The Society welcomed in another season of great food, incredible wine, and good friends. Dinner Chair Ray Sobrino commissioned Proof Restaurant and Chef Haidar Karoum's visionary cuisine for our introductory dinner.
Proof is a wine-centric restaurant serving Modern American cuisine. The casual, elegant feel to this Penn Quarter destination is reflected throughout Chef Haidar Karoum's cuisine. Proof showcases the best local, organic and sustainable ingredients.
Haidar Karoum is the Executive Chef of Proof. A Washington, DC native, Chef Karoum traveled extensively throughout Europe with his family, becoming familiar with different foods and cultures at a young age. He was captivated by the culinary world, finding inspiration not only in noteworthy gastronomy havens, such as Harrod's food hall, but also at home. His Lebanese father, an excellent cook, instilled in him a love for Mediterranean flavors which, in turn, has influenced Chef Karoum's menu at Proof.
Chef Karoum attended the Culinary Institute of America and worked with Michel Richard Citronelle. In 1998, Chef Karoum joined Restaurant Nora as Sous Chef for restaurateur Nora Poullion. Poullion's dedication to local and organic produce greatly influenced Chef Karoum's cooking. He developed strong personal relationships with farmer suppliers, most notably Path Valley Growers, a collective of Amish farmers located in South Central Pennsylvania dedicated to sustainable agriculture, and Tuscarora Organic Growers, a cooperative that manages 30 acres of organic grounds in Pennsylvania for fruits and vegetables.
After a two-year stint at Restaurant Nora, including a promotion to Chef de Cuisine, Chef Karoum was asked to head the kitchen at sister restaurant, Asia Nora. As Executive Chef, Chef Karoum immersed himself in Eastern flavor profiles, learning to meld Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian and Japanese influences into his seasonal, organic menu. He also developed significant seafood supplier relationships, working with Jim Chambers of Prime Seafood, with whom Chef Karoum bonded over their shared interest in fishing, and Nancy Hill of Morningstar Seafood, who supplied Chef Karoum with day boat scallops and fresh Peekytoe crab meat that she purchased directly off the docks in Stonington, Maine.
In January 2007, Chef Karoum left Asia Nora to become Executive Chef of Proof, bringing with him the passion for locally grown and organically raised produce that he has developed throughout his career. Chef Karoum's menu at Proof features clean, balanced cuisine that draws upon fresh, seasonal ingredients and Mediterranean and Asian influences.