Chef Showdown
Friday, October 25, 2019, 7:00 PM-11:00 PM
Lummus Park
12th Street & Ocean Drive on South Beach
(Be sure to scroll down to find tickets to this specific event!)
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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 Stiltsville 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 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 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 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 Competitors:
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
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 Competitiors:
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
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 Competitors:
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
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 Competitors:
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
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 Competitors:
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
- TBA in September
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 Shore Club South Beach, checking in Friday, October 25 – checking out Sunday, October 27.
