April 24,
2012--- University
Settlement
celebrated its 8th Annual Fine Wine Dinner &
Auction on April 24, 2012, at 82Mercer
(between Spring and Broome) in New York City. A champagne
reception started off the evening at 6pm followed by dinner
and live auction at 7pm. Master Chef Jacques Pepin
and Master Pastry Chef Jacques Torres prepare the
five-course meal, which was paired with unforgettable wines
selected by Master Sommelier Scott Carney.
The event
raised over half a million dollars and had about 150 people
in attendance. Guests included: Gayle & Neil Aaron, Joel
Altobello, Amy Baker, Marlene & Gary J. Baumann, Lair Bieger,
Ann & Paul Brandow, Sarah & Stuart Britton, Lynn Chen,
Ashley Davis, Edward Egilinsky, Sharon R. Egilinsky, James
K. Finkel, Gary Fradin, Heather & Ethan Goldman, Michael
Green, Nancy Hament, Peter Joseph, Jennifer & Steven Kasoff,
Susan Kempler, Sarah & Joel Lusman, Deborah Lusman, Meghan
Murphy, Ritu Sahai-Mittal & Manish Mittal, Loraine & Thomas
W. Morgan, Jeannie Mun, Lars & Jean Neubohn, Jacques Torres,
Jacques Pepin, Bill Platt, William Powell, Peter Prinstein,
Van Robbins, Jeanine & Louis Salvatore, Richard Scarola,
Benjamin Schall, Brad Scheler, Tom Stephenson, Hope & Alan
Winters, and CK Zheng.
Guest
sommeliers from the best restaurants in New York City were
at each table. The guest sommeliers were from: A Voce, Ai
Fiori, Aretsky's Patroon, Benoit, Cafe Boulud, David Burke
Townhouse, Dovetail, Fishtail, Gordan Ramsay at the London,
Junoon, L'Artusi, Le Bernardin, L'Ecole, PUBLIC, Saxon +
Parole, and Tocqueville.
The menu
included: Mushroom Soup; Crab with fresh morels, black
truffle and fava bean vol au vent; Beef carpaccio with pesto
vinaigrette, capers, red onions cisele and chives; Lamb
stuffed with sage mousse; Chocolate dessert an cheese plate.
The colorful menu card for the evening was designed by avid
painter, Chef Pepin himself.
The
evening concluded with a live auction with Charles Antin of
Christie's. Items included classes at the French Culinary
Institute, rare bottles of wine, the original hand-painted
menu card by Chef Pepin, and a stay at a private home in
Burgundy, France. The lively auctioneer called up the two
chefs to the stage to help encourage the guests to bid.
While on stage, Chef Pepin tried to unbutton Chef Torres
chef's jacket, joking that a lucky bidder could spend the
night with Chef Torres!