Be honest, now: If someone told you that fish sticks and tater tots would win best entree at Great Chefs of the West, how impressed would you be?
As a former president might have said: “Define fish sticks and tater tots.”
Owner-chef Cade Nagy of Catering by Design defined the combo as slices of smoked black cod and orbs of parmesan-dusted potato that definitely bore no resemblance to the school-cafeteria staple from days gone by. Too bad the judges didn’t designate him a double winner, because the dessert that he also served — hot-from-the- fryer, quarter-sized Irish buttermilk doughnuts perched atop shooters of ice-cold milk — also scored high with the 400-some guests.
The nod for best appetizer went to 1876 Restaurant’s diver scallop in a cauliflower- truffle froth, while Opus Restaurant scored best dessert honors for its chocolate-chip spring roll with curry creme Anglaise.
Len Martinez and Bernie Iapalucci chaired the 26th edition of this benefit for the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. Judges were Denver Bronco Mike Bell; former heavyweight boxing champ DaVarryl Williamson; Fox 31’s Shaul Turner; Jackie Selby of Martini on the Rockies; and former Denver Nugget Mark Randall.
Many of those involved had personal reasons for supporting the NKF. Four years ago, Iapalucci donated a kidney to her daughter, Cara,who was among the guests at Great Chefs. Christy Calvin, event manager for the Colorado Convention Center, said her mother has had two kidney transplants, while secretary of the board Louise Rouse is a 10-year transplant survivor. Another guest, Traci Aldridge, has had two transplants.
Great Chefs of the West was held at the Grand Hyatt Denver and began with a silent auction and the piano stylings of Connie Roth, who was there with husband Hal, chief financial officer for the Colorado Rockies.
Others enjoying signature dishes from such restaurants as Baur’s (mija pie), Mel’s Bistro (braised short ribs) and Great Northern Tavern (smoked pork on tortilla crisps with squiggles of lemon-cilantro creme fraiche) were nephrologist Carol Goldberg; Jackie and Lou Davis (she wrote “Places Around the Bases,” and he’s a former member of the NKF board); 7News anchor Bertha Lynn; Faye Tate; Elenora Crichlow; dietitian Mary Lee Chin and her husband, James Wagenlander; and the NKF’s new executive director, Judy Norman. Also, retired NKF director Lindsay Dodge; state Sen. Rich ard Poole; Drs. Tom Bak, Larry Chan, Tomas Berle and Shweta Bansal; and board member Bryan Wil liams with his wife, Jenny.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson @denverpost.com; also, blogs
