Hugh Acheson

April 27, 2023

Acheson debuts Ovide’s spring menu

SANDESTIN – Ovide, the first Florida restaurant by celebrity Chef Hugh Acheson, has launched its new spring seasonal menu. The menu showcases Acheson’s passion for creativity and seasonality by fusing Ovide’s classic coastal French cuisine with the fresh, vibrant and homey flavors of spring.

The menu was conceptualized by Acheson, who has been featured on BravoTV’s “Top Chef” and has been awarded with two James Beard awards, as well as Ovide’s executive Chef Matthew Krueger. Its seasonal specials were fueled by a strong dedication towards sustainability, resulting in fresh ingredients and a variety of vegetarian menu options. The spring menu includes many of Acheson’s favorite dishes, all of which pair perfectly with Ovide’s elevated cocktail and wine options.

The spring menu features a plethora of delicious starters including beef tartare ($22) paired with smoked egg yolk, shallot and cornichon; crispy pork ribs ($19) with benne seed barbecue sauce, sorghum, peanuts and cilantro; chilled corn soup ($15) accompanied by Gulf shrimp and chili oil; watermelon and feta salad ($17) with pickled watermelon rind, arugula and Serrano vinaigrette; and fried okra and heirloom tomato ($18) with arugula and green goddess dressing.

Some entrée highlights include pappardelle with mushrooms ($29) with mascarpone, long cooked shallots, parmigiano and basil; frogmore stew ($32) made of shrimp, andouille sausage, corn, leek and tomatoes, served with grilled bread; bronzed Redfish ($44) served with lemon-caper butter, black eyed peas and radishes; and roasted duck breast ($48) atop dirty rice and butter braised cabbage with sauerkraut sauce.

Lastly, since no meal is complete without dessert, Ovide is offering new spring dessert options, such as banana pudding ($13) with pastry cream and Nilla wafers, and blackberry cobbler ($14) with brioche, lime and hazelnut ice cream.

Ovide is located in Hotel Effie at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, and reservations are available Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., at www.hoteleffie.com/dining/ovide.

November 17, 2022

Hotel Effie’s Ovide launches new fall menus

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Dishes curated by James Beard Award-winning Chef Hugh Acheson

Nov. 17, 2022
Special to 30A Food & Wine

MIRAMAR BEACH – Ovide, the signature restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef Hugh Acheson, has launched a new dinner menu highlighting fresh fall flavors and ingredients. Located at Hotel Effie, inside the gates of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Ovide embraces the flavors of the Gulf Coast, showcasing Acheson’s creativity and passion for distinctive ingredients and cooking techniques by fusing coastal cuisine with a sophisticated French influence.

The new menu features fresh and wholesome salads, including the Fall Salad ($17), with pomegranate seeds, apples, sweet potato, pecorino, spiced pumpkin seeds and bourbon maple vinaigrette, and Beet Salad ($18), combining burnt rosemary panna cotta, watercress, orange vinaigrette and pistachio. Appetizers include Charred Octopus ($28), served with citrus, frisée, cured olives and mint vinaigrette, and Roasted Gulf Oysters ($18) with chimichurri sauce.

The dinner menu also offers a selection of new entrées, including the Sweet Potato Gnocchi ($29), served with kale-cream sauce, spiced pumpkin seeds and ricotta cheese; Poached Sable ($44), paired with charred Brussels sprouts and hazelnut on a bed of carrot salad dressed with carrot-ginger sauce; Grilled Snapper ($42), served with maitake mushrooms, leeks and sweet garlic-lemon broth; Braised Short Rib ($48), made with parsnip butter, kilt greens, broccolini and crispy shallots; Poulet Rouge ($42), served atop a sweet potato purée, warm mushroom salad, apples and fine herbs; and Bone-In Pork Chop ($48), topped with whipped potatoes with dashi-braised turnips, shishitos, persimmons and mirin glaze.

“We are excited to launch this new menu showcasing the fresh, forward flavors and local seafood of the Gulf Coast combined with ingredients and flavors for the fall season,” said Chef Acheson. “We work closely with local farmers and vendors to ensure we’re bringing the most sustainable and freshest ingredients straight to your plate.”

Avocado toast with smoked ricotta, heirloom tomato, prosciutto and poached eggs.

Breakfast and lunch menus

Aside from the new dinner menu, Ovide also updated its breakfast and lunch menus which have been available since Oct. 27. For a breakfast of champions don’t miss out on their house specialty, Biscuits and Gravy ($14), with sausage gravy and sunny-side eggs. For lunch go for the Hot Chicken Sandwich ($24), with Brussels slaw, tomato, pickle and chipotle aioli – to feel extra seasonal, pair it with sweet potato fries. Kids are also in for a treat as their lunch and dinner menus have also been revamped, offering all time favorites including pastas, cheeseburger, chicken tenders and grilled cheese.

The new brunch menu launched Nov. 3 and includes their Brioche French Toast ($18), with banana foster and whipped cream; or the hearty Fried Green Tomato Benedict ($25), with jumbo lump crab, poached eggs, spinach, goat cheese and hollandaise.

Ovide is open daily for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. and for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner is available Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Brunch will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations can be made at www.hoteleffie.com/dining/ovide.

November 2, 2022

Ovide unveils Thanksgiving offerings

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SANDESTIN – This Thanksgiving, locals and travelers visiting the Emerald Coast can remove the holiday stress from their plate, leaving room for extra turkey and mashed potatoes. Guests of Ovide, the ground-floor restaurant at Sandestin’s Hotel Effie, can choose from two chef-driven holiday meals for the whole family:

Thanksgiving Brunch at Ovide

Perfect for hotel guests and locals, skip the clean-up and dine in at Ovide, Hotel Effie’s in-house restaurant. Ovide, the restaurant by award-winning celebrity chef and 2-time James Beard nominee, Hugh Acheson, is offering a feast of roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, savory gravy, Effie’s iconic homemade biscuits and much more.

This experience includes a seafood buffet alongside a family-style dinner, including starters, salads, entrees, sides, and delicious desserts to taste. Brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $65 per person and $30 for children under 12. Make reservations here or call 850-351-3030 by Nov. 18.

Thanksgiving Fall Dinner

Leave your cooking utensils at home and enjoy an elegant home-cooked meal at Ovide with all the flavor and none of the stress. This elevated Thanksgiving dinner features a three-course meal with an array of all your favorite fall classics. Ovide’s chic, well-appointed interior and sophisticated ambiance is the perfect setting for a heart-warming meal with loved ones. Make reservations here or call 850-351-3030 by Nov. 18.

Hotel Effie is located at 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., in Miramar Beach.

September 26, 2022

Hotel Effie appoints Krueger as executive chef

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Will work alongside James Beard Award-winning Chef Hugh Acheson

Sept. 26, 2022
Special to 30A Food and Wine

MIRAMAR BEACH – Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort announced the appointment of Matthew Krueger to executive chef of Hotel Effie. Krueger is helming the kitchen at the hotel’s signature restaurant Ovide, the only Florida restaurant by James Beard Award-winning Chef Hugh Acheson. Acheson, who was awarded Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef and known for television appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef, is responsible for curating the hotel’s culinary concepts based on Southern cuisine and coastal flavors. Acheson conceptualized the menus for all of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets, including Ara Rooftop & Pool Lounge, The Lobby Bar (TLB) and Sweetbay Coffee.

As executive chef, Krueger will collaborate with Acheson to oversee all aspects of food and beverage operations across the hotel’s four restaurant outlets and in-room dining. In his new role, he’ll supervise the culinary team, manage budgets and maintain the overall guest experience. Krueger will work closely with Steven Grubbs, the hotel’s sommelier and wine director, to create pairings for Ovide’s menu and Kellie Thorn, the hotel’s lead mixologist. He’ll also work closely with local farmers and vendors to ensure the hotel restaurants continue to serve farm fresh and sustainable ingredients whenever possible.

“We are delighted to welcome Chef Krueger to our Hotel Effie family,” said Brad Busby, general manager of Hotel Effie. “At our core, we are defined by Effie’s role as the ultimate Southern hostess and serving wonderful food is a large part of that experience. We have no doubt that Chef Krueger will work well with Chef Acheson to continue to please our guests with outstanding service and cuisine at Ovide and our other culinary outlets.”

Krueger is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry. He graduated from the Art Institute of Salt Lake City, where he received a degree in culinary arts. He proceeded to work in kitchens at prestigious luxury resorts across the U.S., including J&G Grill at the St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, The Lodge at Sea Island Resort in Georgia and Homestead Resort in Utah. During his time at The Lodge, the restaurant received its 5-star rating from Forbes, among other accolades.

“It’s a dream come true to work alongside Chef Acheson and the team of chefs at Hotel Effie,” said Krueger. “I look forward to expanding our menus, showcasing some of the beautiful, fresh seafood found here along the Emerald Coast and welcoming our guests into our restaurants.”

Hotel Effie and its restaurants are located at 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., in Miramar Beach.

July 6, 2022

A Mid-Summer Soirée with Chef Hugh Acheson

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Hotel Effie dinner to benefit Emerald Coast Autism Center

SANDESTIN – Hotel Effie has partnered with the Emerald Coast Autism Center for a special one-night event hosted by celebrity chef Hugh Acheson Friday, July 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. The pre-fixe dinner will take place at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Ovide, nestled in the heart of the world-famous Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

The spectacular culinary showcase will allow attendees to meet and interact with Acheson during the dinner, which will include a multi-course menu, showcasing Acheson’s creativity and passion for distinctive ingredients and cooking techniques by fusing coastal cuisine with a sophisticated French influence.

The evening will also include wine pairings by Presqu’ile Winemaker and Dieter Cronje, a silent auction, special guest speakers, and a magical cocktail reception. The reception will be hosted by renowned mixologist Kellie Thorn, who has received considerable recognition for her craft cocktails.

A portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated to the Emerald Coast Autism Center, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating and improving the lives of individuals with autism in Okaloosa and Walton counties and surrounding areas. Every dollar raised for this evening’s event will be matched dollar for dollar by a matching grant that has been generously put in place by the Dugas family, a supporter of ECAC.

For more information visit HotelEffie.com and visit EventBrite to purchase tickets.

Hotel Effie is located at 1 Grand Sandestin Boulevard, Miramar Beach, FL 32550.

June 23, 2022

Ovide: Instagrammable moments you can taste

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By Michelle Farnham
June 23, 2022

SANDESTIN – When Hotel Effie opened in February of 2021, it brought with it three new food and beverage opportunities: The Lobby Bar, Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge, and Ovide, the hotel’s year-round fine dining restaurant.

The menu at Ovide comes from the mind of five-time James Beard nominee Hugh Acheson, 2012 winner of Best Chef Southeast and an alum of Bravo’s “Top Chef” series.

The food coming from the Ovide kitchen combines Gulf coast cuisine with Acheson’s Southern sensibility, then takes it to the next level by adding a French twist. Jesus Pacheco, director of food and beverage of Hotel Effie, said their food is really making waves.

“It’s unique in style; a trendsetter in this area,” Pacheco said. “Whether you’re proposing to your fiancé, or having a night out with the girls, it fits.”

Eats and drinks

Owner and developer Tom Becnel named Hotel Effie after his grandmother, and the Ovide name was borrowed from his grandfather.

“Effie was the ultimate host, her place was the place to be,” said Nova Winfield, assistant hotel marketing director. “We have really embodied that here.”

No place is that link to the past more evident than in Effie’s Biscuit, a menu staple made with salted butter and sorghum, using the actual family recipe.

From the starters menu, Pacheco pointed to the chargrilled octopus as a favorite, with its avocado, jicama and small chili salad.

“To me, it’s something you would never expect and the taste sticks around with you till your next bite,” he said.

One of the biggest brunch-time sellers is the farm egg with crispy rice, served with kimchi, spring onions and oyster mushrooms.

“This dish is thinking outside of the box and describes the culinary aspect of Hugh. It gives you the appreciation of our local cuisine,” Pacheco said.

From the dinner entree menu, he assured diners that Ovide’s pan-roasted snapper with bok choy and Thai chili is unlike anything you’ve had along the Emerald Coast.

“It makes your mouth water, to be honest! It’s our twist on a dish you’ll find everywhere around town, but it gives you that Ovide experience,” Pacheco said.

Beyond the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and kids menus served seven days a week (brunch on weekends), Ovide takes things further yet, welcoming guests to the immensely popular Saturday jazz brunches, special holiday meals, and the occasional celebrity chef dinner when Acheson is in town. Future plans include wine dinners and beer tastings as well.

Speaking of libations, the bar program at Hotel Effie was created by award-winning mixologist Kellie Thorn, always using fresh produce and house-made juices.

“We’ve made it our focus to be able to do those craft cocktails, and have bartenders that can really craft something specific for you,” Pacheco said, adding that the menu changes at least four times a year.

Stepping into an “aww”

The family ties continue in the décor, as Sara Becnel, GM of Sandestin Resort, hand-picked every detail in the restaurant. This marriage of fine dining and fine décor has been called “romantic” and even “sexy” – especially after the sun goes down. Here you’ll find rich, dark woods, warm lighting, and a dramatic floral ceiling mural that might stop you in your tracks.

“Sara took her time to create Instagrammable moments throughout the hotel to encourage people to notice the details – like our ceiling,” Winfield explained. “During brunch it’s a homey, family vibe. At night, it’s hopping, the music is good, the lights are down, the smells coming from the kitchen are amazing. It’s the place to be seen.”

Ovide is found on the ground floor of Hotel Effie, located at 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach, within the Sandestin resort. They take reservations and are open year-round for all meals, including weekend brunch. Visit them online at www.hoteleffie.com/dining/ovide or call 850-351-3030.

October 9, 2021

Ovide: Celebrity chef creates clean flavors

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By Lauren Sage Reinlie
Oct. 9, 2021

SANDESTIN – One of the newest dining options on the 30A scene is Ovide, the signature restaurant at the new Hotel Effie at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

Ovide opened in February with a menu created in collaboration with celebrity chef and James Beard Award-winner Hugh Acheson. Ovide focuses on clean, fresh and simple food featuring flavors from around the world, alongside more familiar Southern cuisine.

“We are trying hard to keep it really clean with simple food, nothing super elaborate,” said Hotel Effie’s executive chef Lulu Dangerfield, who oversees the day-to-day operations at Ovide and the hotel’s other restaurants. “Nothing is deep-fried, none of our dishes are really heavy. It is not the kind of food that is going to make you want to go take a nap after you eat it. It’s very clean food, but also very full of flavor.”

This approach is on full display in their red snapper dish. The fish is pan-fried to a perfect crisp then served with Southern pigeon peas and rice, charred baby bok choy and a Thai chili sauce.

Dangerfield likes to keep the menu as fresh as the food. She updates the menu regularly, responding to what people are loving and what they might be looking for more of.

“Every time you come, I want you to have something different and it be delicious.”
– Lulu Dangerfield, executive chef

“For me, it’s important that if someone likes the restaurant and the atmosphere and appreciates the service that we provide, I want to make sure they can come once a week and not get bored,” she said. “Every time you come, I want you to have something different and it be delicious.”

New ingredients, new experiences

Dangerfield also likes to use ingredients that people may not be as familiar with and show them how fresh and simple preparation can create delicious food.

Take, for example, Ovide’s fairy tale eggplant, which is roasted on the grill and then served with a smear of light and fresh pesto made from spinach, basil, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds. It’s garnished with lemon aioli and microgreens and served over a bed of farro.

“A lot of people don’t like eggplant,” Dangerfield said. “The weird thing is a lot of people actually love eggplant if it’s cooked properly. We want to surprise people, so they can say ‘Wow, I actually love this.’”

Originally from Ottawa, Canada, Acheson became famous for his restaurants in Athens, Ga. He went on to win a James Beard Award in 2012 and be a competitor and then judge on the television show Top Chef.

Dangerfield said Acheson has mastered using Southern ingredients in new ways, as he does in his farm egg with crispy rice dish, one of the signatures at his restaurants in Georgia. For this dish, which is now also served at Ovide, a poached egg is served over very crisp rice. When the egg is broken open it becomes the sauce for the dish. It’s served with a Korean-style kimchi made with collard green stems.

Another popular offering at Ovide is their grilled filet mignon served alongside mashed potatoes with a highly flavorful shiitake mushroom and red wine beef jus.

Flavors of the world

Dangerfield said one of the favorite parts of her job is working with all the chefs who are involved in the project. They all have different backgrounds: she was born and raised in Mexico, Acheson is from Canada and then Georgia, and the other chefs came from Louisiana, New Mexico and Philadelphia.

“We all have this different approach to food and we bring different ingredients,” she said. “I enjoy a lot when we make specials and we all bring different backgrounds and different stories to the table and then it all comes together in one plate. It’s something you couldn’t have gotten to by yourself.”

Ovide is located at Hotel Effie at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort near Baytowne Wharf. The address is 1 Grand Sandestin Boulevard in Miramar Beach. The restaurant’s staff can be reached at 850-351-3030 during business hours. They are open seven days a week for breakfast and brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made online or by phone. Find more information at hoteleffie.com/dining/ovide.

February 5, 2021

Sandestin’s Hotel Effie makes its debut

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By Michelle Farnham
Feb. 4, 2021

SANDESTIN – After eight years of planning and three years of construction, the ribbon was cut and the doors opened to Sandestin’s newest luxury accommodations, Hotel Effie. Tom Becnel, chairman of Sandestin Investments and Sara Becnel, vice president of development for Sandestin, led the ceremonial opening in front of the 250-room hotel, then invited guests to the 10th floor Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge for a sunset soirée.

Hotel Effie is located at 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., in Miramar Beach.

“I want to thank the hundreds of construction workers who toiled every day in the cold and the heat, in rain, and put in long, long hours,” Tom Becnel said. He thanked the team of professionals behind the scenes who made the project come together, and specifically thanked his daughter.

“Sara is probably the person most responsible for the success of this hotel,” Tom Becnel added. “She was involved from the beginning … and is the one person responsible for the interior finishes and the design, which make it special.”

“It was truly a family effort and it made it super special to be able to learn and work with my father,” Sara Becnel said before cutting the ribbon. “The building wouldn’t even be out of the ground if it weren’t from him.”

Bites — Passed hors d’oeuvres included oysters on the half shell and poke salad.

As the elevator doors opened into the evening’s festivities, guests were greeted with champagne, wine and cocktails from Ara. Passed hors d’oeuvres included oysters on the half shell, pickled mussels, poke salad and compressed watermelon with house ricotta.

Hotel Effie’s culinary offerings were led by celebrity chef Hugh Acheson, the Georgia restaurateur, author and “Top Chef” judge and contestant.

Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge — Ara serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Sunset menu is offered from 5 to 10 p.m.

Ara, which has both indoor and outdoor space as well as private cabanas, serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., including a black-eyed pea hummus, a super food plate, grilled tiger prawns, and to cool off, Steel City popsicles and milkshakes. The Sunset menu is offered from 5 to 10 p.m., to include shrimp cocktail, chicken wings and smoked mackerel toast.

At the lobby level is Ovide, an elegant restaurant marrying Gulf Coast flavors with classic French technique. Serving breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m., diners can choose from light offerings like green tomato shakshuka, specialties such as the pecan-buttermilk pancakes, or the French omelet with Boursin cheese. Enjoy freshly squeezed juices, house kombucha, coconut water or a Mexican Coke, in additional to more tradition beverages.

Lunch at Ovide offers a tuna Niçoise salad, Kobe beef burger, raw oysters and kimchi creamed collards, to name a few. For dinner, sample the seafood tower, prime beef tartare or roasted red snapper. A kids’ menu includes the classics, ensuring younger diners are covered as well.

Also located on the ground floor is TLB: The Lobby Bar, serving craft cocktails and small plates from 3 to 11 p.m. daily. Sweetbay Coffee presents coffee drinks and tea from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

Hotel Effie is Becnel’s second property within the resort, and he hinted at further development in the future. Other amenities include Spa Lilliana, a 13,000-square-foot ballroom, two smaller ballrooms, and 10 meeting rooms.

Hotel Effie, Ovide, Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge, and TLB are located at 1 Grand Sandestin Blvd., in Miramar Beach, and can be found online at www.hoteleffie.com.

Photos by Michelle Farnham