Timely Clambake for Late Chef

The Scene: A New England-by-way-of-Santa-Monica clambake in honor of the late James Beard at Michael’s restaurant on Sunday. It would have been the great American chef’s 87th birthday on Saturday (he died in 1985), and similar Beard birthday celebrations occur annually at restaurants around the country.

The Charity: The James Beard Foundation, which preserves Beard’s Manhattan brownstone and its huge kitchen where American chefs come to cook, stage tastings and hold other food-oriented events. Scholarship and apprenticeship programs for student chefs are in the works.

Who Was There: Local foodies, including Jerry Devo (a.k.a. Gerald Cassale, lead singer of Devo), Mary Micucci, owner of Along Came Mary! catering; comedian Martin and Wendy Mull, vintner Robert Sinskey with Loraine Sloan, artist Eric Orr and his wife Peggy, Master Planner’s Jackie Applebaum, Ace Gallery owner Doug Chrismas, attorney Tony and Cindy Canzoneri.

Quoted: “I’ve now reached serious eater status,” said Jerry Devo. “Eating is as essential to your life as sleeping and procreation. You have to take pride in what you eat. . . . Eating is a third of your life.”

Overheard: “Slurp.” During cocktails as waiters passed trays of Kumamoto, Skookum and Hog Island oysters on the half shell--without forks.

The Chow: Following the aforementioned oysters came steamed Dabob Bay Manila clams, Maine lobster, molasses barbecued pork and chicken on baby greens with grilled baby corn and Maui onions, raspberry sorbet with mixed berries, all washed down with Schramsberg Blanc de Noir, Acacia Chardonnay and Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon.

Triumph: Forgetting to crack (or intentionally serving uncracked) whole Maine lobsters. As people ripped their lobsters apart and lobster juice flew across the tables onto their neighbors’ clothes, faces and hair, everyone agreed there could be no better ice breaker.

Noted: “My family owned most of Nantucket in the 1700s,” said Billy Starbuck, executive chef of Along Came Mary!, explaining his familiarity with seafood. “In my house, the faster you could crack a lobster, the more you could eat. We always had two lobsters per person and half the people would get a third if they finished first.”

Dress Code: The invitation clearly stated casual, but there was everything from Chanel suits to shorts and Topsiders.