Café at Adele's hosts fourth Celebrity Chef and Harvest Dinner to benefit the Greenhouse Project

Chefs Charlie Abowd and Mark Estee join forces for a second time, creating a menu for the fourth annual Celebrity Chef and Harvest Dinner that will outshine every past event. This year’s event takes place Monday, Nov. 11 in Carson City. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

“I am really excited about the menu, which will be more detailed and even more fine than in the past,” said Chef Charlie Abowd, who co-owns Café at Adele’s with his wife, Karen, executive director of The Greenhouse Project, the organization for which this event is a benefit. “Because of the proliferation of local farmers, the dinner will truly be a farm to table evening, featuring locally grown and sourced ingredients.”

The evening will also include a silent auction and feature such items as two fur coats donated by the mother of Carson City Assessor Dave Dawley, a custom ring donated by Mimi Bertrand and dinner for six at the Abowd home prepared by Charlie.

Mark, who owns Campo in Reno, joins Charlie in creating a menu featuring six courses, some produced by Campo, some by Café at Adele’s and some being collaborative in nature.

“I am back for my second year and even more honored than last year,” Estee said. “It was so much fun last year, will be even better this year and kids and good are what this is about for me.

“I am happy to get into the Adele’s kitchen and cook away with Charlie and his staff.”

In the last 18 months, The Greenhouse Project has birthed new interest in agriculture, and while the facility is located on Carson High School’s campus, children of all ages from area schools are learning about growing, nurturing and where food originates.

“This is about growing our next generation of farmers who understand the importance of sustainability,” Karen said. “Our first year we had 22 FFA students, the next year the school had to hire an ag teacher to meet demands, and the program currently has 160 students with a waiting list. Plus we bring in the elementary and middle school students.”

On a month-to-month, rotating basis The Greenhouse provides produce to Salvation Army, Ron Woods Family Resource Center and Friends in Service Helping (FISH), for distribution to those in need and provides produce for Carson High School’s culinary program as well.

Camille Jones, who has worked as the assistant manager through AmeriCorps, takes over as manager in November and will be joined by Haley Toups, as assistant. Toups comes to The Greenhouse Project by way of the University of Nevada, Reno, with a background in growing organic mushrooms, and thanks to a donation of mushroom spores by Sylvan Inc., the program will further expand into mushroom production.
Ray Saliga, who has been the manager through AmeriCorps is leaving to UNR to manage the school’s greenhouses.

“We want to see all of our kids launch into further success, so while we are happy for Ray, it is also hard to see him go, but that means the program is working, preparing them to do amazing things,” Karen said. “And there are so many great things in the works as we consider other ways to expand the program.”

The restaurants’ pastry chefs, Debbie Reetz of Campo and Miguel Lopez from Adele’s are creating a dessert featuring fresh, Dayton-grown figs from Nancy’s Green Barn Farm. Holley Family Farms are supplying the pork, the garlic and potatoes comes from Glorious Garlic Farm, specialty herbs are provided by Churchill Butte Farms, and coffee by Alpen Sierra Coffee Company. Other vegetables throughout the courses have been grown at The Greenhouse.

“What Karen and Charlie have done for the community is too much to behold and the process is what we do every day at Campo, which is taking what the land gives and making tasty food,” Mark said. “This is extra special as much of the food comes from The Greenhouse Project and the funds raised will be used to make it even better for the kids who work it.
“This is full circle.”

Course sponsorships have been provided by Dave and Jan Marson’s Nature’s Bakery, Laura Fitzsimmons and John Lambrose, AT&T, Betty Kophammer, Abowd & Rose Financial, and Southern Wine & Spirits.

“The idea for The Greenhouse Project grew out of the awareness of hunger in our community and my belief we could do better,” Karen said. “Today it is about where we need to go in the future for expansion, develop a sustainable business plan and funding streams as we know grant (funding) is going away and we have to come up with a method to get to the end game.

“I am not an expert in any of this; it has simply been my role to gravitate like minds to get together to create something lasting and meaningful. And the work’s not done.”

Tickets are extremely limited, cost $200 each and can be purchased at Café at Adele’s, 1112 N. Carson St., Carson City, 775-882-3353, or by calling Karen at 775-232-8626. To learn the latest about The Greenhouse Project or for additional ways to support this endeavor, visit www.carsoncitygreenhouse.org. You can also follow them on Facebook here.

See the menu below.