If you’ve been missing grandma’s huge homemade dinners, it’s time to get a ticket for South on Main’s family meal fundraiser.
Family meals are a weekly tradition for the staff at South on Main, but at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 28, the restaurant will open the meal up to guests for the first time — and for a very special reason.
South on Main’s chef Matthew Bell and his crew have been invited to the James Beard Foundation House in New York to cook a dinner for 80 on Aug. 17.
“James Beard was truly the first famous chef,” said Amy Bell, co-owner and creative director of South on Main. “The foundation gives out awards to the best of the best in the culinary community. It’s like the Oscars of the food world. Every chef dreams of being nominated or winning a James Beard award.”
Bell is only the third chef from Arkansas to ever be invited to cook at the James Beard House, but Bell said it is such an honor that the chef must provide the staff, food and drinks — enough for 80 people.
So, to help cover that cost, South on Main is hosting a family meal fundraiser, featuring smoked pork, chicken, salmon and cauliflower along with an assortment of salads and slaws, roasted vegetables, deviled eggs, pickles, chow chow, white bread, beer and wine.
“It’s going to be more food than you know what to do with,” Amy Bell said.
Tickets for the event cost $100 and can be purchased here. Tickets also include admission to the watch party, where South on Main will have a live-stream of the kitchen at the Beard House dinner and serve appetizers, beer and wine. More details about the watch party will be available later on.