You know what this summer has been sorely lacking? Garden parties. Luckily, that’s all about to change thanks to Slow Food East End.
On Saturday, September 10, Slow Food East End will host its first-ever Gala in the Garden. Hosted by Chef Colin Ambrose, Jessica Ambrose & Estia’s Little Kitchen, the gala will see Chef Ambrose cooking in tandem with Chef Paul Del Favero of Harbor Market & Kitchen. Guests will enjoy wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres and music followed by a multi-course dinner and a limited edition wine auction to benefit three tremendous non-profit organizations: ALS Ride for Life (in honor of Chef Gerry Hayden), Project Most, and Slow Food East End.
“Colin Ambrose actually approached us about putting together this event,” says Anne Howard, chair of Slow Food East End. “Estia’s was awarded a Snail of Approval by Slow Food East End and he was very excited about that. He recognized what that meant, and he wanted to work with us on an event. So, he looked at pairing us with two other organizations he loves: Project Most and ALS Ride for Life. He was a close friend of Gerry Hayden—just one in a whole host of chefs that knew Gerry and loved him. We are thrilled to be honoring his memory at this event.”
The organization will also auction off a collection of limited edition wine—curated by Chef Ambrose and Michael Cinque of Amagansett Wines & Spirits—to raise money in Chef Hayden’s name.
“It should be a lovely evening,” says Howard. “Colin and his staff will be preparing all the food alongside Paul. There will be music. There are several local wineries that will be pouring, each wine pairing perfectly with the dinner. We’ll honor Slow Food East End’s founders, Tom and Mary. It should be an incredible time.”
It will certainly benefit three incredible causes. Ride for Life devotes at least 50% of its income to fund the search for a cure for ALS (its remaining income goes to supporting patients through innovative programs); Project Most provides enriching after-school programs for children whose parents otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them; and Slow Food East End promotes good, clean, and fair food—while supporting the people who grow it and encouraging others, especially children, to care about how and where it is grown.
“We’re all nonprofits,” says Howard. “We each do different things, but we each do important things. Obviously I can only speak for Slow Food East End, but most of our fundraising in the past 12 or so years has gone to educating kids on where their food comes from and building Edible School Gardens. We have 26 school gardens on the East End.
“This event will allow us to move out in some other directions. Right now, we’re looking into how we can help young farmers. When you’re just starting out, a small amount of money can go a long way, so we’re thinking a lot about grants. This is what we do. We take what we’re given and invest it back into the community. This is what we’re all about.”
Gala in the Garden will be hosted in the garden at Estia’s Little Kitchen on Saturday, September 10 from 6:00-10:00 p.m. Tickets are $350 per person, and can be purchased online here. Enjoy a sneak peek at the gala’s multi-course dinner below.
Gala in the Garden Menu
At Table
- Estia’s Garden Fresh Crudités
- With assorted Hummus and Herb Purées
- A Taste of the North Fork Pickled Vegetables
- Carissa’s Breads
First Course
- Pasta with Mushroom Ragout
- Made with locally sourced ingredients; Estia’s Homemade Pasta with Amber Waves flour and BlockHouse Farms guinea eggs; mushroom ragout with Open Minded Organics mushrooms
Main Course, Served Family Style
- Porchetta
- Cioppino Verde
- Made with locally sourced ingredients; Browder’s Organic Chicken, clams, two kinds of local fish (determined by market availability) chilies and herbs
- Quail Hill Ratatouille
- Herb Roasted Crisp Potatoes
Dessert
- Seasonal Local Fruit Tart with Joe and Liza’s Ice Cream
