Michael Mina Honors 20 Years with Barrage of SF Chefs, Seven Courses, Foodoscenti

Grid View

• Michael Mina (right) and friends
• Boulevard and Prospect chef and owner, Nancy Oakes in beige on the left.
• Bourbon Steak executive chef Omri Aflalo (left) and RN74 executive chef Jason Berthold (right)
• From left, Traci des Jardins, Bruce Hill, Jared Rogers, Melissa Perello, Michaela Rahorst
• George Morrone's grilled Ahi tuna and Hudson Valley foie gras atop a potato shallot cake
• Ron Siegel peaks through a crowd of busy chefs as he plates racks of Sonoma lamb for the penultimate course of the night.
• Michael Mina watches the line intently.
• At meal's end, a teary-eyed Michael Mina made some remarks and gave thanks to friends and colleagues.
• The host of chefs came out for a round of applause.
• George Morrone looks on, applauding at right.

Just about 100 high rollers and industry insiders convened at Michael Mina Restaurant last night to celebrate the 20th year of Mina's career. Eater shared the nitty gritty on the event earlier, now's your chance to see the recap. As you know, a score of chefs packed the kitchen to create two dishes for each course in a six-course tasting dinner. Although it was a Sunday night, everyone in attendance managed to get a little giddy, and perhaps a little lit, in the name of sir Mina. Read some hangover observations below, some on the scene pics above.

1. Though a Michael Mina was the spotlight recipient of the evening, at times, all eyes were most certainly on George Morrone, the chef who founded Aqua and first brought Michael Mina into the spotlight. Fittingly, it was also the occasion for celebrating Morrone's 50th birthday.

2. The star dish of the evening was Michael's dayboat scallop and foie gras dish, accompanied with a spiced duck dumpling and matsutake broth. The dish will be featured on chef Mina's special $125, seven-course 20th Anniversary Menu, available at Michael Mina throughout the month of October. Other favorites were a spot prawn tartare from Paul Piscopo of Trace and Absinthe pastry chef Bill Corbett's woodsy, boozy inverted and smoked apple tart with buttermilk and hazlenut.

3. It was undoubtedly a black fashion moment, as most women sported an LBD of some sort.

4. Examiner food critic and grand dame Patricia Unterman was in the house, having a moment with Frances chef Melissa Perello. Unterman loved Chef Perello's lamb dish, served with roasted fennel, chanterelle mushroom and black Mission figs.

5. Apparently Michael Bauer declined his personal invite from Michael Mina. Bauer sent boyfriend Michael Murphy with a +1 in his stead.

6. Traci des Jardins' son young son Eli was in the house enjoying all 6 courses. "I really wanted him here," said des Jardins. "This is history."

7. The full front of house was matched by a very crowded kitchen, where 15+ executive chefs smashed together to create a very involved culinary parade of three canapes followed by six courses. Each course included two separate dishes. Diners at each table were asked to share in order to get the full experience.

8. Others in attendance were Gary Danko, Bruce Aidells, mayor Willie Brown, Nancy Oakes, Julian Serrano, Bradley Ogden and Roland Passot of La Folie.

· All Hangover Observations [~ ESF ~]