Each year, the James Beard Foundation selects approximately 300 talented chefs to cook at the James Beard House. The invitation is an honor to accept as chefs pay for their ingredients and contribute a donation to the James Beard Foundation. In addition to holding dinners for guests to enjoy, the James Beard Foundation offers programs including culinary scholarships, annual national food conferences and food industry awards.
Using Florida ingredients such as Palmetto Creek Farms' pork, rock shrimp and local farm vegetables, Rivers will bring his barbecue and low-country inspired cuisine to the dinner.
Passed hors d’oeuvres:
- Buttermilk Chicken and Biscuits with honey-bourbon syrup
- a shooter of Shredded Palmetto Creek Farms Pork with cheese grits
- Pulled Bell & Evans Chicken Tamale Pancakes, cilantro crème fraîche
- Smoked Wagyu Sirloin wrapped asparagus with horseradish hollandaise
Six-course menu:
- Pimento Cheese Croquette with Smoked Chicken, romaine chiffonade, heirloom tomatoes and smoked tomato vinaigrette
- Low-Country Shrimp and Grits, Florida rock shrimp and stone-ground grits with spicy Tasso Ham reduction
- 18-Hour Hickory-Smoked Aged Angus Brisket, skillet cornbread and southern baked beans
- Florida Farm Vegetable Trio, sweet potato casserole, 4 Rivers Smokehouse grilled corn and collards with okra
- Coffee-Rubbed Prime Rib-Eye Steak, Cabernet reduction, gruyère mash and orange blossom honey-glazed brussels sprout petals
- Valrhona Double Chocolate Brioche Pudding, bacon-infused crème anglaise, salted bourbon, caramel and vanilla bean ice cream