DOWN-HOME DELECTATIONS

Each chef's Next Course is a win for Youth Home

Local chefs participating in The Next Course fundraiser for Youth Home Inc. knew exactly where to hit its supporter base -- in the taste buds and the tummy. The Sept. 28 affair, held for the first time at the Albert Pike Memorial Center in downtown Little Rock, featured flavorful food and fine wines served over five courses.

Youth Home is a private, nonprofit mental health provider for youths, adults and families. The Next Course, in its fifth year, raised more than $37,000 toward furniture for a 12-bed boys' cottage on Youth Home's campus.

For the first course, Ben E. Keith Foods executive chef Shane Henderson prepared smoked mashed potato chile relleno, which was followed by Southern-style avocado toast prepared by Amanda Ivy, executive chef at Old Mill Bread Co. Cody Rudd, the executive chef at SO Restaurant-Bar, created stir-fried farro and duck confit with orange creme fraiche and salted cognac caramel sauce for the third course.

The last two courses entailed smoked pork shoulder and red beans garnished with pickled trinity prepared by Titus Holly, executive chef at Pantry Crest and Pantry West, and Not-So-Derby pie by Kelli Marks, the executive pastry chef for Sweet Love Catering.

James Cripps of Custom Beverage Inc. paired wines with the courses and auctioned some bottles he brought. Henderson was also master of ceremonies and at times, auctioneer.

"This is the best group of chefs we've ever had," Henderson said. Each course was accompanied by a video of the chef preparing his or her assigned course. A spiral-bound book held all the recipes. The videos and photographs of the chefs for the recipe book were done and donated by Cranford Co.

High Profile on 10/08/2017

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