Thursday, May 9, 2013

Upcoming Events: Lamb Jam and More!

Lamb Jam:  On Monday, May 20th at the Eastern Market from 6-9 pm, 19 of DC’s top restaurants and chefs will come together to celebrate American Lamb by creating succulent and savory selections for the lamb loving public. It is a friendly chef/dish competition to garner awards and prizes in categories including “Best in Show,” “People’s Choice” and “Best Leg, Breast, Shank and Shoulder” with voting by a panel of key media representatives and event attendees. Tickets include gourmet lamb tastings, local wines and beers, hands-on American lamb butcher demos, lamb swag, sweets, caricature artist & much more! New this year, a VIP Pre-Party from 5-6 pm, includes specialty cocktails with a variety of American Lamb charcuterie and sheep’s milk cheeses. Beat the lines with the VIP Pass, only a limited supply available! To view participating chefs, sponsors and to purchase tickets visit: http://dc.fansoflamb.com/lamb-jam.dc/.

Chef Art Smith Cookbook Signing:  On Thursday, May 9 from 5-6:30pm, celebrity chef and cookbook author Art Smith will be signing copies of his latest cookbook, Art Smith’s Healthy Comfort. The cookbook highlights recipes Chef created while on his own personal journey to health and wellness. The signing will be held at Art and Soul, his restaurant on Capitol Hill. During the signing, Art and Soul will offer happy hour specials with discounted drinks and $5 bites. Books are available for purchase at the event for $27.99.
Spring Lamb Roast: The next event in a series of intimate, family-style dinners at Art and Soul is a Spring Lamb Roast on May 11 at 7pm. The menu includes raw, cooked and marinated seasonal vegetables, a mixed grill of pastured Pennsylvania lamb, featuring roasted leg, sausage from shoulder, ribs and grilled loin, and a skillet crumb cake topped with fresh local berries and lemon thyme ice cream. The three-course meal will be accompanied by beverages from the Williamsburg Alewerks. Dinner costs $65 per person, $30 for diners 16 and younger, inclusive of tax and gratuity and reservations can be made at http://saturdaysuppers.eventbrite.com.

On Saturday, May 11, 2013, Gio Gonzales of the Washington Nationals will be at Fluffy Thoughts Cakes in McLean, VA for a charity autograph event.  From 10:00 am – 11:30 am, customers who purchase a dozen cupcakes will receive a free autograph.  Autographs will also be available for a donation of $50.  Photos, baseballs and jerseys will be available on-site for purchase.  The event is limited to 150 autographs, so plan to arrive 30 minutes early to ensure your spot!  All proceeds will be donated to the Gio Gonzales Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to children battling life challenging health illnesses.  The foundation’s objective is focused on “Giving Individuals Opportunities” to better serve their health and wellness.


On Monday, May 13th, enjoy tastes from 50 of the area’s best chefs during Chef’s Best Dinner and Auction Celebrating Food and Friends’ 25th Anniversary presented by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation. Thanks to the efforts of this year’s Celebrity Chef Chair Jeff Black of Black Restaurant Group, guests will enjoy tastings prepared by some of the region’s most talented chefs including: Teddy Folkman, Granville Moore’s; Wes Morton,Art and Soul; James Huff, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace; Nicolas Flores, Hank’s Oyster Bar; RJ Cooper, Rogue 24; Matteo Venini, Posto; Aldo Ramos, The Heights; Jennifer Nguyen, Zentan Restaurant; and Jeff Tunks, DC Coast among other notables from the DC dining scene. Attendees will also have the opportunity to bid on exciting silent and live auction items featuring fantastic trips, one-of-a-kind experiences and private dining opportunities.Tickets to Chef’s Best, held at the Washington Hilton, are $250 for individuals or $2,500 for a table. For a full list of participating chefs and to purchase tickets, visit www.foodandfriends.org/chefsbest .The VIP Reception for sponsors begins at 5:30pm. Doors open for the main event at 6:30pm, with bidding for live auction starting around 8:15pm. All proceeds from Chef’s Best will ensure the delivery of specialized meals and personalized nutrition counseling to Food & Friends’ clients living with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses.


Mike Isabella’s G Pop-Up Stand: For the week of May 13 through May 17, Mike Isabella will transform the first floor of Graffiato into a pop-up stand to provide a ‘sneak peek’ into his new restaurant G. Each day from11:30am to 2:00pm, the pop-up will serve a limited menu of sandwiches, salads, vegetables and dessert to give Isabella and his team an opportunity to test recipes before opening the restaurant. Menu items at the pop-up will include Chicken Parmigiano, Spicy Mushroom Panino, marinated olives, and zeppolis. G is slated to open in early summer next to Kapnos at 2201 14th Street NW. The 40-seat spot will serve sandwiches by day and a four-course Italian tasting menu by night. For more information, check out www.gsandwich.com.

In celebration of American Craft Beer Week (May 13-19), the RAMMY award finalist, Mad Fox Brewing Company, will host a special 5 course craft beer pairing dinner on Thursday, May 16. The evening will start with a reception at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 7:00 PM. The Mad Fox Craft Beer Dinner will show case five different craft beers, including the three winners of the 2011 Great American Beer Festival, accompanied by a specially designed seasonal menu created by Executive Chef Andrew Dixon. The full menu is available at http://madfoxbrewing.com/craft-beer-dinner. The price is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity with reservations required and space limited. Tickets can be purchased at the host stand or by calling 703-942-6840.

May 16th …Wine lovers alert! Jaleo will host a series of exclusive wine dinners, which will showcase Spain’s brilliant wines. Commencing with the legendary García Family from Spain’s Ribera del Duero region on May 16th from 7pm to 9pm at the DC location. The event is priced at $95 exclusive of tax and gratuity. Future wine dinners will be posted on Jaleo’s website.

Doukenie Greek Festival on May 18th:  The Greek Festival is an annual event that celebrates the Greek heritage of the winery, bringing a day full of fun, laughter, education, entertainment, and authentic Greek food to this beautiful destination. Enjoy a vineyard hay ride, learn about vineyard management with Leanne Wiberg, the winery’s resident geologist, watch mounted horse games, have your face painted or just listen to great music, taste delicious wines and eat traditional Greek food throughout the afternoon. For those interested in the more technical aspects of wine making, take a tour and learn the art and science of wine making with the experts of Doukénie Winery. This is a rain or shine event and the price is $20 per person until May 15 or $25 per person May 16 through the 18. The event starts at 11 a.m.to 6 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased online or by calling Maria at 540-668-6464 x 202.

Tickets on Sale for 2013 RAMMY Awards: Tickets are now on sale for the DC area's hottest foodie fete, the 31st annual RAMMY Awards, celebrating the city's vibrant restaurant industry. The black tie event will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC on Sunday, June 23rd. This year, the awards ceremony format has expanded to accommodate the 1600+ bartenders, restaurateurs and other industry professionals in attendance. The highly anticipated ceremony will announce coveted honors such as "Chef of the Year," "Best New Restaurant" and "Rising Culinary Star" which are bestowed to only the city's top restaurant leaders. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 6pm followed by the awards ceremony, a buffet-style dinner, and a live band with dancing until midnight. Tickets to the RAMMYS are available for $225 for RAMW members, $300 for non-members, and may be purchased online atwww.therammys.org, by calling 202.331.5990 or by email at therammys@ramw.org.

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