Seattle, WA, October 27, 2010 – At a preview dinner held last night at JOEY Lake Union in Seattle attended by Tasting Room® Magazine, Chef Chris Mills unveiled the menu for his upcoming visit to James Beard House in New York City. Mills has affectionately dubbed this delightful collection, “Gatherings from the Pacific Rim,” reflecting some of his favorite recipes and local ingredients. This will be Mills’ second time performing at the venerable culinary institution on November 20, 2010. He previously presented at the James Beard House in 2006. The James Beard Foundation was created to further the work of the late chef and food writer, James Beard. Culinary stars are regularly invited from across North America to perform.
“My first visit to the James Beard House was an amazing experience, and being invited back is an incredible honor,” says Chris Mills, Executive Chef, JOEY Restaurants. “I wanted to create a menu that introduces the New York audience to the bounty of the Pacific Rim, but that also reflects my personal experience as a chef. The practice of gathering—recipes, ingredients, and bringing people together—has been a constant in my career, so that became the basis for the menu.”
The theme of “gatherings” has been woven throughout the menu as Mills himself harvested many of the ingredients. In fact, the matsutake mushrooms were collected from a secret mountainside spot (JOEY executives told Tasting Room Magazine that even they don’t know the exact location where Mills harvests these highly sought after mushrooms, internationally prized for their distinct spicy-aromatic odor), the lavender was grown on his own rooftop garden and the Spring salmon was caught in nearby coastal waters off British Columbia. The menu is also a celebration of the Pacific Rim, bringing together Asian and North American influences in dishes such as Alaskan Black Cod Dim Sum and Citrus Cured Haida Gwaii Salmon with Dungeness Crab Flan.
Other menu highlights include a Licorice Lacquered Wentzel Duck Breast (one of Mills’ signature dishes that he created early in his career), Aged Beef Rib Eye with Yukon Gold Potato and Braised Oxtail Lasagna, and, to keep things fun, a Peaches and Cream Chicken Corndog appetizer. JOEY Sommelier Dustin Dockendorf has selected wines from the Pacific Rim to pair with each of Mills’ creations that include EFESTE “Feral” Sauvignon Blanc 2009, L’ecole 41 “Walla Voila” Chenin Blanc 2008, and Magnificent Company Syrah 2007.
Guests visiting JOEY Restaurants (Washington locations are Lake Union, Bellevue and Southcenter) will be able to experience two of Chef Mills’ James Beard House creations, Peaches and Cream Chicken Corndog and the Vietnamese Banana Cake. Foodies can also try their hand at recreating the James Beard menu at home by picking up a complimentary booklet featuring Chef Mills’ Gathering from the Pacific Rim recipes, which is available by emailing info@joeyrestaurants.ca.
For more information on the James Beard House and the James Beard Foundation, please visit: www.jamesbeard.org
About JOEY Restaurant Group
JOEY Restaurant Group has been offering the best in premium casual dining since 1992. JOEY Restaurant Group operates 20 locations throughout Washington State and Canada. The company is committed to offering an exceptional dining experience and engaging service in a fun, lively setting. For more information, please visit www.joeyrestaurants.com.