Seagar's

June 26, 2023

Chef Spotlight: Fleetwood Covington, Chasing Michelin

By Michelle Farnham
June 26, 2023

SANDESTIN – What started as a part-time job because he wanted to learn how to make pasta has turned into a 7-year-long new career for Fleetwood Covington, the 35-year-old executive chef at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood. We chatted with the musician-turned-chef about his team at Seagar’s and where he’s hoping to take it.

Gulf grouper with marbled beurre blanc appeared on a seasonal menu.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you at the restaurant?

A: I typically arrive at Seagar’s in the morning to touch base with the departments. Some days, I will sit in the pit of the restaurant and look up at the line to reflect, inspire and remind myself of our purpose at Seagar’s: to deliver an unforgettable experience to every diner. We typically have our team meeting around noon to go over the layout of the day and pertinent things for service, which begins at 5:30 p.m. I use the time ahead of service for research and development and working with the team to brainstorm new ideas and innovative techniques.

Q: What new equipment have you added to the kitchen?

A: We have recently added Combi Therm Ovens, which also have the capability to inject steam into the chamber and are great for bread-making.

Q: Which ingredients do you most look forward to working with when they come in season?

A: I love spring and summer aromatics, as they remind me of my childhood and the nostalgia of summer break. However, I enjoy incorporating ingredients from winter and fall, as well.

Q: What are you doing to catch the attention of the Michelin and James Beard folks?

A: The first thing on my mind is consistency, as I feel it is the ultimate key to success. When we talk about James Beard and Michelin, I am very conscious about sourcing the best ingredients, and I pride myself in dissecting each facet of cooking to ensure that even the salt we use for seasoning our steaks is the very best quality. Michelin is kind of like that kickball captain: you keep wanting to play for their team but they never pick you. So then you have to be loud enough by garnering enough attention to your restaurant.

Q: How does your past career as a musical artist translate to your current career as a culinary artist?

A: The drama of what food can induce within a person is fascinating – whether it is the nostalgia that one may find through a particular plate, or something that they have never seen before. To wield that ability and thought process is one of my favorite aspects of being a chef. Food can speak a loud message to our patrons, and my musical history allows me to operate from the viewpoint of the audience or diner. I build on dishes from that point of view until I can deliver an unforgettable experience.

Q: It seems you enjoy thinking outside the classic steakhouse menu and pushing boundaries, no?

A: In the last couple years, I’ve become obsessed with food. It’s everything I think about. I go to bed, I wake up, it’s constant. In my office, I have plates, menus, recipes. When you really let go and try to make super honest food but be vulnerable enough to do what you want, it’s those risks that put you in an uncomfortable spot, but I think that’s where you break the most ground.

Q: Who inspires you?

A: I didn’t gravitate towards food itself, but the magic behind what it could be. Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea (Chicago), and Ferran and Albert Adria of El Bulli (Spain) were the first to really make me feel passion for something aside from music. I looked at these chefs and immediately knew where I was going to put every ounce of my time and energy for the next seven years.

May 21, 2023

Digital Graffiti: A night of lights and bites

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Projection art exhibition pairs nicely with local cuisine

By Michelle Farnham
May 20, 2023

ALYS BEACH – The stark white architecture of Alys Beach is a stunning sight during the daylight hours, but at night, it transitions into a blank artist’s canvas unlike anything you’ve seen before. The site of the 16th annual Digital Graffiti Festival May 19 and 20, guests strolled the streets of this idyllic beach town, viewing projection artwork while enjoying locally sourced food and drinks.

Friday night was an all-inclusive experience, offering small plates like prime steak from Seagar’s; herb cavatelli with lamb shoulder and a cucumber yogurt soup from Roux 30A; and fried rice with green apple kimchi and carrot gazpacho by The Citizen.

Bites among the lights

Smoked bay scallops with sea urchin espuma by RC Weddings + Events.

Idyll Hound Proper served Divide N’ Conch fritters.

Oxtail marmalade and grit by Marrow Private Chefs.

Pink Coyote Dessert Co. offered strawberry lemonade sorbet and ice cream sandwiches.

Even the seating areas got their glow on!

Marrow Private Chefs was an early stop along the exhibition path.

“Tonight we’re serving oxtail marmalade and grits. It only took us three days to cook the oxtail for you,” laughed Marrow Executive Chef Richard McCord.

Idyll Hound Proper, the gastropub expected to open at 30Avenue this July, got a jumpstart on festival season, deep frying Bahamian-style Divide N’ Conch Fritters on-demand, by the light of a headlamp.

“These fritters are from our chef, Nick Walton – he’s an island guy – and are infused with our double IPA Divide and Conch’r and served with spiced mango chutney,” said Dan Tinghitella, CEO of No Reservations Restaurant Group.

There was plenty to sip on as well, from such purveyors as Good Clean Wine, Castle & Key Distillery, Lugo’s Craft Spirits and Herradura Tequila. Santa Rosa Beach-based Distillery 98 shook up “Lights, Camera, Action,” featuring their Dune Laker Vodka, lemon, blackberry and bay leaf syrup.

Glow on!

Among the 50 digital artists represented from around the world, Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School got in on the action, presenting compilation works titled “Who Are We, Digitally?” and “Our Personal Digital Brand.” Each student and their parents were given a ticket to Saturday evening’s exhibit. Robyn Wallace, the school’s art teacher, spoke about the young artists’ process.

“A lot of this was a self-reflective piece,” explained Wallace. “Our fifth- and sixth-graders really dug into logos and then they had to think about themselves and how they would represent themselves digitally. They used primarily Google Drawing.

“For the seventh- through 10th-graders, we did a self portrait and the back images are photographs they’ve taken either off their social media or that represent themselves, and then they had to recreate themselves using Google Drawing as well. This was their first experience with anything digital. It was an opportunity to dig in and determine how they could change shapes and manipulate them to represent themselves.”

Ticketholders wrapped up the evening with an after-party at Caliza Restaurant, featuring a light show across the iconic pool.

Catch video of the inaugural Digital Graffiti livestream here.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Caliza Restaurant hosted the after-party.

May 2, 2023

DCWAF: One team, one mission

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Wine auction raises $3.5 million for children’s charities

By Michelle Farnham
April 30, 2023

MIRAMAR BEACH – While a storm blew outside, DCWAF President Karah Fridley-Young welcomed more than 600 people to the waterproof 2023 Destin Charity Wine Auction tent. It was an afternoon of wine, friends and charity, raising $3.5 million for 16 Northwest Florida children’s charities.

“It is inspiring and truly astounding to be under this tent with so many generous individuals, businesses, and people that I call friends,” Fridley-Young started. “Our mission today is clear: there are children in our community who need our help, and we are going to show up for them today.”

She set up this year’s Mission Moment video, “Play Ball,” which included participants from the 16 charity partners playing a baseball game, concluding with the evening’s theme: One Team, One Mission.

Lane Redding, 2023 board chairman of the DCWAF, announced proceeds of the Friday evening patron dinners: exquisite wine meals hosted at 11 locations along the Emerald Coast.

“We raised an impressive $550,000 last night,” Redding reported to a tentful of cheers. “Two dinners raised over $100,000, and I want to recognize those: the (Randall and Maria) Whites’ dinner and the (Jack and Candis) Wilsons’ dinner. Let’s raise a glass to fundraising!”

Welcome to the tent!

Guests are welcomed to the tent by charity volunteers and a cloud of bubbles!

DCWAF board member Steve Carter makes his appearance.

The live auction is three hours of fun!

The DCWAF staff who make it all happen (left to right): Brooklyn Bain, Kate MacMillan and Karah Fridley-Young.

DCWAF President Karah Fridley-Young welcomed the capacity crowd.

DCWAF Board Chair Lane Redding announced the wine dinner totals.

Lots of lots

Auctioneer Charles Antin was back for another year, encouraging bidders to bid often and bid high.

“Are you sure?” he encouraged one patron waffling over a bid. “You’ll be watching ‘Seinfeld’ reruns in your pajamas while she will be out having the time of her life!”

The first lot of the night is always Magnum Force, made up of 50 signed magnums from 18 years of past and present vintners, bringing in a generous $55,000.

Other notable lots included a trip to Kamalame Cay Bahamas for $105,000, a week on the Amalfi Coast for $45,000 – sold twice – and a tour of Portugal for $45,000, also sold twice.

The capacity crowd quieted itself for Lot 29, a special initiative to benefit The Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation. Named for the late 9-year-old son of longtime DCWAF supporters Doug and Merrisa Ingram, up for grabs was a 9L large format bottle of 2020 Thompson 31Fifty Russian River “Ellison’s Cuvée” Pinot Noir. Attendees seemed inspired by the charity’s mission funding scholarships, and bids quickly rose to 35, 40, $45,000, when a quiet bid of $100,000 came in from a table near the back of the room. The crowd jumped to its feet for a well-deserved standing ovation.

Bidding war

The first lot of the night is always the Magnum Force: 50 magnums of wine!

Raise your paddles!

A toast to another successful auction!

Get those paddles warmed up!

Winners are celebrated with festive decor from the charity volunteers.

Cue the confetti canons, we have another winner!

Celebrating a winning bid with champagne, of course!

Winning bid are celebrated by a group of charity volunteers.

Celebrating a winning bid with champagne, of course!

Sip and savor

Guests were treated to a pre-auction Reserve Tasting, enjoying bites from the likes of Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, Ovide, Bijoux and upcoming Seaside spot The Daytrader, as well as wine from a lengthy list of celebrity vintners.

Destin artist Harley Van Hyning was on hand to showcase the print he donated toward the auction: a locally caught yellowfin tuna. He was impressed by the crowd, incredible wines and amazing food around him. Van Hyning specializes in the gyotaku style of Japanese print-making.

“I take a very non-traditional approach, where I use color, acrylics, and different weights of canvas to basically record a life form, give honor to the life form, and bring it back to its natural beauty so that it can educate and be appreciated by us here on land.”

To keep auction bidders powered through the 3-hour live auction, Swiftly Catered Private Chef rolled out a four-course meal, starting with charcuterie boards, a Southern wedge salad, beef short ribs over whipped potatoes, and dark chocolate crémeux tarts and strawberry parfait.

Paul Hobbs of Paul Hobbs Winery in Sebastopol, Calif., was honored as this year’s honorary vintner, while Scott Schwarz of The Surf Club in North Carolina was awarded the title of honorary chef.

In addition to the 66-lot live auction, money is also raised through a cellar auction, silent auction and a super silent auction.

In its 18^th year, auction proceeds now totaling more than $30 million benefit AMIkids Emerald Coast, Ascension Sacred Heart of the Emerald Coast, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis, Inc., Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa & Walton Counties, Opportunity Place, Inc., Point Washington Medical Clinic, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Reserve Tasting

Austin Peterson represented OVID Napa Valley.

Bijoux served short rib barbacoa with creamy polenta.

Say cheese! Photo booth fun!

Caliza plated smoked salmon potato lasagna.

The Reserve Tasting allows for mixing and mingling before the auction.

The Reserve Tasting

DCWAF board member Bob Kirk samples from Roy Estate.

The Reserve Tasting allows for mixing and mingling before the auction.

The Reserve Tasting is a chance to nosh and mingle.

November 23, 2022

Covington appointed new executive chef at Seagar’s

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SANDESTIN – Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa has named Fleetwood Covington as the new executive chef at the onsite Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood. In his new role, Fleetwood will oversee all aspects of the AAA Four-Diamond steakhouse’s culinary initiatives to ensure consistency in presentation and quality of all dishes.

“Our team has built a strong reputation for providing excellence in the overall dining experience,” said Frank Flautt, co-founder of Sandcastle Resorts, the management team behind Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “Fleetwood’s ability to maintain the steakhouse’s classic standards while pushing the envelope with unique seasonal menus and new dish developments make him the ideal fit to further enhance Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood.”

Having joined the Seagar’s team in 2017, Fleetwood worked his way from the kitchen’s sauce station to his new executive chef position. He was able to train under the leadership of renowned chefs and absorb every aspect of the culinary behind the scenes to create a vision for a new level of expertise in service and dishes. Drawing on inspiration from the surrounding coastal setting to his previous time spent in Europe as a professional concert pianist, Fleetwood combines local and internationally celebrated flavors into each carefully crafted plate.

Most recently, Fleetwood served as chef de cuisine, where he directed food preparation and collaborated with the team to produce dishes that displayed a high caliber of taste and design. In this role, Fleetwood was tasked with growing the steakhouse’s kitchen staff and has played a pivotal role in developing the team into the successful operation it is today. Fleetwood and team continue to craft menu items that speak to seasonal and locally inspired products.

“His range of responsibilities since starting at the resort’s steakhouse has paved the way for him to hold this leadership position and create an even higher level of excellence at Seagar’s,” continued Flautt.

For more information on Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood or to make a reservation visit www.seagars.com or call 1-850-622-1500.

February 25, 2022

Fresh perspectives on the menu at Seagar’s

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Classic steakhouse names new chef, beverage manager

By Michelle Farnham
Feb. 25, 2022

SANDESTIN – Since opening in 1998, Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood has maintained its classic New York steakhouse vibe. Each chef passing through the kitchen has left their mark on the cuisine, incorporating new technique and flavors, but diners should expect a little something extra this spring. The fine dining eatery has welcomed both a new chef de cuisine, Fleetwood Covington, and a new beverage director, Catherine Lien.

Smokin' Mango Symphony — Smokin’ Mango Symphony

Distinctive drinks

Shaking things up behind the bar, Lien comes to Seagar’s after 20 years at Las Vegas’s Delminco Steakhouse.

“I was ready for a change,” Lien admitted. “That’s the desert, where everything is flown in from California. I’m looking forward to working with a lot more local, fresh products.”

When creating her new cocktail lineup, she took many things into consideration, including the season, the location and the restaurant theme.

“I also like to use new kinds of spirits that may not be well known out here,” she said, pointing to her Smokin’ Mango Symphony, which features Mezcal, tamarind syrup, mango puree and lime juice in a Tajin-rimmed glass.

As we approach the summer season, she’s inspired by fruits like in her Sparkling Berries (berry-infused vodka, Créme de Cassis, lemon, syrup and sparkling wine) or the Citrus Paradisi (grapefruit-infused vodka, lime, pink grapefruit soda). Fall may see a shift into apples, maple, cranberries, and the like.

She’s also careful to remember the steakhouse theme, like her spin on a classic Manhattan called the Evening Joe: bourbon, coffee-infused vermouth, and cherry bark vanilla bitters.

Dessert drinks are not forgotten, either, with Lien’s 21st Century Grasshopper, and the Bluegrass Ending: bourbon, bourbon cream, coffee liqueur, cold brew, and chocolate bitters.

Contemporary cuisine

Situated in the chef’s kitchen, Covington has been with Seagar’s for six years, working his way up from the kid who just wanted to learn to roll pasta one summer, to chef de cuisine.

In his inaugural menu tasting, he started with a crab cake featuring smooth étouffée and a white wine butter-poached spot prawn.

“The spot prawns are a little sweeter than your gulf prawn, and I needed something to balance out the super savory étouffée,” Covington said.

The chef was very pleased to unveil his new wagyu beef product, working with the Japanese farm twice ranked best wagyu in the world. His Miyazaki Wagyu Tartare comes from the 4- and 6-ounce portions on the new menu, and is plated with herb cream, morel duxelles, confit gaufrette potato and capers.

Rounding out his first course options, Covington served a Tuna Tartare with bluefin toro, citrus, pineapple mignonette, and avocado mousse.

Moving on to entrees, he offered Pan-Roasted Diver Scallops with blistered heirloom tomatoes, and spring vegetables.

The Gulf Grouper is plated atop a textured heirloom tomato bisque – heavy on the smoke – with braised rainbow Swiss chard and crispy leeks.

Covington drew inspiration from his predecessor, Chef Lee Guidry, and his love for Asian flavors in putting together the new Red Snapper entree.

“I wanted to take all the flavors I remembered from our time in the restaurant and replicate them in one dish,” he explained. “This is my homage to my mentor who gave me most of my culinary technique.”

Here he served the protein with chanterelle mushrooms, jumbo lump crab salad and herb beurre blanc, alongside a purple cabbage, carrot and ginger puree.

Red Snapper — Red snapper with crab salad, chanterelles and carrot-ginger puree

The new menu debuts in March and dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday. Diners can find Seagar’s at 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Miramar Beach. Learn more or make a reservation at www.seagars.com or 850-622-1500.

Photos by Michelle Farnham