In Costa Rica, Former
Tellurider Throws Haiti Benefit
By Katie Klingsporn, Associate Editor,
Telliruder Daily Planet
Spencer Graves used to be a fixture in
Telluride’s upscale restaurants - he worked
at Allred’s, the New Sheridan Chop House and
La Marmotte alongside some of the town’s
best chefs from 2003 to 2006.
Now, Graves and his wife, Katie, live in a
dusty surf town in Costa Rica called Santa
Teresa, where he is the executive chef of
Hotel Florblanca.
It’s whole different setting than these
snowy mountains. But then again, a lot is
the same. Namely, the way the community
springs to action to help out when people
are in need, he said.
“We’re very similar to Telluride, it’s about
putting out good energy and trying to help
out,” he said.
Which is what is going on this Saturday
night at the Florblanca, where Graves is
cooking up a big, three-course Haitian
relief dinner.
The meal is inspired by Haitian cuisine and
features items like Haitian pumpkin soup,
calalou (sautéed spinach with crab and
bacon), Zepis-spiced red snapper and
chocolate banana bread pudding. Graves
expects 80 to 100 people to show up, and the
hotel is donating all proceeds to UNICEF.
Graves, who now has two little boys with his
wife, hopes to not only raise money for
relief, but also to encourage others to do
what they can.
“I’m trying to encourage as many to come
partake in this dinner to help out and help
Haiti, basically,” he said.
And while they are a world apart these days,
he says, he and Katie still think about
Telluride often. |
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