Asheville chef Justin Burdett collaborates on seafood dinner at Piedmont in Durham

PRESS RELEASE from Local Provisions:

[Durham, NC] – As a longtime supporter of small, North Carolina growers, Piedmont has remained equally committed to being a good steward of the sea. Each season, Piedmont invites chefs, fisherman, and organizations supporting sustainable seafood to collaborate on their Seasons of the Sea dinner – a multi-course dinner showcasing the diversity and seasonality of fish and shellfish from our coast. This 4-part dinner series highlights North Carolina’s seafood in Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

On February 8^th, Piedmont’s Executive Chef John May welcomes Chef Justin Burdett – whose restaurant Local Provisions in Asheville, NC was named by EATER among the “21 Best New Restaurants in America” –  to collaborate on a 7-course winter menu (below) featuring North Carolina seafood and a wide range of preservation methods. Look for dishes featuring pickling, smoking, curing and more, alongside sustainably caught North Carolina seafood from Locals Seafood. Piedmont’s relationship with Locals Seafood has enabled them to share fresh-caught fish from North Carolina’s coast throughout the year, and to be advocates for a robust North Carolina seafood economy.  A percentage of every ticket purchased will fund North Carolina Catch. “Fresh seasonal seafood from our coast is top notch. NC Catch couldn’t be more pleased that Piedmont is presenting a special taste of the best that North Carolina has to offer,” explained NC Catch President Jimmy Johnson.

“These dinners give us an opportunity to bring like-minded chefs to the Piedmont table; we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chef Justin Burdett, who recently opened Local Provisions in Asheville, NC, and is well respected for his work with local farms, foragers and fermentation,” stated Piedmont’s Chef John May. May and Burdett, who are collaborating on the menu, will focus on the art and science of preservation – a necessity during the winter months when there isn’t an abundance of fresh produce.

This dinner will be celebrated Wednesday, February 8th, at 6:30pm. The $65/ person 7-course menu is also available for $90, with General Manager Crawford Leavoy’s wine pairings, which reflect a similar viewpoint. “We’ve chosen to highlight very unique and off-the-radar wines for this dinner,” including wines from underrepresented wine regions like North Carolina’s Outer Banks, New York’s Finger Lakes and the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, as well as unconventional wines from Hungary, Austria and Italy.

Reservations can be made by contacting 919-683-1213. All special menus may be previewed in the Events section at www.piedmontrestaurant.com. Please also note Chef John May’s January Seasonal Ingredient 4-course Tasting Menu features Winter Squash.

Since its inception in February 2016, Piedmont has hosted Dean Neff, Ricky Moore and Jay Pierce to highlight Shrimp, Black Bass, Snapper, Triggerfish, Flounder, Swordfish and Tuna from North Carolina.

Chef John May + Chef Justin Burdett

in conjunction with Locals Seafood & NC Catch

first course

cured wreckfish, beet, dill, yogurt, oats

Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella, Alto Adige, Italy, 2015

second course

confit bluefish salad, celery, carrot, rutabaga

Albariño, Sanctuary Vineyards “Pearl,” Jarvisburg, Outer Banks, North Carolina, 2015

third course

pickled clam, country ham, sweet potato, garlic

Rkatsiteli, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes, New York, 2013

fourth course

 smoked swordfish acting as country ham

Palomino, El Maestro Sierra “Fino,” Jerez, Spain, NV

fifth course

oyster poached in fermented kimchi, oyster consomme

Furmint, Királyudvar “Sec,” Tokaji, Hungary, 2013

sixth course

braised grouper cheeks with dried bottarga

Zweigelt & Blaufränkisch, Anton Bauer “Cuvée,” Wagram, Austria, 2013

seventh course

sour cream-chocolate cake, apple, granola

Petit Manseng, Glen Manor Vineyards “Raepheus,” Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, 2012

$65 per person

$90 with wine pairings

Piedmont’s Executive Chef John May, a Durham native, is most well-known for his work alongside Chef Vivian Howard at Chef & The Farmer beginning in 2013, and for his appearances on her Emmy and Peabody award-winning PBS show, “A Chef’s Life.” May was steeped in the foodways and farms of Eastern North Carolina. His commitment to honoring local food and foodways coupled with his refined, adaptations of Southern food, made him a natural fit for Durham’s inspired 4-star neighborhood restaurant, owned by the farmers of the Hillsborough-based Coon Rock Farm.

Justin Burdett, Executive Chef and Owner of Local Provisions in Asheville, NC, fuses his passion for local ingredients with unexpected flavor profiles to make creative, modern cuisine that is reflective of the area’s culinary history and culture. Born and raised in Georgia, Burdett took his first industry job at 14 years old and furthered his culinary experience in celebrated kitchens including 5 & 10 under chef Hugh Acheson and as chef de cuisine at Miller Union under chef Steven Satterfield. Most recently, he served as executive chef at Ruka’s Table in Highlands, North Carolina, where he was among Food & Wine’s top ten chefs in the Southeast in 2013 and 2014 and was a 2014 Top 30 Chef to Watch by Plate, among other accolades. Since opening in November 2014, Local Provisions was recognized by Eater as one of 2016’s 21 Best New Restaurants in America and by Southern Living as one of the Best New Restaurants in the South 2016.