Mouths watered as guests savored the haute cuisine of France at the “19th Annual James Beard Foundation Holiday Auction & Dinner,” held at the Essex House.

The aroma of French fare was intoxicating, as four delectable courses filled the tables at this food fest benefiting the Foundation, which supports the culinary arts.

For the auction’s reception, Café Boulud Chef Bertrand Chemel was on hand to whip up wild Scottish pheasant pâté en croûte, and the chefs of Brasserie cooked delicious Hudson Valley quail and foie gras with caramelized Fuji apples. For dinner, guests enjoyed Le Jardin du Quai Chef Daniel Hébet’s tapioca alla carbonara with truffles, chervil, and truffle salad, and Chef Michel Richard’s 72-hour braised beef short ribs, just to name a few of the delicious dishes served. The pièce de résistance was Pastry Chef Pierre Hermé’s Valrhona dark-chocolate mille-feuille, with orange gelée and winter fruit with balsamic vinegar and essence of jasmine.

Various chefs designed unique centerpieces for each table. A magnificent chocolate replica of a Roman marble mask, the “Bocca della Verità” (Mouth of Truth), was created by Jim Botsacos, chef and partner of Abboccato. The mask is the logo for the NYC Italian restaurant and according to Roman legend, if one places their hand into the mask’s mouth and swears falsely, he or she will not be able to remove it. Winner of the “Best Decorated Table” was Chef/Co-owner Tim Love of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro (Ft. Worth, Texas) for his beautiful centerpiece—a live, caged dove. With so much talk about bird flu, we couldn’t help but wonder!

Richard Brierley of Christie’s emceed the auction with fabulous dining and travel packages, including a six-night Vietnam culinary tour for two, a private dinner for 50 prepared by Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, and a trip for two to the Cognac and Champagne regions of France.

The sophisticated menu and the stunning decorations made this brilliant evening très magnifique!