If you got shut out by the May 24 deadline to sign up for the June 5 tasting of Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery at The Whiskey, take heart: registration has been extended to Friday, May 28. The event, which will take place in person and via Zoom beginning at 4 p.m., will feature three samples from the Nashville distillery with commentary from Greenbrier’s Andy Nelson. Even in-person participants will want to bring earbuds and a Zoom-worthy device to communicate directly with Nelson. The Zoomcast will also show on the Whiskey’s large screen. Cost is only $13, and there will be special menu pricing for participants. Contact [email protected] to reserve. More information at Edible Orlando, which is sponsoring the tasting.
I’m looking forward to attending this evening’s KCuvée class on French wine at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House & Culinary Garden. I don’t know if there are any seats still left, but you can check at KCuvée’s website. The tasting is at 5:30 p.m. with a Kevin Fonzo’d dinner to follow.
This ought to make one helluva float: Foxtail Coffee Co. is teaming up with Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream and Ravenous Pig Brewing Company at its new location at 2451 Howell Market Lane in Winter Park. A contradictorily termed “Grand Opening Preview” is scheduled for Tuesday.
Members of Orlando’s craft food industry are teaming up for a job fair to try to entice workers. Brandon Moss, CEO of Muse Gelato, Shannon and Janice Talty of Olde Hearth Bread Co. and East End Market founder, John Rife, will offer the fair at East End on Wed., June 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At least 11 restaurants, caterers and other food companies will be on hand. A press release for the job fair listed some of the types of people who should apply, but suffice to say that if you’re breathing, they’d love to talk to you. Register for a time slot here.
Winter Park Fish Co. is currently closed for renovations. Usually when a restaurant posts “closed for renovations” it means “we’re outta here.” But WPFC actually did make renovations, including enclosing some of the outside dining area. Trouble is that apparently proper permits were not obtained prior to said renovations. Cities can be pretty persnickety about the permitting process. (And knowing what little I do about that process, I can understand someone trying to get around it.) In any event, it appears that Winter Park Fish Co. will stay closed until the issue is resolved.
Finnhenry’s Public House in downtown Orlando is trying to stay open. According to Orlando Business Journal’s Jack Witthaus, the cocktail and light-bites venue is behind on its rent and its landlord is seeking to evict. Finnhenry’s owner, Caitlin Van Voorhis, told Witthaus that she’s just waiting to hear if she will receive funds from the Restaurant Revitalization program recently funded by Congress. Such funds could be used to pay the back rent. First dibs on the monies will go to businesses owned by veterans and minorities, including women, so Van Voorhis stands a chance of being at the head of the line. Trouble is, no one knows when that line will start moving. Another program from the government rescue package for shuttered entertainment venues was launched before the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and there has been no indication that any venues have gotten relief.
If there are any restaurant or hospitality business owners who have been notified regarding their applications for funds, please let me know.
