Norman Van Aken likens the James Beard Foundation Awards to the Oscars.
“Most people are just aware of who wins, rather than what’s behind all of it,” he says.
Not long ago, Van Aken, a James Beard Award recipient himself, was asked to speak at an event in South Florida, where the founder of new world cuisine first made his name.
In attendance, chefs from all over the state, including one of Orlando’s own James Beard Award nominees, chef Lordfer Lalicon of Kaya, along with others whom Van Aken calls “the bright lights” of the Sunshine State’s culinary scene.
“It was a Chatauqua-like gathering,” Van Aken tells me, “to talk about the challenges of the post-COVID restaurant industry, the current situation with immigration, tariffs, and what these and other issues could mean to operating, in particular the independent restaurants that people are trying to keep alive in America.”
And to Van Aken’s delight, the room was packed, each operator on hand to learn what they could do, and how the James Beard Foundation’s many grants and programs initiate opportunities for them to learn how to survive in a very tough business.
This, along with myriad educational opportunities that give cooks with fewer opportunities the chance to learn, grow, shine, are the kinds of things the James Beard Foundation does behind the glamour of the awards themselves, and what the proceeds from Van Aken’s opulent yet casual “Toast to Orlando” dinner on Oct. 10 will help fund.
The reception, featuring 12 of the city’s James Beard-recognized chefs and restaurateurs, will highlight the Good Food for Good vision of the foundation to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability.
Its Grand Reception, led by Van Aken, will feature dishes by celebrated local names including Kaya’s Lalicon, James and Julie Petrakis of The Ravenous Pig, Kevin Fonzo (K, La Tavola), Brandon McGlamery (of Luma/Prato fame), Rabii Saber (Four Seasons Orlando), Sue and Jason Chin (Good Salt Restaurant Group), Monique Perez (World Disney World), Andres Mendoza (Citricos), Camilo Velasco (Tiffins ) and Derek Perez (4Roots Farm).
James and Julie Petrakis, who’ll be preparing pork terrine with clam escabeche, a chilled canapé, say the simple country dish, with a twist of clam, is a good representation of the way they cook.
“Being a part of the foundation, and recognized [by it] validated all the hard work that our cooks have put in over the years to make the Ravenous Pig special,” says Petrakis, a three-time finalist.
Alongside dishes like his, the beverage side will feature wine, cocktail and mocktail pairings from Norman’s Sommelier Matthew Mercier, as well as cwine professionals including Lee Pancake (Slate Wine Academy), Shaun Wright (Möet & Hennessey), Connor Doran (Slate Wine Academy) and Eric Renaud (ACE Wine & Spirits) allowing guests to refresh as they partake of the Cinco Jotas jamon and caviar stations amid chef-helmed tables where conversation and education will be as ongoing as the revelry in wining and dining.
A nice offshoot of this, he says, is that these “cousins” can get to know one another better even as they do the same with the guests.
“Orlando chefs are already a collegial group,” he says, noting that this smaller gathering won’t put too much pressure on them.
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“This [will be a party] where they’ll have the chance to taste each other’s food, shoot the breeze….The irony is that many of us are in the same business, but we’re so consumed in the enacting of that that we don’t have as much time to get to know each other as personally as we’d like.”
This, too, is one of the things his involvement with the James Beard Foundation has allowed.
“It’s one of the ways my life has been so fulfilled: doing these events, getting to know the chefs from around the country who have similar aspirations as mine has created great friendships.”
Those who attend ($300 single ticket, $500 couple) will have the same opportunity, he says, as the chefs will be guest-facing, plating dishes and handing them off.
,Renowned Florida chef Norman Van Aken at Norman’s, his restaurant in Dr. Phillips, which is hosting the upcoming “Toast to Orlando” dinner to benefit the James Beard Foundation. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)”There’s no walls between the chefs and the guests. They can meet, talk, take pictures, chat, do a video,” says Van Aken, who dedicated his first cookbook to James Beard.
“His vision for the inclusiveness of all cultures spoke deeply to me,” says Van Aken. It’s something with which his own resume is rife, something he looks to showcase in this party, which features several branches of the multicultural Beard family tree here in Florida.
Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
If you go
“Toast to Orlando” will take place at Norman’s Orlando, 7924 Via Dellagio Way in Orlando, at 6 p.m. on Oct. 10. Single tickets are $300 per person, and couples tickets, for two guests, are $500. For more information or to purchase, visit tinyurl.com/normanstoast.