Caring Chefs Profile - Bistro Aix - EU Jacksonville 10/4/07

entertaining u newspaper: your monthly guide to entertainment

<< Soul Catcher | Main | Present Moment Cafe >>

caring chefs profile

by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com

What: Caring Chefs
When: Sunday, Oct. 21st @ 7-9:30 pm
Where: The Avenues Mall

Caring Chefs is certainly the premier food event of the year here in Jacksonville. All proceeds go to the Children’s Home Society, so ticket holders can have both the satisfaction of helping those less fortunate and of being able to sample food from some of the First Coast’s finest restaurants. Leading up to the event, we’ve been profiling local chefs participating in the event. This week, we’re profiling Chef Tom Gray of Bistro Aix.

EU: Why do you participate in Caring Chefs? How many years have you done the event?
Gray: Bistro Aix has supported the Caring Chefs event every year since we opened in 1999. It is a wonderful food-oriented event to support and we look forward to helping the Children’s Home Society in their mission each year.

EU: What are the three ingredients you can’t live without?
Gray: Fresh, seasonal vegetables, excellent fish and salt.

EU: Appetizer entree or dessert? Why?
Gray: Entree - as the “heart” of the meal, it is what I enjoy preparing most.

EU: What’s the strangest dish you’ve ever prepared?
Gray: Angulas, or baby eels, are a great delicacy from the Basque region of Spain. I prepared them in the traditional way, just as I had enjoyed them when I traveled in the Basque country, by cooking them in olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes.

EU: What’s your favorite dish to eat? Prepare?
Gray: I love cooking and eating fish the most. When simply prepared and served with ingredients such as ripe tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs, the flavors are allowed to really stand out. Dishes such as these frequently appear on our menus at Bistro Aix.

Tickets for the event are $60, but it’s best to buy them in advance, since they are generally sold out by the night of the event. Go to chsfl.org/buckner to register for tickets or call (904) 493-7739 for more info.

Be In The Know!
Sign up now to receive EU's weekly newsletter updates
on your desktop!

EU Critic’s Choice Awards

We are sending our food critics out to Jacksonville’s favorite local restaurants on the hunt for the best menu items in town. Who do you think has the best burrito? What about cheesecake? Lend us your expertise and nominate the items you believe to be the tastiest in town, and we’ll send our critic’s out to taste it and compare it to other nominees!

Get EU on Myspace!

EU BLOGS

· Joystick Revolution
(Norm Stovall)

· Shot From The Hip
(Rick Grant)

· Rachel Best Blogs
(Rachel Henley)

· jaxvillain
(Jon Bosworth)

· jaxeatdrinkandbemerry
(Erin Thursby)

Entertaining U Newspaper, eujacksonville.com. Published by N2U Publishing, Inc. 3101 University Blvd., South #201 Jacksonville, FL 32216. Copyright N2U Publishing, Inc. 2006. Reproduction of any artwork or copy prepared by N2U Publishing, Inc. is strictly prohibited without written consent of the publisher. We will not be responsible for errors and/or omissions, the Publisher's liability for error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. Articles for publication are welcome and may be sent to the following address: 3101 University Blvd., South #201 Jacksonville, FL 32216. We cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. For information concerning classified advertising phone 904-730-3003.