Seeing as our automobiles are designed for those with discerning taste, it follows that our customers should have discerning palates. With that in mind, we are proud to be the exclusive automotive partner of the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards, Celebrity Chef Tour and Chefs & Champagne event.

In 2010, Mercedes-Benz USA began a multi-year partnership with the James Beard Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated "to celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America's diverse culinary heritage and future." Carrying on the legacy of author, educator and gastronomic pioneer James Beard through a wide range of initiatives, the foundation shares the same dedication to heritage, excellence and innovation that has defined Mercedes-Benz for more than a century.

Mercedes-Benz USA hit the road this summer with the new 2012 SLK Roadster and James Beard Foundation award-winning Best New Restaurant recipient, ABC Kitchen Executive Chef Dan Kluger, to create an inspirational menu that highlights great ingredients through an outdoor road experience. Traveling through the Hudson River Valley of New York, Executive Chef Kluger picked ingredients for the Mercedes-Benz "On the Road" menu straight from local family farmers and purveyors that call the Hudson Valley home.

Chocolate Cake with Whisky Ganache
For the Ganache:
1 cup Heavy cream
1cup Milk chocolate, rough chopped
1 ½ cups Dark chocolate, rough chopped
3 Tbsp. Whiskey

Ganache Method:
In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Place both chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour boiling cream over chocolate and let stand until melted, about 1 minute. Using a whisk, mix until smooth and shiny.  Add whisky, mix until incorporated. Cover, and let it stand at room temperature for at least 6 hours.

For the Chocolate Cake:
1 each Nonstick cooking spray
2 sticks Unsalted butter, room temperature
2  1/3   cups + 3 Tbsp. Sugar, superfine
1 ¼ cups Extra-dark coca powder, sifted
2 each Large eggs, room temperature
1 each Egg yolk
1 1/3 cup + 4 tsp. All purpose flour
1 ½ cup + 4 tsp. Cake flour (not self-rising)
1 Tbsp. + ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
2 ¼ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups boiling water
½ cup Canola oil (can substitute Sunflower oil)

2 each 9-inch round cake pans
2 pieces Parchment paper (can substitute wax paper)
1 each Kitchen Torch (can use crème brulee torch)
1 each Cake tester (toothpick can be used)
1 each Off-set spatula
1 each Pastry bag

Method for Chocolate Cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with a parchment paper round and spray again; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add cocoa powder and beat until combined, 3 to 5 minutes more, scraping down the sides as necessary. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolk. With the mixer on low, slowly add eggs, mixing until smooth and well combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. In a large bowl, sift together both flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. In a medium bowl, mix together boiling water and oil. With the mixer on low, slowly add water mixture and mix until combined. Divide mixture evenly between prepared cake pans. Transfer to oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cakes cool completely, at least 2 hours.

For the Marshmallow Frosting:
2 ¼ sheets Gelatin
½ cup Egg whites (from 5-6 large eggs)
1 ½ cups Sugar
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. Water
1 each Instant-read Thermometer

Method for Frosting:
Fill a medium bowl with water and add ice. Add gelatin to ice water and let stand until soft. Drain, squeezing excess water from gelatin, and set aside. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed. Place sugar in a medium saucepan along with
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water. Place over medium-high heat and cook, brushing down sides with a pastry brush to prevent crystallization, until liquid reaches 235 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; add gelatin. With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar mixture to egg whites. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 10 to 15 minutes.

Method for Cake Assembly:
Unmold cakes and remove parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level, then cut each cake in half horizontally. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the bottom side of one bottom half on the cake plate. Evenly spread top with one-third of the ganache. Repeat process twice with top halves of each cake and top with the remaining bottom half of cake bottom-side up. You should have three layers of ganache and four layers of cake. Transfer marshmallow frosting to a pastry bag. Pipe frosting over cake to cover; evenly spread using an offset spatula. Using a kitchen torch, toast frosting until lightly browned.

Grilled Rib-Eye
(Yields: 4 servings)

For the  Rib-eye :
10 oz. Rib-eye, 4 each
2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 each Garlic Cloves, smashed
8 sprigs Rosemary
8 sprigs Thyme

FOR MARINADE:
Place all rib-eye portions in a pyrex pan. Place olive oil, garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub generously and evenly onto each portion. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and allow to marinate for 1 hour.

For the Vegetables:
1 pint Garlic Scapes, cut 1˜ on bias
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
12 each Trumpet Royale Mushrooms, sliced lengthwise in half
1 each Serrano Chiles, minced with seeds
1 cup Nepitella or (substitute equal parts oregano and mint) roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
To Taste Freshly Ground Black Pepper

FOR THE DISH:

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the beef from the marinade and rub off any excess marinade. Grill meat until charred and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Meanwhile rub the mushrooms with 1 Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 tsp of salt.  Grill over medium heat until cooked through.

In a sauté pan, slowly sauté garlic scapes with cherry tomatoes and grilled mushrooms. Cook until the tomatoes begin to burst and then season with salt and pepper. Finish with Serrano chilies and nepitella.   Place the rib-eye on a dish along with the vegetables on the side.  Finish plate with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve and enjoy.

ROASTED CORN WITH MANCHEGO AND LIME

For the Corn (for 4 side dish portions):

6 pcs. Sweet Yellow Corn - Unshucked

2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
Pinch Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Ea. Jalapeno Pepper - Seeded and cut into a small dice
1 tsp. Dried Chili Flakes
1 Ea. Lime - Cut into wedges
¼# Manchego Cheese - Grated on a Microplane
4 Tbsp. Chives - Finely Chopped
2 Ea. Limes - Zested on Microplane

Method for the Corn:

Roast the unshucked corn in a 450°F oven for 8 minutes.  Shuck the corn and cut the kernels off the cob.

In a large sauté pan, heat up the EVOO.  Add the corn and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add butter and season with salt & pepper.  Transfer corn to a serving bowl.  Sprinkle jalapenos and dried chilies on top.  Squeeze lime wedge over the corn.  Using a microplane, grate the cheese over the corn.  Finish with some chives and lime zest.

*Recipe Note: this can be done as corn on the cob by spreading warm corn with butter and then rolling in a mix of all of the other ingredients.

ROASTED SQUASH WITH PARMESAN

For the Squash (serves 4):
2 Lbs. Summer Squash and Green Zucchini - Washed and cut into obliques
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Finely Ground Black Pepper
1 ½ Cup Finely Grated Parmesan (needs to be very fine and light)

For the Finished Dish (serves 4):
Roasted Squash
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (we prefer California olive ranch Arbequina oil)
1 Ea. Organic Lemon - washed
As Needed Maldon Salt
As Needed Black Pepper
As Needed Dried Red Chili Flakes

Method for the Squash:
Toss the squash with the olive oil, salt and pper until well coated.  Toss in the parm and again make sure the squash is well coated.

Layout onto a baking pan rack (make sure there is another pan underneath) that has been sprayed with olive oil or cooking spray.  Making sure that there is space between each piece. Roast in a 425° F for about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.  The squash should be tender, and lightly caramelized.  Let cool slightly and then scrape loose using a spatula.

Method for the Finished Dish:
Place the squash on one platter or four individual plates.  Drizzle with the olive oil. Zest the lemon over the squash and then cut wedges and squeeze liberally over the squash.  Season with salt, chili flakes and copious amounts of black pepper.

Strawberry Salad with Lynnhaven Goat Cheese
(Yields: 4 servings)

Strawberry Sauce: yields 1 pint
2 pints Strawberry, de-stemmed, rough-chopped
4 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Lemon juice

½ cup Water

FOR STRAWBERY SYRUP METHOD:
In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Place all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl over the pot of water. Let it sit for half an hour. Remove from heat, and allow it to drain through a sieve without aggressively pushing out juices. Place aside for strawberry vinaigrette.

For the Strawberry Vinaigrette (1 pint):
1 pint Strawberry Syrup
½ cup Lime Juice
1 each Lime zest
¼  each Thai Chili, finely minced
1 tbsp. Salt

1 tbsp. Olive oil

METHOD FOR VINAIGRETTE:
In a bowl, mix all together. Slowly whisk olive oil.

For the dish:
4 oz. Arugula
4 oz. Hyssop
1 pint Mint, sliced in thick ribbons
1 pint Strawberries, rough chopped
1cup Lynnhaven Chevre Goat Cheese
2 tbsp. Chives, sliced thin

Cracked Pepper
Olive Oil
Sea Salt

METHOD FOR SALAD:
On a plate, place hyssop and arugula. Sprinkle mint generously. Dress well by spooning about 4-5 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Add about 8-10 pieces of strawberries and 8-10 crumbles of goat cheese.  Garnish with chives, cracked fresh pepper, and sea salt. Complete with a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve and enjoy.