Tarver King & Logan Cox Reunion Dinner, February 22

[Kavita Singh]

Last year, it was a gastronomical collaboration with his Italian mentor, Master Chef Lorenzo Polegri. This year, hosting the second in his series of Master/Protégé Reunion Dinners, New Heights’ Executive Chef Logan Cox invites another former mentor and preeminent culinary influence into his kitchen for a collaboration, Tarver King.

Chef Cox, credits Tarver King with inspiring in him the courage to “experiment with what the diner experiences sensually.” King, who became a celebrity chef as the Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux at the Woodlands Resort and Inn, now commandeers the kitchen at The Ashby Inn and Restaurant, Paris, Virginia.

This years’ King/Cox Reunion Dinner pays homage to “winter preservation,” a culinary tradition of Virginia and other agrarian communities where seasonal foods are cured or preserved to last throughout the infertile winter. These old curing techniques will be used in a modern way. The objective is to show that agrarian traditions like winter preservation can be sourced today to create delicious meals. Almost every ingredient on every dish has been preserved, by pickling, salt, curing, canning, conserving, from confit to preserves.

For the event, New Heights invites Neal Wavra, Innkeeper and Sommelier at the Ashby Inn and Restaurant, to create the wine pairings. In keeping with the regional, agrarian theme for the dinner, Wavra chooses wines from Virginia’s notable vintners.

The meal opens with two hors d’oeuvres, Crispy Rabbit-Bacon Rillette with preserved grapefruit, and Buffalo Wings with Stilton Dust, accompanied by a glass of Thibaut-Janisson, “Fizz,” NV. A first course follows, Preserved Quail with split pea espuma, pine needle jus and smoked ham, served with a Linden, Hardscrabble, 2006. The second course, a Smoked Confit of Rockfish with black walnuts, sweet potato juice and faro, and Nebbiolo, Breaux, 2005. Hay Smoked Venison with cornbread and caramelized cucumber relish makes up the main course served with a Glen Manor, Hodder Hill, 2008. For dessert, New Height’s Pastry Chef Donald Smith offers Heirloom Carrot and Parsnip Torte with dried plum ice cream and spiced apple gastrique, served with a glass of Rockbridge, "V d'Or", Late Harvest Vidal, Traminette, Vignols, Riesling, 2008.

The Tarver King and Logan Cox Reunion Dinner at New Heights Restaurant takes place on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at 6 pm.

Seating is limited to 40 diners. Reservations are strongly recommended. Reserve by phone at 202.234.4110 or online at www.newheightsrestaurant.com.

The price for the four-course dinner with hors d’oeuvres and wine pairings: $105.

For additional information, please contact Kavita Singh at 202.234.4110