ONE of New England's best chefs is to lend her skills to the Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival, preparing one of her signature dishes for a gala dinner commemorating the close of the event.

Jody Adams, chef at Boston's popular Rialto, will join a team of world-class chefs including Jean-Claude Garzia of The Lemon Tree and Serge Bottelli of La Coquille.

Together the group is to prepare a "culinary masterpiece" for those who attend the event, which will be held at the Fairmont Southampton Princess.

"Not only are we fortunate enough to have (three-time Oscar-nominated actress) Sigourney Weaver hosting this special event," said Graham Redford, managing director of the Festival's organisers, Total Marketing & Communications Ltd, "(but) we're exceptionally pleased to have such a world-renowned chef as Jody joining us this year. She has won many distinctions and awards including a four-star rating (the highest possible) from the This dinner will be a piece de resistance of the Festival. Diners will taste course after course from the amazing line-up of chefs ? one delicious flavour after another.

"All of the celebrity chefs will explain their signature dishes, and wine expert Joshua Wesson will present some fantastic wines especially paired for each course, courtesy of Gosling's. This will be without a doubt, the highlight of the Festival and it should not be missed."

In addition to her accomplishments as a chef, Ms Adams is the recipient of several awards including the James Beard 'Best Chef in the Northeast' award and the author of a cookbook,

Ms Adam's culinary career in Boston began in 1983 at Seasons restaurant under chef Lydia Shire. Three years later, she was working at another famed locale ? Hamersley's Bistro ? as a sous chef under Gordon Hamersley.

"She moved to Michela's in 1990," a Total Marketing & Communications spokesperson said, "and was executive chef there until 1994. While at Michela's, Jody became known for her carefully researched regional menus that combined New England ingredients with Italian culinary traditions."

In September of 1994, she opened Rialto with restaurateur Michela Larson and Karen Haskell.

"The new restaurant allowed Jody the freedom to expand her culinary expertise," the spokesperson continued. "After the success of Rialto, Jody and her partners expanded the restaurant group to include Red Clay in May of 1999, blu in November, 2001 and Noir in the Fall of 2002. In addition to the new restaurants, Jody consults for other establishments on dining concepts and operations."

The gala event will be held on Sunday, November 14. A private reception and silent auction will be held prior to the dinner. The auction's proceeds will go towards the Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival Scholarship, created to assist local culinary students wishing to further their education overseas.

For more information on the Festival or, to purchase tickets for the gala dinner visit or telephone 295-2508.