Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/800856
9 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t A Caribbean-influenced Wagyu mojo paired beef short rib with red bean sofritos and mojo aigre douce (a sweet and sour sauce), along with a hybrid haba- nero that removes the heat while retaining the pepper's bright and fresh flavor. "You don't really tend to pair short rib with Champagne, but it washes away the fat- tiness of the Wagyu," admits Onwuachi. "You can pair Champagne with anything, really." That night, it part- nered with the 1998 P2 Vintage, which boasted notes of honeysuckle, caramel, orange fruits and a smoky finish. Capping off the evening was an earthy beet butter cake—the precursor to modern red velvet cake, On- wuachi pointed out, as the root vegetable has long been used as an intense natural food dye. It was served with cream cheese sabayon, sorrel and a chocolate malt snow reminiscent of freeze-dried ice cream. Onwuachi had free reign that evening to shape the menu with not only his own choice of ingredients and techniques, but his own personal experiences, all in a much-anticipated space that means so much to so many people. "For me, the most memorable part of the evening was speaking to the guests and talking them through the experience," he muses. "Seeing everyone there—the whole experience was a milestone for my career, making my own story and cooking on top of the history of my culture." A luxe riff on gumbo took the Creole roux-based staple apart and put it back together again. Bowls with chilled new shell lobster, king crab and Osetra caviar were brought to the table along with stoneware jugs of warm crustacean consommé which guests poured themselves. A Caribbean-influenced Wagyu mojo paired beef short rib with red bean sofritos and mojo aigre douce (a sweet and sour sauce), along with a hybrid habanero that removes the heat while retaining the pepper's bright and fresh flavor. Chef Kwame Onwuachi (center) is surrounded by the team with whom he worked for the four- course dinner on the terrace of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. On October 6, 2016, 60 or so invited guests enjoyed a four-course dinner on the terrace of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Four courses of chef Kwame Onwuachi's cuisine were paired with Dom Pérignon Champagne at the special dinner honoring the museum's Ghanaian-British designer, David Adjaye. ■cr