AZUR Culinary Team Wins Signature Chefs Award

The AZUR Culinary Team led by Executive Chef Jeremy Ashby won the Signature Chefs award for their entree during the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction in Lexington, Kentucky. Guests enjoyed an incredible gourmet food sampling of Lexington's most elite chefs’ signature dishes followed by a live and silent auction of thrilling packages and spectacular items. This fundraising event for the March of Dimes takes place in 200 cities across the country.

AZUR Guest Celebrity Chef Series

The AZUR Guest Celebrity Chef Series dinners will feature chefs, many of whom are known regionally or nationally, preparing a multi-coursed dinner with the AZUR chefs - Executive Chef Jeremy Ashby and Chef Miguel Rivas at AZUR restaurant & patio. The inaugural dinner will be Wednesday, November 24 and will feature Chef Aaron Hopper. Chef Hopper was one of AZUR's original chef/owners and was instrumental in the kitchen and menu design which has become the trademark of AZUR. We are pleased to feature Chef Aaron Hopper as our first celebrity guest chef. More guest chefs and dates will be announced in the coming weeks. Our goal is to keep the passion and spirit of the culinary arts alive in Lexington, Kentucky.

Cookin' in the Bluegrass - WEG 2010

(l to r) Chef Miguel Rivas, Chef Bernard Guillas, Fred Wohlstein, Chef Jose Garces and Chef Jeremy Ashby

Jeremy Ashby, Executive chef at AZUR restaurant & patio in Lexington was the featured Kentucky chef, along with Chef Bernard Guillas from The Marine Room in La Jolla, Calif. and Chef Jose Garces (Iron chef) from the Garces Restaurant Group in Philadelphia at the celebrity chef dinner during the World Equestrian Games on Oct. 6, 2010. The event was over-booked by 11 guests with a final total of 91 including: Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, First Lady Jane Beshear and Reggie Farmer, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner. The dinner featured a cornucopia of Kentucky Proud products. Menu may be viewed by following this link http://azurrestaurant.com/azurin.aspx

AZUR Wins Mixed Drink Challenge

Josh Brown, AZUR General Manager and Amber Blaisdell, Spirits Manager won BIG at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2010 - Mixed Drink Challenge in Bardstown, Kentucky this past week. Their entry - AZUR Bluegrass Sunrise won two awards for AZUR. They took the Champion award for the mixed drink competition in the restaurant division and also won the Grand Champion award for the entire competition. During the next Kentucky Bourbon Festival in 2011 their mixed bourbon cocktail will be the official drink. It's a great honor for all!

AZUR Repeats Fine Dining Title

AZUR restaurant & patio was awarded the Best in Lex 2010 award for fine dining by the Ace Weekly Readers' Poll for the second consequtive year! This also marks the second year that a restaurant outside of downtown Lexington has won. We are pleased that so many recognize AZUR as a cutting edge culinary leader. AZUR co-owner Fred Wohlstein accepted the award during the Best of Lexington 2010 reception on September 17.

Report from New Orleans Seafood Cook-Off

The AZUR team under the leadership of Executive chef Jeremy Ashby just returned from the 7th Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans, LA. Even though we didn't bring home the seafood crown for Kentucky, we were treated like royalty. The night before the event, the culinary teams were loaded on buses and police escorted to several New Orleans fine dining restaurants including Commander's Palace, Cafe Palace and Ralph's on the Park. Teams represented states from Alaska to Maine and Illinois to Florida. Chef Jeremy Ashby represented Kentucky well as an ambassador to the Kentucky sustainability movement (aquaculture and agriculture). As a result of the competition, AZUR was able to discuss the Kentucky Proud program and invite several celebrity chefs and food magazine editors to visit Kentucky. Though we did not win the event, AZUR and Chef Ashby did win attention for the Kentucky culinary movement and Kentucky Proud products.

Note: The crown went to Chef Dean James Max of Florida who is a great chef and an ambassador to Florida's sustainable seafood as well.

Summer Nights on AZUR Patio

In the hospitality business, there are many, many wonderful nights but some just stand out. Last night was one of those memorable summer evenings on the AZUR patio. After weeks of high temperatures and humidity, the weather finally cooperated. Not only did the temperature drop about 15 degrees but we also had a talented band booked for our Friday patio guests' entertainment. Let's just say that it was the "perfect storm." Every table was seated throughout the restaurant & patio and we even placed into service an area of just seats for the overflow of guests. Definitely an evening that will be talked about in AZUR lore.

OpenTable Goes Online at AZUR

This past Tuesday, AZUR went online with OpenTable. You are now able to book reservations using the OpenTable link on the AZUR website home page, through the OpenTable website, by using the iPhone app and very soon through the AZUR Facebook page. We are pleased to add this free service which allows confirmations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Especially with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 here in Lexington, Kentucky in just a few months. Remember: OpenTable membership is at no cost.

AZUR Upper Patio Before and After Sails

Before (above) and After (below)

Several years ago, AZUR needed a solution to the afternoon sun on the upper patio area. We didn't feel that the conventional patio umbrellas were the solution so we began searching for a solution that fit our European-styling. The search resulted in the AZUR shade sails. When hung, they look like inverted boat sails suspended in the air. Every year we install them in the summer and remove them in the fall. In our area, the wind really gusts during the fall, winter and spring. We feel that they really make the upper patio and hope you agree. It's the details that count. See before and after photos.

AZUR Bazaar?

We realize that restaurants (especially fine dining) don't typically host a bazaar for a specialty dinner but that's okay. AZUR enjoys introducing all types of foods, ingredients and culinary concepts. Hosting a food bazaar is like mixing all these things in one big bowl. So for one night, we are going to attempt to recreate those wonderful community bazaars one finds in cities and villages abroad on our very own patio. As an independent restaurant, we do step "outside of the box" and we do things "off the wall." And yes, sometimes they are not well received, but we say to ourselves, "At least we tried." If we ever stop being inspired and energized by our conceptual dinners, then the spark for AZUR will most likely be lost as well.

AZUR Appears Everywhere

Lately, we have been hearing a lot of comments about AZUR and Executive chef Jeremy Ashby appearing everywhere (television, newspapers, magazines, events, etc.). Our simple answer to this is we work hard to share what we do. Most of what people see is a result of efforts we have made over the last several years. It is true that AZUR utilizes many modes of social media (Facebook, Twitter, the AZUR eNewsletter, our web site and even this blog) to reach out to people who wish to know what makes AZUR tic. What people may not realize is that we actually create the majority of the content ourselves. All these outlets provide a personal connection to us and an extension of our personalities. We like the real time interaction with our friends, fans and followers. And we're glad that people are noticing that AZUR is out there. By the way, we have been blogging for four years.

AZUR @ Allech WEG 2010: 100 Days Celebration

The Allech FEI World Equestrian Games hosted "100 Days Celebration" in downtown Lexington this past Thursday (6/17/2010). Chef Jeremy Ashby [AZUR restaurant & patio] "kicked off" the festivities with a food presentation of Kentucky Proud products and a talk about the James Beard Celebrity Chefs dinners during the Games. He also expressed his excitement for the opportunity of Kentucky chefs to show the Kentucky food identity to visitors from around the world. Chef Ashby finished with a quote from First Lady Jane Beshear. "There is southern hospitality and there is Kentucky hospitality." He then said, "We're going to show them Kentucky hospitality."

Chef Jeremy Ashby Heading to New Orleans!

On June 7, Executive chef Jeremy Ashby competed in the Kentucky Great American Seafood Cook-Off which showcases local, sustainable aquaculture products. His Woven Shrimp entry with Kentucky Aquaculture shrimp, Kentucky honey, Kentucky Black Star caviar and Alltech Bourbon Barrel Ale won first place. Chef Ashby will be going to the national competition in New Orleans on August 7. The AZUR restaurant & patio crew will be making another trip out-of-state this summer with Chef Ashby. Hope to see several AZUR fans, friends and followers out in the audience.


(l to r) Executive chef Jeremy Ashby, Angela Caporelli of Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Chef John Varanese.

Chef Ashby's Bourbon and Peppercorn Pork Belly

It is definitely not every day that a chef has one of his original recipes posted on the James Beard Foundation's website for all foodies to review and try. This past week Executive Chef Jeremy Ashby learned that his Bourbon and Peppercorn Glazed Pork Belly had been posted under the JBF Recipes page on their website. His recipe joins an elite group of chefs including: James Beard, Rick Bayless, Thomas Keller, Mario Batali and more. Plus, it's a recipe that one could find being prepared in a Southern kitchen just a little more upscale. Follow the link for the recipe. http://www.jamesbeard.org/index.php?q=recipes/show/bourbon_and_peppercorn_glazed_pork_belly

Enjoy!

James Beard Dinner in New York City

Walked up to the James Beard House and began prepping for the World Equestrian Games 2010 Celebrity Chef preview dinner. It's a tight kitchen but well stocked and staffed. All of the staff are very welcoming and helpful. We had a little bit of trouble acquiring the morel mushrooms and oysters for this evening but Creation Gardens and Great Performances came through very quickly. It's going to be a great night. We have so many Kentuckians that made the trip and we greatly appreciate their support. Thank you. We'll see you tonight for a SOLD OUT dinner!

AZUR in New York at James Beard House

Executive Chef Jeremy Ashby and three other Kentucky Chefs will be preparing a Cookin' in the Bluegrass preview dinner at the James Beard House this coming Monday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. To prepare and serve in the very space where so many celebrity chefs have come before is quite a rush for AZUR and Chef Ashby. See the full menu below:

Cookin’ in the Bluegrass Menu:

Hors d’Oeuvre

Cornmeal Hoecakes with Goat Cheese Mousse, Pickled Spring Onions, and Truffled Kentucky Honey

Kentucky Ale and White Farmhouse Cheddar Soup Shooters with Crispy Country Ham and Toasted Almond Grissini

Kentucky Paddlefish Caviar and Sunny-Side-Up Quail Eggs on Brioche with Chive Crème Fraîche

Citrus and Beet Ceviche on Yuca Chips with Moonshine–Rhubarb Compote

Panfried Rabbit Livers with Kentucky Burgoo Flavors

Bourbon and Lemon Basil Juleps

Assorted Kentucky Wines

Dinner

Kentucky Bison Carpaccio with Bibb Lettuce, Arugula, Crunchy Black-Eyed Peas, and Apple Cider–Sorghum Vinaigrette

Equus Run Vidal Blanc 2008

Truffled Potato Gnocchi with Garden Peas, Morels, and Brown Butter

Jean Ferris Chardonnay 2007

Bourbon and Black Pepper–Glazed Pork Belly with Kentucky-Style Soup Beans Kentucky Blue Prawn with Grits and Salsa Verde

Talon Winery Syrah 2007

Coffee-Rubbed Lamb Loin with Spiced Carrot Purée and Banana Pepper–Green Tomato Relish Bacon and Praline–Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Oyster Bread Pudding, Asparagus, and Salsify

Elk Creek Blue Ribbon Initiative Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Strawberry, Kentucky Brie, and Black Walnut Cobbler with Blackberry–Buttermilk Ice Cream and Bourbon-Smoked Sea Salt

Jean Ferris Blanc de Blanc 2008

Reservations: Secure or Not Secure

One of the long standing debates of AZUR is whether to secure reservations on special holidays and occasions with a credit card or not . Quite often, we must turn away or place customers on a waiting list because we have reached our seating capacity by the reservation count. Though we are pleased that so many wish to dine with us, it becomes a difficult situation when those that have reserved tables do not honor their reservations. This results in two negatives: 1) we have turned away customers and represented to them that we have no tables and 2) we lose potential receipts because these reserved tables will most likely not be able to be used by anyone. It seems that there must be a solution to this issue that doesn't have negativity attached. AZUR would love to hear your comments or suggestions.

AZUR Likes Slow Food

It seems that life continues to get faster and faster paced every day. Smart phones allow instant connection to information and one another. In the past, a meal was not just a time for eating but also a time for socialization. AZUR appreciates the social aspect of dining. We like to see our customers enjoying a good meal with family or friends over a longer period of time. Slow food is about slowing down and enjoying what you're eating as well as the company at the table. Think about all the memories centered around a table and food that not only looked good but tasted good. That is where AZUR derives it's enjoyment and satisfaction.

AZUR's Chef Ashby on the Road

AZUR has been very busy during the Keeneland Spring Meet but we also have several events scheduled off premise over the next several weeks as well. Executive chef Jeremy Ashby will be making the grand circuit. See his schedule of events below.

April 26 & 27 - Louisville, KY for live cooking demonstrations during Kentucky Derby week
April 29 - Paris, KY for a private dinner for the Kentucky Bluegrass Wine Auction
May 15 - Frankfort, KY at Governor's Mansion for Green Friends of the Games dinner
May 24 - New York, NY at James Beard House for Cookin' in the Bluegrass dinner

Running on All Burners!

April has been packed with special dinners, off site catering and post Keeneland racing fans. AZUR may need to rework how we handle the volume to better serve our expanding customer base. 2010 has really been a great year for AZUR and it just keeps getting better. Once again, we thank all our loyal fans, followers and friends. You make AZUR what it is. Two words - Thank you.