I told you earlier that John Mooney, chef and co-owner of Apopka’s Highland Manor, has been invited to cook at the presitgious Beard House in Greenwich Village. For culinary professionals, this is a big deal.

Mooney was one of the chefs who came along to cook for a group of media reps in New York this week. As we were all standing around chatting after the event was over, Mark Beaupre, executive chef at the J. W. Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, who also came along for the cooking demonstration, mentioned that he had found some wonderful ingredients at the greenmarket in Union Square, just a block away from the Institute for Culinary Education. He said he would use some of what he found when he cooks at the Beard House.

Excuse me?, I asked. When’s that?

Friday, he said. That would be tonight.

Beaupre is cooking at the house on 12th Street with a colleague from the J.W. Marriott in Phoenix. They’re presenting a program called “Six plates, six pinots.” You can get more details about the meal at the official James Beard Web site. If you’re in New York and thinking you might stop by and enjoy the dinner, sorry, it’s been sold out for some time.

So that’s two Orlando chefs cooking at the Beard House in one month. The world is going to start taking notice that Orlando is home to some mighty fine dining. I promise you, we will shed the image of being the Rodney Dangerfield of the culinary world.