A Preview Of The Boston Ballet's Annual Balanchine Ball

After the horrible events of Marathon Monday, it is essential to be reminded of the good in the world.  Art and culture are two things to be celebrated for spreading join and bringing people together.

On the First of June, the Boston Ballet, one of our favorite and wide reaching arts organizations, will be holding its biggest fundraiser and social event of the year, the Balanchine Ball.  Every year, hundreds of Boston's most dedicated ballet supporters secure their spots at this fundraiser where a reception, multi-course dinner, live auction, and a performance by the Company make up the bulk of the evening.  The DJ starts to spin from 10 p.m. onwards with the After party, (tickets can be bought separately) where Young Partners and dancers alike hit the dance floor.

Every year, a different theme is chosen and The Castle at Park Plaza becomes decked out with no detail forgotten.  This year, the theme is Classic Russia, in honor of famed choreographer, George Balanchine.  We had a chance to chat with Chef Kevin Marshall, executive chef of catering company MAX Ultimate Food and caterer for the event. 

The Daily Meal: Is this your first time creating a menu for Boston Ballet?
Chef Kevin Marshall: No, I worked on the Gala menu for last year with Dan.

How do you like creating menus based on a specific theme?
I love it. It brings a certain challenge to recreate menus with our MAX twist.

What kinds of dishes or foods have the Imperial Russian/Balanchine theme for this year's Ball inspired?  
I tried to bring as much Russian influence to the food as possible with adding our touch. The first course is a Caviar Trio with Lobster and Fingerling Potato Salad. The Entree is a play on a Russian dish of beef cooked in red wine with root vegetables, onions and horseradish, so we are doing Pinot Noir Glazed Beef Tenderloin with Celery root-Horseradish puree, Baby Carrots and Roasted Pearl Onions. 

Have you had to do a lot of research or are you familiar with Balanchine and his legacy?
No, I knew a little, but for this menu I was inspired by iconic Russian Cuisine. 

Will you get a chance to see the upcoming production of Chroma?
Yes, I am planning on going.