Parents contend with many daily challenges, questioning how (or if) they will be able to feed their children should never be one of them. Committed to eradicating childhood hunger throughout the county, thirty-five of South Florida’s most celebrated wünderchefs and restaurateurs will be stepping up to their stoves to turn out taste bud-seducing cuisine at Share Our Strength’s fourth annual Taste of the Nation Palm Beach on Wednesday, April 23.
Led by co-chair chefs Lindsay Autry (Bravo TV’s Top Cheftestant), Zach Bell (Addison Reserve Country Club), Clay Conley (buccan and Imoto), and Allen Susser (Chef Allen’s), food fêters can also tap their inner oenophile at the plethora of wine and spirits stations, cast their bids on the luxurious, live and silent auction items, and enjoy the evening’s creative musical entertainment.
Here, local philanthropy-minded culinaires spill on everything from culinary bucket lists and cooking rituals to their biggest kitchen oops! ever.
 Zach Bell (Co-Chair) Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach Residence: Lake Worth Biggest kitchen disaster: I was sixteen and I forgot to check the hold temp on a dozen prime ribs at The Rusty Fox. I had a bad day the next day. Cooking ritual: Folding my towels for service. It helps me to slow down and re-center. Best part about being a chef: Having cooks that have worked for you succeed. One thing we should know about you: I am shy. Define your personal fashion style: Shabby line cook slash beach bum. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: We create elaborate menus and meals while, barely a mile away, 1 in 5 children are not even sure where they are getting their next meal. Given the resources in our country, this is both shameful and embarrassing. Your dish: Love me some pork. |
 Clay Conley (Co-Chair) Executive Chef, Buccan/Imoto, Palm Beach Residence: West Palm Beach How you get inspired: Reading cookbooks, travelling, and eating. Biggest kitchen disaster: I was making a warm, baked-to-order cake and after the last savory course went out, someone turned off the ovens. What item every kitchen needs: A good smoker. Most overrated dining trends or foods: Anything “farm-to-table”. Summer travel plans: Asheville, NC for a month. Last purchase: Taylor 514 guitar. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: How can you not get behind a charity that spends every waking moment trying to end childhood hunger? Your dish: Colorado Lamb sliders, homemade griddled brioche bun, cucumber salad, harissa, and French feta. |
 Aaron Black PB Catch, Palm Beach Residence: Jupiter How you get inspired: Seasonal produce and Instagram. It’s a great place to find new ideas. Favorite seasonal ingredient for summer: Ramps. Your trademark as a chef: Seacuterie. Its an ancient concept of curing fish but we’ve reinvented it in a way that’s never been done before. Summer travel plans: Boston, Charleston, and San Francisco – three great foodie towns. Last purchase: Gopro camera. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: It’s a great charity and an opportunity to see and talk to my talented peers. Your dish: Pork belly disc, cured egg yolk jam, pickled shiitake, and red shiso. Photo by Montana Prichard |
Executive Chef, Coolinary Cafe, Palm Beach Gardens Residence: Jupiter Your biggest kitchen disaster: First day in the new restaurant and I was making a pot of soup. Ran to back kitchen and returned to flames shooting three feet out of the pot. Almost burned the place down before we opened. Most underrated item in the kitchen: A griddle top. Favorite cooking ritual: We are closed on Sundays, so having a shift drink with the staff on Saturday night is always fun. Favorite seasonal ingredient for summer: Hot peppers. Every chef has a vice. What’s yours: I’m always right. One thing we should know about you: I hate scary movies. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: With the resources available today, no kid should go hungry. It’s a chance to make a difference. Your dish: Dry Aged Spanish Serrano ham, red watercress, toasted almond, fresh hearts of palm, sheep’s milk cheese, and mustard sherry vinaigrette |
Tim Lipman
For more, check out Page 2
We surveyed some of South Florida’s hottest chefs involved with Taste of the Nation to get their take on the culinary scene.
Chef/Consultant, Lindsay Autry Inc. Residence: West Palm Beach Your biggest kitchen disaster: I was cooking at Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival and about twenty vultures descended on my station and stole all of the pork ribs that I was cooking. Best part about being a chef: The ability to learn something new everyday. Every chef has a vice. What’s yours: TJ Maxx. One thing we should know about you: I am a horrible singer. Summer travel plans: Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks with my family. If you could fly anywhere for the day, where would you go: Mexico (or anywhere) for a good taco. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: I have been involved with Share Our Strength for five years and believe strongly in their mission. It is a tangible goal that can be achieved with enough awareness and chefs can truly make a difference and give back to their community. Your dish: Chicken Confit & Seminole Rice “Salad”. Photo by Alissa Dragun |
Lindsay Autry
Executive Chef, Bistro Ten Zero One at West Palm Beach Marriott Residence: Delray Beach Your biggest kitchen disaster: Cooking dinner for Mr. Marriott. 20 minutes before service, the rack with all the prep flipped over and hit the ground. Most underrated item in the kitchen: Dry hand towel. Most overrated dining trends or foods: Flat breads, in general. If you weren’t a chef: Professional skydiver. What you do to relax: Free dive. Summer travel plans: St. Thomas. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: To give back to the community. Your dish: Local smoked pork tacos, house hot sauce, and garden cabbage. |
Chris DeGweck
Executive Chef & Partner, DADA Residence: Delray Beach Most underrated item in the kitchen: The tourne knife. It’s easy to use and fits in your hand perfectly. Most overrated dining trends or foods: Foams. Your trademark as a chef: Bacon. I use a lot of it and butter. One thing we should know about you: I love Halloween. I act like a kid and love dressing up. What you do to relax: I enjoy watching movies or going to Legoland with our son. Biggest luxury: I am kind of a luxury hotel snob. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: I care about people and it’s time we all took a step back and see how fortunate we are and give back to those who are not. This is why Amanda and I started our own charity, Healthy Bellies, with the Delray Achievement Center. Your dish: Nutella Crème Caramel. |
Bruce Feingold
 Isaac Cerny Chef de Cuisine, Pistache Where you live: Jupiter Biggest kitchen disaster: At Café Boulud, I was responsible for the soup du jour. I was making cucumber soup and added too much vinegar. It turned brown. Daniel Boulud was in town that day and was less than impressed. Most underrated item in the kitchen: A sharp vegetable peeler. If you weren’t a chef: A high-performance auto mechanic. One thing we should know about you: I enjoy photography. Capturing a beautiful moment is a huge inspiration. If you could fly anywhere for the day, where would you go: Japan. Amazing cuisine and I’m sure I would come back with a lot of culinary inspirations. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: Being a father now, I realize more than ever just how important this organization is. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to not be able to feed my daughter. Your dish: Assorted housemade charcuterie and accoutrements. |
Asiatic Cuisine Chef, Aah Loi Thai & Sushi Where you live: Palm Beach Gardens Your biggest kitchen disaster: A guest requested a red Ferrari cake that ended up Flamingo pink. Best part is that it happened to be his favorite color! Most underrated item in the kitchen: Thermometers. Most overrated dining trends or foods: I think all trends are cool. When they’re put into the hands of inexperienced cooks, they become undesirable. Your trademark as a chef: Taking a different route in my culinary career gives me an edge. I call my style, Asiatic Cuisine. It’s my personal interpretation of Asian cooking, influenced by the Japanese aesthetic and culture. Every chef has a vice. What’s yours: Traveling and eating out. One thing we should know about you: I’m left-handed but use my right hand for all knife work. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: If we help anyone, it should be our kids. Growing up, I had a taste of poverty and having to figure out where the next meal would come from. Kids shouldn’t have that to think about that. Your dish: Asian BBQ Salad or sushi. |
Roy Villacrusis
For more, check out Page 3
We surveyed some of South Florida’s hottest chefs involved with Taste of the Nation to get their take on the culinary scene.
Executive Chef, Cordon Bleu Catering Residence: West Palm Beach How you get inspired: My wife, sommelier Melanie Ober. She is my muse. Most underrated item in the kitchen: A good saucepan. Favorite cooking ritual: Peeling potatoes. Most overrated dining trends or foods: Molecular gastronomy. One thing we should know about you: I have been speaking English for only six years. Biggest luxury: Living close to the ocean. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: To help raise money for a great cause and it’s a lot of fun. Your dish: Teriyaki glazed salmon on grapefruit fennel slaw. |
Michael Ober
Chef & Owner, The Sugar Monkey Residence: Lake Worth What item every kitchen needs: Gram scale. Most overrated dining trends or foods: Sometimes I just want my tart to be a beautifully done tart – not a deconstruction all over my plate. Every chef has a vice. What’s yours: Cake scraps and French fries. One thing we should know about you: I listen to country music. Your biggest luxury: My puppies. After a long hard day at work, it’s great to go home and get smothered with kisses. Summer travel plans: Nascar in Watkins Glen, Chicago or NYC and, hopefully, a little Florida family time. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: It is unimaginable that in this day and age, children living right down the street from us could possibly be going hungry. Your dish: Perhaps you’ll see some Parisian macarons, definitely some little chocolate goodness, too. |
Jennifer Reed
Executive Chef, Guanabanas Residence: Jupiter Biggest kitchen disaster: Mother’s Day breakfast one year – we were on 90-minute wait and our waffle irons went down in the middle of service. What item every kitchen needs: Spanish guys on your staff. If you’re in the business, you know what I mean. If you weren’t a chef: I’d be Bradley Cooper’s body double. Biggest luxury: I love cars. I’m a Cadillac guy. Summer travel plans: Home to visit my family and Vegas to work on those vices. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: We have participated in this event since the beginning. It’s a great cause, with really passionate people behind it. Your dish: Open-Faced BBQ pork waffle slider. We smoke our BBQ in house using pecan wood from South Georgia. |
Vinny Trupia
Executive Chef, Citrus Grillhouse Residence: Vero Beach Biggest kitchen disaster: Letting any diner down. Most underrated item in the kitchen: Water. What you do to relax: Play with my son and listen to Springsteen. Summer travel plans: Aspen, New York City, and Cape Cod. Favorite anywhere dining destination: Gotham Bar & Grill in NYC. Chef Alfred Portale is always spot on with flavors and he doesn’t follow trends. Define your personal fashion style: Casual preppy. Why you’re participating in Taste of the Nation Palm Beach: It’s a great cause, it has been for years. Your dish: Spring pea soup with a parmesan flan. |
Scott Varricchio
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