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You may have read that it’s time for the James Beard Foundation Awards. While the official
ceremony happens on Monday night, there are typically a couple parties leading
up to the main event. There’s been a bit of a party drought for the past couple
of years but it seems that there’s now a
renewed spirit of festivities upon us.

Last night S.
Pellegrino, sponsors of the
Outstanding Restaurant award, hosted a soirée to fête nominee Terrance Brennan
at Picholine. (Note he’s also nominated for Best Chef NYC.) Dressed in a natty
blue suit, Terrance graciously accepted the nomination on behalf of his staff. He gave props to the restaurant’s chef, Craig Hopson whom Brennan said does
most of the cooking – a refreshingly candid stance for a top chef to take. Terrance
was presented with a giant bottle of S.Pellegrino, signed by all in attendance,
to which he said “I’ve never received a jeroboam of water before!” As we nibbled
on the house fromage and sipped champagne we wondered, what does one do with a
jeroboam of bubbly h2o? Cellar it for a special occasion? Pop it Monday night if
there’s victory? Turns out it was a show bottle, filled only with bonne chance.