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Michel Richard Delights National Gallery of Art Diners

"A dining room is like a ballet, it is a cabaret full of culinary music and art. The Ballet Russes period in Paris was full of creativity, and I took inspiration from traditional Russian menus, to create dishes as modern as Diagliev. I am honored to have my food featured with such a extraordinary international collaboration."

Michel Richard

While Citronelle is temporarily closed, Georgetown's award-winng chef, Michel Richard will be dazzling art lovers and gouremts alike at the National Gallery of Art.

Inspired by Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909–1929: When Art Danced with Music, on view in the East Building from May 12 through September 2, 2013, Michel Richard will transform the menu of the Gallery's Garden Café with dishes highlighting Russian and French influences.

The new Garden Café Ballets Russes menu, available May 7, is presented in partnership with Restaurant Associates and Executive Chef Pierre Cummings at the National Gallery of Art.

The Garden Cafe Ballets Russes menu was developed by Chef Michel Richard as a modern spin on Russian and French bistro classics. As an avid art enthusiast, Chef Richard was inspired by artistry of Serge Diaghilev’s groundbreaking Ballets Russes, which drew upon both Russian and Western traditions. “A dining room is like a ballet, it is a cabaret full of culinary music and art,” says Richard. “The Ballet Russes period in Paris was full of creativity, and I took inspiration from traditional Russian menus, to create dishes as modern as Diagliev. I am honored to have my food featured with such an extraordinary international collaboration.”

Chef Richard's buffet incorporates a variety of traditional Russian dishes with seasonal French ingredients, including Russian black bread; lentil salad; borscht; blini with caviar; Eggplant d’Aubergine; beef stroganoff; salmon coulbiac; and Strawberries Romanoff for dessert. White, red, and sparkling wines from French vineyards complement the menu, as well as a selection of beers from the Czech Republic.

The Garden Café is located in the West Building near the entrance at 6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. To make reservations for groups of eight or more, please contact the café manager at 202.712.7454. For more information about the Gallery and its restaurants, visit www.nga.gov/dining.