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Fish Out of Water gets revamped as FOOW

By Michelle Farnham

St. Joe Club & Resorts realized its fine dining restaurant Fish Out Of Water was a bit of a … well, a fish out of water. Located within the WaterColor Inn, a new “clever, hip and fun” restaurant seemed more in line with the “WaterColor casual” attitude St. Joe strives to maintain. Management closed down the AAA four diamond award recipient this summer, rebranded and re-opened as FOOW (pronounced “foo”).

“It is no longer a fine-dining restaurant that you only go to for anniversaries and Valentine’s Day,” said Andrew Czarnecki, St. Joe’s managing director of resort operations. “It’s a place you’ll go to every day while on vacation and two or three times a week if you’re a local.”

What’s up with that unique name? you might be wondering.

“We wanted people to understand the correlation that FOOW is still owned and operated by the same company, but that it’s completely new, improved, and different,” Czarnecki said.

Diners will notice the restaurant itself has undergone a major transformation, too.

“The space has been reimagined with a streamlined open-air kitchen, an expanded Gulf view bar that wraps around from the interior to exterior to bring the sense of the outside in, as well as updated décor and high-end design flourishes that underscore WaterColor Inn’s natural seaside atmosphere,” explained Czarnecki.

The dining room is full of fun yet understated surprises. Fish scale glass decanters decorate each table and the silverware has a subtle fish scale design. The menu includes clever little sayings, including Julia Child’s famous quip, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

“It is important to highlight the brand personality through different avenues such as these small touches. It’s not as much about the upscale dining as it is about the overall guest experience,” added Kyle Davis, assistant director of food and beverage for WaterColor Inn.

New name, new menu

Executive Sous Chef Preetam Pardeshi and Chef de Cuisine Christopher Mayhue used a “coastal global approach” to craft FOOW’s new menu.

For example, the Tandoori Grilled Shrimp starter combines pickled red onions, sumac, cilantro-mint yogurt and lime. The Day Boat Line-Caught Grouper utilizes field peas, kale, brown butter citrus sauce and green tomato corn chow-chow, and comes grilled, blackened or fried. From the “On the Ranch” portion of the menu, you’ll find Grass-Fed Lamp Chops, served Harissa-spiced with baby carrots, feta, mint and a roasted red pepper puree.

While the restaurant is open for lunch and then again for dinner daily, the FOOWbar keeps the fun going from 11:30 a.m. to midnight. A selection of FOOWbar bites are available even when the kitchen is closed, and during Happy Hour (3 to 7 p.m.) bottled beers are $3, draft beers $5, and specialty cocktails and wines by the glass are on special for $6. Liquor is served half-off as well, with an entire “Rum Around the World” menu available.

FOOW boasts an impressive wine cellar, with well-traveled labels from India, Macedonia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Not just for date night

Families are welcome for an unpretentious meal while enjoying the expansive Gulf view, unique dishes and professional service.

Kiddos eat free from 5 to 6 p.m. daily, and have a menu all to themselves. The “Mac Double” Cheeseburger, for example, features two 4-ounce burgers and creamy mac n’ cheese. For those with a simpler palate, the toasted PBJ is served on buttered brioche with grape jelly. Any of the five kids’ options come with a choice of fries or seasonal fruit.

FOOW is open daily for lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner service. Located within the WaterColor Inn at 34 Goldenrod Circle, they operate on a walk-in basis only. Find more information online at watercolorresort.com/dining/fish-out-of-water

DCWAF’s Harvest Wine & Food Festival delights for a second year

By Michelle Farnham

The Harvest Wine & Food Festival was back for its second year at the picturesque Cerulean Park in WaterColor Oct. 27, bringing with it a mix of new and familiar faces. With 60 tents offering more than 250 bottles of wine – with beer and spirits mixed in – variety was the name of the game, all brought together by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation.

Tanya Forrestall of Birmingham, Ala., won VIP tickets through 30A Food & Wine’s online contest. She had attended the Seeing Red Wine Festival in the past, but was blown away by the 2-year-old Harvest fest.

“The venue is perfect,” she said. “ When I saw food demonstrations on the itinerary, I said, ‘Oh we’re definitely going to that,’ and we’ll be going to the next one. We’re not just sipping wine; there are actual events that we’re interested in seeing and learning about.”

She pointed to the Child’s Play Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley as her favorite of the day, admitting Oregon pinots are her favorite.

NO ORDINARY CULINARY

Restaurateurs from near and far helped to keep the wine-tasters going strong.

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, the official barbecue of the Atlanta Falcons, plated up their homemade jalapeño cheddar sausage, sliced brisket, and a whole hog po’boy topped with cole slaw.

As part of The Market – a food stop central to the festival – pastry Chef Kaley Laird of Asheville, N.C.-based The Rhu offered fall on a plate. She garnished pumpkin bread with apple butter, pickled apples, and lapsang tea-infused dark chocolate.

“This would go really well with a nice, dark red, like a cab or a blend,” Laird suggested. “I think sweetness would bring out too much of the earthiness, so I would put it with a red just to hit the chocolate and get the smoke.”

Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House from Baytowne Wharf teamed up with Destin-based Brotula’s Seafood House and Steamer, and Jackacuda’s Seafood + Sushi under The Gulf tent. Offerings included the tuna and avocado ceviche, shrimp rangoon, bacon jam and goat cheese crostini, fish tacos, and an assortment of fresh sushi.

“I had to find Jackacuda’s. This is the highlight of my whole festival,” one patron was overheard saying.

Back Beach Barbecue’s Shane Kirkland was back again, offering Southwest-style smoked chicken chili with corn, cilantro and cheese. He recommended pairing it with The Didjits Blood Orange IPA from Burnt Hickory Brewing in the tent next door. He also plated a smoked Buffalo chicken dip with bleu cheese, cream cheese and sour cream, which he thought would go well with a graham cracker stout.

VIP TENT ELEVATES THE EXPERIENCE

Filling the VIP tent food stations were Cuvée Kitchen + Wine Bar of Destin, the mobile raw bar from Oysters XO, and Restaurant Paradis of Rosemary Beach.

Paradis Chef Mark Eichin was pleased to be back for a second year. He brought a big pot of lamb and white bean chili, accented with Greek yogurt, Wisconsin sharp cheddar and mint. Eichin suggested pairing the dish with a medium Pinot, a cab or a Bordeaux blend. He said he let the forecast determine his menu this year.

“I was looking to do something with lamb, and then on Monday, I saw the weather report and thought this would go great with everything,” Eichin said.

The exclusive vintner lineup in the VIP tent included Domaine Serene, Robert Craig Winery, VGS Chateau Potelle, and Roy Estate.

Representing Roy Estate was Director of Sales Kathryn Reynolds, who poured their Proprietary Red, 2014, a blend of cabernet, merlot and petit verdot; as well as the 2014 Cabernet.

“The Proprietary Red is very easy-drinking, a little Bordeaux-style,” Reynolds said. “The cab is going to be more traditional Napa cab, great for the cooler weather with a big hearty steak.”

Roy Estate has attended other Emerald Coast wine festivals in the past, but felt compelled to accept the DCWAF’s invitation following Hurricane Michael.

“Last year we went through the fires in Napa Valley, so we know how it is to recover and to move forward,” she said.

LIBATIONS AND LEARNING

The demo stage hosted culinary presentations, giving attendees a chance to learn about wine pairings and cheese board-building from Birmingham’s Busy Corner Cheese & Provisions, meat-smoking tips from Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, and sushi-making with Chris Shea of Jackacuda’s.

Scott Atkinson suggested wine pairings to go with the cheeses offered up by Busy Corner owner Brian McMillan.

“Our big cheat in the food and wine business is to let Mother Nature do the work,” Atkinson advised. “If you’re having an Italian wine, have an Italian cheese with it. Those flavors are supposed to go together.”

The Harvest Wine & Food Festival is a fundraiser of the DCWAF, which raises money for children in need in Northwest Florida. In addition to ticket sales, the Harvest fest generates dollars through a Thursday evening celebrity winemaker dinner, the Friday night Al Fresco Reserve Tasting, and a silent auction during Saturday’s Grand Tasting.

For even more photos from the 2018 Harvest Wine and Food Festival, be sure and visit us on Facebook at @30afoodandwine.

Special Contribution to 30A Food & Wine

Bay Breeze Patio announces the panel of honorary judges for the 5th Annual Eggs on the Beach Cooking Competition, which will be held at Seascape Resort on Sept. 29, 2018. This year’s group of culinary experts includes Chef, Author and Food Network personality James Briscione; Cookbook author and former host of ABC’s internet and digital cable food series Brooke Parkhurst; Corporate Chef for Tony Chachere’s Jude Tauzin; Executive Chef and Partner at Volare Italian Ristorante Josh Moore; and Chef Dan Luizzi.

Each cook team will showcase their delicious creations prepared on the Big Green Egg smoker/grill and the team of honorary judges will score the results in a variety of categories. The Judges Award Grand Winner will receive a golden ticket to go on and compete at the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Ala. with a chance to win $100,000.

“Last year, our cook teams enjoyed having culinary experts judging their creations,” said Wayne Paul, co-owner for Bay Breeze Patio. “This year, we’re excited to up the stakes. The Judges Award Grand Winner will be invited to compete at the World Food Championships in Orange Beach this fall.”

Chef and Author James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst, co-authors of Just Married and Cooking, will serve as honorary judges and debut their new book, The Flavor Matrix (HMH ’18). Chef, author and Food Network personality, James is the host of the award-winning Food Network digital series Man Crafted and was the first-ever two-time “Chopped” champion. His wife, Brooke Parkhurst, is an accomplished author, foodie, mom and home cook. Her debut novel with recipes, Belle in the Big Apple (Scribner, 08’), features a small-town Southern girl who moves to New York City in search of a career–and a good meal. Brooke currently pens an online food column, “Full Plate,” for the New York Daily News. She has also hosted ABC’s internet and digital cable food series in addition to acting as the lifestyle/cooking correspondent for Conde Nast’s debut web network.

Brooke and James regularly appear on Dr. Oz and have been featured guests on The Today Show, Fox & Friends. Together they authored their newest book The Flavor Matrix (HMH ’18), a revolutionary new guide to understanding and creating flavor. They will soon open their first restaurant inspired by their home on the Gulf Coast and travels through Italy. Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano is set to open in Fall of 2018 in Pensacola, Fla.

Accompanying James and Brooke is Executive Chef Jude D. Tauzin, the Corporate Chef for Tony Chachere’s Creole Foods. Chef Tauzin grew up in Opelousas, La., watching his mother and grandmothers cook, always trying to lend a helping hand. In January 2007, Tauzin took over Catahoula’s restaurant in Grand Coteau and a year later was voted one of five “Chefs to Watch” by Louisiana Cookin’ magazine. Tauzin has also garnered accolades from foodie journals like Southern Living and Gourmet magazine. Tauzin is the 2010 President of the Acadiana Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and is active in numerous charitable events throughout Acadiana.

Hailing from Louisville, Ky., Executive Chef and Partner of Volare Italian Ristorante Josh Moore will serve as honorary judge this year. Josh knew he wanted to be a chef as soon as he could reach his grandmother’s stove. Seven years later, at the age of 14, Josh was working in a professional kitchen. He started his career as the pastry assistant at Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant in Louisville. Josh’s creativity and strong work ethic helped boost his career into other top kitchens in the city, such as Porcini’s and Wildwood Country Club. Along the way, Chef Josh has cooked for Muhammad Ali, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Drea de Matteo, Micheal Imperioli, the Prince of Monaco and Coach Calipari and the entire 2012 UK Championship basketball team. He is also trained in the art of French sugar pulling and blowing and is very talented in ice carving. He has been Executive Chef and Executive Pastry Chef (a rare combo) of Volare since 2005. From March to November, he harvests vegetables from his farm strictly for Volare’s kitchen.

Originally from Newton, N.J., Staff Sergeant Dan Luizzi will serve as the fifth honorary judge. Dan is currently a trained military chef who supports a diverse array of special events. These events range from large community gatherings to small dinners of distinguished guests.

The Eggs on the Beach Cooking Competition will feature tastings by more than 30 cook teams, live music by Austin Jennings, cash bar with beer, wine and sodas, “People’s Choice Awards,” Knob Creek Craft Cocktail Seminars, Craft Beer Seminars presented by Abita Beer, chances for prizes, a Kids Zone, ENCO Sports Zone and more. All proceeds from Eggs on the Beach benefit Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food For Thought.

For those who have thought of owning a Big Green Egg, Demo Eggs, which will be used during the event, are on sale now for a discounted price. Demo Eggs come with a nest (metal stand), plate setter and a limited lifetime warranty. Demo Eggs may be picked up after the event, between 4 – 5 p.m. on September 29.
Eggs on the Beach Taster tickets are available for $32.50/adult, $14/child (age 11-17) and kids 10 and under are free with a paid adult. Tickets purchased the day of the event will be $40 at the gate. To learn more or purchase advance taster tickets, visit www.EggsontheBeach.com.

Seagar’s Guidry offers a lighter take on cold-weather comfort foods

By Michelle Farnham
Editor, 30A Food & Wine

SANDESTIN – When talking fall flavors, Chef Lee Guidry steers clear of the much-maligned pumpkin spice, and instead reaches for fine dining staples like sage, brown butter, and butternut squash to create his fall menu – which debuts Tuesday.

The new executive chef at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood rolled out a four-course tasting menu during a Sept. 6 media luncheon, including a pan-roasted grouper entrée, a smoked duck breast, the Panzanella salad with rock shrimp, and a sautéed snapper served alongside fingerling potatoes.

“I know that it’s still warm outside because it’s Florida, so I didn’t get into a whole lot of braising, but I did try to pull some of the flavors of fall into my style of cooking,” Guidry explained. “It was very French-influenced, but I’m trying to lighten it up a little bit, staying away from the creams and the butters, and staying more festive with the flavors.”

A native of the area, Guidry has brought flavors back with him from his well-traveled career, including work in Chicago, New Orleans, and Nashville. The jumbo lump blue crab with fried green tomato and Green Goddess dressing, for example, came with him from the Windy City.

Not to be missed is the beef tartar, uniquely prepared with a Thai flair, including roasted peanuts, Sambal, and onion salad. Chef has crisped garlic slices in such a way they’ve taken on a chip-like quality, and add sweetness and unexpected crunch.

The rich decadence of his Heureux Farms pork belly plate warms from the inside out.

“This is with house-made dumplings with carrot juice and ricotta – it’s a play on a gnudi,” Guidry said. “We add brown butter, sage, maitake mushroom and a fried sage garnish.”

The chef’s selection of live oysters is visually stunning as it comes to the table. Served on a giant block of ice garnished with edible seaweed, Guidry and his kitchen offer a lineup of Wellfleet oysters. The flavorful garnish – a ceviche-style escabeche of cucumber and finger limes – gives the protein an approachable texture that might appeal to those typically turned off by the springiness of raw oysters.

Despite working in Apalachicola country, Chef prefers the terroir of cold water oysters.

“It’s a much, much cleaner flavor, a lot more salinity, and I feel a lot more comfortable with them,” Guidry explained.

Off the entrée menu, the seared diver scallops were expertly cooked.

“This dish is a labor of love, but it is very good,” Guidry admitted. “It comes with black truffle-poached rock shrimp agnolotti, which is a half-moon shaped pasta. Everything’s made in-house; we make our own pasta and stuffing. We roll it, and you can see they’re not all uniform. That gives it that homemade feel.”

Dan Vargo, the executive chef at Hilton Sandestin who used to lead the Seagar’s kitchen himself, acknowledged Seagar’s is still a high-end steakhouse, but this fall menu is an opportunity to flex some culinary muscle.

“With Prime steak, there’s not much we need to do with it – put a little salt, pepper on it, grill it, and that’s about it,” Vargo admitted. “But the seafood and appetizers is where we get to showcase what we do and our philosophy on food. Lee’s doing a great job.”

To finish off the meal, Guidry created a chocolate praline dessert, featuring a flourless torte, served with a mirror glazed sphere of hazelnut mousse, aerated salted caramel, port wine reduction and candied hazelnuts for texture.

Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood is located at 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South in Miramar Beach, within the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m., and from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Photography by Michelle Farnham

By Stephanie Burt

You might notice a bit of the Big Easy on your plate when you visit Bijoux in Miramar Beach.

“There is something ‘New Orleans’ that is innate in the way I cook,” said Executive Chef Jack McGuckin. “It’s not ingredients necessarily, but in the way I approach food, the techniques. I can’t help it. It’s just in me.”

So McGuckin was a perfect fit back in 2002 when restaurateurs Mike and Gayle Pair lured him to 30A to help open Bijoux and work under the late Master Chef Jack Shoop, along with Chef Todd Misener. Before long, McGuckin was at the helm of Bijoux’s kitchen, and it’s a position he’s settled into and made his own for close to 15 years.

“My passion is really simple food with the best ingredients,” he explained. Like many of the chefs in the area, McGuckin has embraced local sourcing, from taking the time on occasion to source produce from the local farmer’s market. He works with Water Street Seafood out of Apalachicola, a company that sends him pics of seafood available that day right from the docks. On the Bijoux menu, it’s easy to find Carolina Gold Rice, local honey, and a rotating selection of market vegetables that come from “just down the road.” It just makes sense to him, since he grew up close to the land in Louisiana, fishing and hunting. In other words, he grew up tasting fresh food and knows how much sourcing good product can make a difference.

But Bijoux has become a fixture in the local scene, and that means that when visitors flock to the restaurant, they want the dishes they have been reminiscing about. McGuckin has learned over the years that vacation diners can be a particular set. It’s a challenge he embraces through serving classic dishes such as Fried Green Tomatoes and Grouper Almondine. Then he’ll host wine dinners with set menus in the off-season that allow him to introduce locals to a little something different, including elk.

“It is always a cool thing to be able to change someone’s mind,” he said, “and I love to hear a diner say, ‘I never would have tried that, but I love it.’” The off-season allows his team to experiment with new menu items as well, and the added bonus is that diners who visit are wowed by originality and creativity.

That focus is at the heart of McGuckin’s cooking. He cooks for the sheer joy of making people happy, and it is something he now sees as a family operation. His wife Leslie is a co-owner of the restaurant and their three kids spend so much time there that, “They don’t understand why we have to pay when we go to other restaurants,” McGuckin said with a chuckle.

He still loves to jump on the line, including recently when he worked a station at brunch.

“I had a fun time cooking eggs and shrimp and grits,” he said. “Cooking comfort food is one of my favorite things. The more simple it is, the harder it is to make it.”

This profile originally appeared in the summer edition of the the Food & Wine Guide for South Walton.

Proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity – Walton County

On Saturday, October 6, The Market Shops will host its 4th Annual Bloody Mary Festival benefiting Habitat for Humanity – Walton County. The annual event will feature unlimited tastes of the Emerald Coast’s most creative and innovative bloody marys made with Cathead Vodka and served by the finest restaurants and bars on the Emerald Coast.

Guests are invited from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to enjoy unlimited tastes of up to 25 of the Emerald Coast’s most coveted bloody marys served in specialty cups provided by Compass Builders of Florida. Restaurants confirmed to compete for the 2018 Best Bloody Mary in South Walton include Bijoux, Bud and Alleys, Camille’s at Crystal Beach, Cowgirl Kitchen, Cuveé Kitchen + Wine Bar, Grayton Beer Brewpub, The Henderson Beach Resort & Spa, The Local Market, LuLu’s Destin, Signature Catering of 30A, Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House, Sunset Bay Cafe, and Surf Hut. A panel of select food critics and local celebrities will judge each bloody mary to select the winners for the most delicious and most creative. There will also be a highly coveted People’s Choice Award that is selected by each guest in attendance who’s votes will be tallied by Hill Coleman, CPA.

Apart from the bloody marys, there will also be plenty of food from local favorites, such as Back Beach Barbecue and Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House, along with the various restaurants located directly in The Market Shops, including Bijoux, Pizza by the Sea, as well as juice shots by Clean Juice and coffee shots by Amavida Coffee. There will be local craft brews served by Grayton Beer Company along with champagne from the Bubbly Bar provided by Courtyard by Marriot Sandestin at Grand Boulevard for guests to sip on. New this year, a lounge area outfitted by Rent Gear Here will include additional seating, cornhole games and large screens streaming SEC football.

While sipping their bloody marys, guests can enjoy a hydration and relaxation station by the Salamander Spa, a commemorative photo booth with Epic Photo Company, a cigar bar by Shore Thing Cigars, exclusive shopping options from the merchants of The Market Shops, and live music by DJ Rock the House and the Luke Langford Band on the main stage, sponsored by Hyatt Place Sandestin at Grand Boulevard.

Tickets are currently on sale through 850Tix for the pre-sale price of $40 or can be purchased the day of the event at the door for $50. To learn more about The Market Shops Bloody Mary Festival and to buy tickets, visit www.themarketshops.com. If you would like to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity on the day of the event, please [email protected]

Special contribution to 30a Food and Wine