Memories are made around a dining room table. The act of breaking bread with family and friends, energetic conversations, having a laugh or two—those are shared experiences to enjoy and cherish.
That was my goal last month when I held my birthday celebration at Pelican Hill Resort.
Ideas for a fun event began to percolate several months earlier when I was dining at Pelican Grill and recalled a special evening when a handful of media members were invited to watch then Pelican Hill Executive Chef Jean-Pierre Dubray (now with the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort) prepare a multi-course dinner inside one of the villas at Pelican Hill Resort.
My plan: rent a four-bedroom villa at Pelican Hill for my birthday weekend (Friday thru Sunday), invite a few friends over for a Friday night wine tasting, and on Saturday hire a private chef to cook dinner for 10.
Yes, I was throwing my own party, but part of the fun was planning the details and seeing the evening come to fruition. I knew the wines I wanted to serve at dinner—some purchased last summer during my trips to Paso Robles and Sonoma, others I have been saving for a special occasion.
Catering Stand-Out
But who to hire as the chef?
I was in luck, because one of the best French chefs in Orange County had just retired from running restaurants and was now focused on catering private events.
Chef Pascal Olhats has owned and operated a handful of restaurants during his 30-plus years in Orange County, most recently CafĂ©Â Jardin at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar and Pascal Brasserie in Fashion Island. Â
I’ve written about Chef Pascal many times, and dined at his restaurants more often than I can count. So, when I asked if he was available to create and execute the perfect menu for my birthday party, Pascal said yes.
We met at Pelican Hill several weeks before my birthday to plan the menu, which revolved around the wines I wanted to pour. We spent an hour talking appetizer and main course dishes, and created what I considered the ultimate intimate birthday celebration.
Fork & Knife Friday
But first—the Friday wine tasting.
Not content to simply open wine, I ordered a large Charcuterie & Cheese platter from Chef Jonathan Blackford (the Business Journal’s Chef of the Year for 2021) at Fork & Knife in Costa Mesa. Blackford is celebrating one year as the owner/operator of Fork & Knife after nearly 10 years at A Restaurant in Newport Beach.
The platter included five cured meats (cured in-house) and five cheeses, plus condiments, accompaniments, and assorted crackers. Among the selections in the platter: white truffle salami, Brooklyn Manhattan salami, chorizo salami, Marin triple cream brie, truffle Manchego, Brooks five-year cheddar, and Pima Donna aged gouda.
Blackford can create sandwiches, salads and platters of all sizes—and by the way, he has added a handful of tables inside Fork & Knife, and is serving lunch with dinner service on the way in early 2022.
Sweet Ending
I also needed something sweet, and I knew where to go: Elyssa Fournier at Mixed Bakery in Corona del Mar, a frequent Golden Foodie Award winner and the maker of sinfully delicious meringue cookies that practically melt in your mouth and come in assorted fruit toppings. Those were perfect for Friday night, and for the Saturday birthday party I ordered her specialty carrot cake and a flourless chocolate cake.
The wine tasting was a hit. Many great wines were consumed, including a 2012 Opus One, among others. Chef Blackford’s platter became nothing but crumbs as guests eagerly devoured the contents. Same with the meringues—although I saved some for my birthday.
Multi-Course Saturday
On Saturday, I surprised my guests by opening a bottle of 2010 Dom Perignon to go with Chef Pascal’s hors d’oeuvres: seared peppery ahi tuna with marinated fennel over butter lettuce, chilled poached oysters on tender leeks with dill cream and caviar, caviar served on sliced steam organic baby potato with shallot crème fraiche, and Provencal onion marmalade tartelette. We also enjoyed a Scharffenberger Crémant from Sonoma before sitting down to dinner.
For the first course, I wanted to serve Grgich Hills Chardonnay and Windward Pinot Noir Rose, so Pascal thought those would go with his award-winning thyme crusted seabass with tomato concasse and seafood essence sauce. He was right—a terrific combination.
Next, to pair with 2016 Windward Estate Pinot Noir from Paso Robles, Pascal offered his steamed beet salad with herb goat cheese, roasted walnut, and Dijon vinaigrette over baby arugula and crispy frisée. The heavier-style pinot paired perfectly with the salad.
After an intermezzo of fresh pear sorbet with pear William eau de vie, we matched 2014 Tobin James Blue Moon Syrah (one of my favorites) with roasted California ranch Poularde breast with foie gras truffle sauce and wild mushrooms. Oh my—an incredible dish, again pairing perfectly with the heavier Syrah.
Finally, to pair with 2016 Tobin James Blue Moon Zinfandel, Pascal served mustard crusted lamb chops with herb jus and shallot butter asparagus. Wow—what a way to end the meal.
But wait—still to come was dessert.
The carrot cake (yes, I love carrot cake) was a work of art and perhaps the best carrot cake I have ever tasted. The flourless chocolate cake was rich and decadent but not overpowering. My guests had their choice of Tobin James Port or Scharffenberger Brut Rose to accompany the desserts.
Pascal brought a dream team trio with him—Chef Therese Lauria St Germain and Chef Juanito; plus Heather Ahrens, our amazing server who did everything from pour wine and arrange appetizers to serve each course (as Chef Pascal came out to describe each dish) to cutting the desserts and clearing the table.
Best of all: my guests stayed that night at the villa, which sleeps 10, so we were free to indulge, and we did.
I guarantee the memory of that birthday experience will linger for a long time.
Feel free to recreate this concept for your own special occasion. I promise you won’t stop talking about it.
Fork & Knife:Â forkandknifecm.com
Mixed Bakery:Â mixed-bakery.com
Chef Pascal Olhats:Â pascalcuisine.com Â
