Cooks & Soldiers to Cook at the James Beard House this December
James Beard “Rising Star of the Year” Semifinalist Chef Landon Thompson and Executive Sous Chef John Castellucci Head to New York City for Prestigious Event
ATLANTA (November 11, 2015) – On Tuesday, December 1, the team behind Atlanta’s acclaimed Cooks & Soldiers will take over the kitchen at the James Beard House in New York City for a “Basque Holiday” dinner. Executive chef Landon Thompson, a semifinalist for the 2015 James Beard “Rising Star of the Year” award, and executive sous chef John Castellucci will prepare a selection of hors d’oeuvres and six-course dinner reflecting the menu from the Basque-inspired hotspot, located in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood.
The evening will commence with passed pintxos including the restaurant’s signature bikini grilled cheese made with Paleta de Bellota Ibérico and black truffle; tomato tartare with carrot “yolk” atop grilled bread; “fat, burnt and drunk” toasts topped with cured ossabaw lardo and drunken goat cheese; and grilled pulpo featuring piperrada and pimentón on rosemary focaccia. During cocktail hour, guests will enjoy a taste of Cooks & Soldiers’ classic “Blind Tiger” cocktail made with Naveran brut rosé cava, gin, lime and maple.
For dinner, guests will indulge in six sumptuous courses prepared by chefs Thompson and Castellucci, expertly paired with Basque wines, as follows:
First Course
Roasted cauliflower soup with guanciale, caramelized shallots and capers
Bodegas Berroja Bizkaiko Txakolina 2014
Second Course
Wood-grilled wild mushrooms with winter squash puree, egg yolk and manchego
Bodegas Santa Maria Rogo Estate Bottled Godello 2014
Third Course
Trout Navarre with black garlic, wilted Swiss chard, Romesco and potatoes
Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencia 2012
Fourth Course
Ibérico tenderloin with lentils, quince, fennel and pearl onions
La Antigua Clasico Rioja Crianza 2011
Fifth Course
Pastured Georgia duck breast with apples, root vegetables and Kirsch gastrique
Bodegas La Cartuja Priorat 2013
Sixth Course
Chocolate and corn with sea salt dulce de leche, horchata meringue and gelato
Celler Pinol Josefina Pinol Sweet White 2012
The dinner costs $130 for James Beard Foundation members and $170 for the general public. For more information about the dinner and to make reservations, click here.
Cooks & Soldiers will also host a James Beard House preview dinner for Atlanta guests on Tuesday, November 24, featuring a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. and six-course dinner seating at 7 p.m. The dinner is $100 per person, with optional cocktail and wine pairings for an additional $50 per person. Reservations are required. Call 404.996.2623 to reserve.
About Cooks & Soldiers
Located in Atlanta’s flourishing West Midtown neighborhood, Cooks & Soldiers focuses on the signature cooking methods of the Basque coast, a culture robust with gastronomic societies and some of the world’s best restaurants. The menu features a wide selection of pintxos tradicionales and especiales; wood-grilled fish, meats and vegetables; and unique and modern desserts. Behind the bar, Cooks & Soldiers offers an extensive list of Basque wines, txakoli and ciders in addition to craft beer and signature cocktails. In 2015, executive chef Landon Thompson was named a semi-finalist in the “Rising Star of the Year” category at the James Beard Awards. Cooks & Soldiers is located at 691 14th Street NW and is open Sunday through Wednesday from 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday from 5 to 11 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. The bar is open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and offers a bar pintxo menu until 1 a.m. For more information, visit www.cooksandsoldiers.com.
