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POSTED: Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Saturday's 20th anniversary gala for chef Roy Yamaguchi cost a quite impressive $10,000 per table of 10. That means each diner's meal was worth $1,000, and with nine courses served, each dish was about $111. Well, consider that the dinner was planned in pre-bailout days.

               

     

 

 

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Also, this event, which drew a sellout crowd of 280, was a benefit for the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, to fund scholarships. Another dinner ($200 per person), held at Kapiolani Community College on Sunday night, involved a separate roster of chefs and drew 700 people, to benefit the Culinary Institute of America, Yamaguchi's alma mater. The exact amount going to the schools is still being calculated.

What do you get for $111 per dish? Here's the menu, dish-by-dish and chef-by-chef:

1. Terrine of Kona Crab

Chef: Testuya Wakuda of Tetsuya's in Sydney, Australia. Yamaguchi counts him as one of the five best chefs in the world.

The dish: A light crab mixture with sansho pepper and avocado, wrapped sushi-style in seaweed, with a dab of creme fraiche on top.

The wine: Au Bon Climat Chardonnay “;25th Anniversary”; 2005

2. Trio of Onaga Tiradito, Matsuhisa Prawn with Osetra Caviar & White Truffle, Dashi and Abalone Shooter with Mango

Chef: Nobu Matsuhisa, who has 19 restaurants worldwide, including Nobu Waikiki. He said he considered Yamaguchi “;like my younger brother.”;

The dish: Served in three portions. The first, tiradito, is a Peruvian dish similar to ceviche; in this case, two pieces of onaga sashimi were dressed in citrus juice with a cilantro leaf as a delicate garnish. The other two were pretty much as described. The chef said they are among his signature dishes, adapted to use local seafood.

The wine: Terry Hoage Picpoul “;Hangtime”; 2007

3. Organic Illinois Heirloom Tomato with Preserved Vegetable Vinaigrette

Chef: Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and Restaurant Charlie in Las Vegas

The dish: Four varieties of tomatoes were molded into a loaf, then presented in half-inch slices, garnished with basil seeds and an oregano leaf, with baby carrots and beets arranged around the slice.

The wine: Graves Winegrowers “;Monkey Wrench”; 2007

4. Poached Warm Scallop Stuffed with Pork & White Radish in Superior Chicken Broth

Chef: Sam Leong, director of kitchens for Singapore's Tung Lok restaurant group and a master of Chinese cuisine

The dish: Like dim sum, but with a thinly sliced scallop as the wrapper. A slice of daikon was beneath it, and a rich chicken broth all around.

The wine: Patz & Hall Chardonnay 2006

5. Angolatti con Fungi with Parmigiano-Reggiano Creme

Chef: Celestino Drago of Drago's Ristorante in Santa Monica, Calif., and three other Italian restaurants in the Los Angeles area

The dish: Little pillows of pasta filled with three types of local mushrooms, served in a cup over a mound of custard-like cheese, with a sliver of truffle on top.

The wine: Villa Creek “;Willow Creek”; Cuvee 2006

6. Butter-Poached Lobster with Fresh Hearts of Palm, Carrot Curry Sauce & Green Apples

Chef: Alessandro Stratta of Alex in the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas

The dish: As described, the curry flavor infused throughout

The wine: Gunderloch Riesling “;First Growth”; Nackenheimer Rothenberg 2006

7. Roast Squab and Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Pumpkin Risotto, Pinot Noir & Squab Glaze

Chef: Michael Ginor, owner of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, New York

The dish: A tender piece of squab and generous slice of foie gras, with a pickled beet to the side, topped with beet foam

The wine: Pax “;Cuvee Christine”; 2006

8. 20th Anniversary-Style Grass-Fed Big Island Beef

Chef: Roy Yamaguchi

The dish: Chili-spiced teriyaki steak with bits of asparagus, sea asparagus, potatoes and roast vegetables, with a fried mozzarella stick on the side

The wine: Winter Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005

9. Pecan Tart with Roasted Pineapple & Brown Butter Ice Cream

Chef: Francois Payard of Payard Patisserie & Bistro, New York

The dish: The tart, topped with a slice of roast pineapple, a torpedo-shaped scoop of ice cream and a flower-like, paper-thin slice of dried pineapple.