Daily Front Row

2010 March 12

Savory Sights

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Craig Kotestu, Chris Benz
Jemal Countess View Gallery

(NEW YORK) It’s an undisputed fact that shopping works up an appetite, and last night Saks Fifth Avenue with New York Magazine hosted In Good Taste, a tasting event to benefit City Harvest. Each eatery teamed up with a label, delivering a scrumptious fusion of food and fashion on the second floor at Saks. Shoppers indulged in eggplant and tomato puffed pastries at the Giano/Agnona booth, duck breast with wasabi sauce from Matsuri and Calvin Klein, crispy crab cones from Park Avenue Spring and Chris Benz, kampachi tartar with avocado mousse from the Asiate/Donna Karan booth, and many other tasty confections.

Pastry chef Jackie Goewey handed out bite-sized citrus cupcakes to complement the colorful Akris Punto spring line, Saks Fifth Avenue café chef Ken Morris brewed up tomato soup and micro-sized grilled cheese sandwiches, and guests came running back for second helpings of meatball sliders at the Little Owl/Michael Kors stand. “Michael Kors said his favorite dish was meatballs at Little Owl," said chef Joey Campanaro. "They’re going fast tonight; we’ve made 600 already!”

Chris Benz, a superfan of Park Avenue Spring, admitted that he wouldn’t call himself a food connoisseur just yet. “I don’t consider myself a foodie! I have a diner diet. I get a burger at Hollywood Diner almost every day.” Chef Craig Kotestu explained, “We’re so excited to be paired with Chris because he is young and up-and-coming, and I like to think we are, too. It’s antiestablishment, to a certain degree!” Benz laughed and noted, “I was asking Craig why chefs always wear clogs, and I was like, you know that clogs are in right now!” Kotestu corroborated, “Yes, I know that clogs are very on trend. But I’ve been doing this way before they were cool!”
EMILY POPP