Haute Living’s CEO and Publisher Kamal Hotchandani celebrated his fortieth birthday with co-host Louis XIII, the publisher’s favorite Cognac. Friends and family were invited to a posh private dinner at The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar.
Guests sipped Chateau Lagrezette Pigeonnier 2009 Malbec and… they didn’t just enjoy looking at the Baccarat crystal decanter on display, they also enjoyed a tasting of the uber-premium cognac by Remy Martin.
Revelers included friends JR and Loren Ridinger, developer Jorge Pérez, billionaire-philanthropist Stewart Rahr, basketball greats Alonzo Mourning and Scottie Pippen, and stunning model-actress Seleita Ebanks.
Dinner, prepared by the restaurant’s expert chef Christoper Lee, was served at three long tables and featured favorites like Miso-marninated Chilean sea bass and a center-cut Creekstone Farms filet mignon.
Although it took place on a Thursday night, the dinner party evoked The Forge’s new Remastered Wednesdays, which features spontaneous performances by top-level performers. For the birthday party, there were various performances throughout the night, including an acapella performance by friend, reggae singer Kevin Lyttle.
The rest of the performances were from the cast of Project F, a collective of talented artists. This includes Jackie Mendez, a 4-time Latin Grammy winning vocalist who toured with Ricky Martin, and Karina Inglesias, a 2-time Latin Grammy winner and semi-finalist on NBC’s The Voice.
Jeffrey James Harris, of the Jeffrey James Gang performed a song in his bluesy bluster and Marybeth De Sarle, who has toured with Paul Simon and Mavis Staples, performed soulful songs with her band that effectively brought the house down.
The evening was capped off with a surprise montage, a toast to Kamal, and a stunning cake, before guests headed off to the after party at E11EVN.
Photos by Aaron Davidson for Getty Images
