From our friends at Jaleo Crystal City...
Chef José Andrés Brings Celebrated Cities of Spain to Arlington Fiesta
Chef José Andrés of ThinkFoodGroup commemorates 10 years at Jaleo Crystal City and invites guests to take a journey through his native Spain with an all-inclusive evening of authentic tapas, hands-on demonstrations, and live entertainment. On Wednesday, September 24, the restaurant will be transformed into a festive Spanish market featuring different cities that reflect the regional diversity of classic and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Cities such as Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Sevilla, Cádiz and Santander will be represented through interactive tapas and drinks that showcase the unique specialties of each destination - from make-your-own Montaditos to Paella and porrón demonstrations - alongside live performances from Flamenco dancer Emily Mazzotti and guitarist Miguelito Perez. For $35 per person, offerings include:
Barcelona: A make-your-own Montadito station will feature a whole jamón iberico leg, a selection of Spanish cheeses, and an interactive Tomate Fresca Bar, as well as the proper form for how to drink wine, a porrón.
Cádiz: A Fritura station will offer the coastal treasures of the port city with Cucuruchos filled with fresh Puntillitas fritas (baby squid), Ortiguillas Fritas (nettles) and Camarones (shrimp), alongside Fino sherry.
Madrid: A selection of Gambas al Ajillo, Huevos con Caviar, and Chistorra sausage, plus assorted beverages including Classic Red Sangria, Cava, Estrella Damm Inedit and offerings from local Legend Brewery, central VA’s oldest microbrewery.
Valencia: Live preparations of Paella con Pollo y Setas and Arroz Meditteranea, along with the region’s specialty drink - Agua de Valencia, a sparkling orange juice.
Sevilla: Celebrate Andalucía’s sunny capital with Liquid Olive demonstrations and sherry tastings, accompanied by Aceitunas and Ensaladilla Rusa.
Santander: Finish on a sweet note with a dessert bar featuring Mini Flan, Mini Pastel de Chocolate y Avellanas, and Conos with fresh sorbet and homemade helado.
“In 2004 my team and I planted our flag in Crystal City. It’s been amazing to see the dining scene evolve here over the last decade and be part of that growth. We’re very grateful for the community’s support over the years, and are thrilled to celebrate the spirit of Spain in Arlington,” says José Andrés.
Five dollars from each ticket sold will be donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, helping developing countries in crisis by building kitchens to feed the hungry with local ingredients, empowering communities by creating long-term solutions. A nod to the local community that has supported Jaleo over the past decade, tickets will be administered through nvite, a start-up based out of Crystal City. Confirmed sponsors who have donated their time, effort and products include: Barajas farmers from Westmoreland, VA; Coulter Farms from Honey Grove, PA; Fermin USA; Julius Silvert; Manolo and Sons; nvite; Elite Wines; Tradewinds Specialty Imports; Country Vintner; and Virginia Eagle Distributors.
When: Wednesday, September 24th, 5pm to 9pm
Where: Jaleo Crystal City (2250-A Crystal Drive; Arlington, VA) *two blocks from the Crystal City Metro on the blue and yellow lines
To purchase tickets, visit https://nvite.com/JaleoCrystalCity10/jcc10
About Jaleo:
Under the direction of Chef José Andrés, Jaleo is an award-winning tapas restaurant with three locations in the Washington metro area, and an outpost in Las Vegas. Jaleo is located at 480 7th Street, NW in Washington, DC, (202) 628-7949; at 7271 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, (301) 913-0003 and at 2250-A Crystal Drive in Arlington, Virginia, (703) 413-8181, and at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, (802) 698-7950. For more information, visit www.jaleo.com
About José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup:
ThinkFoodGroup, founded by award-winning chef José Andrés and his partner Rob Wilder, is the creative team responsible for renowned dining concepts in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Puerto Rico, including minibar by José Andrés, Jaleo at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel Beverly Hills and South Beach. The company also oversees all of the creative and educational efforts for José Andrés, an internationally recognized culinary innovator, passionate advocate for food and hunger issues, author, educator, and television personality. Named to Time’s “100 Most Influential” list and awarded Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation, Andrés is credited with creating the “Spanish food boom” in America. He is the Dean of the Spanish Studies program at the International Culinary Center, and was host and executive producer of Made in Spain on PBS. His cookbooks include Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. Andrés teaches at Harvard and George Washington University. In late 2010, José Andrés and ThinkFoodGroup launched World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit which aims to feed and empower vulnerable people in humanitarian crises around the world. For more information, visit www.thinkfoodgroup.com
