Chef JJ's Brings the Heat to Grilled Dinner Events

A Big Green Egg, grilling grates, 40 degree weather and some cheese - what do these all have in common? Chef JJ Boston that is. Chef JJ and his team pull together some of the most unique events that sell out time after time. With two locations, the inaugural location in Broad Ripple and the newest location on South Street in Downtown Indianapolis, they are putting the heat on private dinner events literally.

Edible Indy partnered with the culinary team at Chef JJ's Downtown to put together a local product dinner. The focus of this co-sponsored dinner was to spread the love and knowledge of the amazing food coming out of the state of Indiana. For this particular dinner, the featured artisan was Schnabeltier, Northwest Indiana's first Artisan Cheesmaker and Farm Winery. This award winning creamery has busted out in full force in the last three years, winning countless awards, becoming an Indiana Grown Member and they are now a part of Indiana Artisans.

WHAT WAS ON THE MENU?

Six courses filled with Schnabeltier cheeses that will tempt the taste buds of any cheese lover. 

Garlic Cheese Curds: House made naan with a cilantro and lime dip

Duck Pastrami: Racelette, rye bread, turmeric onion kraut, gooseberry jam and a poached egg

Pork Belly Salad: Aged gouda, winter greens, cipollini onions, red wine pickled peppers, pomegranate molasses

Mushroom Soup: Swiss, fried Maitake, house made baguette, potatoes, carrots, white wine and olive oil

Peppercorn Gouda Popover: New York strip, rosemary, and a Dijon herb blend

Puff Pastry: Apricot compote, whipped cream and gruyere

The craziest part of this dinner is all of this is made on the Big Green Egg! Yes, the Maitake was fried, on the grill. The soup was made, on the grill. The naan, you guessed it, grilled on the grill!  And flavorful was beyond compare.

The cost of the event was $70 per person plus a cash bar and this event was sold out. This is only one of the many dinner events that Chef JJ's will host and they host them at both locations and to encourage more grilled dinners, they even host cooking classes. Upcoming events for the 2017 events include a sold out brisket class, Bier Brewery Grill Dinner, seafood grilling class, down on the Bayou dinner series, a pub crawl and more. Visit Chef JJ's website for a complete listing of the events and to purchase tickets. To learn more about the award winning cheeses and wines of Schnabeltier head to their website or visit them in Rochester, Indiana!