A toast was made at the Beatrice Inn last night to honor the restaurant’s executive chef Angie Mar and the release of her debut cookbook Butcher + Beast: Mastering the Art of Meat. Hosted by Oscar de la Renta and Monse designer Fernando Garcia, celebrity butcher Pat LaFrieda and Beatrice Inn co-owner Melissa Merrill-Keary, the well-deserved celebration garnered a large crowd of delighted food enthusiasts. Among the many notable, culinary devotees in attendance, Samuel L. Jackson, Dean Winters, model Dilone, 20/20 co-anchors Amy Robach and Andrew Schue, and three-time Tony Award winner Scott Pask were prominently present. A night to remember, Mar’s cookbook soiree was an extravagantly delectable triumph for the newly-published author.

“I’ve written this book to share my real ideas, however mad they seem: It’s the recipes that define this restaurant, the dry-aging techniques that polarized both national press and diners, and the stories we acquired along the way,” Mar explains in the introduction. “At the end of the day, I want this book to bring you memories and experiences, because so many of my memories and experiences are bound up here, too.”

While each page is filled with exquisitely crafted recipes and beautiful imagery of top-class plates, Mar’s cookbook is much more than just that. Co-written by Jamie Feldmar, the book tells the story of Mar’s journey as an entrepreneurial chef and Beatrice Inn’s transcendence into one of New York’s hot spot restaurants. With personal messages scattered throughout the recipes, Butcher + Beast: Mastering the Art of Meat is an unapologetic perspective on the competitive world of fine dining and Mar’s exceptional abilities that allowed her to stand out from the rest. 

Take a look at a few captured moments from the launch party in the slideshow below.