Chapter Spotlight

Getting French in D.C.

By Bennett Barsk ’82

In November, 20 gourmands showed up (70 percent of them Reed alumni; quick, someone get a calculator!) for a catered French dinner delivered to the home of Paul Levy ’73 in Washington, D.C. The genesis was this: Deirdre Orceyre ’93 belongs to a women’s Brazilian drumming group called Batala. They held a performance in July, to which she invited Bennett Barsk ’82. Bennett won a silent auction for a catered French dinner to be delivered to the location of his choice. The event generated a huge response—ultimately the gathering was capped at 20 by the chef.

The menu included salad, ratatouille (vegetarian), boeuf bourguignon (not quite vegetarian, because of that boeuf part), a selection of French cheeses, bread, homemade cookies, fruit, and wine. Service was excellent, Paul and his wife Nancy Huvendick were consummate hosts, and the food was exquisite. An outstanding time was had by all, and we definitely set a new standard for Restaurant Club events. We are contemplating making this an annual event.