On Thursday evening, January 28th, Cedar Grove native and acclaimed chef Amanda Freitag will be the guest of honor at the Montclair Food & Wine Festival’s first winter event, Frost Bites.
Proceeds will promote “culinary education in the Montclair area,” says the festival’s new executive director, Lisa Davies.
Freitag—Food Network star, Chopped judge, America’s Next Iron Chef competitor—will come to the Women’s Club of Upper Montclair, 200 Cooper Avenue, with copies of her new (and first) book, The Chef Next Door: A Pro Chef’s Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking.
“I am honored to be a part of this fantastic event, where many of my chef friends from New Jersey will be cooking amazing bites—and so close to my home town,” Freitag said. “I love seeing the food scene in New Jersey thrive and blossom.”
In addition to her TV work, Freitag is known for cooking at Manhattan restaurants such as Vong, Verbena, Cesca, Gusto and the Harrison. Fearless in professional kitchens, she admits she used to be scared to cook in her tiny New York City apartment.
Her book aims to help home cooks gain skill and confidence. It includes more than 100 recipes, from basic sauces and marinades to dishes she calls “the scary stuff,” such as gnocchi, crepes and whole stuffed fish.
Frost Bites will feature tastings (from more than two dozen contributors) of delights such as bacon-wrapped meatloaf, black bass crudo tacos, asparagus panna cotta, pumpkin bread pudding and blackberry cabernet sorbet. Amanti Vino, the fine Montclair wine and liquor shop, will provide wine tastings, and Taittinger will provide champagne tastings.
Frost Bites, in addition to being the festival’s first winter fundraiser, is also the first under the auspices of director Davies. The native of Wales, a former event planner and graduate of the French Culinary Institute, took over last year from Melody Kettle, who founded the festival four years ago and now serves as President Emeritus.
“We really wanted to have a winter party,” says Davies. Unlike the group’s popular summer gala and grand tasting, “we wanted to make this more of a cocktail party with small bites,” and a young vibe. The sipping and sampling will be accompanied by noted jazz pianist, composer and educator Bob McHugh and the smokin’ hot rock ‘n’ roots band, Julie’s Party.
General Admission tickets for the 7:30 to 10 pm event are $75.
A $95 ticket comes with a copy of Freitag’s book.
VIP tickets, $135, let guests join an intimate ‘meet and greet’ with the celebrity chef beginning at 6:15.
“Amanda is super,” Davies says. “She’s so natural, and really enjoys talking with people.”
Tastings Provided By…
Amanti Vino
Ani Ramen House
Applegate Farms
Ariane Kitchen & Bar
Blue J Syrups
Cakeaholic Obsession
Costanera
Dolce Federica
Escape Montclair
Fin Raw Bar and Kitchen
Fitzgerald’s 1928
Gelotti
Gencarelli’s Bakery
Gus and Co. Seafood
Highlawn Pavilion
Java Love
Kimchi Smoke
Laurel & Sage
Maritime Parc
MishMish
Miss Nicky’s Toffee
Pig & Prince
Taittinger
The Orange Squirrel
Turtle + the Wolf
Villalobos
Vital Dining
Buy tickets at montclairfoodandwinefestival.org