Here’s Everything You’ll Be Eating at Bal Masqué 2018

Cochon chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski are holding their foundation’s annual Carnival ball, Bal Masque, on January 19 and 20, and Eater has a sneak peek at the menu.

The glitzy masked ball includes food from highly-acclaimed, award-winning American chefs Nina Compton, John Currence, Suzanne Goin, Paul Kahan, Mike Lata, Frank Stitt, Richard Reddington, Andrea Reusing, and Maggie Scales. Plus there’s an exclusive four-course chefs’ dinner the night before the main event with Donald Link mentor and award-winning chef Nancy Oakes. Take note that several of these restaurants appear on Eater’s 38 Best Restaurants in America, some for several years running.

Two big and noteworthy changes to the event this year. It’s a lot less expensive than in years past. Basic tickets are only $300. Also, the legendary Nancy Oakes is taking the place of embattled and Mario Batali for the chefs’ dinner for obvious reasons.

Behold the menus from the superstar chefs:

The Nancy Oakes Chefs’ Dinner Menu (January 19, 2018):

Amuse: Ahi tuna with black sesame snow

First course: Dungeness crab, oroblanco, and little white asparagus

Second course: Tiny veal meatballs and winter truffles

Third course: Zabuton with new potatoes in smoked French butter

Fourth course: Meyer lemon “drop” puddings – lemon crinkle cookies, candied lemon peel, toasted meringue, and a Limoncello white chocolate truffle

Finale: Mignardises (matcha crinkle cookies, ginseng snaps, and espresso-hazelnut shortbread)

The Bal Masqué Party Menu (January 20, 2018):

Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar and Grill (an Eater 38 Best Restaurant in America hall of famer) will serve beef tartine, Roquefort aioli, and pickled mushrooms.

Mike Lata of FIG (another Eater 38 Best Restaurant in America hall of famer) has barbecue Carolina white shrimp for guests.

John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford will serve Moroccan spiced antebellum grits, braised lamb belly and harissa.

James Beard Award winning Andrea Reusing of Lantern is making coconut-braised, whey-fed pork shank, spicy L’Hoste kumquats, and fried shallots

Richard Reddington of highly acclaimed Redd brings rabbit mole with grits.

Chicago empire builder Paul Kahan of Avec is cooking chorizo-stuffed Medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper tomato sauce

LA’s star chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques has Nantucket Bay scallop aguachile with avocado, pomegranates, and cilantro

Nina Compton of Compère Lapin will handle hors d’oeuvres.

Maggie Scales of the Link Restaurant Group will bake king cake and galette des roi, keeping true to the Carnival theme of the ball.

Tickets to Bal Masqué are available here.