Playful piscine pleasure was the theme for the annual Fish-to-Fork Main Event at the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa in May. Guests included those who had come from afar for the weekend package, those who live on the property, and some, like Patti Burch and I, who live nearby. We felt transported to a fairyland of foody fun.
The magic was all Omni Amelia Island Resort Executive Chef Omar Collazo’s doing, for he designed the event ten years ago. He imagined a way to nurture his personal love of fishing, showcase the Omni’s culinary talent, connect with other chefs from around the country, and just have fun. The chefs participating in the ninth annual Fish-to-Fork came from New York City, Atlanta, Charleston, Decatur, Nashville, and Washington, D.C.
The competitive aspect gives this event its edge. To begin, the chefs head out on the water to fish for what they will cook that night in the competition. One chef’s team caught a 40-pound cobia! Others caught shark, whiting, and snapper, among others. Next, the chefs tuck into their cooking station to create dishes worthy of the fine restaurants they lead. Finally, they are randomly assigned to a team and given a generous pantry and one hour to design, produce, and plate 400 tastings. But first, the secret ingredient was announced—olive!
The judges for this competition were the ticketholders, who streamed in eagerly to choose their octagonal white table, visit the open bar, and begin their tasting. Each chose a personal favorite for whom they voted digitally. While the chefs’ teams worked, everyone enjoyed food stations offering hearty international flavors: barbeque and oysters, fresh pasta, alcapurrias, tostadas, and Sicilian flatbreads. Of course, there were desserts, some gold-flecked, others whipped with liquid nitrogen, and festive affogato, a scoop of gelato topped with a shot of espresso.
Ultimately, winners were announced, and everybody cheered! Chef Kevin Tien of Washington, D.C.’s Moon Rabbit won the individual title with his Khaeng Khiao Wan, or Sweet Green Curry, with Snapper. Each of the chefs had made something special, but the fragrance and the creamy, sweet, spicy flavors of Chef Kevin’s Sweet Green Curry were bewitching. Chef Kevin’s team also won the group competition on this special night.
“Interactive” was another theme for this event, as the chefs were very relaxed, mingling with guests and with each other. Not one wore a formal chef’s coat. The chef who struggled with the 40-pound cobia for 35 minutes was eager to tell his story. Once the winners were announced, nobody was in a hurry to leave. The live 80’s band had provided the perfect background for the event, but now was their time to rock. The dance floor filled up. A conga line began, and before long, it was the longest I had seen in decades. When I left at 9:45 p.m., the dance floor was still full.
Beautiful colors, relaxed people, fun contests, unusual flavors, flaky fish, and new experiences—memories of the ninth annual Fish-to-Fork Main Event are swimming in my mind. If I could, I would urge every person who likes a playful food experience to mark their calendars now for the tenth annual Fish-to-Fork next May. Mine is already marked.