Meet Gilt City DC's Inaugural Insider

Gilt City's Keith Whelan, your Metrocurean cruise director and Gilt City "Insider" Amanda McClements, Rogue 24 chef/owner RJ Cooper, and Gilt City's Marissa Schneider.
Photos by Alfredo Flores

I'm pleased as punch to announce that I've been tapped as Gilt City DC's first "Insider." What does that mean?

For the next few months, Gilt City will be highlighting my favorite restaurants, bars and shops through a series of really cool offers and events — from Champagne dinners to exclusive reservations and, of course, the Rogue 24 Rogue Sessions.

(Be sure to check out the sale launching at 10 a.m. today, offering super sought-after seats at a new hot spot.)

Monday night, the talented team at Rogue 24 and Gilt City hosted a fabulous party to kick off the Insider initiative. Chef RJ Cooper, who will be out for the next few months recovering from heart surgery, spent his last night in the kitchen serving up seriously addictive kimchee cracklins and other bites from the menu. While Cooper is out, star chefs from across the country are stepping in to man the kitchen. You can secure seats to these dinners on Gilt City and a portion of the sales benefit Share Our Strength. Get the full scoop on Rogue Sessions here.

At Monday's soiree, there were plenty of movers and shakers, a few spoonfuls of caviar, incredible cocktails and some redemption sandwich "building." A few pics are below, and keep an eye on Gilt City DC for my Insider sales!

RJ Cooper served these seriously addictive kimchee "pork" rinds — the rinds are actually made from kimchee.

Just a spoonful of caviar helps the medicine go down. I swear not every night on the job is like this.

Rogue 24 bar chef Bryan Tetorakis pours a rum Manhattan.

Check out more photos on Revamp.com.