Nick Offerman Performance and Dinner! Nick Offerman to perform on campus and host dinner for Japan House! Share Tweet Forward to Friend +1 Nick Offerman

American Ham Tour

Saturday, October 26, 2013

7:30 pm

Foellinger Great Hall

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts



Nick Offerman (â€œParks & Recreation'sâ€ â€˜Ron Swansonâ€™) is taking full advantage of his honey-glazed hindquarters in a humorous entree called "American Ham," which features a veritable smorgasbord of cautionary tales, tunes, and tips for prosperity (with minor nudity).



Tickets ($30 or $10 for UIUC students) on sale Monday, September 23 at 10:00 am

KCPA Ticket Office

217-333-6280

500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana



This event is made possible with the support of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the College of Fine and Applied Arts.

University of Illinois alum Nick Offerman (BFA â€™93) has risen to fame as an actor particularly known for his role as Ron Swanson on NBCâ€™s â€œParks and Recreation.â€ In the early 90s, however, he was a student of Professor Shozo Satoâ€™s here at the University of Illinois. Offerman credits Professor Sato with affecting the trajectory of his life â€” through his mentorship, his teaching of traditional Japanese Arts and Culture, and boundless generosity. Having the opportunity to study Kabuki under Professor Sato, Offerman was fortunate enough to travel to Japan with Professor Sato and the University Kabuki troupe while at the University. The two have stayed deeply connected ever since. Upon a recent return visit to campus to see Professor Satoâ€™s final directorial performance of Kabuki in Urbana, Nick visited the current Japan House grounds, built since his time here. Now, in tribute to that relationship between professor and student, he is assisting Japan House in raising funds that will go toward the completion of the Japan House gardens; developing the â€˜islandâ€™ within the ponds in honor of Professor Shozo Sato and his wife Alice Sato.

East Meets Midwest Dinner at Prairie Fruits Farm

Hosted by Nick Offerman, of â€œParks and Recreationâ€ television fame, and Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato and his wife Alice Sato

Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 2:00 pm



An eleven-course meal, set on the beautiful grounds of Prairie Fruits Farm, will celebrate an exceptional crossroads between Japanese cuisine and that of the Midwest. Japanese, American and fusion flavors will come together in the artistry of Chefs Shin Matsuda, Thad Morrow and Drew Starkey. Midway through the meal you will experience the incredible power of a traditional Japanese drum performance by Chicagoâ€™s Ho Etsu Taiko. Sake will be served with some courses while other courses will be complemented by a selection of wines selected by Chef Morrow. The meal will finish with a trio of Japanese sweets created just for the dinner by Japan Houseâ€™s very own chef, Tamaki Levy.

You will have an opportunity to not only enjoy the grounds of the farm at the end of harvest season, but also have a chance for autographs and pictures with Nick.



Tickets to this once in a lifetime dinner are $325, of which $250 will be a tax deductible gift to Japan House. This special afternoon will be limited to only 45 guests. We expect this to sell out quickly; so please donâ€™t delay if you want to enjoy this memorable, and delicious, fall afternoon commemorating this long-standing relationship between Professor Shozo Sato and Nick Offerman. Please call Japan House at 217-244-9934 to purchase a ticket.





The Chefs for East Meets Midwest



Chef Shin Matsuda

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Shin is currently the chef at Arami Go in Chicago. He worked at the Seaport Hotel for five years and went on to be the Chef de Cuisine at the Winnetu Resort on Martha's Vineyard. Upon returning to Chicago he worked at Prairie Grass CafÃ© before helping to open Arami. After a year there, he was asked to open The Slurping Turtle with Chef Takashi Yagihashi. Along this journey he has also worked with Chef Ken Oringer of Clio's in Boston and Chef Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia.



Chef Thad Morrow

Chef and owner of Bacaro in Champaign, Thad is a creative chef and restaurateur with a deep understanding of gastronomy and wine fundamentals. He received extensive training through a formal education at the Culinary Institute of America, an invaluable internship with Mario Batali, and an intensive study of wine in Los Angeles, California, Sienna, Italy, and Urbana, Illinois. Thad is proficient in Italian cuisine and wine pairings and strives to deliver superb wine, engaging dishes, and an atmosphere that invites the community to learn about great food.



Drew Starkey

Drew has been cooking for 10 years, studied at Kendall College and has worked at the Southern and Terzo Piano, both in Chicago. His influences are Mario Batali and Thomas Keller, and when cooking he appreciates the simplicity of a dish. His prized possession is his Boston red sox baseball cap, which he has worn in every kitchen he's ever cooked in.

Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato Mustache cupcakes to honor Japan House too! Cream & Flutter, the delicious bakery in downtown Champaign, will be selling mustache cupcakes in honor of Nick Offerman and Japan House from Monday, October 21 through Saturday, October 26, 2013! Yes, you will be able to enjoy a chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, vanilla bean frosting cupcake with a fondant mustache topper. Cream & Flutter will generously be donating the proceeds of these special cupcakes to Japan House. We can't wait to try one out!