by Jessica Martinez, HEAL Staff Writer
Imagine: an eight course meal prepared by professional chefs with wine pairings and a silent auction featuring four dream vacations, a custom bracelet by Janet Alexander and other various art pieces. Throw in valet parking at the Ruidoso Jockey Club and the fact that proceeds benefit HEAL & The Nest Domestic Violence Shelter and you have yourself a night to remember.
With the help of the White Apron Society, a local organization of professional chefs who get together to discuss ideas, share new techniques and serve the community with their talents, HEAL & The Nest has scheduled “Savor the Flavor” for February 10th, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruidoso Jockey Club.
Chef Brendan Gochenour is leading the group of eight local chefs volunteering their time and talent for the event. “This will be an opportunity for this community to help support The Nest while getting one of the best meals this town has ever had and meet the top chefs of Lincoln County,” Gochenour said. “And if you buy this for your sweetheart, you will definitely be a hero to them in more ways than one.”
“Savor the Flavor” will feature Chef JR Contway, Chef Thomas Mike James of ENMU/Hubbard Enterprises, Chef Brendan Gochenour and Chef Mashon Swenor of the Ruidoso Jockey Club, Chef Shawn Seymour of Chef Shawn’s Eatery, Chef Justin Bescanon of Spencer Theater, and Chef Randy Narveson and Chef Michael Aguilar of the Inn of the Mountain Gods. Each will prepare a delectable course for the meal.
The unique menu will include Red Chile Grilled Shrimp, Roast Butternut Squash with Coconut and Curry Soup, Thai Cucumber Salad, Porcini Dusted Scallop, Herb Crusted Beef Medallions, Rillettes of Venison and Wild Boar Confit with Apple Pomegranate Compote, Grilled Pineapple a la Roquefort and, for dessert, Persian Saffron Custard with Honeyed Pistachios and Orange Blossom Glaze.
“This will be the event of the year with all this talent in one kitchen and all helping each other,” expressed retired Chef JR Contway, who served as former Executive Chef for Alto Lakes Country Club for 11 years. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York, he has worked as a chef in New York, Hawaii, California, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. “I will be producing the second course soup, a creation of Roast Butternut squash blended with coconut, curry and garnished with Crème Frache and toasted pine nut dust.”
Chef Mashon Swenor of the Ruidoso Jockey Club started as a dishwasher when he was 11 years old. “Through high school and college, I worked in various restaurants moving up through the ranks from line cook to sautee to sous chef. I was in advertising and marketing for 13 years, but found my way back to the kitchen in May 2014,” he said.
Chef Swenor said, “While it is unfortunate that we need a program like HEAL and The Nest in Lincoln County, we are extremely fortunate to have them. With such caring and compassionate people behind the scenes coordinating these kind efforts, we as a community must take good care of our own in whatever way we can.”
Swenor is preparing the Persian Saffron Custard with Honeyed Pistachios and an Orange Blossom Glaze. “It’s a variation of middle eastern dish that utilizes coconut milk and rice flour to create a luxurious custard. I came up with it after looking at the menu leading up to the finale, dessert of course, and love that this will be the last taste lingering in this talent-heavy lineup.”
Chef Thomas Mike James of ENMU/Hubbard Enterprises similarly began his career in the restaurant business as a dishwasher and moved his way up the kitchen ladder. He graduated from The Culinary Institute in New York in 1987 had great opportunities in Phoenix, Arkansas and Montana before moving to Ruidoso in 2002. “My dish is a rillette of venison and wild boar confit with apple pomegranate compote,” Chef James explained. “I was primarily trained to classical French methods and as an amateur hunter, I like to incorporate these techniques and recipes utilizing indigenous ingredients (fish, game, produce, etc.) to create dishes that have a little more pizzazz than stew and chili.”
Tickets are $100 each and include valet parking. Only 100 tickets will be sold. According to Chef Gochenour, “you need to get your tickets early. They are already going fast and it will be another year before this much talent is in one place.” They are available for purchase at The Nest at 26374 US Highway 70 E in Ruidoso Downs, at the Jockey Club, via HEAL Board members and on the HEAL website at https://helpendabuseforlife.org/savor-the-flavor/.