SF Chefs 2010 Party

I really wanted to attend the SF Chefs Event 2010 in San Francisco but a lot of the seminars were during the week plus the cost of the event was a little high so I didn't make it. A few weeks ago I got an e-mail inviting me to the after party on Sunday evening. I asked a few friends if they wanted to go and everyone was excited to get invited. Then I got an e-mail saying "oops" we mailed the invitation to you by mistake, it is for the Restaurant Association members only. Well, the nerve! So I e-mailed them back and gave them the sob story of how we had made arrangements already to attend and couldn't they just squeeze 3 more people in. I didn't hear back so I figured they wrote me off and that was that. Yesterday(Sunday) about 1:30pm I get an e-mail telling me that they had 2 tickets at the door for the Chefs party! Well, kinda late don't you think? I debated about whether I still wanted to go, I did but now had to find out who could go with me. I called my girlfriend in San Francisco but she was busy running around doing family things. I called Chris and she was at the Food Bazaar at the Buddhist Church but said she was willing. We finally headed to San Francisco about 5:00pm got to the party about 7..perfect. Since the e-mail didn't give an exact location , it just said "we are taking back the tent" We thought it had to be the main event tent at Union Square and yes it was, thank goodness. We were a little apprehensive about whether we would actually get in but we did. So, we are in, the music is playing there is food, lots and lots of booze. I think the performers onstage were chefs, kitchen staff, and other restaurant personnel, they did a great job. They were a talented bunch! The students from the Culinary Institute at Greystone prepared the tastings. The tastings were various dishes made with lamb and pork which were provided by the California Lamb Producers and the National Pork Board. The food was all good but there were only about 6-8 different dishes..all slow cooked pork or lamb and after a while everything started to taste the same. Then along comes Chicken and Waffles!! Fried chicken wings, waffles, greens, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, corn muffins..YUM. If you weren't into liquor you were pretty much out of luck. Fiji water had a booth and other than that I don't think there was anything else non alcoholic. Tequilas, Scotch, Rye, shots, mixed drinks, beers, and wines. Too bad I was driving.. I had to be good, but the tequila shots sure were good!

There were some chef sightings, Herbert Keller of Fleur de Lyse, Elizabeth Falkner of Citizen Cake and Orson. Hoss Zare of Zare's Fly Trap and Josie from one of the Top Chef competitions. I was hoping to see Tyler Florence or Chris Cosentino or some of the other well known chefs in San Francisco but they probably showed up later after closing down their restaurants. We even missed Hubert Keller being the DJ since we had to leave for our drive back to Sacramento..too bad it was held on a Sunday night and we had to work on Monday..I need to retire! It was fun and an adventure for sure.

Here are some pictures of the evening.

I ran into my favorite chef Hoss Zare from Zare's Fly Trap and caught up a little with him. He is always so charming. Saw Josie from one of the Top Chef competitions, saw Elizabeth Faulkner from Citizen Cake and Orson. We saw Hubert Keller and I wasn't comfortable just snapping a picture of him so Chris went up to ask if he'd mind us taking his picture. He was so gracious and offered to take pictures with us. Such a nice guy. He was supposed to be the DJ later in the evening but we couldn't stay that late. I was hoping to see Tyler Florence or Chris Cosentino but they probably came later. The different chefs were the ones performing on stage and some were really talented..some had better stick to being chefs. It was fun and as rushed as it was to get there it was worth it. I owe Chris for letting me drag here to this event at the last minute.