Chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington
Chef Patrick O’Connell, dubbed “the Pope of American cuisine,” knocked ’em dead earlier this month at L’Amour du Vin, the annual wine dinner and auction that raises funds for the Knoxville Museum of Art. But, equally mesmerizing to the hundreds of excited guests in attendance, was the glimpse we got of the upcoming epic glass and steel installation by Knoxville artist Richard Jolley in the museum’s Great Hall.
While most of the huge project — it will be the largest figural glass assemblage in the world — is covered by floor-to-ceiling fabric drapes, the part that represents the sky is suspended from the ceiling and in plain view. The official opening is the first weekend in May.
The evening started with a huge — and I mean HUGE — selection of wines and related items offered in a silent auction, along with more than a dozen wines to sample in the Great Hall. Then, for the dinner and live auction, everyone moved into an elegant tent erected in the North Garden. The way this event works is that a guest chef — in this case, Patrick O’Connell — designs the menu, and the staff of Blackberry Farm prepares it. This is truly one of the best foodie events of the year.
The sky portion of Richard Jolley’s installation, “Cycle of Life: Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity.”
Another part of it
Mingling in the Great Hall beneath the sky.
Polly Ailor and Laurens Tullock during the silent auction
David and Robin Purvis
Joe and Ruth Fielden
Regina and Terry Turner
I loved the back of her dress!
The lights didn’t help, but these pickled eggs really were pink!
I decided to stick with the brie bites!
Richard Jolley painted the huge draperies that cover his installation.
Here’s another.
Cool centerpieces on the silent auction tables.
Susan Hawthorne, left, and Julia Bentley
Susan and Bill Morris
Melissa Feinbaum and Patrick Hunt
Dan McGehee, right, with Michael and Judith Foltz
Dorothy Stair, left, with Sarah Stowers
David Butler, the executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, with Margaret Sood
Scott and Mary Bogert. Mary is general manager of the Knoxville Convention Center, the museum’s neighbor.
Alan Carmichael, left, with Carole Martin and Bill Lyons
Then it was time to move into the big tent. I liked the faux chandeliers!
Chef Patrick O’Connell is known for “inspired American cuisine” at The Inn at Little Washington, located in Washington, Va., (pop. 158), and founded in 1978 in an abandoned gas station. It is said that his Inn is “an international culinary shrine” and, in fact, the International Herald Tribune ranked it among the top 10 restaurants in the world. Chef O’Connell says he pays homage to classical French cuisine but turns it into “the cuisine of today” by making it “healthy, eclectic, imaginative, unrestricted by ethnic boundaries and always growing.”
First course was a shot of roasted red bell pepper soup with a Parmesan crouton. I loved the innovative glass, designed in a way to keep the soup hot. It was paired with a 2010 Realm Cellars sauvignon blanc from Napa Valley.
Second course was called “Tin of Sin!” It was American Osetra caviar with peekytoe crab and Cumberland rillette.
It was so amazing and decadent! Here’s what it looked like when you dug into it. It was paired with a 2012 Kosta Browne One Sixteen chardonnay from Russian River Valley.
Caesar Stair, left, chatting with Sam Beall, proprietor of Blackberry Farm, during a break in the service.
From left, Barbara Apking, Mimi Turner and Maggie Erickson
Audun Hansen and Amanda Hara of WVLT-TV. She was the emcee during part of the evening.
Bear Stephenson, who would later conduct the live auction, with Shirley Elder.
Morton and state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey
Fricassee of Maine lobster with potato gnocchi, green grapes and curried walnuts. Just melt-in-your-mouth fabulous. Paired with 2011 CIRQ pinot noir from Russian River Valley.
From left, Hash Hashemian, Deanene and Tom Catani, and Nazzy Hashemian
Craig Shelton, left, with Susan Brown and Francis Norris
Sam Beall had dinner with his grandmother, Mary Anne Beall
Kreis Beall, right, the founder of Blackberry Farm, with Mary Celeste Beall
Richard Jolley and Sarah Stowers
Next course (if you can believe!): pecan-crusted barbecued Wagyu beef cheek on creamy garlic polenta with root vegetables. Paired with a 2012 Kosta Browne pinot noir from Sonoma Coast. Heaven.
Gary and Julia Bentley
Susan and Kent Farris
Peter Acly and Ellen Robinson
Sandy Lucas, left, and Jackie Wilson
Bernard and Lesley Rosenblatt
Allison Easterday and Caesar Stair, IV
Sylvia and Jan Peters
Dr. Sarkis Chobanian and Dr. Ruth Bailey
Mark and Cathy Hill
Here’s the dessert served to the women. Chocolate, caramel and hazelnut tartlet with olive oil ice cream.
The guys got this: lemon-meringue tartlet with toasted pistachios and meyer lemon confit. Both desserts were paired with a 2011 Realm Cellars, “The Barn” red wine.
Sam Beall introducing Chef Patrick O’Connell
Beall said O’Connell was a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement. “The James Beard Foundation has bestowed Patrick O’Connell with every award possible,” Beall said. And he praised Michael Browne and the Kosta Browne winery, which provided the bulk of the wines. “These wines have made the cover of Wine Spectator magazine and have taken all the awards,” he said. “Do the math. Figure out how much wine is being poured tonight from very small producers.”
For his part, vintner Browne said he had “a new brother and sister in Richard and Tommie,” referring to Jolley and his wife, Tommie Rush.
This Jolley piece, called Daphne, was auctioned off for $11,500 in the live auction.
Here are the lucky purchasers: Hei and Stanley Park.
Lovely parting gifts were paper boxes shaped like The Inn at Little Washington.
Inside: more delectable nibbles
Richard Jolley, left, and Alan Carmichael saying good night.
Another amazing L’Amour du Vin.
The entire evening was magical — THE BEST MEAL EVER!
I think it was the best L’Amour ever!
Richard, Craig and the chefs are the only men who didn’t have to wear ties.
Cynthia,
thank you so much for this review. It’s 3 weeks later and I relive the taste and texture of each course just reviewing your photos. I believe it was the best LVD ever. Of course we say that every year but I believe it was truly… The Best.
The food and wines were sublime.
Beautiful decor,food and wine…Richard’s work will transform our museum to another level!
Maggie: I certainly agree about Richard’s work.
Ellen and Jayne: I have been to several L’Amour du Vins. And I agree that this was the best. That “tin of sin” course (which, I understand, alone cost $23 per plate!) and that lobster course were well worth the price of admission. Will be hard to top!
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