New Orleans-based chef Mason Hereford turned heads with his vegetarian take on a reuben at Saturday’s Indulge event, which took place around sunset at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach pool. Hereford and his team worked to infuse flavors like peppercorn, mustard seed, bay leaves, and coriander into the collard greens to mimic the brining solution of corned beef. This one’s great for vegetarians at your party. Ditch the cheese, and it’s vegan-friendly too.Photo: Michael Pissari
Along with top-quality eats and premium sips, “retro” was an emerging thematic. Friday night’s Chef Welcome Party held poolside at The Colony Hotel sported a ‘60s theme inspired by a nostalgic cookbook, complete with fondue and gourmet cheese balls, a beef stroganoff station, and party highlight: a shrimp cocktail martini bar (more below). Saturday night brought the night owl crowd west to PGA National Resort for Bubbles & Bites: A Yacht Rock Experience, where guests adorned captain hats while feasting on an endless array of fare–including donut holes and fried chicken from Honeybelle, an extravagant raw bar, and a decadent dessert spread–all paired with bottomless champagne and ‘80s tunes.
According to festival director David Sabin, venues are decked for the season, which is why the timing allows the festival to become a holiday celebration for guests. Plus, there are special touches at the dinners and events, which gives the production the chance to be a source of inspiration for hosts and to those seeking new food and drink ideas. “The chefs always show their best, and we are so honored that they continue to come back and cook amazing food,” Sabin added .
Four days of upscale eats abounded in every direction, which gave us the bright idea to round up the best bites so you can re-create them at home heading into your New Year’s Day party. Below, find 14 drool-worthy ways to ring in 2023...
Serfer also noted options to level up your latke game in other ways. “Aside from other obvious toppers like smoked salmon, a great latke-topper is blue cheese and prosciutto, especially if you can crisp up the prosciutto,” he shared. “Hungover latkes on New Year’s Day are quite nice with some eggs scrambled with sausage too. I also like a faux Benedict with the latke, fried quail egg, bacon, and garlic aioli.”
