My First Solo Gig

Alibi Private Dining & Catering

That's me!!

Last weekend was my first solo event.  My amazing girlfriend and her family hosted the event which was meant much more for PR then for anything else.  I used this as a test run to see how bad I am at catering.  I was pretty bad, but my guests still loved everything.  They say that you will always be your harshest critic...that is very true for me.  It can't ever be perfect enough for me.

I tried to stay with simple menu items for my first party.  The first thing that came to mind was my good friend Cassie's rendition of fruit salad.  Cassie and I graduated from the CIA together and she now has a very successful catering company in South-Southern California (there is a link on my site).  The idea is super special so I can't share it...I didn't even ask her if I could copy it...but she may find out now!!

I went to Costco and bought one of those CHEEZ-BALL chocolate fountains too...the biggest mistake ever - when the machine turned on it was so loud in the room that the guests couldn't carry a conversation...so that went back to the kitchen real quick!

Back to the food...

These tasty treats were very good.  i was worried about this idea but it seemed to work out well.  Endive (oN-Deev if you're stuck up) as a base for piped Honeyed Goat Cheese, Bartlett Pear and Moroccan Black Olive.

Ahi Tuna Tartare on Cucumber Alla Chef Eddy Shin at Chapter 8.  This is so tasty, fresh and crisp that you can't ever just eat one.

Some Table Shots...Ziva & my Mother helped beautify the table.  I think the tablecloths came from my mom's store (For The Table in Beverly Hills).

What I thought was by far the most in-edible thing out there the guests devoured the quickest.  It was my first time making Spinach Dip and I had a great time making it, but a horrible time eating it.  I used Ricotta, Mascarpone, Jack and Fondue Cheese in my mixture along with some Shallot, Tabasco and a 3-pound bag of Spinach...yuck!

My favorite of the night was my rendition of Spicy Tuna - trendily served on a Wonton Chip.  The nicest comments came from this dish but for everyone who knows how to make it, you know as well as I do that Spicy Tuna is a joke!

Of course there was more food, but not much more to talk about here. 

I ended with two flavors of Granita.  One was a flavor I made previously when I cooked for 18 people in Israel last winter.  Grapefruit with Campari.  The other flavor was Orange.  The only ingredients were the fruit juice, a touch of water and sugar (campari).  Frozen in a freezer because unless you want to buy me one, I don't own a ice-cream maker yet, plus my Granita always comes out better when frozen slowly and mixed every 38 minutes or so.

I hope I made you hungry, or disgusted!  Ciao!!!

Comments

[ph]

congrats on flying your first solo, your table is blooming of tastiness! i like the variety of food you have going. however, if i was there, i would immediately head for your tuna tartare and engulf it into my black hole.

[Chicken Fried Gourmet]

Congratulations, I came to your blog via the MG google group. I have been looking into doing the same thing, although I am not a trained chef by any means.