Dueling Sommelier Dinner #3 at the Heathman Restaurant and Bar Features Guest Chef Elias Cairo from Castagna
July 17, 2009
An interactive wine series where dinner guests determine the best wine and food pairings – Jack Hott from Castagna takes the lead
PORTLAND, Oregon – (July 17, 2009) – Castagna’s chef Elias Cairo will take over the kitchen at the Heathman for the third dinner in the 2009 Dueling Sommelier dinner series. With Jack Hott from Castagna leading the competition and Andy Zalman in second, the Dueling Sommelier dinner series heads into the third round on August 8th with guest chef Elias Cairo from Castagna. Four sommeliers pick wines to pair with a four-course menu and guests vote for the best food and wine pairings. Dinners are $110 per person, not including gratuity. For reservations, please call the Heathman at 503-790-7752.
The Four-Course Challenge
The five dinners in the series will be prepared by the Heathman’s culinary director, Philippe Boulot and chef de cuisine Karl Zenk, as well as guest chefs from Castagna, Higgins and Wildwood. Each chef creates a four-course menu and the four sommeliers pair a wine with every course. Guests attending the event evaluate the wine and food pairings and rank the wines on how well they complement the food. Wines are revealed throughout the evening and the sommeliers answer questions about the pairings. Scores are collected throughout the dinner series and the top two high scoring sommeliers at the end of the series will meet in the Grand Finale dinner to battle for the “vino” crown.
Dueling Sommelier Dinner #3
Guest Chef: Elias Cairo, Castagna
August 8, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
Course one
Fava bean, mint and marscapone agnolotti with butter and chives
Course two
Grilled octopus and potatoes with black olives, agretti and arugula
Course three
Milanese Caprese: Breaded pork cutlets with tomato, basil and mozzarella
Course four
Pesche Ripieni: Roasted peach stuffed almonds and amaretti with noyau ice cream
###
Jeff Groh, Sommelier
The Heathman Restaurant and Bar
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jeff Groh moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 after attending Ohio State University. Once in Oregon, Groh headed to Newport where he was the food and beverage director for the Inn at Otter Crest. In 2004, Groh moved to Portland and joined The Benson Hotel as Director of Restaurants, where he managed all restaurant food and beverage operations for the hotel. He believes strongly in wine education and is currently sitting exams with the Court of Master Sommeliers. He completed the fundamentals courses and the diploma program with top honors and is now a member of the International Sommelier Guild. Acting as sommelier for the Heathman, Groh refocused the wine program to feature the highest quality producers and vintages. An active participant in the Northwest wine community, Groh has served as a guest sommelier for the Classic Wines Auction, the International Pinot Noir Celebration, the 2005 French Master Chefs Dinner and Salud!
Jack Hott, Sommelier
Castagna Restaurant
Jack Hott started working at Castagna Restaurant nearly a decade ago busing, hosting and waiting tables. Two years ago, he began working with the wine list as well. Keeping with the high standards already set, Jack focuses on small, artesian producers who make wines both pleasing at the table and expressive of their place of origin. He chooses the wine on his list to pair with Castagna’s European influenced cuisine, as well as looking for wines made using traditional methods. He prefers wines that “portray the connections between the land, the vines, the people who make the wines and the people who enjoy them.”
Jeff Moore, Wine Director
Wildwood Restaurant
As former wine manager of the Red Feather Lounge in Idaho, Jeff Moore kept the Boise restaurant’s multi-level blue neon “wine tower” stocked with the best of the Pacific Northwest. In 2004, he moved to Portland in search of a restaurant with a similar approach to local food and wine. The self-taught aficionado immediately found a home as a server at Wildwood, where the seasonal wine list is designed to complement the body and flavor of the menu’s cuisine. As Wildwood’s wine director, Moore accentuates the wine list with a handful of old world wines while retaining its original concept. “We will always be supportive of the local wine industry because it is part of Wildwood’s tradition. By broadening our scope, we’re providing a slightly bigger picture and hopefully a fuller appreciation for our local artisans.”
Andy Zalman, Sommelier
Higgins Restaurant
A resident of Portland for more than three decades, Andy Zalman was the original wine steward at Higgins when it opened in 1994 and continues to pair wine with the Pacific Northwest cuisine found on Greg Higgins’ menu. This Brooklyn, NY native first traveled to Portland to pursue a music career, but quickly fell into the growing restaurant scene as a bartender at Veritable Quandary, as well as stints at Jake’s L’Auberge, Cassidy’s and the Heathman. It was at the Heathman where he met the talented Greg Higgins and took on the challenge of developing the wine program at the new restaurant just a few blocks to the south. “Tasting a 1964 Chateau Cheval Blanc was my wine epiphany,” recalls Zalman. “After that experience I soaked up as much wine knowledge as I could and love introducing my customers to new regions and varietals.”
About the Heathman Restaurant and Bar
The Heathman Restaurant exemplifies the best of the Pacific Northwest using seasonal ingredients inspired by the flavors and cuisine of France. Gourmet Magazine recognized the Heathman as one of Portland’s best restaurants in the 2005 Restaurant Guide. Recipient of the James Beard Best Chef: Pacific NW award in 2001, Philippe Boulot partners with the region’s select growers, producers and vintners to find the highest quality ingredients. Boulot was honored by the Academie Culinaire de France as the Academie’s Chef of the Year. The Heathman Restaurant also offers casual dining in the adjacent Marble Bar and outside at the sidewalk café. Cocktails and live jazz are available in the intimate Tea Court. For more information, please call 503-790-7752 or visit www.heathmanrestaurantandbar.com. The Heathman Restaurant and Bar is located at 1001 SW Broadway in downtown Portland’s cultural district.