Jan Norris‘Culinary clash’ will be a fast-paced cook-off in Lake Park’s Culinary Studio.
A version of “Chopped,” the famed Food Network show where chef contestants participate in a lightning round-style cook-off, comes to Lake Park in September.
Culinary Studio, the commercial co-op kitchen spaces atop Oceana Coffee at 1301 10th St., Lake Park, is the site of “Culinary Clash: Palm Beach Edition.” It pits three chefs against one another at each of three events to secure a place in the finale on Oct. 30.
Chefs will prepare an appetizer, main course and dessert from identical food baskets in a timed competition. A panel of judges selects the winner, who will advance to the finals. Foods will be judged on taste, creativity, execution and presentation.
Guests will be served small bites of each round and vote their favorite overall chef for the People’s Choice award.
Each chef is paired with a charity that will split the cash prize with their chef if they win.
The first round is Sept. 1, with participants Nicole Fey of AquaSan in Juno Beach; and private chefs Bryce Dangerfield and Christopher Spinosa. Subsequent rounds are Sept. 15 and 29, with the finale Oct. 30.
A limited number of tickets are available to the public to watch, taste and vote at the events scheduled for 6-9 pm: $125 general admission, or $250 for VIP access to the cooking area and a swag bag.
The series will be live-streamed, organizers say.
The Culinary Studio is a commercial co-op kitchen and event space available for rent by membership. It opened this year in Lake Park.
For information and tickets, visit culinary-studio.com.
September is Flavor South Florida month
Lucky locals in September. They’re privy to the dining deals set up for Flavor South Florida.
This year, more than 100 restaurants are participating in the monthlong program that starts Sept. 1, and offers diners multicourse brunches, lunches and dinners at a fixed price usually well under what the meal would normally cost. Prices range from $25 to $79 for a multicourse meal.
In a release, CEO of Flavor South Florida Kerri Paizzi said: “During the summer months, restaurants rely heavily on local customers to drive business, while locals actively seek out attractive promotions and value-driven dining experiences. Flavor is the perfect time of year for restaurants to unleash their creativity and craft bold, new dishes that give new and returning customers a memorable culinary experience.”
The restaurants range from Michelin-recommended boites to favorite family settings, and span the distance between Sebastian on the Treasure Coast to Boca Raton.
Examples include a special menu at Moody Tongue Sushi in the West Palm Beach Hilton. It’s prepared by chef Hiromi Iwakiri, who oversees the Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Palm Beach restaurants participating include Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court Hotel; La Goulue, where a sea bream is served en papillote; Le Bar à Vin, and The Italian Restaurant at The Breakers Palm Beach.
Diners can choose from upscale dining experiences such as La Masseria in Palm Beach Gardens; another Michelin-recommended restaurant, The Butcher’s Club at PGA National Resort, where there’s a wagyu steak burger on the menu; and Blackbird in Tequesta, where award-winning pastry chef Denise Elrod serves a “lime in the coconut.”
No special certificates or cards are needed to get the deals, but diners are wise to reserve a table and ask for the Flavor menu to ensure it is available. Flavor South Florida runs Sept.1-30.
For a full list of restaurants, menus and prices, visit flavorsouthflorida.com.
Briefly: McCray’s BBQ has closed in downtown Lake Worth Beach for now. Owner Derrick McCray hinted at a possible reopening. We’ll keep you posted.
Jan’s a journalist covering the South Florida dining scene for 30-plus years. (She knows where the bones and onion peels are buried.) She’s a Florida native, remembers the state pre-Disney, and travels frequently to visit family and friends from the Keys to the Panhandle.
