\u201cJames Beard was a champion of American cuisine and has had far-reaching impacts on all of us, whether we realize it or not,\u201d Clark said. \u201c(When) cooking in his house, it\u2019s hard not to just stare at the walls and think of all the amazing chefs that have since cooked in this very kitchen. It\u2019s not a glamorous kitchen, it\u2019s small and hot, but it\u2019s an incredible honor to be a part of it. Now, knowing what to expect, I have been able to go into it and really relish in the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clark was first invited to cook at the prestigious location in 2009, on behalf of Steamworks Brewing Co.<\/a>, to participate in the kitchen\u2019s first National Beer Week dinner. Traditionally known for pairing dinners with wine, it was an inaugural occasion for the James Beard House that has since continued year after year.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time, it was kind of a big deal,\u201d Clark said. \u201cEven the staff insisted that we still offer wine because they were unsure of how the guests would respond to having beer serviced with dinner. Now nearly 10 years later, beer has found its rightful place at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n This year\u2019s chefs again paired multi-course meals with top beers from around the country. Clark was part of a four-chef team assembled by Adam Dulye, head chef for the Boulder-based Brewer\u2019s Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n The chefs represented a variety of restaurants and flavors from across the U.S., and each were assigned a beer and a course to create a collective menu for the evening, which served 65 dinner guests.<\/p>\n Clark prepared these dishes for his courses:<\/p>\n Appetizer: Tempura fried cauliflower tossed in a fermented red chile sauce made from Colorado and New Mexico chiles, served on top of a green mole sauce and topped with toasted pepitas, cotija cheese and micro cilantro.<\/em>Main course: Wild boar berbere sausage with black barley tabbouleh and avocado crema. The dish also included chicharrons (fried pork rinds) tossed in a Chimayo chile powder that Clark\u2019s mother grew, along with some fresh pea shoots, purple and green radishes, tamarind vinaigrette, cucumber and marinated peppers. <\/em>The dinner prepared by Clark and his team featured beers from Fremont Brewing Co. of Seattle and Maine Beer Co. of Freeport, Maine.<\/p>\n <\/p>