- I can’t imagine you could have anything better to do on Sunday than to attend Legends, Mentors & Friends: Women in the Kitchen, a celebration at Lake Meadows. Kathleen Blake (The Rusty Spoon), one of our favorite women from one of our favorite kitchens, is hosting a lineup of stellar culinary talent from throughout the country. Proceeds from the dinner, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Lake Meadow Naturals in Ocoee, will benefit the James Beard Foundation’s WEL Program, which supports women in the culinary industry. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased here. Use that link for more information, including directions to Lake Meadows. As for who else will be there cooking, get ready for the sub bullets:
Jennifer Hostetter– The Rosen School
Kerri Rogers, Bellwether, Jacksonville
Abra Berens, Granor Farm, Three Oaks, MI
Liza Hinman, The Spinster Sisters, Santa Rosa, CA
Whitney Otawka, The GreyField Inn, Cumberland Island
Melissa Kelly, PRIMO, Orlando, Rockland, Tucson
Charleen Badman, FnB, Scottsdale
Ilma Lopez, Chaval & Piccolo, Portland, ME
Emily Luchetti, Big Night Restaurants, San Francisco
Katharine Elder, Elderslie Farm, Wichita, KS
- Blake is teaming up with chef Jamie McFadden of Cuisiniers Catering for another event Sunday, March 24, at 10 a.m.: Swamp Sistas La La Charity Brunch at the Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts in Winter Park. Food, drink and music. Tickets are $75 and benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Buy them here.
- Our friend Ricky Ly from Tasty Chomps is hosting a dinner Saturday, March 9, at the restaurant of another friend, Tony Roma’s (we’re so close he lets me call him Tone). The dinner will feature Tone’s New Classics menu and is priced at $65. Click here.
- There’s a tease coming out of DeLand that Cress will become a full-time restaurant again this summer. Owners Hari and Jenneffer Pulapaka changed the concept in 2017, ending regular days and hours of operation in favor of events — wine dinners, cooking classes and such. Cress first opened as a full service restaurant in August of 2008. More details on the change back expected soon.
- The Imperial Winter Park has opened at 170 E. Morse Blvd., the third location for what started as part imported furniture store and wine bar. The newest is promising to offer “unique food,” a term that always scares me just a little.
- Eola General, which apparently has nothing to do with the military, is open in the former Handy Pantry space on Amelia Street in downtown Orlando. It’s serving all-day breakfast and a handy collection of sandwiches.
- Sideward Brewing has opened up behind, or to the side of, if you prefer, Stasio’s Italian Deli & Market in the Milk District.
- MX Taco, just across the street from Sideward, has been open for a while but is scheduling its grand opening for March 29.
- Sette, the Italian restaurant from the owners of Se7en Bites going into the former Stir/NoVa/Elliott’s/Brian’s Diner space, feel comfortable enough that an opening is imminent that they’ve started taking reservations for March 18 and beyond.
- And congratulations to Cask & Larder for being named to USA Today’s 10Best List of Best Local/Regional Dining. It was also cited on the Best Airport/Restaurant Atmosphere list.
