Last night Top Chef contender Jennifer Carroll and dozens of other chefs and restaurateurs teamed up for Share Our Strength’s annual Taste of the Nation chef-driven fundraiser. Money raised from the event will go to help feed hungry kids. For the second year in a row, Carroll served as the organization’s local Chef Chair. Joining her this year was first-time Mixology Chair, Phoebe Esmon, from Farmers’ Cabinet. Chefs turned out bite-sized creations for the voracious crowds. And Grub Street was on hand to snap a few pictures of some of the chefs and what they served. Check them out straight ahead.
(L to R) Felicia D’Ambrosio (Monk’s, Federal Donuts), Phoebe Esmon (Taste of the Nation Mixology Chair, Farmers’ Cabinet), and Keith Raimondi (Village Whiskey).
Valanni served this tomato gazpacho with grilled shrimp and balsamic reduction.
Master shuckers from the Oyster House kept these coming all night.
Lacroix’s chefs turned a few heads with these bite-sized strawberry and foie gras sandwich cookies.
The soup, which was made from fresh strawberries and was served cold, was topped with black pepper cornbread and goat’s milk creme fraiche.
The Meme crew served this on a piece of pumpernickel and topped it with a stripe of horseradish cream.
10 Arts Pastry wiz, Monica Glass, served this alongside lavender-poached blackberries, tomatoes and brioche streusel.
Here the Top Chef alum and Taste of the Nation’s Philadelphia Chef Chair hangs with South Philadelphia Taproom’s Chef Scott Schroeder.
Chef Akiko Moorman turned out these giant versions of Bar Ferdinand’s popular traditional-style Spanish omelete.
Here Akiko Moorman dishes up traditional Spanish paella, with rice, sofrito, clams, mussels, shrimp and squid.
In addition to the myriad of cupcakes, Davio’s stepped up the evening’s sweets with this Key lime pie.
Chef Walter Staib made a big splash with these.
Mike Stollenwerk may have put forth one of the evening most addictive items, with these crispy-fried skate wings, seasoned with Parmesan and white truffle.
One of the evening’s best surprises were dishes from Sylva Senat, the chef of Tiffin’s forthcoming upscale offshoot, Tashan.
Another of Chef Sylva Senat’s dishes previewed at the event.
The “slightly more than suckling” pig proved to be a big hit.
