Celebrating its sophomore year as a bi-county event featuring Broward and Dade’s best restaurants, Taste of the Nation South Florida, the region’s premier culinary benefit now in its 26th year overall, recently took place in the main ballroom of Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The chef talent in the room – including founding chairman Allen Susser and restaurant chair Timon Balloo – was unparalleled and the event was a smashing success. Close to 700 attendees came out to support the cause, helping to raise close to $100,000 for Share Our Strength, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization whose mission is to end childhood hunger.
The culinary extravaganza was emceed by chef personality Ralph Pagano. More than 60 of the region’s most celebrated restaurants, fine wine and spirits purveyors coupled with live entertainment created an unforgettable night for a fabulous cause. This year’s highlights included pop-up stations which were unveiled throughout the ballroom every 20 minutes with creations from local favorites such as Gravity Brew Lab, My Ceviche, Azúcar Ice Cream and Rock Star Pastries. There were also interactive areas such as a basketball hoop where guests challenged former WNBA star and Share Our Strength advocate Ruth Riley while raising money for the organization ($1 per hoop), as well as a bocce ball court.
Delicious culinary creations included Kusshi oysters with Jalapeño ponzu, Blue Point oysters with pineapple cucumber salsa and shrimp ceviche avocado mousse by Lure Fishbar; lomi lomi with teriyaki roasted carrots by HaVen; a unique Spam Masubi by SUGARCANE raw bar grill; juicy certified Angus beef short ribs with bacon mousse and grilled scallion by Meat Market; succulent tuna tiradito with ahi Amarillo and crispy quinoa by The Dutch; Cuban ham meatloaf with Sriracha ketchup glaze, malanga mash, foie gras gravy and apple cider marinated broccolini topped with crispy garlic by Bread + Butter and decadent lobster shrimp rolls by EDGE Steak & Bar. Attendees also enjoyed an array of fine wines & spirits, music by DJ Andre Xavier accompanied by beats from Mike Sipe Entertainment Group and a fabulous live and silent auction.
Notable attendees beyond the unbeatable line-up of chefs included Nina Compton – Top Chef: New Orleans runner-up and former Scarpetta chef de cuisine; Ruth Riley – former WNBA star and Share Our Strength advocate; Josie Smith-Malave – Top Chef: Los Angeles alumnus; Shareef Malnik – Miami socialite and owner of The Forge Restaurant and representatives of South Florida’s sister event, Taste of the Nation Palm Beach, chefs Lindsay Autrey and Clay Conley.
The exclusive Black and Blanco After Party, presented by Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco, followed the evening’s main event at Lure Fishbar at the Loews, co-hosted by Josh Capon, chef and partner of Lure Fishbar SOHO and SOBE. Savory bites were provided by Lure, but the highlight of the party were the chocolate creations created by Miami’s elite pastry pros: Jordi Panisello of Fontainebleau Miami Beach; Josh Gripper of The Dutch at The W South Beach Hotel and Residences and Antonio Bachour of St. Regis Bal Harbour, all paired with custom cocktails showcasing the new Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco silver tequila, and created by Lure’s acclaimed mixologist Rob Ferrara.
A special thanks to all the participating chefs and restaurants, who truly made Taste of the Nation South Florida an incredible success: 15 Steps at the Eden Roc; 3030 Ocean; Adrienne’s Vineyard; AQ by Acqualina; Area 31; Azul at Mandarin Oriental; Bianca at the Delano; Biscayne Tavern; Bread + Butter; BULLA Gastro Bar; Café Prima Pasta; Casa D’Angelo Fort Lauderdale; Cibo Wine Bar; Cypress Room; db Bistro Moderne; Daily Melt; Dolce Italian; Earls Kitchen + Bar; EDGE Steak & Bar at Four Seasons; HaVen South Beach; Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant; Katsuya South Beach; Khong River House; Lilikoi & Company; Little Palm Island; Loews Miami Beach; Lorenzo at Redbury; Lure Fishbar at Loews Miami Beach; MC Kitchen; Makoto at Bal Harbour Shops; Meat Market; Milos by Costas Spiliadis; Michael Mina 74 at Fontainebleau Miami Beach; Naked Taco; Oak Tavern; The Oceanaire; OTC; Palate Party; Preston’s; Quattro Gastronomia Italiana; R House; Red The Steakhouse; Restaurant at The Setai; Sea Level; Shake Shack; SHIKANY Wynwood; Siena Tavern; Steak 954; SUGARCANE raw bar grill; SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach; Susie’s Scrumptious Sweets; SweetWater; The Bazaar by José Andrés; The Dutch at W South Beach Hotel & Residences; The Federal Food Drink & Provisions; The Forge Restaurant; Tongue and Cheek; Toro Toro Restaurant; Uvaggio; Verde at PAMM; and Wynwood Kitchen & Bar.
Taste of the Nation is sponsored and supported nationally by National Presenting Sponsor Sysco, national sponsors American Express, Food Network, Cavit, OpenTable, and S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water and Acqua Panna Natural Spring Water, and local sponsors Lincoln Motor Company, Nespresso, Share Your Wine, Whole Foods, Wine Watch, Easy Ice, Nestle Waters, Brustman Carrino Public Relations, Panache: a Classic Party Rentals company, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Mike Sipe Entertainment, Miami New Times and Social Thinkking. Local beneficiaries include Florida Impact, Feeding South Florida, FLIPANY, South Florida Hunger Coalition and Florence Fuller Child Development Centers.
To learn how you may contribute to Share Our Strength, visit www.strength.org.
