Cedric Maupillier, Executive Chef of Central Michel Richard, enjoys his own chili soup creation.  This dish’s ingredients included ground beef, corn, garlic, cumin, oregano, chipotle pepper and a bullion base.   It was topped off with a thin meat loaf slice, prepared with gruyere cheese, cumin, rice cracker puffs, and a touch of dried cheddar cheese.

Pastry chef Jerome Colin of Ici Urban Restaurant serves herb roasted pork tenderloin with celery puree.  Ici Urban Restaurant has replaced Café 15 as the dining spot at Sofitel Lafayette Square Hotel, providing a fresh and contemporary twist on traditional French bistro cuisine.

The dessert table of Georgetown’s Patisserie Poupon was a “must” stop for gourmets at the Rhône Renaissance evening with a taste for the exotic.  Owner Joseph Poupon and his wife, Ruth, served vanilla macaroons filled with passion crème.

Bastille Restaurant’s pastry chef Michelle Garbee prepares a plate of valrhona chocolate mousse with brandied cherry.  The popular Alexandria restaurant, operated by Garbee and her husband, Chef Christophe Poteaux, also served a main course tasting of pheasant and country-style rabbit pâté.