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ROYAL OAK, Mich., November 10, 2008 – Pumpkin tortellini with smoked tomato broth and roasted wild mushrooms, smoked Gouda soufflé with candied cranberries and toasted almonds in plum wine vinaigrette, capicola-wrapped shrimp with roasted garlic and pepper chutney. These dishes may sound like the elegant fare served at a five-star gourmet restaurant, but they are just a taste of what newly appointed Executive Chef James Barr brings to the table of a catered event at the Detroit Zoo.
Hired by Service Systems Associates (SSA), the operator of concessions and retail services at the Zoo, Barr oversees all culinary operations for SSA’s catering division, Dining in the Wild!, including the implementation of new seasonal menus highlighting regional cuisine with global influences. He is also responsible for the creation of fresh pastries, salads and sandwiches for purchase at Zoofari Market as well as culinary standards at Zoo concession stands.
“Chef James brings with him an impressive array of experience and a diverse culinary background from working in some of the most prestigious kitchens across the tri-county area,” said SSA General Manager Rob Harris. “We are confident that his expertise will contribute to our continued culinary success and bring amazing depth to our food and beverage program.”
Barr joins the Detroit Zoo’s SSA team from Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where he worked as a sous chef for seven years. He was responsible for all clubhouse culinary operations during the 35th Ryder Cup Matches in 2004, including daily meal service for thousands of PGA and Oakland Hills Country Club members and guests.
Barr’s culinary experience also includes positions at some of the area’s top-rated restaurants, including Opus One in Detroit, where he worked as a sous chef, and the now-closed Golden Mushroom in Southfield, where he was a saucier.
The Michigan native and married father of two resides in Saint Clair Shores, Mich.
Dining in the Wild! provides everything from casual fare to gourmet cuisine for weddings, parties, corporate meetings and company picnics. For more information or to book an event at the Detroit Zoo, contact Sales Manager Gail Varga at (248) 541-5717, ext. 3305, or gvarga@dzs.org.
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October. Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
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