Chef Michael Voltaggio cooks a dinner filled with memories in Hollywood
Chef Michael Voltaggio mixed his own memories with bold ingredients and Hollywood flair during a meal to remember. The Ink.well chef served up a one-of-a-kind menu for guests on the roof of the storied Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
The exquisite Priceless Table dinner was part of the launch for the new Capital One Savor Card. The new credit card from Capital One and Mastercard is about earning rewards for food and dining purchases, including cashback bonuses on food and grocery purchases.
“When I met with MasterCard and Capital One, we had a conversation not about the catering of the event - it was, ‘This is the story that we’re going to tell with this new concept that we’re launching with Savor. Tell us what that means to you,’” Voltaggio said in an interview after the dinner. “For me, the relationship was authentic. All the food that we create in our restaurants, we want people to walk away with a memory, a story, and so for us, it was very easy. Let’s write a menu that’s based on memories.”
Guests were led through the Hollywood Roosevelt’s penthouse to the roof of the legendary hotel. The night began at the base of the landmark The Roosevelt Hotel sign, where champagne flowed and delicious appetizers were passed as a live band provided the soundtrack. Guests then took their seats at tables on the roof, which has a gorgeous view of the Los Angeles skyline from Hollywood Boulevard, for the four-course dinner with wine pairings.
The first plate served was avocado cannelloni with caviar and homemade Doritos, a dish inspired by Voltaggio’s time working at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Beverly Hills. Next, guests were treated to branzino with octopus ragu and young fennel, which was inspired by Voltaggio’s childhood favorite childhood. The main course wagyu short rib, lacquered in red wine and carrot juice with charcoal potatoes, wowed all those in attendance.
Voltaggio and his team emerged from the kitchen and prepared dessert in front of guests as the grand finale. Guests snapped photos and videos as Voltaggio and his team prepared the Mexican chocolate pot de creme with caramelized white chocolate, smoked chocolate rocks, and mezcal caramel. The sweet flavors really complimented each other as sweet and creamy to cap off an exquisite dinner.
“Not only are we cooking in the Roosevelt, but if you look down there, we’re standing on Hollywood Boulevard right now,” Voltaggio said, gesturing from the roof to the street below us. “It’s definitely a part of history, and I know that dinners like this don’t happen up here often. For me, it’s an honor to be able to have and create once in a lifetime experiences for people. It wasn’t just a night at work, it was an experience for me as well to come and be a part of this.”
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