Patricia Bible loved the custom t-shirt she was given during the VIP reception preceeding the main event at the UT Conference Center on Sunday.
Patricia Bible was honored this past Sunday by the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and the University of Tennessee Culinary Institute and, as you might have expected, it was a delicious good time!
Bible is the CEO of wildly successful KaTom Restaurant Supply, the 350,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution space you’ve surely seen at Exit 407 on I-40 just east of Knoxville. It’s the sixth largest company in its industry outfitting everything from restaurants and bars to hospitals and assisted living facilities and providing jobs to about 300 folks.
The purpose of the event, which honors someone in the hospitality industry each year, is to raise money to provide scholarships for aspiring culinary students. And what a fun way to do it. The receptions (there were two!) and dinner showcased the talents of about a dozen local chefs and wine experts as well as a dozen or so culinary students backing them up.
The VIP reception was held in what used to be called The Laurel Room back when Rich’s Department Store was located on Henley Street where the UT Conference Center now stands. Later, Miller’s took over Rich’s and The Laurel Room continued there as a cafe for customers.
The appetizer spread was fantastic! Clockwise from left: a tower of chicken and Benton’s bacon croquettes; smoked trout dip on homemade potato chips; and an expansive charcuterie and cheese spread provided by Chef Trevor Stockton and Keith Frilia of RT Lodge.
Logan Griffin, left, director of food and beverage at Blackberry Mountain, and Thomas Jackson, the sommelier at Three Sisters, a restaurant at Blackberry Mountain, announced and prepared two signature cocktails.
Which were “New York Sours” and “Italian 75s.” The Italian 75 is basically a French 75 with prosecco substituted for champagne. The New York Sour is a whiskey sour prepared with 4 Roses High West bourbon — with a Pinot Noir “float” on top.
Honoree Patricia Bible at the VIP reception with my husband, Alan Carmichael.
Here’s her husband, Stephen Hackney, with their friend and neighbor Sharon Pryse. He is a well-known landscape architect.
Patricia’s son, Charley Bible, and his wife, Tonya. Charley is president, Design+Build, for KaTom.
Carol Costello, professor of retail, hospitality and tourism management, came up several years ago with the idea of this annual fundraiser. She made welcoming remarks and bestowed the cool t-shirt on this year’s honoree.
Here’s a closer look at it. Clever.
Carol Costello, right, with Max and Leila Piet at the VIP reception. He’s the CEO of Southern Rock Restaurants, one of the evening’s presenting sponsors. Based in Franklin, TN, they own scores of McAlister’s Delis and Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants across the southeast. Leila Piet is a mystery writer.
Great seeing Laurie Macnair, left, and Sharon Moore at the reception.
Jerry Bodie, left, with Andy Shafer.
Alan Carmichael, left, and Joe Pryse.
Carol Costello, left, and Leanna Belew.
From left, Vicki and Tim Keller with Sharon Pryse.
In what seemed like a flash, it was time to move to a bigger room — and even more fantastic food!
We ran into more members of Patricia Bible’s family. From left, Karthik Krishnan, Patricia’s daughter Paula Chesworth, grandson Jack Chesworth, and Patricia herself. Paula is president, e-commerce, of KaTom.
Chef Sean Huey of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol was serving what he called “cheesy gumbo!” It was seafood gumbo served over cheesy risotto! Delish. Hard Rock was a presenting sponsor of the evening, as well.
These mini Beef Wellingtons in demi-glace were prepared by David Colburn of UT Culinary and they were fantastic.
Scott and Laura Niermann were meeting and greeting!
Joe and Ruth Fielden.
Get a load of this oyster display prepared by John Woodward of Wild Wing Cafe. They were grilled or raw served with chipotle bourbon butter, pomegranate mignonette, caviar and creme fraiche, or just with a squeeze of lemon and all sorts of other accompaniments. Wow.
Ben Warwick, executive chef of Windy Hill Farm, offered catfish rillette with rye cornbread and dilly beans. Yum.
Chef Brandon Wilson, owner of Gonzo Gourmet, with his parents, Stephen and Pat Wilson.
Drs. Ayaz and Quyn Rahman.
Chef Jeremy Schwartz of Sysco with chicken liver pate on crostini with strawberry preserves and basil.
I took a peek inside the dining room. It was lovely. The highlights were gorgeous orchids that Carol Costello had brought up with her from Florida, where she lives now. (But I couldn’t believe we still had a full dinner in front of us!)
Once we settled into our seats, Brian Lee, director of guest services at Blackberry Farm, made iwelcoming remarks.
And, sure enough, we did have dinner! Here’s what it was. Clockwise from top left: burrata beet salad with arugula, carrot, pistachio, basil, and bruleed grapefruit vinaigrette by Chef Brandon Wilson of Gonzo Gourmet; artisan bread by Darien and Aaron Clure of Bake That Dough; homemade bucatini pasta in lobster pomodoro sauce with caviar by Robert Allen Culinary and Dustin Busby of DSB Provisions; roasted filet of beef with cauliflower puree, asparagus, roasted mushrooms and veal glace with mozzarella foam and chives by Joel Werner and Taylor Eisele of Blackberry Mountain; and lemon tart with raspberry gel and toasted meringue by Darien Stathakis of Bake That Dough.
Can you believe it? Each course was served with wine.
At 8:38, we got the word that UT basketball Vols had beaten the University of Virginia 79-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, propelling them to their fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance. I’m not saying Patricia Bible was excited, but . . . !
OK, back to the event at hand! Chef Greg Eisele, director of the UT Culinary Program, recognized all the chefs and introduced us to one, who was a graduate of the program.
Darien Clure, co-owner of the bakery Bake That Dough, said that being enrolled in the UT Culinary Program taught her that she was “where I was supposed to be.” Today she’s also an instructor in the program.
Before the honoree was introduced, her son, Charley Bible, conducted a short auction that brought in a sum of $10,600. The three items offered were a lunch and wine tasting at J.C. Holdway; a two-night stay at Windy Hill Farm and Preserve; and 16 Wagyu beef steaks from Chatel Farm to be accompanied by 15 bottles of wine donated by Randy Burleson.
When Patricia Bible made her acceptance speech, she emphasized the importance of education. “Education is how we got to where we are,” she said of her company’s success.
Chef Greg Eisele posed with his wife, Amber, after the program.
And professor Costello posed with her sister, Diane Davis, who came up from Florida to help her with the special night.
And, as if we hadn’t had enough to eat for one night, look what we got to take home! Brown butter chocolate chip sea salt cookies from Chef Dustin Cochran of Myrtle’s Bakehouse!
It was an awesome sell-out. Congrats, everybody.
Carol and the team at UT Conferences staged a wonderful event. I saw a lot of friends,
and it was fun honoring Patricia. Charley made the auction fun too. Darien is my Farmer’s Market bread person.