DIFFA

ALE Wins 2010 NACE Awards

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At a prestigious awards ceremony on July 27th in Austin, Texas, A Legendary Event was presented with the following awards from the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE):
2010 Best Catered Off Premise Event of the Year for DIFFA’s Dining by Design. DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk. As the event’s caterer, A Legendary Event was challenged to create and serve a menu for 400 seated guests that would be highly memorable and innovative.
2010 Best Guest Table Presentation of the Year for DIFFA’s Dining by Design. Each year, a group of the nation’s top designers are invited to create a unique table design to help raise funds for DIFFA. ALE created a table titled “Feast in the Forest”, where guests dined amidst a magical forest, surrounded by lush greenery and a magnificent display of nature at its finest.

Tony Conway, President and Owner of A Legendary Event said, “A Legendary Event is so honored to receive these important awards and be recognized by our industry partners for our successful year in 2009. I am thrilled that we are the winners of this exciting recognition and, as always, am so proud of our talented team.”

The Joys of Molecular Gastronomy

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A Legendary Event’s Michael Schotsch and Executive Pastry Chef Charles Barrett fashion Mozzarella Balloons for the multi-itemed first course at DIFFA’s Dining by Design Gala. Our culinary team has been experimenting with a number of cutting edge Moleculary Gastronomy techinques. Click here to view DIFFA slideshow by Laura Stone’s artstarphotography:


DIFFA’S FEAST IN THE FOREST

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We’re still recovering from Monday’s Feast in the Forest celebration at DIFFA’s Dining by Design. Thought we’d share a wonderful photo hot off the camera lense taken by local photographer Laura Stone http://www.artstarphotography.com/. Click here to view

A Legendary Event Featured in Today’s Peach Buzz

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(Above photo courtesy of Rich L. Eldrege and AJC Staff; Below is an excerpt from today’s Atlanta Journal and Constitution)

As always, the annual Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS Dining By Design benefit was a stylish outing for attendees Monday night at Atlanta Decorative Arts Center in Buckhead. This year, Buzz was invited to sit at Atlanta caterer Tony Conway’s A Legendary Event table. Conway’s executive chef Lincoln Stevens and executive pastry chef Charles Barrett created the lavish menu for the evening.

A Legendary Event’s creative director Steve Welsh told us he was going for “romantic and comfortable” with his candle-lit woodsy theme complete with trees and real moss that covered the table. We happened to be seated next to Legendary Events floral director Kim Vasil who helped to create the beautiful setting (”We completely washed all the moss used on the table so utensils could be placed on it at dinner,” she whispered to us about the crazy amount of prep work that went into the table).
“We liked the idea of creating a quiet little getaway for our guests this year,” Welsh explained. DIFFA attendees always peruse Welsh’s creation each year as he attempts to top himself after creating a table made out of chocolate a few years ago at the fund-raiser. Joked Welsh: “People still talk about that table. It was a lot of fun but I don’t think I would do it again. The dry cleaning bills were too high!”

“We liked the idea of creating a quiet little getaway for our guests this year,” Welsh explained. DIFFA attendees always peruse Welsh’s creation each year as he attempts to top himself after creating a table made out of chocolate a few years ago at the fund-raiser. Joked Welsh: “People still talk about that table. It was a lot of fun but I don’t think I would do it again. The dry cleaning bills were too high!”
Click here for more picture of last night’s DIFFA event:

A Legendary Event Recognized for Catering and Design Excellence

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On July 29th, A Legendary Event received the following awards from the National Association of Catering Executives at their national conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.


1) Best Catered Event with a budget above $75,000. We constructed a 40′ x 100′ on-site kitchen at Atlantic Station in order to prepare, plate, and serve an amazing 3200 plates in 90 minutes for the Atlanta High Museum Wine Auction Gala Dinner. Apparently, the National Association of Catering Executives also thought this was a pretty amazing feat.


Our sumptuously southern menu was composed by some of the Southeast’s premier restaurant chefs—Chef Todd Richards of Kentucky’s Oakroom, Chef Hugh Acheson of Athens Georgia’s Five and Ten, Chef Mike Lata of Fig, and Atlanta Chefs Gerry Klaskala and Chef Kathryn King, both from restaurant Aria. Each dinner course was paired with fine wines by renowned vintner guests of such acclaim as Burgundy wine-maker Alex Gambal and Central California’s Joseph Davis.


2) Best Guest Table Presentation of the Year. We created a “Sustainable Table” for DIFFA’s (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) Dining by Design Gala Dinner. Since we were emerging from a long drought, we wanted to send a strong message of conservation by using plants such as succulents, cacti, and kale that are self-sustaining by living off the moisture of their own leaf systems. Some of the plants we incorporated into our design, such as Tillandsia, are able to grow in rocks, trees, pottery, and even in mid air. Our over all message by creating a sustainable table was the importance of being more conscious when using natural resources along with the importance of recognizing the inherent beauty of nature. This table concept has since drawn lots of attention and was even featured in the May issue of Delta Sky Magazine.


3) Best Event Production of the Year with a budget below $25,000. In addition to winning the award for Best Guest Table Presentation we were also thrilled to be recognized with an award for Best Event Production for the same event. Each year, this particular event raises approximately $300,000 for organizations dedicated to AIDS research, education, and outreach. This event, featuring 40 custom table environments created by top national and regional designers is a remarkable display of cutting-edge creativity and concern. We’re honored to be able to play a significant role. Guests are given a sneak peek at the collection of elaborate table designs at the Preview Cocktail Party. The following evening’s Dining by Design Gala dinner features delicious hand passed hors d’oeuvres followed by a three course five star menu. After dinner, guests engage in a silent auction, table-hopping, and after dinner cocktails.