Second Harvest is always a favorite of mine since I discovered this nonprofit organization in 2012. Second Harvest feeds our neighbors in need as well as transform economically challenged lives with their culinary training program. This February 2020, they hosted a Chef’s Night in partnership with Walt Disney World to create a magical four-course meal paired with wine outside of Disney World grounds.
Chef’s Night is an evening at the food bank featuring some of Central Florida’s best chefs and cuisine, all to benefit the Second Harvest Culinary Training Program. This provides qualified, at-risk and economically disadvantaged adults with the culinary and life skills training needed to pursue a sustainable career in the food industry.
The first course is Lobster Bisque with crispy parsnip, pink tipped parsley, lemon crème fraiche, and lobster oil. This is the most savory and fresh lobster bisque I’ve had in Florida. I couldn’t put my spoon down.
The lobster bisque was paired with a refreshing Meiomi Rosé from Monterey/Sonoma/Santa Barbara, USA.
The second course is Inner Beauty with beet heart, lingonberry, rose hip, and oxalis. Like what you’re thinking, I did have a hard time figuring out how to eat this. Of course, I took off the napkin but I think the staining already happened form the beets.
Beets are one of my favorite vegetables and I loved how they incorporated it into the meal. With this dish, we had to pick it up and eat by hand. It was worth getting beet dyed onto my fingers.
“Inner Beauty” was paired with such a smooth pinot noir made by MacMurray Estate Vineyards from Russian River Valley, USA.
The main course is Beef Wellington with sweet potato puree, baby squash blossom, mushrooms, and red wine demi. I tried Beef Wellington for the first time with this dish; I must say, I have never had anything as tender as this. The cute vegetables made me think of Alice in Wonderland.
The Beef Wellington was paired with an Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa County, USA.
Before the dessert came out, we were surprised with some rich chocolates from The Ganachery in Disney Springs. They were as delicious and adorable as they look in this photograph.
The dessert course is Strawberries and Cream with Plant City strawberries, Chantilly cream and chocolate-caramel cake. It is as delicious as it looks and was paired with a Rosa Regale Sparkling Red from Piedmont, Italy, but I was too busy eating the chocolates to photograph the wine.
This was a vegan friendly alternative to the dessert offered to guests this night who made it known in advance of their dietary needs.
For future events and more information on Second Harvest, please visit their website.
