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 The 2005 James Beard Foundation Awards with a Chef’s Tribute to Julia Child.
For the past 15 years, The James Beard Foundation has been awarding professionals who excel in their chosen profession in wines and spirits, as well as the culinary industry in the United States. On May 2, 2005, the gala awards ceremony was held at the Marriott Marquis in New York, and it was a veritable “who’s who” of culinary luminaries in attendance.
Charles Gibson, co-anchor for ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America”, hosted this year’s event with Julia Child as the theme of the Awards. Julia Child, who taught America not only how to cook, but to have a bit of fun along the way, loved life and her humor was candidly caught on camera in the televised clips that were shown from segments of her popular cooking show. A pioneer of the television cooking show in the 1960’s, Julia touched the lives and inspired not only many home cooks, but was also an inspiration to many professional chefs as well. She was a close friend of, as well as cooked alongside some of the culinary geniuses in the United States including James Beard and Jacques Pepin, who she cooked with and collaborated with on television shows and cookbooks. Julia Child would have loved the tribute, where everything was “Julia”, complete with a recreation of her kitchen as the stage set, to the Julia inspired Awards Reception Menu.
The 2005 James Beard Foundation Award winners are:
 Jacques Pepin was honored with the 2005 Lifetime Achievement award. Julia would certainly have been thrilled to know that her very dear friend won this prestigious award, which was presented by Morley Safer. Mr. Pepin on receiving the award, thanked his parents for “instilling in me the love of cooking”, his daughter, Claudine, “for cooking with me” and his wife, Gloria, “for cooking with me, loving me and supporting me for 42 years, for this my wife, Gloria, deserves this Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Awards in the Restaurant category:
 Danny Meyer, Union Square Hospitality Group in New York: Waterford Wedgewood Outstanding Restaurateur
Per Se, New York, Illy Best New Restaurant
Galatoire’s, New Orleans: S. Pellegrino Outstanding Restaurant
Awards in the Chef category:
Mario Batali, Babbo in New York: All-Clad Cookware Outstanding Chef
Christopher Lee, Striped Bass in Philadelphia: Gallo Sonoma Rising Star Chef of the Year
 Karen DeMasco, Craft in New York: All-Clad Bakeware Outstanding Pastry Chef
Awards in the American Express Best Chefs in America category:
Lee Hefter, Spago Beverly Hills, California, Best Chef: California
Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago, Illinois, Best Chef: Midwest
Andrew Carmellini, Café Boulud, New York, Best Chef: New York City
Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Best Chef: Northeast
Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place Bistro & Bar, Portland, Oregon, Best Chef: Northwest/Hawaii
 Joël Antunes, Joël, Atlanta, Georgia, Best Chef: Southeast
Mark Kiffin, The Compound, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Best Chef: Southwest
Contessa Premium Foods Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America 2005 Inductees:
Joseph Bastianich, Greg Drescher, Carol Field, Corby Kummer and Deborah Madison.
Other Awards:
Joseph Bastianich, Italian Wine Merchants in New York: Ecolab Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional
Veritas, New York, Wine Director: Tim Kopec: Waterford Outstanding Wine Service
Spago Beverly Hills, Owners: Wolfgang Puck/Barbara Lazaroff: Smithfield Foods Outstanding Food Service Award
 It was a memorable night for all of the award winners, and the chefs clearly had some fun when posing with their awards. Mario Batali wore his trademark bright-orange clogs and playfully hammed it up for the camera with his All-clad frying pan award. When interviewed he said that, “James Beard, with his simple American food was an inspiration for all of us.” On Julia Child, “She was The Professor, the Queen.” Karen DeMasco, wearing silver sequined “genie shoes” said that she knew her shoes would bring her luck; went to school for cooking not pastry, but that her first job was as garnishee for pastry, and she just kept going from there.
 After the awards ceremony, guests were treated to a Julia inspired menu created by chefs that had either cooked with Julia or were close friends and colleagues. A few of the many decadent tastings included: Cornet of Marinated Atlantic Salmon Tartare with Red Onion Crème Fraîche, Baby Yellow Dutch Potatoes filled with Haricot Verts Mousse, topped with Caviar, Chipolte-Flavored Profiteroles topped with Pepitas and filled with Home-made Goat Cheese, Roasted Garlic, Chilled Stuffed Breast of Veal with Sicilian Olive and Cauliflower Salad served with Veal Ragout Arancini with Smoked Tomato, Julia Child’s Favorite Duck Confit with Minted Pea Puree and Water Chestnut-Floured Crisp Fried Lobster Tail, Spiced Chicken Samosas with Cilantro Yogurt and Shaved Tuna, Chili Tapioca, Asian Pear and Lime, and the irresistible desserts included the cake most associated with Julia, the Reine de Saba: Queen of Sheba Cake, Chocolate Caramel Egg with Maple Syrup and Sea Salt, Fruit-filled Kumquat Shells, Almond Chocolate Torte with Raspberries, and Artistry in Chocolate which were tantalizing beautiful, and enticingly delicious chocolates.
Please read our interview with Jacques Pepin in the Gastronomy section.
To learn more about The James Beard Foundation as well as read all of the nominees and award winners in all categories please visit: The James Beard Foundation.
© July 2005. Luxury Experience. www.luxuryexperience.com All rights reserved.
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