DINE Fort Lauderdale is a five-course, wine-pairing dinner series – each hosted at a different top Fort Lauderdale restaurant. During the inaugural event, guests each night were welcomed with Lillet aperitifs. All 40-person dinners featured a menu exclusively curated by the head chef of the establishment and paired with a King Estate wine designed to enhance the flavors of the dish.
The series culminated with a fusion dinner where all five chefs shared a kitchen to bring their dishes to life. Each chef was assigned to a course that was paired with an exquisite wine. This 120-person grand finale also included a silent auction in which all proceeds benefited the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. Ultimately, the auction raised a remarkable $10,000. It proved that helping a worthy cause isn’t just rewarding – it can be tasty.
Night One: Shooters Waterfront
February 6, 2019
Chef James Cawley, events and banquet executive chef for Shooters Waterfront and The Grateful Palate Catering and Events, prepared a delectable menu including a blue crab crusted snapper, saffron whipped potatoes, wilted baby kale, charred red pepper coulis, chive oil and charred lemon. The dish was paired with King Estate Winery’s Domaine Pinot Gris.
These guests were also among the first to experience the newly renovated event space located upstairs overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Rightfully dubbed the Intracoastal Ballroom, the large room includes floor-to-ceiling windows that slide open for a panoramic view of the Waterway and is the largest of the three newly unveiled spaces. “We have a lot of event space here and we do a lot of different things with Mother’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, the boat parade,” says Shooters’ director of operations Peter Lopez. “We have quite a number of private events that happen here throughout the year.”
Night Two: The Capital Grille
March 7, 2019
The Capital Grille is known for its dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood and world-class wines. This night was nothing short of that. Chef Marc Gruverman prepared a special dry-aged New York strip steak with mushroom and parmesan risotto, crisp asparagus and black truffle vinaigrette. It was paired with Maestro by Robert Mondavi.
Chef Marc finds a special kind of satisfaction using his talent and skill to support the local community as well as other chefs. “I make a point to support fellow chefs whenever I can, and Emeril and the foundation are helping thousands of young people around the country through culinary training and education. At the end of the day life, is defined by what you give and the quality of your relationships,” he says. “That is why I love what I do – I get to work with great people, deliver an amazing dining experience and do good for others. This just connects on many levels.”
Now that DINE is over, The Capital Grille is suiting up to host The Generous Pour this summer. This annual event runs from July 8 to September and allows guests to experience up to seven outstanding wines with their meals each night.
Night Three: Arc Culinary
March 13, 2019
Arc Culinary is one of Arc Broward’s social enterprises that aims to help students with disabilities and other life challenges transform their lives and build new futures through culinary endeavors.
“We work really hard to make sure our food is topnotch, we’re competitive in our pricing and we deliver what is needed,” shares Jessica Rodriguez, Arc Culinary’s chief marketing and development officer.
They proved this to be accurate at DINE’s third installment of the dinner series. Guests indulged in the tasty menu items prepared by Chef Juan Peralta, such as a 4 oz. oven-roasted, rosemary crusted filet mignon with herb-roasted tri-color potatoes. Alongside it, roasted asparagus and heirloom tomatoes with a rich, buttery cabernet sauce reduction were served. To complete the dish, a North by Northwest Columbia Valley Cabernet was paired by King Estate Winery.
The silent auction held at the fusion dinner benefited The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which partners with local organizations, such as Arc Culinary. Emeril himself has met some of the students and has seen what they can do firsthand.
Night Four: Farm to Fork Meals
March 28, 2019
Chef Michael Panza takes skills mastered through his culinary residency in Italy and provides his gourmet touch to our fusion experience. With a cooking background of over ten years, he sees the importance in serving the freshest local ingredients and specializes in using all-natural, organic food.
“We’re happy to be supporters and work with everyone – to be a part of the community and help people with different challenges,” Panza says. “We definitely embraced it and would love to do it again.”
The evening’s first course consisted of Swiss chard and fontina ravioli with hen of the woods mushrooms and asparagus. The meal was complimented with King Estate’s Rosé of Pinot Noir.
Farm to Fork Meals is a gourmet meal plan delivery service that prides itself in customizing weekly menus for each customer that cater to their dietary needs and wants.
Night Five: Fusion Dinner at The Grateful Palate Catering & Events
April 18, 2019
The chefs from all five restaurants gathered for one night to celebrate the conclusion of DINE Fort Lauderdale‘s wine-pairing dinner series. The event was held at The Grateful Palate Catering and Events waterfront dining venue.
Aperitifs were provided by French spirit Lillet, while each course was paired with a wine from Oregon’s King Estate Winery.
The chefs from all five restaurants gathered for one night to celebrate the conclusion of DINE Fort Lauderdale wine-pairing dinner series. The event was held at The Grateful Palate Catering and Events waterfront dining venue.
Among the silent auction items were Dwyane Wade’s farewell basketball signed by this season’s Miami Heat team including D-Wade himself, a shopping spree at Sawgrass Mills (plus, a Saint Laurent handbag, transportation by Mercedes-Benz and lunch at Grand Lux Café) and paintings by Scott Jacobs of Park West Gallery.
The fourth course of the evening was created by Grateful Palate’s Chef Brian Cornelius. It consisted of a mahi saltimbocca with sweet pea sage risotto, roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine and basil oil, which paired perfectly with King Estate’s Domaine Pinot Noir.
“It was such a pleasure working with such talented and charismatic chefs who raised awareness for Emeril’s foundation,” says Chef Brian. “Beyond the events being for an awesome foundation, I thought one of the coolest things was how the culinary teams from each restaurant weren’t in it for their name. It was more than that – they showed their love with their craft. We were glad to work with some of the best chefs within the community.”
About Our Sponsors:
Emeril Lagasse Foundation
Since it was founded in 2002, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation has sought to support initiatives such as these, first in New Orleans and then around the country. It’s a public charity, not a private family foundation, and it participates in many charity events.
Founded by its namesake celebrity chef and his wife, Alden, the foundation helps fund a wide variety of projects largely centered on food. In Broward, the foundation is partnering with Arc Culinary.
In particular, the foundation has pledged $300,000 towards an ambitious expansion of the program that prepares students to work in the restaurant and catering industry. A large working kitchen instruction area will be called the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Innovation Kitchen.
“We saw the type of training they were doing and the way [instructors] just truly loved and cared for these kids,” foundation president Brian Kish says. “Then we heard the success stories.
“That’s absolutely joyful to see someone really find their passion and their potential career through food.”
King Estate Winery
Family-owned King Estate Winery has 1,033 Demeter USA certified Biodynamic acres in Oregon. This winery is known for its Pinot Gris. Their secret? They successfully found the perfect balance between vine and fruit development in the perfect Oregon climate. With organic vineyard and hand-grown grapes, it’s no wonder they’re an American favorite.
For the fusion dinner, King Estate paired its famous Willamette Valley Pinot Gris with Chef Marc Gruverman’s grilled octopus with marcona almond romesco, truffle-scented white bean puree and pickled onions.
This wine has a pale straw color with glistening edges. Fresh fruit aromas of ripe pear and lime zest are followed by pleasant honeysuckle notes. On the palate, there are lively flavors of nectarine, ripe pear and fresh cut pineapple, highlighted by violet tinges.
Lillet
Established in 1872, Lillet is a French aperitif that has gone above and beyond to master the perfect spirit for any occasion. It is a combination of rigorously selected wines and fruit macerations crafted onsite.
The production of Lillet takes place in Podensac, a small village south of Bordeaux. There are six steps, including the selection of the right wines, fruits from exotic locations like Morocco, weeks of slow cold maceration of fruits and peels, fortification, aging and blending.
At the start of each DINE event, guests were welcomed with Lillet aperitifs paired with fruit garnishments. The drink, named Mermaid Kisses, consisted of Lillet Rose, vodka, crème de Yvette, rose and elderflower.
Recipes from the Fusion Event Menu
The DINE Fort Lauderdale Fusion Dinner featured a menu curated by each top chef who participated throughout the dinner series.
First Course: Deconstructed Beef Wellington
By Arc Culinary’s Chef David Deleon
Ingredients
- 6 oz. filet mignon
- 1 qt. heavy cream
- 2 shallots
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 10 crimini mushrooms
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 sheet puff pastry squares
- 2 sprigs tarragon
- 1 cup red wine pinot noir
Directions
For Mushroom Duxelle
Chop mushroom shallots, garlic and herbs. Cook in light heat in a sauce pan. Once the mushroom mixture is cooked, add red wine and reduce by half. Pull from heat and cool down. Set this mix aside.
Cut filets into two-inch strips and freeze. Take out the chilled mushroom mixture; put in a sauce pan. Add cream and parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a hot pan, add olive oil and sear frozen filet mignon until golden brown. Heat oven to 325 degrees and bake the puff pastry until golden brown.
Second Course: Grilled Octopus with Marcona Almond Romesco, Truffle-Scented White Bean Puree
By The Capital Grille’s Chef Marc Gruverman
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. fresh octopus
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 lemons, juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp. fresh oregano
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
For the Truffle White Bean Puree
- 1 Tb. butter, unsalted
- ¼ cup onions, finely chopped
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 Tb. shallots, minced
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- ½ cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of white beans, cooked
- ¼ cup of white truffle oil
For The Romesco Sauce
- 1 large roasted red bell pepper from a jar, packed in oil
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- ½ cup Marcona almonds, toasted or fried
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 2 Tbs. parsley, chopped flat
- 3 Tbs. sherry vinegar
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
Place octopus in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil for 35–40 minutes. Remove octopus from water, rinse and place in bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil; add chopped garlic, fresh oregano, chopped parsley and smoked paprika. Cool and rest at room temperature for 30–45 minutes.
For the Truffle White Bean Puree
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for three minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Add cream and the beans. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for three to four minutes. Remove from heat, pour mixture into bowl or food processor. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Add truffle oil and blend until smooth. Keep sauce warm for serving.
For the Romesco Sauce
Pulse first eight ingredients in food processor until very finely chopped. With food processor running, slowly add oil; process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.
Plating
Serve four-to-six inch octopus arms sliced on a bias over half of a tablespoon of truffle bean puree and one tablespoon of romesco sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, lemon slice.
Third Course: Beet & Burrata Salad
By Farm to Fork’s Chef Dan Pezzulo
Ingredients
- 1 ball burrata cheese
- 3 cups red beets
- ¼ cup roasted pistachios
- 2 heirloom tomatoes
- White balsamic vinaigrette
Directions
Slice the beets thinly. Chop heirloom tomatoes. Cut burrata into small slices. Arrange over arugula. Sprinkle pistachios and drizzle with vinaigrette.
Fourth Course: Mahi Saltimbocca with sweet pea sage risotto, roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine and basil chili oil)
By The Grateful Palate Catering and Events’ Chef Brian Cornelius
Ingredients
- 6 oz. mahi, wrapped with prosciutto
- 3 sage leaves
- Chili oil
- Blistered tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 Tb. fresh thyme
- 2 Tb. sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup cooked peas
- 4 Tb. olive oil
- ½ cup whole peas
- ½ shallot
- 1 cup dry Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Salt and pepper or garlic
Directions
For the Mahi
Bake at 400 degrees for twelve minutes.
For the Sweet-Pea Risotto
Heat three cups chicken stock in a boiling pot. Put one tablespoon of fresh thyme, two tablespoons of sage and two bay leaves on stove to boil. Blend 1/2 cup of cooked peas until it is a smooth paste purée. Add two tablespoons of lemon juice. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add a half cup of whole peas to purée.
In a deep sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil, add half a shallot and sauté. Add one cup of dry Arborio rice; sauté until edges of rice are translucent.
Add a half cup of dry white wine. Slowly add boiling chicken stock, enough to cover the rice on medium heat. Reduce until liquid is absorbed. Once chicken stock is used throughout, add purée. Add salt and pepper to taste or garlic. Add blistered cherry tomatoes. Sauté cherry tomato in olive and fresh basil until skin has blistered.
Fifth Course: Caribbean Bread Pudding Flan with bananas foster ice cream and brown butter tuile
By Shooters Waterfront’s Chef Monica Walker
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 in. long
- 15 whole cloves
- 1 tsp. anise seed
- 2 Tb. water
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 loaf honey whole wheat bread, cut into squares
- 4 cups evaporated milk
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp. salt
Directions
Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise seeds. Cover and set aside to steep for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine two tablespoons water with ½ cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar completely, but stop stirring once the mixture comes to a boil. Stay near the stove to monitor the color, swirling the pan gently to redistribute the caramel as the sugar begins to darken. Cook to about 310 degrees or until the sugar turns light golden brown, then pour into a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Set aside to allow the caramel to harden.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Place bread into a large mixing bowl. Strain the spice tea through a fine mesh sieve to remove the spices. Add to the bread along with the evaporated milk. Stir to evenly moisten, and set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl along with 1½ cups of sugar, the vanilla extract, salt and melted butter. Stir in the moistened bread mixture until evenly mixed. Pour into the loaf pan over the caramel. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the loaf pan on the towel, inside roasting pan and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 1 hour and 15 minutes). Cool in the pan for about an hour, then refrigerate until cold (two hours more).
When ready, invert the flan onto a serving plate. The caramel will have turned to syrup and will cover the flan like a sauce.
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