Chefs Josh Habiger and Julia Sullivan Create 'Power Lunch'

Bastion and Henrietta Red are without a doubt two of my favorite restaurants in town, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I haven’t eaten at either one of them nearly as much as I want to or as much as I should. People assume that we food writers eat out all the time, hitting the hot spots as soon as they open and attending special dinners every week. Truth be told, I turn down twice as many invitations as I accept, and I cook dinner at home for my girlfriend and myself five or six times a week. There are two primary reasons why I do this. First of all, I love to cook, and I’m pretty good at it. Second, my girlfriend is a kindergarten teacher, and the last thing she wants to do after a 10-hour day at school dealing with little ones and big administrators is get dressed up for a fancy meal that won’t be over until after 10 p.m. So I cyberstalk her with Find My Friends and pull the wine out of the fridge and start cooking when I see she’s left work.

Lunch is my main meal for dining out. I work at home, so it’s the time during the day when I get to interact with actual humans instead of just my favorite canine co-worker. Restaurants that offer lunch service are much more likely to be on my regular rotation to receive my attention and dining dollars, which is why Bastion and Henrietta Red have been getting the short shrift despite their extreme worthiness. That’s why I was absolutely l tickled to hear that chefs Josh Habiger and Julia Sullivan are coming together for a special midday meal event on Friday, Feb. 1, that they are calling a “Power Lunch” at Henrietta Red in Germantown.

The collaborative lunch is a fundraiser for Sullivan’s second year participating in Chefs Cycle for No Kid Hungry, a 300-mile bike ride in Santa Rosa, Calif., May 14-16. That’s three centuries in a row over consecutive days, a really impressive effort. To raise funds for her ride, Sullivan and Strategic Hospitality are undertaking a campaign affectionately called “Friends With Benefits,” which will take place both in and out of Nashville leading up to the ride in May. Last year, Sullivan raised almost $10,000 from her ride and events leading up to it, supporting No Kids Hungry and their efforts to combat childhood hunger.

“We are excited to offer this fun lunch event at Henrietta Red,” says Sullivan. “Josh and I will be offering menu items from outside of our normal repertoires, to produce an unexpected, creative, and fun meal to kick off the weekend.” The pair have shared a kitchen more than once before. Both were part of the opening kitchen team at Pinewood Social, and stay in contact with each other and their respective Strategic Hospitality projects.

“Julia and I haven’t had an opportunity to cook together for about five years now,” says Habiger. “This will be a great chance for us to have some fun in the kitchen for a great cause.”

This collaborative effort will feature a $45 three-course prix-fixe menu with reservations available through OpenTable for seatings between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Henrietta Red’s oyster bar will be open for the occasion, and a special drink menu created by bar manager Pat Halloran will be offered. It’s a Friday, so I say feel free to enjoy a cocktail with lunch. It’s for a good cause, after all.