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Photograph by George Sakkestad

Joey Altman, executive chef at The Palace, gives a taste of perfection to Patrick Farjas, executive chef at Plumed Horse restaurant.

Too many chefs in kitchen? Hardly

Valley's culinary masters pull together in benefit to feed county's hungry

By Lester Chang

Where was the best place to eat in Sunnyvale on April 28?

Best bet: The Palace, on Murphy Avenue.

That was where chefs from 15 top restaurants in Santa Clara Valley gathered to showcase some of their best cooking. They were promoting a May event that will raise money to feed the valley's poor.

The chefs, including those from Sunnyvale's Faultline Brewing Company and Stoddard's Brewhouse and Eatery, offered appetizers of duck and mushrooms with pesto creme, crab and papaya dip, empanadas filled with buffalo and duck meat, and pastries.

The presentation served as a prelude to the Silicon Valley Taste of the Nation event, scheduled for May 22 at the Palace.

Presented by American Express and Calphalon Cookware, Taste of the Nation is the largest culinary benefit supporting anti-hunger programs in the country, organizers say, adding that one in 12 Americans goes to bed hungry every night.

Share Our Strength, one of the country's leading anti-hunger organizations, created the event to encourage industries and people to help the needy.

The organization, based in Washington, D.C., puts on similar events in more than 100 cities across the United States.

In Santa Clara County, more than 40 of the South Bay's premier chefs and operators of wineries will work to create a buffet extravaganza.

The evening's theme is "Living Vegas," which will feature showgirls, stars from Las Vegas, casino games and performances by Bud E. Luv, a "Vegas Strip" entertainer, according to Kristin McGibbons, a publicist for the event.

The food fest, which is being held for the fifth time in as many years, begins at 6 p.m.

Single tickets are $90. Corporate tables are available with special amenities and seating for $1,500.

Organizers hope to raise up to $40,000, of which 70 percent will remain in the valley, said Steve Crisler, chairman of the event.

Ten percent will go to help the hungry in other parts of California, and 20 percent will be used for international relief and development projects, officials said.

The proceeds will go to support efforts by San Jose's Second Harvest Food Bank and the Sacred Heart Community Service to help feed the poor. Both groups are located in San Jose.

Stoddard's executive chef, Rudolfo Granados, said he liked the idea of mingling with colleagues and showing what he can do with a dish.

"I feel good about this whole thing," said Granados, a cook for seven years.

For the April 29 gathering, he showcased a dish that will be offered soon at Stoddard's: ground-up duck and buffalo, seasoned with peppers, wild mushrooms and a sauce, encased in empanadas, which are made of fresh corn dough. The dish is topped with jalapeño glaze.

Stoddard's specializes in barbecue ribs and pork chops.

Marc Marelich, a chef with Faultline Brewery, offered a dish of grilled, roasted New York strips massaged with chili and topped with fresh mango. All of that was put on foccacia bread.

Sandra W. Putz, a food drive coordinator for the Second Harvest Food Bank, praised the efforts of the restaurants to help the poor.

"I have always been impressed by the desire of the chefs to help the community, whether they are in Boston, New York, Florida or California," she said. "It is a shared trait ... to help the less fortunate."

Other participating restaurants include Cafe Marcella, Cafe Trio, La Pastaia, Le Papillon, Silver Creek Valley Country Club, Viaggio, Flea Street Cafe, Emile's and Zibbibo.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 7, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.