If you have had the pleasure of attending a wedding or an event at Palm Event Center or Casa Real, you know their cuisine is not your average wedding food. Their delectable offerings will change and exceed any expectations you had. Which is exactly what veteran chefs Clay Brunton and Greg Foster intend to do. \u00a0Greg who has been with Beets Catering for nine years and has been participating\u00a0 in Taste Our Terroir since it\u2019s inaugural year. Three years ago Clay brought a competivite edge to the team and since then, the duo has won an award each year. Last year they won \u201cMost Innovative Pairing\u201d. This year, we are excited to see what they have in store with their new partners, The Steven Kent Winery.<\/p>\n
Chef Questions for Taste Our Terroir<\/p>\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>When did you first know you wanted to be a chef? <\/strong><\/p>\n Clay:<\/strong> \u00a0The excitement of a Saturday night with smoking hot saut\u00e9 pans flying around, the knives and the fire.\u00a0 Now, of course it is different and more about refining techniques and exploring different cultures of cuisine.<\/p>\n Greg: <\/strong>Ever since I was a kid I loved being in the kitchen with family, helping out when I could or just watching.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So it has always been an interest of mine\u2026 20 years later here I am.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>What is terroir to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Clay: \u00a0<\/strong>It is a combination of physical variables that when brought together work to create a superior product.\u00a0 For me it also about how a place makes me feel.<\/p>\n Greg: <\/strong>Terroir to me is the relationship between the land and us.\u00a0 The better we treat it the better it will treat us.\u00a0 Being able to provide great nourishment to the land is essential to it giving us the sustenance we need.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Favorite pairing?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Clay: <\/strong>Right now.\u00a0 Gew\u00fcrztraminer and boudin blanc, it is simple and lovely.\u00a0 I also like high-end champagne and fried chicken, it is an oddly delicious pairing and has shock value.<\/p>\n Greg:<\/strong> I will always be content with simple steak and potatoes\u2026 so a nice rib-eye and Cabernet is perfect for me.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>What is the biggest challenge in food and wine pairing?<\/strong><\/p>\n Clay: \u00a0<\/strong>Finding something that is new and edgy but not esoteric so that people get it and it isn\u2019t perceived as random and thoughtless.<\/strong><\/p>\n Greg: <\/strong>The biggest challenge for me is coming up with pairings that no one would expect.\u00a0 We as a society in the last five years or so have become \u201cfoodies\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 TV and social media have greatly increased our knowledge and exposure to food and wine, so coming up with something that no one has done before is what we strive for.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Red or White? <\/strong><\/p>\n Clay: <\/strong>White<\/p>\n Greg: <\/strong>Both.\u00a0 It really depends on the kind of mood I am in.<\/p>\n