Smashbox Studios! We deliver here a lot for drop-offs on photo shoots, and today was our first full service event there as we cooked for this luncheon gala for Variety, a client we work with a lot, and Women’s Wear Daily. 250 Hollywood people came out to celebrate the fusion of fashion and entertainment as five tray passed appetizers were passed to guests before they sat down at a watercolor themed tables-cape. Zac Posen was being honored so he spoke which was a highlight for me. I love him.
Here is an example of the salads we are serving this week. The pretty greens from A Garden Of Farms are placed on a bed of delicate fig puree which adds a rich dimension and lovely surprise that your fork sweeps up. Fresh figs, fingerling potatoes, citrus, and sunflower seeds finish the salad with some shaved parmesan.
For these types of luncheons, commonly referred to as “corporate”, typically there is no oven and no desire to rent one so all food must be room temperature. That’s easy with salad obviously.
For the main course, it’s more tricky. Here we served slices of chicken roulade with squashes, their blossoms, the last of this season’s cherry tomatoes, baby eggplants, and romesco and Drake’s Farm chèvre.
The chicken, which we source from Mary’s, is super juicy when you cook it correctly and we roast ours with herbs to give it fragrance and a lovely pattern of green weaved through it.
Our Director of Service, Simon, is coordinating with the Variety people on when to go with the cheese course. This type of communication is essential for a large-scale event like this one.
I had to include this one of our chef, Matt, plating up the cheese course with Cameron Diaz. Thanks for paying her no attention, my love.
We brought several large trays of herbs and edible flowers cut from our own garden to garnish plates with. It’s closing in on winter so our garden doesn’t have a lot of color, it’s mostly just greens but they have interesting patterns especially on white plates.
We are developing a cheese program where we source only local cheeses from small farms. Looking forward to talking more about that.
This was a big celebrity guest list so once the program was over, they were anxious to leave. Places to go, people to see! We plated up little desserts and passed them as they waited at the valet. I mean eat chocolate and wait on your car at the same time? Do it.
These are hazelnut financiers covered in dark chocolate atop chocolate shortbread with brittle. The perfect bite of sweet.
And who doesn’t like a bite-sized tart? Now off to our three events this evening!
Photos: Yolk&Flour
