To round off the “Top 10 Takeover” dinner series, the penultimate stop presents the winner of our “Chef of the Year” competition.
On August 27, 11th A stop on the popular Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 Takeover dinner series will feature Vigilante Kitchen. The restaurant, formerly in Midtown, was ranked No. 7 on the Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list. Vigilante Kitchen chef Aaron Cozadd was also named Chef of the Year.
This event will be held at Birdies Restaurant at Dearborn Hills Golf Course, 1300 S. Telegraph Road in Dearborn.
Cozadd began his culinary career at 16 and attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Like many other restaurant workers, Cozadd faced the common pitfalls of drug and alcohol addiction.
“While serving his sentence in the Oakland County Jail, Cozadd committed to a life of sobriety and conceived a restaurant that would meet the needs of recovering addicts like himself and many of his colleagues,” wrote Lynsday C. Green, Free Press restaurant writer.
Thanks to Vigilante Kitchen and Bar, Cozadd was named 2024 Chef of the Year by the Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers for his “commitment to creating a healthy work environment for restaurant employees in addiction and substance abuse rehabilitation,” Green wrote.
Although Vigilante Kitchen closed its original Midtown location earlier this year, Cozadd has plans to reopen at another location. In the meantime, Dearborn Hills Golf Course offers a chance to sample Cozadd’s latest creations.
“Proceeds from the event will go toward purchasing a new meditation bell for future Vigilante Kitchen employees to use in their addiction rehabilitation program,” Cozadd said.
Community seating for this event will be available on August 27 at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person, including tax, gratuity, and a donation to Forgotten Harvest.
The Free Press first revealed the 2024 Restaurant of the Year, the Restaurant of the Year Classic and the 10 Best New Restaurants and Dining Experiences in March.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the Top 10 Takeover dinner series go on sale every other Thursday. Free Press subscribers will have first access to tickets for each event. Subscribers should check their emails at noon Thursday for a ticket sale link. After the subscriber sale, tickets to the general public go on sale at noon Friday at freep.com/top10, where you will also find a schedule of upcoming dinner events.
The Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers are also holding a contest where one guest will have the chance to win two free tickets to any dinner in the series. You can enter the contest at chevydetroit.com.
Here is Vigilante Kitchen’s top 10 takeover menu:
First course
- Szechuan Hot Chicken Bao: Crispy fried halal chicken thighs, dry spice mix of brown sugar and Szechuan peppercorns, homemade takuan pickles, togarashi mayonnaise, spring onions and coriander.
First course as a vegetarian option
- General Bao: Crispy fried cauliflower, T’so T’ sauce, Togarashi mayonnaise, Troll pickles, fried ramen, black sesame, spring onion.
Second gear
- Potluck on the patio: Heirloom tomatoes, smoked sea salt, chilled farro + smoked jalapeño “risotto”, toasted hemp seeds, charred cauliflower, ras el hanout roasted heirloom carrots, caramelized fennel, baby arugula, black garlic tahini whipped cream.
Third course
- Waygu Skirt Steak: Charcoal grilled halal flank steak aka miso chili brown butter emulsion, watercress, 24 month aged parmesan, Marcona almonds, yuzu oil, creamed corn + smoked jalapeño croquette.
Third course as a vegetarian option
- Lion’s Mane Ribeye: Grilled Stony Creek Lion’s Mane Steak (with mushrooms), aka Miso Chili Brown Butter Emulsion, Watercress, 24-month aged Parmesan, Marcona Almonds, Yuzu Oil, Creamed Corn + Smoked Jalapeño Croquette.
Fourth gear
- Nitro ice cream: Stirred with liquid nitrogen, ube and black sesame ice cream, waffle cookie garnish.
Contact Susan Selasky, food and restaurant writer for the Detroit Free Press, and send food and restaurant news and tips to: [email protected]. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.
