Chef Photo Montage - Menu - Menu Holder - In Memory Of...
As Detroit continues to expand and deepen its roots, it’s necessary to reflect back on what built this city into what it is today. As Detroiters, we take great pride in our history and our people, and one small but mighty contribution to the city’s growth has been the restaurant business and food scene that has brought visitors from all over the world to experience Detroit’s impeccable taste.
In order to celebrate Detroit’s culinary heritage, Keith Famie and his team at Visionalist Entertainment Productions, put together a special once in a lifetime charity event to recognize and commemorate Detroit’s top chefs, both historic and current. The event was hosted at none other than the iconic Detroit Athletic Club, one of the most prestigious private clubs in the nation. This gastronomic epicurean journey was in celebration of three of Metro Detroit's most respected charity organizations: Gilda's Club Metro Detroit, Rising Stars Academy, and The Rainbow Connection.
The Legends of the Stove brought together over 160 guests to enjoy the culinary expertise of 26 renowned chefs of the Detroit scene. Each chef prepared a special dish as guests mingled and remembered the times they had dining at restaurants they used to frequent and the new hot spots that have the next generation’s attention. It was a surreal experience for the chefs to see their mentors and their mentor’s mentors all under one roof.
As the guests made their way around the tasting stations that featured our local chefs as well as Schoolcraft College's and Oakland Community College's culinary salon teams, you could feel the energy and an overall excitement of this magical evening.
In attendance as special guests were Chef Milos Cihelka, Chef Douglas "Duglass" Grech, restaurateur Joe Muer Jr., Chef Kevin Brennen, restaurateur Mary Lark, Vice President of Programming at Detroit Public Television/PBS Fred Nahhat, WOMC Detroit Radio Host JoAnne Purtan, and more. We were honored to have two special video messages shared by Chef Jacques Pépin and Chef Ferdinand Metz, both paying tribute to Detroit's culinary leaders.
As the story unfolds in the film, we will learn how in the 1970s, chefs stepped out of the kitchen to share their creations at countless charitable events over the years. This event was a testimony to how those in the hospitality industry, driven by chefs, give back to the community still to this day.
An evening of this magnitude was no small feat to pull off, but thanks to the leadership of the Detroit Athletic Club for opening their kitchen doors to all of the talented chefs and special guests, we were able to have a truly special evening in the only place we saw fit. Thank you to Executive Manager Charles Johnson; Executive Chef Shawn Loving, CMC; Chef De Partie Lorraine Desmond; Assistant General Manager Bri Brookins; and Director of Catering & Special Events Sherri Perez.
Thank you to Executive Director of the DAC, Charles Johnson; CEO and President of DPTV/PBS, Rich Homberg; Chef Brian Polcyn; and Executive Producer/Director of Visionalist Entertainment Productions, Keith Famie for their opening remarks to begin the evening.
Thank you to Great Lakes Wine and Spirits for making sure the guests thirst was properly quenched by providing wine for the night. Thank you to Chef Source for providing gift bags to every guest in attendance. Thank you to the distinguished hospitality team: Mickey Bakst, Adrian Lark, and Madeline Triffon. Thank you to The At-Will Band for providing the space with beautiful music. And thank you to Emerald City Designs for the floral arrangements.
We are so humbled and honored we could help play a part in what we know will go down in history as one of the most important gatherings of the Detroit chef community.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐯𝐞:
Chef Shawn Loving
Chef Jeff Gabriel
Chef Dan Hugelier
Chef Nick Apone
Chef Anthony Lombardo
Chef Brian Polcyn
Chef Ed Janos
Chef Michael Baldwin
Chef Keith Famie
Chef Mike Ransom
Chef John Vermiglio
Chef Jim Oppat
Chef Paul Grosz
Chef Jimmy Schmidt
Chef Luciano DelSignore
Chef Terence Tarver
Chef Marcus Haight
Chef Brian Beland
Chef Doug Ganhs
Chef Kelli Lewton
Chef Jeff Hammer
Chef Joseph Decker
Chef Heather Moore
Chef Greg Upshur
Chef Mary Brady
Chef Rick Halberg
Thank you to the Legends of the Stove for sharing your talents and making this once in a lifetime event unforgettable.