Chef Showdown

Event Description

Chef Showdown

Date: Friday, October 25, 2019

VIP #ChefShowdown brought to you by Talbott Vineyards and presented by Goya Foods, Tequila Herradura, Land Rover South Dade, Celebrity Cruises, Baptist Health South Florida, Halperns, and official bank partner, City National Bank.

#CHOOSEYOURCHAMP | Results certified by Marc E. O’Connor, CPA, PA

Time: 7:00PM – 11:00PM

Entrance: 12th & Ocean Drive (Lummus Park), Miami Beach, Florida
Inside Land Rover Hospitality Village & Goya Culinary Pavilion

Chef Showdown at South Beach Seafood Week assembles Miami’s top executive chefs for an evening of competitive cook-offs where YOU are the judge. In a perfect combination of competition level cuisine, tropically fresh cocktails, and live entertainment, the #ChefShowdown , brought to you by Talbott Vineyards, tours guests through the best of Miami’s culinary scene. Featuring 14 of Miami’s most progressive and recognized Executive Chefs, this is a CAN’T miss experience for all. We had you at fresh cocktails, right?

Selected by Travel Channel as the Top Seafood Chef Competition in the country, the Chef Showdown, hosted inside the Land Rover VIP Hospitality Village and Goya Culinary Pavilion, pairs chefs head-to-head in a total of seven different seafood battles with the ultimate high energy night of competition (and party). Chefs from each battle will take the stage throughout the night in the showcase kitchen, where famous Miami media personalities and Celebrity Chefs will judge the best in each showdown.

2019 Judges will be: Chef Andre Bienvenu of Joe’s Stone Crab, Chef Peter Vauthy of Red, the Steakhouse, Chef Fernando Desa of GOYA, Chef Jeff McInnis and Chef Janine Booth of Stiltsvlle Fish Bar, Nelson Lazo, CEO of Doctors Hospital, and Ben McClure of Talbott Vineyards.

The gist: Ticket holders will visit each restaurant’s sampling station around the hospitality village and enjoy sample the competing Chef’s dishes. Then, guests get to vote on their favorite dishes! The chefs take the main stage throughout the night and battle it out in person with a group of executive judges on the main stage helping to weigh in. Points are accumulated from all the voting areas to ultimately decide the newest CHAMPIONS of the Chef Showdown at the South Beach Seafood Week!

2019 BATTLE SHOWDOWNS DEFENDING CHAMPIONS:

Battle Oyster Pit: Chef Reiner Mendez of Lure Fishbar

From Havana, Cuba, Reiner Mendez is Executive Sous Chef of Lure Fish Bar South Beach, the sister location of the seafood-centric, SoHo hotspot. Mendez’s commitment to making quality food has earned him valuable opportunities to work and excel in renown restaurants like the W HotelSouth Beach in Miami Beach and Don Shula’s Hotel/Culinaire where he managed two properties, Shula’s hotel, Shula’s steakhouse, Naked Crab Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale with celebrity chef Ralph Pagano, and Casa Tua Cucina in Brickell City Center.

2018 Battle Oyster Competitor: TBA

Battle Tuna: Chef Raul A. Del Pozo of Lightkeepers at The Ritz Carlton

Chef Raul A. Del Pozo’s cuisine is progressive and modern, ever evolving and pushing the envelope daily. His previous restaurants have been awarded numerous accolades including AAA 4 Diamond Award and The Golden Spoon Award; in addition to serving as Brand Ambassador for the country of New Zealand at Star Chefs. Del Pozo has unquestionable insight on the whimsical and magical, as demonstrated by his remarkable visions at Lightkeepers at The Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne.

2019 Battle Tuna Competitor: TBA

Battle Fish: Chef Julian Garriga of Seawell Fish N’ Oyster Bar

Julian Garriga is the executive chef of Seawell Fish N’ Oyster and Minnow Bar adjacent to Kimpton Angler’s Hotel Miami Beach. With over 10 years of experience in the culinary industry, Garriga’s career has spanned across Miami, Washington D.C., and New York City. He was the executive sous chef at Area 31, and then lead the culinary teams at other renowned restaurants in Miami including SRA. Martinez and Macchialina, to name a few before coming back to run Seawell Fish N’ Oyster Bar.

2019 Battle Fish Competitor: TBA

Battle Sushi: Chef Masatomo Hamaya of Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market

Born in Japan, Chef Masatomo Hamaya knows sushi inside and out. He’s perfected his craft at many top restaurants around the United States including at the Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market where he takes pride in his premium ingredients and artful flavors. Chef Masatomo may be presenting some of the best sushi your foodie taste buds have ever tried, so get ready for it at South Beach Seafood Festival!

2019 Battle Sushi Competitior: TBA

Battle Surf N’ Turf: Chef Sean Brasel of Meat Market Miami

At Meat Market Miami, Chef Sean Brasel was responsible for bringing the American steakhouse into the 21st century creating a menu that modernizes the classic steakhouse. His food is known for being eclectic, sumptuous, and affordable. He is also a four-time Champion in the Surf n’ Turf category!

(Obsessed with the perfect small bite? Chef Brasel also turns taste buds alive at our Cooking and Cocktails event.)

2019 Battle Surf N’ Turf Competitor: TBA

Battle Lobster: Joe’s Stone Crab

Executive Sous Chef David Salinas picked up the reigns last year from Chef Andre Bienvenu, the three-time Chef Showdown Champion and the Executive Chef at Joe’s Stone Crab, a 103-year-old restaurant located in Miami Beach, FL. David took his stab at Battle Lobster last year and triumphantly emerged as the 2018 Battle Lobster Champion.

(Don’t miss Chefs Bienvenu and Salinas at another scrumptious and luxurious SoBe Seafood Week event: An Evening at Joe’s.)

2019 Battle Lobster Competitor: TBA

Battle Taco: Chef Ralph Pagano of Naked Taco

Chef Ralph Pagano beat our formerly undefeated Battle Taco champion last year and he’s back in 2019 to defend his title! An American chef and television personality, #Fireproof Ralph appeared on the first season of Hell’s Kitchen and hosted the series Pressure Cook on MOJO HD. Pagano is the chef and brains behind Naked Taco in Miami Beach, Florida. His motto: “Get Naked”

2019 Battle Taco Competitor: TBA

The VIP #ChefShowdown delivers a unique culinary and entertainment experience in the most beautiful high energy atmosphere on the sands of South Beach Miami.

Be sure to stop by the Halperns CHOP HOUSE or the Papa’s Raw Bar SEAFOOD WORLD BAR for your taste of some beef with your reef.

Get ready to enjoy the ultimate beach bash with sounds by YISSEL!

The event is from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (on the sand) and the entrance is on 12th and Ocean Drive in Lummus Park, Miami Beach.

Chef Showdown at South Beach Seafood Week Ticket Details:

• All-inclusive tasting of each Chef’s competition dishes available at each of the 14 restaurant battle stations
• Full bars featuring a variety of cocktails, beer, wine, and soft drinks
• Additional seafood bites from GOYA and Celebrity Cruises
• Access to the PAPA’s RAW BAR SEAFOOD WORLD BAR & HALPERNS’ CHOP HOUSE open all night for your enjoyment
• Samplings from Casa Herradura Experience
• Access to the Celebrity Cruise private entertainment experience
• Bubbles from the City National Bank Bubble Lounge featuring J Vineyards & Winery
• Baptist Health South Florida entertainment
• An all-night party in the Goya VIP Culinary Pavilion (where all Chefs battle on stage) featuring Miami’s hottest DJ, Sounds by YISSEL

Chef Showdown Weekend Pass Details:

SOBE SEAFOOD WEEKEND PASS $250
(value of $300) includes:

• ONE ticket to Friday, October 25, 2019: Chef Showdown ($150 value)
• ONE VIP Tickets for Saturday, October 26, 2019: SoBe Seafood Fest ($150 value)

WEEKEND PASS FOR TWO with a 2-NIGHT HOTEL STAY – $800 SOLD OUT!
(value of $1,100) includes:

• TWO tickets to Friday, October 25, 2019: Chef Showdown ($300 value)
• TWO VIP Tickets for Saturday, October 26, 2019: SoBe Seafood Fest ($300 value)
• ONE Signature Standard Room at either Mondrian South Beach or Shelborne South Beach (your choice), checking in Friday, October 25 – checking out Sunday, October 27.