Catch 54 chef holds creative monthly dinners
Creative juices continue to flow at SoDel Concepts’ restaurants this winter, and that’s good news for adventurous diners. Catch 54 in Fenwick Island has been holding a special dinner each month in the off-season. Inspiration has come from presidents and wineries.
For the Feb. 25 dinner, Chef Nino Mancari was inspired by President Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration feasts. The next event, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, will feature dishes that complement wines by Orin Swift Cellars, based in St. Helena, Calif.
“Winter gives our chefs an opportunity to explore ideas in fun and creative ways,” said Scott Kammerer, president and CEO of SoDel Concepts, which owns eight Delaware restaurants, Plate Catering and Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen, a food truck. “Nino at Catch 54 recently took a historic presidential menu and made it his own. It had all the elements of an opulent 19th-century feast, yet it was approachable to the 21st century diner.”
Guests started with shaved Smithfield country ham and brandied chicken liver mousse with marmalade, toast points and biscuits. Next, they tucked into a creamy oyster stew with celery, bacon and sweet cream, topped with a fried Chincoteague oyster. The meal also included beef filet with forest mushrooms and a Madeira glaze, fricandeau (a Spanish-style veal cheek stew with pearl onions) and quail stuffed with pecans and cherries over herb-laced sweet potato whip. For dessert, guests enjoyed Dame Blanche, a frozen layer cake, with toasted almonds and dark chocolate.
The dinner was served with period cocktails like hot buttered rum, Mary Todd Manhattans, and a cider and port reflective of the type of beverages served in 1850 American society.
For the March 28 Orin Swift wine dinner, Mancari will collaborate with Ronnie Burkle, corporate chef for SoDel Concepts, and the company’s wine director, Mike Zygmonski. “We’ve come up with some great food and wine pairings,” Burkle said.
Crafting such menus is not only fun, but it’s also an exercise in continuing education - culinary style. “It’s a good opportunity for us to both collaborate and work on our craft,” Burkle said. “Orin Swift is known for their delicious and robust wines, Nino and I look forward to presenting a dinner that will stand up to these fine wines.”
The cost of the dinner is $75 per person. For reservations, call 302-436-8600. For information on SoDel Concepts and links to its restaurants, go to sodelconcepts.com.
For more information, visit sodelconcepts.com.
