What gets filled up must be sipped down – especially in a moving elevator. Experiential cocktails from a mobile bar were just the beginning, located as they were in gracefully gliding glass elevators moving about the six floors of the Newseum. That and dozens of nationally renowned chefs, food artisans, restaurateurs, and mixologists, gathered together for the 2016 Sips event, plus a dash of love and lots of spirit, and it’s a recipe for eight years of unbridled success.

Colorful Macarons

Famed Chef Alice Waters began the event in 2009 to benefit DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table, two organizations based right here in DC, dedicated to helping those in need in the region. And for the past few years, José Andrés and Joan Nathan have joined Alice Waters as fellow hosts.

While originally scheduled for January 23, Jonas the snowstorm made hosting an event for a few hundred folks a bit more difficult than making sure your soufflé rises every time. The event was therefore pushed back to January 30, and unfortunately, the high-donation Suppers event, at which famous chefs create and serve meals in private homes, was canceled.

Snow aside, the culinary show must go on. The evening started with a pop – of corks, that is, from wine bottles sourced from the sustainable vines of Gustafson Family Vineyards in the VIP Lounge. Highly esteemed restaurants like Daikaiya, SER, and Indique helped begin the night in style on the second floor of the building for the VIPs, with a stunning view of the hive of activity below. Beyond that pop and pour of flutes and glasses, the funky, jazzy notes of the live music from Aztec Sun Band, based in DC, floated above the hum for a full multi-sensory experience.

The event is called Sips for a reason: inventive cocktails were in abundance. New and local distillery One Eight Distilling shook things up with a vibrant red cocktail, anchoring a section of the event dedicated to local purveyors. Others nearby included Misfit Juicery, which fights food waste by using excess or ugly produce and turns it into tasty juice; and Banana Love Muffins, Dream Bites, and Gordy’s Pick Jar, all of which have used the unique and supportive food incubator space at Union Kitchen. Other specialty drinks ran the mixologist craft book, from sangria to your author’s personal favorite, an old fashioned made from whiskey aged in maple barrels.

Of course, one must have some bites along with the drinks. Martha’s Table itself set up shop. It served healthy and crunchy kale salad, which complemented some of the other, richer dishes around. Lines ran lengthy for dishes like fresh-cut brisket, briny Rappahannock oysters, and heavenly macarons.

The most extravagant offering: Hamilton’s ravioli stuffed with foie gras, in consomme, topped with black truffle shavings — difficult to beat.

Hunger, whether worldwide or domestically, has shown up too often in the news of late. Therefore, bringing together the star power of the hosts and the creativity and artisanship of the chefs and mixologists made for a highly successful – and sip-worthy – evening.

-ESC