Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/800856
s p r i n g 2 0 1 7 | 9 1 The roof terrace's long rectangular table was set with black linens and vases of fuchsia calla lilies, affording nighttime views of the Washington Monument to the 60 guests in attendance. The long-awaited National Museum of African American History and Culture had just opened to the public a few weeks previously; tonight was a celebration of its Ghanaian-British designer, David Adjaye. On October 6, 2016, Dom Pérignon hosted a dinner honoring Adjaye, with the Champagne house's offerings paired with the cuisine of Head Chef Kwame Onwuachi, the former Top Chef contestant whose prix fixe modern American restaurant The Shaw Bijou was set to open in the city's trendy Shaw neighborhood a few weeks later. Onwuachi collaborated for a month with the team at Dom Pérignon to cre- ate the four-course menu and gleaned inspiration from different eras and styles of African American cuisine, including Creole, Caribbean and Soul Food. "I tried to break down each dish to its components," Onwuachi ex- plained. For the first course, silky candied-yam velouté was elevated with black truffle, toasted pepitas added crunch and parmesan foam mimicked marshmallows placed atop sweet potato casserole. "[Ingredients] were reimagined and incorporated into the menu—telling not only the stories of Kwame's life, but also the important history of dishes, ingredients and preparations of food that were brought to the U.S. or culti- vated by black Americans throughout the history of the United States," notes Dom Pérignon Director of Communications Rachael Ruddick. The second course, a luxe riff on gumbo, took the Creole roux-based sta- ple apart and put it back together again. Bowls with chilled new-shell lob- ster, king crab and osetra caviar were brought to the table along with stoneware jugs of warm crustacean consommé which guests poured themselves. Onwuachi liked the temperature con- trast and the "pop" of caviar in your mouth, while Rud- dick pointed out that the pairing of the 2004 Dom Pérignon Rosé's "fresh, intense red fruit on the nose [and] signature minerality and spice" played off the briny shellfish and rich broth. Guests at the event were rewarded with nighttime views of the Washington Monument and down- town Washington, D.C. Dom Pérignon paired a different Champagne with each of the four courses served that evening. The final course of the evening was an earthy beet butter cake served with cream cheese sabayon, sorrel and a chocolate malt snow. Dom Pérignon USA Brand Director Richard Beaumont walks guests through the Champagne and cuisine pair- ings on the terrace of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.