The Summer Fancy Food Show Comes To DC; Gird Yourselves For A Foodie Invasion

ICONIC DC CHEF NORA POUILLON DINES AT TODD GRAY'S WATERSHED RESTAURANT. (MAN'S ARM NOT ON THE MENU)

The foodies are coming, the foodies are coming, and Thursday night offered a first salvo from Todd Gray's Watershed.

One of the biggest events on the food industry calendar is the annual Summer Fancy Food Show. It's where the pro's see the roll out of what you'll be craving by Christmas. Typically it is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. But, that building is under renovation, and so the Show is here this year and next. It opens Sunday. Not only does it bring all the food trends to town -- and put them under one roof at the Convention Center -- but it also brings just about every individual who has a stake in the game, meaning the creators of the speciality foods you eat and the purveyors of same.

 ALL FOODIE CAMERAS ON TODD GRAY

The convention is the heart of the event, but these are people who like to go out. They will fill up every seat of every hot, medium hot, warm and even lukewarm restaurant. Celebrity chefs, celebrity cookbook authors, celebrity foodies will be here, there and everywhere. For the local food biz it is way better than Restaurant Week, because these customers dine well and pay full price. Which is why Todd Gray was smiling this evening at his new Watershed Restaurant in NoMa, where the country of Chile held a pre-Show party. He is thrilled because the 4-day boom in business comes at one of the slowest times of the year. Even Citronelle is breaking with its rules and opening this Sunday.

A TODD GRAY CHILEAN SHRIMP ON GUACAMOLE

Todd's party offered some tasty Chilean recipes, Chilean wine and Pisco Sours. In a room of mostly media people, one guest stood out.

 THE TERRACE AT WATERSHED IN NOMA

Chef Nora Pouillon was there as Todd's guest, to try his new restaurant ... out on the stylish terrace, with some friends. Nora is one of Washington's iconic chefs, having been innovative and very cool before it was standard for chefs to be considered cool. I didn't dine at Watershed, but I was impressed with the restaurant's setting, the urban feel, and the Happy Hour menu's emphasis on oysters. 

THE HAPPY HOUR MENU AT WATERSHED AT 1225 FIRST STREET NE

There will be dozens upon dozens of food related parties throughout the city during the four days of the Food Show, including a Caribbean fete at the OAS building. Bring on the Steel Bands. The point is the occasion is all about the industry showing off what they do best - make a good time with food. It's Top Chef on steroids ... from now through Tuesday. I hope you get some.

 CHILLED PROVENÇAL SOUP, AKA GAZPACHO, AT CITRONELLE BAR

After the Todd Gray party, my friend Sally Hosta and I stopped by a favorite, Citronelle Bar, to taste some new items on the bar menu, including a sensational turn on gazpacho, which has the creaminess that is a signature of properly made gazpacho. Praline makes a similarly sophisticated version. Michel Richard's "Provencal soup" is lit up with muscles and crab meat. Really, a delicious meal in itself on a summer evening.