trout roe, mustard and dill.


But honestly the best part of the night was watching Nicolas Blouin and crew celebrate his big win in the Valrhona Pastry competition with flutes of champagne and a big check for $5,000.


Congrats to everyone who competed!

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