Food may not be the star at the Sundance Film Festival, but it certainly plays a supporting role.
And although the economy has affected the number and lavishness of some parties, there's still a lot of wining and dining for film industry movers, shakers and tag-alongs.
The Food Network's "Iron Chef" Cat Cora hosted a Humane Society of the United States dinner party Sunday night that included socialite Paris Hilton, Nigel Barker of "America's Next Top Model," actor Alan Cumming, and Slash of the rock groups Velvet Revolver and Guns N'Roses.
The vegan menu for 75 guests featured a silky roasted winter squash and saffron soup, herbed potato risotto spiked with chanterelle mushrooms,and a rich chocolate ganache tartlet with a salted caramel gelato that was accented with peanut brittle.
For appetizers, there were pretty little chickpea fritters and polenta squares topped with Swiss chard, candied pumpkin seeds and a sliver of sun-dried tomato.
Since this was, after all, the Humane Society of the United States, there was no foie gras, filet mignon or other meat in sight. The leftover pancetta-wrapped shrimp appetizer that Cora served at an earlier party for actor/comedian Chris Rock was kept discreetly in the kitchen.
This was Cora's third year cooking for the Bon Appetit Supper Club during Sundance. She arrived Saturday, did the Chris Rock and the Humane Society of the United States dinners back-to-back Sunday night, and was scheduled to leave Monday.
"I think next year I'll change it up a little bit and have more time to ski a little," she said in an interview in between parties.
The Humane Society of the United States dinner spotlighted its campaign to stop the commercial seal hunt in Canada, and Cora announced that she signed a petition of well-known chefs to boycott Canadian seafood until the country halts its seal hunts.
"I believe in safe fishing in general, for across the board it makes the industry stronger and brings a lot of integrity to what we all do as chefs," she said.
It takes some planning to drop in on an an unfamiliar kitchen one day and turn out back-to-back dinners for 75 people the next day.
"You have to acclimate yourself," she said. "We have a lot of planning and conference calls to make sure we are able to get all the products we need. When I got here yesterday, I checked to make sure all the products were up to my standards."
Jonathan Lindenauer, also with Bon Appetit and the Sky Lodge staff, manned the kitchen.
It's a different challenge from Cora's role on "Iron Chef," with its surprise ingredients and racing against the clock. "This is very planned out; we know what's we're cooking."
Part of the plan was to use the same dessert in both dinners; however, the Chris Rock dinner also had the addition of beef short ribs.
Although the economy has affected the size, scope and lavishness of some Sundance parties, Cora said she wasn't aware of any changes in the Bon Appetit parties.
"I never got any word at all about watching costs, but all our dinners were sold out, so we were in better shape than a lot of situations here," she said. "But you are always concerned about the budget. That's one of the reasons I used truffle essence instead of truffles, because they're very expensive and it would be $2,000 or $3,000."
One apparent sign of the economic times is Chefdance, a series of exclusive dinners hosted by high-profile guest chefs such as Tyler Florence and Rocco DiSpirito. The series was downsized from 10 nights in 2008 to five this year. Two nights had local chefs at the helm: Adam Vickers of Tuscany and Franck Peissel of Franck's on Monday, and Zane Holmquist and Raymond Lammers of Stein Eriksen Lodge on Tuesday.
In past years, Holmquist was too busy with huge parties at his own hotel to volunteer at Chefdance.
"But this year our big corporate sponsors have pulled out, across the board," he said. "The big parties for 1,000 people and unlimited partying are kind of off this year. The big corporate sponsors have shareholders to answer to, and they don't feel comfortable having a big party when they're doing layoffs. The actors are here, the social networking is still going on, but there's not as much flash and glamour, so maybe it will be a little more personal."
For Tuesday's Chefdance dinner, Holmquist is spotlighting Utah artisan companies such as Shepherd Dairy goat cheese of Tooele and Morgan Valley lamb in his first course. His second course is a pumpkin-stuffed tamale with a mole negro and organic quail. Next he'll serve Rocky Mountain elk two ways: a seared tenderloin and osso buco ragu with winter squash, parsnips and sunchokes. Then he'll serve foie gras and braised salsify.
The dessert, by Stein Eriksen Lodge pastry chef Raymond Lammers, is called "Textures," featuring 12 different textures, including a light mousse, a dehydrated cake, date paper, powdered nuts and dehydrated caramel. And Lammers will polish off the meal with hand-made chocolates, including a smoked-salt chocolate.
Holmquist said that food and film go hand in hand, as "film is about entertaining, sending a message and conveying who you are as a filmmaker. Food is that same thing. You're providing an experience for people. This is a small sideline of the festival; they're very connected."
He noted that guests at the posh parties are there for a variety of reasons.
"Some people are there to be seen, some to have a good time, and some to enjoy the food," he said. "We have all segments of the industry here. I've met people who do lighting and sound, others who are art directors, musicians, and the money people who are the producers."
Also he noted, most people-watchers look for famous faces. "But fame has become a weird thing to me, because in our dining room, you won't recognize the person who writes the $100 million check to make the movie," he said.
He and Lammers are donating their time to Chefdance, and Stein Eriksen Lodge is covering about half the food costs.
"I'm thrilled to be invited and involved. Our chefs in Utah are often underrated. It's been my goal to get some of the spotlight on Utah."
Todd Mark Miller, chef of the high-end STK steakhouse in New York, was a Chefdance guest chef the past two years. But this year year the restaurant and another sponsor, vitaminwater, hosted their own private meals for high-end clients.
"This is great PR for myself and the company," Miller said in a phone interview Friday afternoon, after he had just completed a lunch for 25 that included director Spike Lee and "a large group of A-listers," he said. On Saturday, he was doing a dinner for rapper 50 Cent.
Sundance is also a homecoming for Miller, who grew up in Utah and was executive chef at Fresco, Trio and Metropolitan restaurants during his career.
"It's always nice to see the mountains and your family, so this is a win-win thing," he said.
The Spike Lee lunch included a butternut squash soup, a wild arugula salad with seasonal pears and toasted pinenuts; a choice of seared big-eye tuna or salmon with ginger-shallot confit, or short ribs with parsnips and sunchokes. Dessert was a choice of warm strawberry shortcake or a sorbet that Miller made with the sponsoring vitaminwater.
Miller said he thinks the economy has affected the number of high-end Sundance parties.
"I think a lot of the major companies don't want to appear to show off, like when the auto companies flew in their personal jets to ask the government for money," he said.
Miller is using Oregon truffles instead of imported European truffles in his truffle fries and mashed potatoes, but he said it wasn't a cost-cutting move.
"No, it's just that right now Oregon truffles are in season and they're perfect and delicious and they're also fruity, while European truffles are more earthy."
Iverson Catering has booked 35-40 events, which is fewer than past years, said owner Iverson Brownell.
"But if anything, there've been a lot more unique requests to try to wow their clients, even with the economy the way it is. The things we're doing are very elaborate and high-end."
Consider his dinner menu for Turner Broadcasting on Saturday night: Passed hors d'oeuvres of goat cheese-stuffed artichoke hearts, Maytag blue cheese stuffed figs, bamboo skewered diver scallops, rock shrimp salad in edible wonton spoons, seared Muscovy duck breast and asparagus stuffed morels. Entrees were herb-roasted halibut or rosemary buffalo tenderloin. Dessert was a dark chocolate fountain with assorted dippers. And there's a full bar.
Some corporate sponsors have dropped out this year, "but that opens up a lot of opportunities for other sponsors, and some hop on at the last minute," said Brownell.
The one thing that remains the same in the six years Brownell has catered at Sundance: "There's a lot of last-minute decisions and special requests. Everyone comes into town from L.A. and they realize they don't have everything they need."
One positive sign that high-end Park City dining is alive and well: New York celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten chose the opening day of Sundance to announce that he's opening a signature restaurant at St. Regis, Deer Crest in Deer Valley Resort. According to a press release, the award-winning chef and owner of Jean Georges, JoJo, Vong, Mercer Kitchen, Perry St. and Spice Market will open the restaurant in August.