Having a James Beard Foundation Award winner in the neighborhood is rare.
Akin to a Pulitzer for chefs, the award represents a top honor in the culinary world, and Wednesday night, one of the youngest chefs to receive the Rising Star Chef of the Year title was at Stillwaters Tavern in downtown St. Pete for a charity dinner. Called Big Easy in the 'Burg, the feast benefited the St. Petersburg Free Clinic.
Chef Allison Vines-Rushing, a native of Louisiana who spent her senior year at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, prepared New Orleans-inspired cuisine for 87 family, friends and Bay area residents alongside Stillwaters executive chef Jeffrey Jew, a Top Chef alum and, most recently, a Guy's Grocery Games winner.
Vines-Rushing's mother, St. Pete insurance broker and arts patron Sylvia Rusche, smiled proudly from her table as her daughter spoke to guests. The chef opened Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in NYC in 2003 to great acclaim, winning the Beard award the following year. She has since worked with her husband, Slade Rushing (now executive chef at Brennan's in New Orleans), as co-chef at NOLA-area restaurants Longbranch and Mila; she now owns Rushing Cuisine and is the author of a Beard-nominated cookbook, Southern Comfort.
Vines-Rushing's take on barbecue shrimp, a New Orleans staple, with rock shrimp, lemon confit and garlic purée.
Jeremy Scott
The five-course, locally focused menu showcased Vines-Rushing's way with New Orleans fare and Jew's knowledge of Florida cuisine. Blue crab beignets, barbecue rock shrimp, and steamed red snapper with an andouille broth joined smoked amberjack and a dessert melon medley for a spread that made the dreams of Southern seafood enthusiasts come true.
Murmurs of "I could eat this every day" floated around the room. Each course was paired with wine, and champagne flowed throughout the evening.
Beth Houghton, executive director of the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, spoke to guests before the meal about how their support (tickets for the dinner were $125 a pop) would help people in need. The dinner raised $5,000.
Vines-Rushing, who attended Florida State University and spent time volunteering in homeless shelters there, applauds the clinic's work.
"It's really a great asset for St. Pete," she said.
Robert Sanderson, whose 2BHospitality group owns Stillwaters and its older sibling, BellaBrava, agrees.
"The Free Clinic provides important services to the underserved of our community," Sanderson said via email. "We have been so lucky to have the support of our community that we felt it important to give back; those who need someone to care for them and their needs. We can't think of a better place for us to lend our support."
