Chefs’ table (October 25, 2012)

News-Press brings together local culinary stars for the ultimate sit-down dinner

Chef Mollie Ahlstrand unloaded two live lobsters, some bright red cluster and cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs including garlic and basil, dry pasta and other ingredients for her Bruschetta al Pomodoro appetizer and her Linguine with Lobster entree from her white 2000 Range Rover. On hand was a cook from her famed Montecito restaurant, Trattoria Mollie, an upscale Italian eatery that attracts Oprah Winfrey and other high-profile diners. “He’s leaving soon,” Mrs. Ahlstrand assured the News-Press, referring to Felipe Sarran, who was helping her set up, which clearly violated one of the ground rules for the ultimate chefs’ table, a gathering arranged by the News-Press bringing together six prominent local chefs of varying personalities and culinary persuasions. Noting that Don Skipworth, the chef who offered up his house for the event, had three friends over helping him prepare his dish, Mrs. Ahlstrand sheepishly asked, “Can he stay?” Joining Mrs. Ahlstrand and Mr. Skipworth, a chef and teacher of Asian cuisine through his business, Cosmic Soup; were Alessandro Cartumini, executive chef at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, which specializes, in part, in coastal California dishes; James Sly, chef and owner of Sly’s, a steak and seafood house in Carpinteria; Edie Robertson, private chef and caterer of multicultural fare in Santa Barbara; and Kyle Beechum, sous chef at Santa Barbara’s Blush Restaurant & Lounge, which also serves California cuisine as well as American comfort food.

Source: Nikki Grey, Santa Barbara News-Press
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