Independent Record - 04/29/2009

The popular Artbeats Chef's Tour will be held on Monday, May 18.

This is the 19th year that Artbeats has hosted this event, which showcases four local chefs performing their culinary expertise in four of Helena's charming kitchens.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The luncheon will be held at the Carroll College Campus Center under the direction of Gail Babcock.

Babcock, general manager/executive chef at Sodexho Campus Services at Carroll, will also be one of the featured chefs as she demonstrates 'magic' with chocolate.

A Missoula native, Babcock trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. A pastry chef specializing in fondant wedding cakes and chocolate work for 37 years, she has been a chef and/or dining director at the University of Idaho, Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash., Eastern Oregon University and Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.

Two of Helena's best-known food aficionados, Toby De Wolf, owner of Bert & Ernie's, Bleachers and Sommelier's and his executive chef, Arnie Finkelstein, will show how certain wines best complement various appetizers.

De Wolf is a native of Helena and a fifth-generation Montanan. He graduated from Carroll College in 1986 and has been owner and manager of Bert and Ernie's for 23 years. He added Bleachers Sports Pub and Sommelier's in the past several years.

Finkelstein was born and raised in Minnesota and worked his way up the ladder from the dish room to executive chef at a facility capable of hosting groups of up to 2,500 guests.

Finkelstein moved to Helena and spent 20 years as executive chef at what is now the Red Lion Colonial Hotel before moving to Bert & Ernie's.

Back by popular demand is Marc Jorgensen. Jorgenson and his wife owned the Coffee Grounds Cafe in Montana City. Shortly after closing Coffee Grounds, he accepted the executive chef position at Café Artemis in Helena. Since its closing in November, Marc has been has been teaching cooking classes at the Pan Handler.

Jorgenson grew up in the Midwest and graduated in 1991 from Muscatine High School in Muscatine, Iowa. After working as a butcher and a cook in Iowa City, he moved to Seattle to attend the culinary arts program at the Art Institute of Seattle.

Jorgenson worked for the Hunt Club at the Sorrento Hotel under Chef Brian Scheescher for six years, learning the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest.

Ray Pelletier, executive chef of the Green Meadow Country Club, was born and raised in Helena. The youngest of seven children, his father was a carpenter and his mother a homemaker.

In the winter, when his father's jobs were scarce, he learned at an early age how to stretch the family food budget. Ray answered the calling of the food industry while still in high school and though he has not been formally trained as a chef, he has worked with many talented cooks and chefs over the past 30-plus years.

He is pleased with the ever increasing availability of new and fresh products and combinations in the Helena area and finds it helps to make cooking more interesting on a daily basis.

This year's four homes are strategically located.

The home of Chris Phillips, 4866 Ten Mile View Road, was decorated by Andrea Ambrose, and is delightfully warm and airy. Next door to Phillips, is the home of Kevin and Marilyn Connor, 4864 Ten Mile View Road. Their home has a charming elegance about it.

Both of these homes were on the Home Builder's Tour in September 2008.

The other two homes are on the same block of Primrose Lane.

The home of Beda Lovitt and Pat Melby, 2557 Primrose Lane, is custom designed and built. Lovitt designed it with the help of Gretchen Krum of Mosaic Designs.

It is a traditional two-level home with beautiful detail and is very warm and open.

The home of Joe and Patty Mazurek, 2515 Primrose Lane, is a modern two-level town house and also has the open floor plan on the main level, so that it is easy to entertain and still be part of the party.

The event includes lunch at Carroll Campus Center, a raffle and marketplace.