Eye Candy: Sarma at the Beard House

Call us biased, but we think a night at the Beard House is a dining experience unlike any other. Guests sit in a historic New York City townhouse, while chefs cook in the kitchen where James Beard himself once held culinary court. Diners are at once rooted in history and experiencing the latest trends and techniques from around the country, as chefs whip up once-in-a-lifetime meals that are exclusive to their Beard House showcase.

Service in the Beard House kitchen is a madcap adventure of gastronomic acrobatics, careful planning, and unanticipated improvisation (you try cooking six courses for 80 people in your home kitchen). The photos below, from 2016 JBF Award semifinalist Cassie Piuma’s recent Beard House dinner, show the intensity of concentration, the joy in teamwork, and the revelry in victory that comes at the end of a successful meal. Piuma, of Boston’s mezza mecca Sarma, treated diners to a lavish Mediterranean feast with indulgent bites like spanakopita, falafel, steak tartare, and barbecued harissa duck. Check out the photos below for more highlights from the evening.

Eggplant-Wrapped Haloumi Cheese with Pomegranate, Muhammara, and Mint

Seven-Layer Hummus

The Sarma team prepping the Sweet Potato Pancakes with Goat Cheese and Salty Date Butter

Cassie Piuma and the Sarma team in the Beard House Kitchen

Photos by Jeff Gurwin. For all upcoming Beard House dinners, check out our events calendar.