Les Dames d'Escoffier Coastal Georgia offer scholarship dinner for Savannah's next generation
When Les Dames d’Escoffier Coastal Georgia Chapter was contemplating a scholarship fundraiser, they decided to use the skills members had as chefs and fine beverage experts to create a one-of-a-kind dinner.
Les Dames, professionals in the areas of food, fine beverage, and hospitality, will present “Local Fare at Noble Fare” on Sept. 18 at Noble Fare restaurant, located at 321 Jefferson Street. A five-course dinner cooked by Les Dames chefs, with wine pairings, will begin with a 6 p.m. reception. Dinner seating will be at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $175 and may be reserved through payment to Venmo @LesDames SAV or by providing credit card information to Noble Fare.
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The menu, created by Chef Lauren Teague of The DeSoto Hotel, “will feature both food and talent from the Savannah and The Low Country,” she explained.
Amuse Bouche – Picked shrimp (olive oil, lemon, celery, chives) – Chef Meta Adler
Appetizer – Fennel and chorizo strudel with saffron aioli and tarragon – Chef Alex Lewis
Salad – Wood-fired grilled pears, pork belly lardon (diced, fried bacon), greens, farm cheese and honey – Chef Kay Heritage
Entrée – Braised short rib with red wine demi, cipollini onions, mashed sweet potatoes, muscadine compote – Chef Lauren Teague
Dessert – White chocolate amaretto mousse, apple ganache, salted candied almonds, blueberry compote, apple skin wisps, pickled blueberries – Chef Jessica Rice and Martha Nesbit
As an added bonus to diners, Dame Bridget Michalski, managing partner at Savannah Wine Cellar, will be executing the wine pairings. Michalski, whose shop was among those recommended by the pros in a recent issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, attended culinary school and has worked in both restaurants and the wine industry.
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“If you sell wine, you should know wine and food pairings. It’s both an art and a science,” she says. After tasting the braised short rib main course, for example, Bridget and her husband Nick both agreed on a 100% pinot noir from Givrey in Eastern France. “We just looked at each other and said, ‘This is perfect,’” she said.
The purpose of Les Dames d’Escoffier, which has over 2,000 members in 40 chapters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico, is to share knowledge, support members, and provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropic activities in their community.
The scholarship, which will be awarded for spring semester to a student in the culinary program at Savannah Technical College, will help support a female who is pursuing a career in the food and beverage industry.
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“I directly work with the hospitality industry’s next generation of talent,” explains Dame Alex Lewis, culinary instructor at Savannah Tech. The culinary program at Savannah Tech was ranked number two among the top 10 culinary programs in the University of Georgia system in 2021.
“Being an instructor means you are a resource for solving problems students encounter before, during, and after they graduate. Many students are financially strained. This scholarship could make a difference in their ability to complete their goal of graduating,” Lewis says. “My ability to participate in the Les Dames ‘Escoffier scholarship dinner helps to get students over a financial hurdle they couldn’t navigate on their own.”
Adds Chef Teague: “I’m proud to be able to give financial resources and hands-on experiences towards someone’s growth in the hospitality field.”
Note: Martha Nesbit is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier Coastal Georgia Chapter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Les Dames d'Escoffier Coastal Georgia offer scholarship dinner
