Aromas of citrus, garlic, and herbs flow through the Sunday evening air as Caribbean steel drums set the mood for a night of homecooked Haitian cuisine. As diners sip fruity cocktails and nibble on plantains, they could be forgiven for forgetting that they aren’t on a tropical getaway.
Instead, they’re sitting in an old bank building in Milford, New Hampshire, nearly 1,700 miles from Haiti’s shores.
More specifically, they’re attending an Ansanm Sunday Dinner at Greenleaf, an award-winning restaurant owned by James Beard-nominated chef Chris Viaud, who competed on season 18 of “Top Chef.” Though his time on television included wowing judges with a creative yet classic grilled cheese sandwich—and winning $10,000—Viaud set his culinary ambitions on introducing Milford’s mouths to homemade favorites from his own childhood….