There is a moment at every truly great dinner when the room changes. Wine glasses pause halfway to the table, conversations soften, the lighting feels warmer somehow, people stop thinking about where they have to be tomorrow and become fully present in the moment.
That feeling was present throughout DINE Fort Lauderdale 2026.
Now in its seventh year, the culinary series returned bigger, more personal and more connected than ever, bringing together some of South Florida’s most celebrated chefs and restaurants for a season benefiting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. Over four unforgettable dinners and a grand finale at The Grateful Palate Catering & Events, guests experienced extraordinary food, beautifully curated wines, luxury auctions and an atmosphere that reminded everyone why hospitality matters. What unfolded over the season was far more than a dinner series: it became a community.
Night 1: Morton’s Steakhouse
The season officially opened at Morton’s The Steakhouse, where classic steakhouse elegance and warm downtown energy created the perfect introduction to the months ahead.
Outside, a gleaming Rolls-Royce presented by Holman Motorcars welcomed guests before they stepped into a candlelit dining room layered with dramatic florals, crisp linens and the unmistakable hum of anticipation.
Servers floated through the room with Sotol Sours while conversations built naturally between courses and introductions. Chef Joshua Alcala delivered a menu that felt deeply comforting yet refined, beginning with a winter harvest salad before transitioning into roasted butternut squash soup that paired beautifully with the season’s richness.
Then came the evening’s standout: braised wagyu beef cheeks paired with a Summers Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Tender, rich and layered with flavor, the course immediately established the culinary standard for the season ahead. Dessert arrived in the form of Chef Joshua’s homemade caramel tres leches, paired with Colores De Sol Malbec from Argentina, closing the evening in indulgent fashion as guests lingered over wine and conversation long after the final course.
Morton’s delivered exactly what an opening dinner should feel like: timeless, elegant and impossible to rush through.
Night 2: The Capital Grille
The second dinner unfolded at The Capital Grille, where refined steakhouse sophistication met the laid-back coastal flavors of the Florida Keys.
Outside, an Aston Martin from Holman Motorcars greeted guests beneath the soft evening glow while inside, the atmosphere felt polished and intimate. Gold light bounced off wine glasses as guests gathered over Jungle Bird cocktails before dinner service began.
Raised in Key West, Chef Gil Suarez brought a deeply personal touch to the evening’s menu. Throughout the dinner, subtle coastal influences and bold flavors captured the Keys’ easy elegance and tropical spirit while still honoring the elevated atmosphere The Capital Grille is known for.
The evening began with roasted pear salad layered with dried cherries, candied pecans, gorgonzola and crispy prosciutto, before diver scallops finished with miso butter and wasabi pea gremolata delivered one of the season’s most delicate bites.
Then came red snapper with macadamia crust and citrus beurre blanc, a course that especially reflected Chef Gil’s coastal roots. Bright, fresh and layered with flavor, the dish carried the kind of tropical influence that felt naturally connected to his Key West upbringing.
The evening transitioned beautifully to petite wagyu filet mignon served with onion jam and wild mushrooms paired with Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, which balanced the lighter seafood-driven flavors with classic steakhouse richness.
By dessert, conversations stretched across the dining room as guests lingered over apple tart and vanilla bean gelato, fully settled into the rhythm of another unforgettable evening.
Night 3: Timpano Las Olas
By the third dinner, DINE Fort Lauderdale had fully found its rhythm.
At Timpano, the atmosphere shifted into something moodier, livelier and unmistakably Las Olas.
Guests gathered beneath city lights near a Bentley from Holman Motorcars while saxophone music drifted through the restaurant’s dramatic interiors. Candlelight flickered against dark finishes and crowded tables as servers delivered The Snake Charmer cocktail.
Chef Carlos Betancourth embraced the energy of the room beautifully, presenting one of the season’s boldest menus.
Steak tartare topped with truffle foam and shaved truffle immediately set the tone before cacio e pepe arancini layered with black pepper béchamel and fresh mozzarella arrived at the tables.
Then came the course guests continued talking about long after dinner ended: duck agnolotti with whipped ricotta, duck jus and pistachio crumble. Rich, luxurious and deeply comforting, it captured exactly what made the evening feel so memorable.
The charred branzino, paired with roasted tomato vinaigrette and parsnip purée, delivered balance, before The Timpano Bar dessert layered hazelnut, salted caramel and bittersweet chocolate into a finale worthy of applause.
Night 4: Truluck’s
The final individual dinner unfolded oceanfront at Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood & Crab, where sunset skies and waterfront views created one of the season’s most elegant evenings. Soft candlelight reflected through floor-to-ceiling windows while guests gathered over Magician’s Margaritas, and ocean breezes drifted through the dining room.
Chef Odel Arencibia leaned beautifully into seafood and coastal refinement with a menu that felt perfectly suited for the setting.
Snapper crudo dressed with citrus, chives and olive oil opened the evening before crab cakes and Sonoma greens salad layered with goat cheese, apples and dried cherries carried guests into the night’s centerpiece: miso-glazed seabass served with cucumber slaw and crab fried rice.
Rich yet balanced, the dish quickly became one of the season’s standouts.
Dessert closed the evening with Truluck’s legendary carrot cake layered with cream cheese icing, spiced pecans and warm butterscotch, ending the night with exactly the kind of indulgence guests had come to expect.
Night 5: The Grateful Palate Catering & Events
The season concluded at The Grateful Palate Catering & Events, where all participating chefs reunited for the highly anticipated Fusion finale benefiting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
The atmosphere inside the venue felt exciting from the very beginning.
Chef dishes filled the room while guests moved between curated wines, handcrafted cocktails, live music and beautifully displayed silent auction packages. One notable dish was the pork belly with polenta, pickled onion and micro greens by Chef Pablo Burgos of Shooters Waterfront. Conversations blended with laughter and bidding as supporters gathered around luxury experiences and exclusive donations, including diamond earrings by Sabii Jewelry and a luxury getaway to Turks and Caicos at Wymara Resort + Villas by Milo Group.
But beneath the glamour lay something far more meaningful. “We were honored to once again be the non-profit beneficiary of DINE Fort Lauderdale,” said Brian Kish, president of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. “Thank you to our friends at Fort Lauderdale Magazine and to all those who participated in the auction.”
One of the evening’s most powerful moments came when Zhyon Thomas, graduate of the Arc Broward culinary program, addressed the room.
Now working at The Capital Grille, Thomas shared his experience at the culinary program, that is supported by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. With a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen and hands-on culinary education programs, Arc Broward helps young adults build confidence, life skills and real-world opportunities in hospitality.
As Thomas spoke, conversations quieted throughout the venue.
Suddenly, the purpose behind DINE Fort Lauderdale became deeply personal. The dinners, auctions and generosity throughout the season were no longer abstract acts of giving. They were helping create futures. At the final Fushion dinner, over $17,000 was raised for the foundation.
“I think what makes DINE Fort Lauderdale so special is that it goes far beyond the plate,” said Ashley Keshigian, publisher of Fort Lauderdale Magazine. “Watching someone like Zhyon stand in front of a room full of supporters and share his story reminds you exactly why this matters. DINE Fort Lauderdale has become a celebration of community, opportunity and the power food has to bring people together.”
More than dinner
Then there was the reason everyone gathered in the first place. All proceeds from the auctions and raffles benefited the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Culinary Garden and Teaching Kitchen programs, which bring edible education into schools and organizations throughout South Florida. From planting seeds to plating meals, the Foundation continues to help young people discover confidence, creativity and opportunity through food.
Because at its heart, DINE Fort Lauderdale was never simply about luxury.
It was about chefs sharing their creativity, restaurants opening their doors, guests giving generously and a community proving that when people gather around a table for the right reasons, extraordinary things can happen.
The Partners
Throughout the season, DINE Fort Lauderdale was elevated by an incredible group of partners that helped shape the experience’s every detail.
Birds of Paradise Wines
Birds of Paradise Wines served as the official wine partner throughout the series, curating pairings from California, Chile, Argentina and Provence that brought balance, personality and elegance to every dinner. The female-founded wine house guided guests through each course with wines that were vibrant, approachable and beautifully suited to the chef-driven menus.
Los Magos Sotol
Los Magos Sotol anchored every welcome cocktail throughout the season, introducing many guests to sotol for the first time through creative drinks featuring floral, citrus and smoky notes.
Holman Motorcars
As the title sponsor of DINE Fort Lauderdale, Holman Motorcars did not simply arrive, they made an entrance. Representing Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce, the luxury automotive group displayed signature vehicles outside each host restaurant throughout the season.
Holman Motorcars’ Sunrise Boulevard showroom has become a destination in its own right, designed with architectural elegance, private delivery theaters, curated art pieces and a chandelier inspired by the famed Silverstone racetrack. It proved to be a natural fit for a series centered around sophistication and elevated experiences.
Coco & JoJo Luxury Florals
At first glance, Coco & JoJo Luxury Florals creates exactly what guests hope to see when they walk into an event: lush roses, dramatic installations and tablescapes that stop people mid-conversation.
But behind the beauty is a deeply personal story built by co-founders Colleen Hurt and Jojo Sauvage, who began freelancing together before growing their company into one of South Florida’s most recognizable floral design brands.
Throughout DINE Fort Lauderdale, their arrangements transformed every dining room into an immersive and unforgettable experience. “We don’t see florals as an accessory,” Hurt explains. “We see them as part of the architecture.”
Dipp Photobooth
Dipp Photobooth added another layer of personality to the final dinner, creating playful moments and candid memories throughout the evening. Founded by a sibling duo passionate about creating joyful experiences, Dipp became more than just a photo booth. It became part of the atmosphere itself.
Miami Sax
Entertainment from Miami Sax brought warmth and sophistication through live performances that drifted naturally throughout the venue at the final dinner.
Blending jazz, house music, Latin influences and contemporary sounds, the South Florida saxophonist helped shape the mood while adding an unmistakable energy to the room.
Mike Connor Photography
Photographer Mike Connor documented the evenings with striking authenticity. Known for capturing everything from architecture to motorsports, Connor focused on the moments between courses: laughter, movement, toasts and the emotional energy that defined the series.
Sam Adler: Food Photographer & Stylist
Award-winning food photographer and stylist Sam Adler captured the artistry and emotion behind every course served throughout the season. A trained pastry chef with a celebrated eye for color and composition, Adler brought the menus to life while documenting the texture, warmth and beauty of each chef’s creations.
