@i8NYC presents: EUPHORIA 🍽️😋 [MAX 6PPL]

Tue, Dec 16 · 6:30 PM EST

1 NIGHT ONLY! Culinary Legend Lidia Bastianich & Amy Brandwein@ JBF 🍽️[PREPAID]

Platform by JBF, 25 11th Ave, New York, NY, US

Only LIMITED seats! Add yourself to the Waitlist and Venmo @i8NYC $264/pp to be moved over to 'Going'. Feel free to bring +1 guest. Tickets will go to the quick and committed! NO REFUNDS!!!

Note: JBF Dinners have recently been sold out before posting menus so that's your heads up!

A Masterful Italian Menu Showcasing Two James Beard Award–Recognized Powerhouses

We are heading to JBF Platform! Lidia is a Culinary Legend! I still miss Felidia! At 78, try her food before she retires! When I think Lidia I think PBS. Two powerhouses of Italian cuisine unite for a singular dinner showcasing their impressive talents. Multiple James Beard Award winner® Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Seven-time James Beard Award nominee® Chef Amy Brandwein will create a menu where pasta takes the spotlight—abundant, generous, and prepared with the mastery that has made their names synonymous with Italian food.

Matticchio Bastianich, a celebrated restaurateur, partner of Eataly, Emmy Award–winning PBS host, and author of the forthcoming Lidia’s The Art of Pasta, has introduced generations of Americans to the flavors and traditions of Italy through her restaurants, television programs, and cookbooks. Brandwein, the chef/owner of Centrolina and Piccolina in Washington, D.C., is known for her refined, soulful cooking that captures the spirit of Italy with every plate.

Cost: $264 (ALL IN)

Menu: (based on avail)
HORS D’OEUVRES

• Naked Salt Oyster on the Half Shell with Borlotti Beans and 'Nduja
• Crispy Eggplant Pappardelle with Honey and Toasted Almonds
• Crostata with Kale, Butternut Squash, and Ricotta

Pairing: Champagne Lancelot-Pienne Instant Present Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
DINNER

• Honeynut Squash with Bagna Cauda and Sesame

Pairing: Elena Walch Beyond the Clouds Grande Cuvée Alto-Adige Bianco 2022

• Baked Manicotti

Pairing: Donatella Cinelli Colombini Rosso di Montalcino 2023

• Millbrook Farms Venison with Hinona Turnip, Poached Apple, Balsamic, and Crème Fraîche

Pairing: Bastianich Venezia-Giulia Vespa Rosso 2016

DESSERT

• Presnitz Strudel with Chestnut Gelato and Honey Salt

Dietary/Food Restrictions Policy:
Events at Platform by JBF are special one-night-only menus and we do not offer a la carte menus. If you have serious food allergies, we will work with the visiting chef team to do our best to accommodate but cannot guarantee that alternate options will be available for every course.

This one-night-only dinner will feature a cocktail reception with passed hors d'oeuvre upon arrival, an expertly crafted multi-course menu with thoughtfully curated wine or beverage pairings, and a Q&A with the featured chefs.

Tickets to events held at Platform at Pier 57 by the James Beard Foundation cover the cost of food, education, and a unique dining experience. Meals are prepared by culinary masters from all regions of the United States and around the world. Unless otherwise stated, alcoholic beverages are provided on a complimentary basis and are included in the ticket price. Gratuity, taxes, and fees are included in the ticket price.

James Beard Foundation events permit guests age 21 years and older to attend events where alcoholic beverages are served.

~A La Cuisine

Wed, Dec 17 · 6:30 PM EST

ONE NIGHT ONLY! Yalda/Persian Winter Solstice w/ Sofreh @ JBF 🍽️🇮🇷 [PREPAID]

Platform by JBF, 25 11th Ave, New York, NY, US

Only LIMITED seats! Add yourself to the Waitlist and Venmo @i8NYC $223/pp to be moved over to 'Going'. Feel free to bring +1 guest. Tickets will go to the quick and committed! NO REFUNDS!!!

Note: JBF Dinners have recently been sold out before posting menus so that's your heads up!

We are heading to JBF Platform! Three-time James Beard Award nominee® chef Nasim Alikhani of Brooklyn’s Sofreh joins forces with celebrated host and culinary expert Nilou Motamed to bring Yalda—Persia’s ancient winter solstice celebration—to the table.

Known as Shab-e Yalda, the holiday marks the longest night of the year when families gather to share pomegranates, watermelon, and poetry—a reminder that even on the darkest night, light waits to return.
This festive dinner will spotlight regional Iranian flavors with a menu centered on crimson-hued foods and seasonal ingredients woven throughout. Guests will not only savor the richness of chef Alikhani’s cuisine, but also Motamed’s storytelling and the spirit of a tradition that has connected communities for thousands of years. Together, we will honor the symbolism of Yalda: the triumph of light over darkness, of community over solitude, and hope enduring above all else.

In 2023, Alikhani was named a James Beard Foundation nominee for Best Chef: New York State, and was invited to cook for President Biden, the First Lady, and their guests at a special Nowruz reception at the White House. Sofreh: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Persian Cuisine, is her debut cookbook.

PICS FROM LAST TIME

4/5 on Yelp, 4.4/5 on Google

Menu: (based on avail)
HORS D’OEUVRES

• Paneer-e Ghelgheli > Marinated Feta Cheese Balls with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze
• Koukou Sabzi > Classic Persian Herb Frittata

DINNER

• Aash e Anar ba Koofteh Ghelgheli > Pomegranate Soup w/ Mini Meatballs
• Salad-e Zaytoon Parvarde > Marinated Green Olive Salad w/ Walnuts, Pomegranate Seeds
• Ghalieh Mahi ba Sabzi Polo > Grilled Fish w/ Tamarind Sauce, Herbed Rice
• Fereni ba Anar > Rosewater–Cardamom Custard w/ Pomegranate Gelée
• Sofreh’s Chai and Damnoosh > Black Tea and Herbal Infusions with Persian Nabat Rock Candy

This one-night-only dinner will feature a cocktail reception with passed hors d'oeuvre upon arrival, an expertly crafted multi-course menu with thoughtfully curated wine or beverage pairings, and a Q&A with the featured chefs.

James Beard Foundation events permit guests age 21 years and older to attend events where alcoholic beverages are served.

~A La Cuisine

Fri, Jan 2, 2026 · 6:15 PM EST

Vietnamese Night @ Mộc Mạc 🇻🇳

Mộc Mạc, 79 2nd Ave, New York, NY, US

Only LIMITED seats! Please RSVP responsibly and take your attendance seriously!!! PLEASE BRING CASH ONLY!!!

We are heading to East Village! Soft Opening 11/5! The team behind Moc Mac is also behind High Lúa Vietnamese Kitchen, which has been open in Brooklyn since 2018. Mộc Mạc is a Vietnamese restaurant serving things like Vietnamese-style hot pot loaded with shrimp and pork belly, and oxtail and shank phở. Everything on the menu is under $30, except that hot pot, which is made to share.

Mộc Mạc is more than a Vietnamese restaurant, it’s a reflection of who we are. The name means humble beauty: finding richness in simplicity and authenticity. Please be ON TIME!!! 😊

4.1/5 on Yelp, 4.9/5 on Google

IG REEL
COSIGN BY @MIKEJCHAU

NYC’s New Restaurant Openings (12/4)

Cost: ~$45 (ALL IN)

Menu: (based on avail/headcount)
SHARED PER 3PPL

• BABY CLAM BITES - Baby clams delicately sautéed w/ shallot & herbs w/ toasted sesame crackers 🦪🧅🌿
• LEMONGRASS KUMQUAT TOFU - Crispy tofu cubes tossed in a warm glaze of lemongrass, kumquat, garlic 🫘🍊🧄
• CHILI SHRIMP SALT WINGS - Double fried wings dusted with/ house blended chili shrimp salt 🐔🌶️🦐🧂
• BETEL LEAF WAGYU - Minced Wagyu beef w/ lemongrass & spices, wrapped in betel leaf & flame grilled 🐮🥩🍃🔥
• MEKONG DELTA RESERVE - Rich delta-style hotpot w/ mam ca linh & mắm cá sắc, simmered w/ seafood, pork belly, local greens 🐷🐠🥬🍲

~A La Cuisine

Wed, Jan 7, 2026 · 6:15 PM EST

European Brasserie Surf N' Turf Night 🐮🥩🦆🐠 @ BUFÓN

BUFÓN, 78 Rivington St, New York, NY, US

Only LIMITED seats! Please RSVP responsibly and take your attendance seriously!!! PLEASE BRING CASH ONLY!!!

We are heading to LES! Opens ~11/17!. Loved Demo! Chefs Quang Nguyen and Dina Fan serve up fare inspired by classic European cuisine, but drawing broadly on international techniques and ingredients. The menu will focus on steak and fish, complemented by a raw bar and produce-driven cooking with an extensive wine list. Please be ON TIME!!! 😊

IG PICS
IG PICS2

Cost: ~$58 (ALL IN)

Menu: (based on avail/headcount)
SHARED PER 3PPL

• ROASTED DUCK - grilled dates, pickled cipollini, puntarelle, duck tare 🦆🍄🧅

SHARED PER 6PPL

• PORK CHOP - chinese bacon sofrito, braised butter beans, broccoli rabe 🐷🥓🫘🥦 (PICTURED)
• GRILLED SPANISH MACKEREL - mojo verde, fennel salad 🐠
• PICANHA - 12 ounces 🐮🥩 (PICTURED)
• HALIBUT - bottarga beurre blanc, braised breakfast radish, spigarello 🐟🫜
• SUNCHOKE - charred lemon vinaigrette, sunflower seed, herbs 🫚🌻🍋🌿

~A La Cuisine