Kosher Critic: Sensi6 gala bite and spirit

As a food writer, I find myself attending a lot of food events in the city. The more of these events that you are present at the more you pick up on subtle nuances within the gathering like the curt professionalism of the wait staff or the diversity of vendors. These are the little things that set each event apart from the other making some extraordinary and some simply adequate.

All of which is a long way of saying that over time you develop a palate for events the same way you do for food or wine. Kosherfest will be a big bold display of both the refi ned and the rudimentary, while Kosher Food and Wine Experience will be more delicate, focusing on the gourmet end of things. An event that is new and unique for me was Sensi6 on June 2, which covered both of those bases.

The brainchild of Maya Cohen Abitbol, Nicole Katz Kavana and Daniella Kahane Levy, Sensi6 is a buffet dinner, wine tasting, art gallery and auction all set to music by a progressive yet sensible DJ. For the past number of years, Sensi6 has benefited a number of very worthy charities. This year’s charity was Leket Israel, the universal food pantry, an organization that helps feed 40,000 hungry Israelis. Leket Israel’s efforts are enabled by donations and leftover food collected from events like weddings and corporate gatherings. Leket Israel stood to make $250,000 from last Thursday night’s party.

The tables were covered in burlap accented with wheatgrass and signs were made from treated plywood and spray paint. This blended artfully with the industrial feel of the room. The highlight of the evening was the impeccable wine selection put together by wine blogger Yossie Horwitz. It was a selection that featured wines not available yet available in the states. Of these my favorite was Psagot’s Shiraz that was woody with a good deal of spice blended together by a tart pomegranate flavor. The catering was put together by Heshy Jay, a Brooklyn-based boutique catering company. His menu for Sensi6 was bold, elegant, and ambitious. It unabashedly reached longingly for the stars. But it fell to the ground just after hitting the inner atmosphere. This was because each table had several varieties of whatever he was presenting.

For instance his risotto table had three different risottos and one server frantically trying to keep up with the rush of the crowd.

Each table seemed to be equally understaffed for very labor intensive food. There was an exception here. I had a veal burger with deep fried leaks and a wasabi mayo that was out of this world.

The one thing that did irk me was the art auction. The attendees appeared less than enthused. Garnering their attention proved exceedingly and getting their bids seemed an even greater task. It seemed like this wonderful concept had been put together by these very talented and dedicated young women who then used their talent and dedication to benefit one of the most worthy charities on the planet and yet people seemed more interested in hobnobbing, or trolling for someone of the opposite sex.

But that distaste comes down to the fact that I am a culinary journalist not a socialite and though I attend many food gatherings I do not find myself at many benefit galas. In the end I feel that Sensi6 is like a good cabernet sauvignon complex and brilliant but with a mild tannic bite that takes some getting used to. And though I have yet to learn to fully appreciate the subtle, shall we say cultural notes of an event like Sensi6, I greatly applaud those who were involved in its creation and execution. My hope is that one day their spirit of giving will greatly influence Sensi6’s vintage.

Zechariah Mehler is a widely published food writer and expert in social marketing. Follow him on Twitter @thekoshercritic