By Rachel Forrest
rforrest@seacoastonline.com
December 16, 2008 6:00 AM
PORTSMOUTH — The power was still out at Pesce Blue Restaurant at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Owner Cliffe Arrand had just returned from buying a generator, but it would be able to keep only the large, walk-in refrigerator running — not the lights, not the mixers, not the coffee machine.
Pesce Blue Restaurant executive chef James Walter, left, and sous chef Jeremy Glover.: They worked through the power outage on Friday, using headlamps to see in the dark kitchen as they cooked for a catered, private party.
Just then, Arrand got a phone call from a panicked client. Rana Clarizio was supposed to have an important party at another venue, but that place was totally shut down. She did have power in her Portsmouth home. Could Arrand and his team from Della Terra Catering make and serve dinner for 40 ... now?
Three hours later, the culinary crew served those 40 people at a surprise party for the guest of honor, Samuel Smith III. Arrand called it a catering miracle.
"It was the craziest thing," he said. "My phone rings and a client of ours is freaking out. ... (Chef) James (Walter) jumped into high gear. We came up with two hot entrees, two sides, two other platters, six passed hors d'oeuvres trays and more."
All with no lights in the kitchen.
"All the guys in the kitchen had these spelunking headlights on," said Arrand. "But we got to the house at 5:30 and pulled it off! It was a crazy party."
Party hostess Clarizio was more than pleased.
"People were flying in from all over the country, including south Florida — they made it through the ice storm," she said. "Then we found out the place where we were going to have it was totally without power."
She said her first thought was to call Arrand and his catering company.
"I've known Cliffe for a long time, through martial arts training, and martial arts people come to each other's aid," she said. "We stick together. He was very calm. He could see I wasn't. He said, 'Give me two hours. I'll be over at your house.' It was one of the best catered parties we ever had."
Clarizio said that this birthday surprise party was particularly important.
"The gentleman we had the party for is a single dad of six," she said. "I'm a single mom of two, and we've both been through so much. I don't think he's ever had a party thrown for him like that before and he deserved it. There is just no better parent."
Arrand said he and his team managed to make beef tenderloin with three sauces, truffle gnocchi, and six trays of hors d'oeuvres, along with antipasti and cheese selections.
"We had no power for the electric slicer, so our sous chef, Jeremy, was slicing the prosciutto for the meat platter with his special Japanese knife," said Arrand. "We had to do everything by hand. We had most of the stuff, but I still had to drive pretty far to find a store open. From start to finish, it was three hours. Usually it's a minimum of 2-3 days with lead time, prep list, staff."
The effort, adaptability and hustle paid off with 40 happy guests — especially the guest of honor.
"The food was unbelievable," said Clarizio. "I'm (of) Italian descent, and Cliffe knows that and he made me dishes I knew. The Smith family loves prime rib, so they made that, too — they brought together the food and this great party for our two single-parent families."
