Paul Cullen hosts four-course fundraising event

Rock musician and chef Paul Cullen welcomed well-known Philadelphia chef Jeff Michaud for a special four-course meal held in The Room at Cedar Grove near Lewes. Cullen, who owns The Room at Cedar Grove and Paul’s Kitchen & Cullen-ary Company, organized the event to benefit his new nonprofit, Paul Kares, which he founded with Jim Rivette. The nonprofit supports students pursuing musical or culinary careers.

Michaud won the James Beard Award for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef In 2010. In 2012, he published the cookbook “Eating Italy.” Michaud and wife Claudia also operate La Via Gaia, which organizes culinary trips.

Paul Cullen & Friends provided the entertainment with Robert Randolph as guest performer. Randolph is on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the top 100 guitarists of all time and has played with Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana.

The meal Michaud prepared started with beef tartare with giardiniera (Italian relish), black olive and wheat crackers, followed by rigatoni with chicken liver, cipollini onion and sage. The third course was tomahawk pork chop with a fennel rub, salsa rossa (tomato and bell pepper) and jus, and the dining experience was crowned by a Nutella torta with hazelnut crème anglaise and candied orange.

For more information about The Room at Cedar Grove, go to paulcullen.rocks.