When Chef/proprietor Gabino Sotelino issued silver-edged invitations to his four-star restaurant's 20th Anniversary celebration on June 25, he called it "A Midsummer Night: Chef's Dream." By Nancy Ross Ryan Although the black tie event was the apogee of elegance, and the seven-course meal prepared by seven famous chefs incomparable, the evening was as unceremonious as having dinner with an inner circle of friends. The mood was set by Master of Ceremonies William Rice (Chicago Tribune food and wine columnist), who introduced Gabino Sotelino (an unabashed Chicago Bulls fan) as "the Phil Jackson of pots and pans." Rice introduced each of the seven chefs -- all Gabino's friends -- as if they were basketball stars, starting with John de Mer (Napa restaurant, Las Vegas), substituting for Jean Louis Palladin, Jean Joho (Everest and Brasserie Jo, Chicago, and Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas), Roland Liccioni (Les Nomades and Rhapsody, Chicago), Julian Serrano (Bellagio's Picasso, Las Vegas), Jean-Georges Vongerichten (JoJo, Jean Georges, and the Mercer Kitchen, New York, and Vong in New York, Chicago, London, Hong Kong; Bellagio's Prime Steak House, Las Vegas), Takashi Yagihashi (Tribute, Detroit) and Michel Briand (Ambria's own pastry chef). Rich Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises chairman and partner in Ambria, described how Gabino took him to Paris for the first time: "I asked him what was so good about French food? We had French food in America. I thought I knew French food. Then he took me to Paris and we ate in real French restaurants -- and I knew what he was talking about." Melman calls Gabino as a "wonderful chef, a wonderful businessman and a wonderful human being." Gabino had an unannounced surprise for everyone. After the first course, suddenly, a sensational voice filled the room with song. We were being serenaded by Israel Lozano, a young opera star and a student of world-famous Placido Domingo, who is a friend of Gabino. Intermittently through the evening, between courses, Lozano sang encores -- giving intermezzo new meaning. Not only was this anniversary dinner unforgettable for everyone present, but it will be long remembered in another quarter: At $250 per person, the evening's $20,000 proceeds were donated to the James Beard Foundation.

SOCIAL STUDY - September 2000

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