Grove Park Inn - Farm to Table Dinners

The Grove Park Inn is hosting the 2010 Visiting Chef Dinner Series (http://tinyurl.com/33cn9y9). The dinners are held at their Horizons Dining Room; which features wonderful views of Asheville. Executive Chef Denny Trantham, a great advocate of local and sustainable food, has procured local farms to provide their food for Grove Park Inn. Denny recruited three wonderful chefs, Executive Chef Jacques Larson of Wild Olive Cucina Italia (http://www.wildoliverestaurant.com/), and Executive Chef Sean Brock from McCrady’s Restaurant (www.mccradysrestaurant.com), both from Charleston, and Chef de Cuisine Duane Fernandes (http://tinyurl.com/293v753) for the Horizons Dining Room at the Grove Park Inn.

We were all seated at long banquet tables where we met many wonderful folks, each with a story about why they chose to attend this event. One couple drove down from Chicago just to relive a wonderful visit they had many years ago at the GPI. The wife did not tell her sweetheart anything about the trip until they were about 100 miles outside of Chicago when she explained that his bags were packed and in the trunk of the car. He was surprised! The other couple was from Greenville, SC and had visited the GPI in the past and could not pass on the opportunity to learn more about local food while enjoying the wonderful amenities of the Inn.

Each of the six courses was paired with an exceptional beverage, an Aged Sake, wines (Gewurztraminer, Rose, and Malbec), a beer (Belgium Pale Ale), and a mixed drink (Monarch Manhattan) to complement each dish. From fish, pan seared scallops, Hickory Nut Gap Pork, ribeye, and chocolate, each dish was well-prepared and served in unison (everyone at the table received their dishes at the exact same moment.)

The food was delicious, the black garlic (http://tinyurl.com/yzgvnwg) was most interesting, the drinks were very complimentary and the conversation was shared with gusto by everyone at each table. It was great to see friends from WNC and make new friends. Afterwards the chefs availed themselves to the guests and I spent quite a bit of time listening to their stories, meeting their friends, and listening to their techniques. Check into the next dinner at the Grove Park Inn (www.groveparkinn.com) and consider making time for this great culinary event!