November 1, 7:00 P.M. Dinner: Celebrate Dia De Muertos with Chef Ana Castro of Lengua Madre
November 01, 2023 07:00 PM
A Traditional Mexican Dinner Honoring Past and Present Family Members
25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA
Born and raised in Mexico City, chef Ana Castro credits her grandmother with her love of food and ancestral knowledge of Mexican cuisine. At her James Beard award–nominated restaurant Lengua Madre in New Orleans, Castro has created tasting menu experiences that highlight traditional Mexican ingredients in dishes that are both innovative and refined. Her singular approach to contemporary Mexican cuisine garnered her a 2023 James Beard Nomination for Best Chef: South and she was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2022.
This dinner, held on Dia de Muertos, celebrates the holiday—an opportunity to commemorate and honor loved ones that have departed, and briefly reunite the living and the dead. Food is traditionally at the center of the rituals, and for her final evening at Platform, chef Ana Castro has created a deeply personal menu that celebrates her family members past and present.
Guests will also enjoy wines from Selection Massale and the opportunity to view a traditional Day of the Dead altar designed by chef Castro.
Dining Table $150 / Inside Counter $165 / External Counter $120
MENU
Hors d’Oeuvre
Shrimp Caldito
Sopes with Eggplant and Salsa Negra
Cheese Tetelas with Avocado and Serrano Pepper
Dinner
Abuelito’s Breakfast, Only On a Sunday> Tamales with Hoja Santa and Mole
Ariane Lesné Hop Hop Hop Pet Nat 2020
Tía Concha Lives On > Louisiana Long-Grain Rice with Poblano Pepper, Bitter Greens, and Bonito Flakes
Mas Goma Tiet Jan Vi Blanc Xarello 2021
For My Tío Aaron’s Birthday> Castro Family–Style Pozole Rojo with Tostadas and Fixings
Broc Cellars Amore Blendo Red Blend 2022
A Riff for My Great Grandmother> Pumpkin en Tacha with Labneh and Amaranth
Les Bottes Rouges Kilt Vin de Liqueur Chardonnay 2016
Wines generously donated by Selection Massale.
* all items on this menu are gluten-free
About Ana Castro:
Raised in Mexico City, Chef Ana Castro traveled from India to Europe to New York City before laying down roots in New Orleans. There, Ana worked her way up to sous chef at the nationally acclaimed Coquette Ana worked her way up to sous chef at the nationally acclaimed Coquette. While there, she was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s 2018 Rising Star Award and, in the same year, a recipient of the coveted Ment’Or Grant, which allowed her to work for 3 months under Chef Jonathan Tam at Relae in Denmark.
In 2021, Ana opened Lengua Madre with a vision to elevate our current understanding of Mexican cuisine. Under her leadership, Lengua Madre was a semifinalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award and was included in both the New York Times’ “Restaurant List” 2021 and Bon Appetit’s “50 Best New Restaurants” 2022. She was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs” 2022 and went on to become a 2023 finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: South” Award. The celebrated restaurant will close its doors December 31, 2023.
Acamaya, Ana’s first solo venture as chef-owner, is slated to open in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood in spring 2024. The coastal Mexican seafood restaurant will feature dishes utilizing the bounty of the Gulf of Mexico in a lively, laid-back atmosphere.
Tickets to events held at Platform at Pier 57 by the James Beard Foundation cover the cost of food, education and a unique dining experience. Meals are prepared by culinary masters from all regions of the United States and around the world. Unless otherwise stated, alcoholic beverages are provided on a complimentary basis and are not included in the ticket price.
James Beard Foundation events permit guests age 21 years and older to attend events where alcoholic beverages are served.