Captured Event

August, 27 2007 - Honoring 'Mama'

What: BR Epicurean Society Distinguished Epicurean Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: 9/27/07

Beneficiary: Baton Rouge Epicurean Society scholarship program

Master of Ceremonies: Mayor Kip Holden

Presenting Sponsor(s): Irene W. & C.B. Pennington Foundation and Office of Mayor-Presdient

Committee Members: Executive Chefs in charge of dinner were Peter Sclafani, Ruffino's Restaurant; Yvette Bonanno's, Yvette Marie's Cafe & Bonanno's Catering; Chris Nealy, Mansurs on the Boulevard; Terry McDonner, Juban's; Michael Dardenne, Holiday Inn Select

Invocation: Rev. Celo Milano

Welcome: Scott Calais, BRES executive president

Speaker: Gino Scorsone & Pat Shingleton

Libations: Artisan Fine Wines, Avenue Wines, Calandro's Select Cellars, Churchill's, Cork & Bottle, Glazer's Baton Rouge, Internatoinal Wines, Neat Wines, Oriel Wines, Purveyors of Fine Wines, Select Wines & Wines Unlimited

Music: Ned Fasulo & the Big Band Orchestra

Sponsors: American Audio Visual, Bonanno's Catering, Camelot Club, Chef John Folse & Co., Community Coffee, Conco & Thompson Packers, Fleming's Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Foley's Seafood, French Market Bistro, Gino's Restaurant, Holiday Inn Select, Juban's Restaurant, Kadairs, Keogh Cox & Wilson, L&A Fine Foods, Mansurs on the Boulevard, Maison Lacour, Maple Leaf Farms, New Orleans Fish House, Printing Tech, Riedel, RNDC, Ruffino's, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Seafood Source, Sullivan's Steakhouse, Sysco Foods & Yvette Marie's Cafe

Quote of the evening: "Just like Everybody Loves Raymond, everybody loves Mama!" - Mayor Kip Holden

Menu: Antipasti with Don Olagario Albarino 2005, Butternut Squash Bisque w/Jumbo Lump Crabmeat & Lobster Oil with Ceretto Arneis Blange 2006, Seared Maple Leaf Farm Brest of Duckling on Warm Wild Mushroom Pulled Bread Salad with King Estate Pinot Noir 2005, Braised Veal Osso Buco in Pinot Grigio San Marzano Tomatoes & Assorted Vegetables w/ Creamy Parmigiana-Reggiano-flavored Rissotto Garnished /Gremolata with Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Savignon 1999, Chef John Folse Bittersweet Dairy Artisan Cheese with Domain la Roquete Chateaufeuf Du Pape 2003, Italian Liqueur-Poached Bosch Pear w/Pistachios & Almong Marzipal with Donnafugato Ben Rye 2003

Hors D'Oeuvres:: Amuse Bouche of Tuna Tartar with Oriel Prosecco NV,

Board of Directors: Executive Board: Pres. Scott Calais, VP Kevin Kimball, Sec/Tres. Justin McDonald, Jason Johnson, Dori Murvin, Bret Smith, Tom Tanner Members: Yvette Bonanno, Michael Boudreaux, Charles Calandro, Laurel Dennis, Gino Marino, Ruffin Rodrigue, Peter Sclafani, Kavin Sherwood, Jon Smith & Leonardo Verde

Blacktie Photos by: Pam Bordelon

Lifetime Achievement winner
Lifetime Achievement winner
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The Baton Rouge Epicurean Society honored Grace "Mama" Marino of Gino's Italian Restaurant with its debut Lifetime Achievement Award, which from now on will be called the Grace "Mama" Marino Distinguished Epicurean Lifetime Achievement Award, at a gala dinner.
Speakers included Mama's nephew, Gino Scorsone, who traveled from Sicily to deliver his tribute in Italian Mayor Kip Holden proclaimed it Grace "Mama" Marino Day and made the emotionally overwhelmed 85-year-old restaurant maven honorary mayor.
Pat Shingleton provided a few laughs when asked for a show of hands for those who'd been locked inside Gino's by Mama's son, Lawrence, at 2 in the morning. Several hands went up.
"Good, I'm not alone," quipped Pat.
"How do you get a group like this together?" asked BRES vice-president Kevin Kimball of the society of restaurant owners, chef, managers, caterers and related service providers. "One word - Mama." 

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