Individual bacon slices came served in bamboo cups at Cigars & Spirits at the Betsy Hotel rooftop. Chefs Craig Strong and Gabriel Ask of Montage Hotels & Resorts and Laurent Tourondel of the Betsy provided the fare, which paired with bourbons, whiskies, Scotches, and tequilas.
At the $1,500-a-plate Ocean Liner Dinner at the Wolfsonian, chef Daniel Boulud served a slow-baked halibut bonne femme with sweet Maine shrimp. The meticulously plated fish had a puff pastry head.
Also on the menu at the Ocean Liner Dinner was an oeuf en gelée, crème de jambon au celeri, and truffes from chefs Frederic Morin and David McMillan.
At the Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament at Turnberry Isle Resort, mini cones nestled in a sand trap. Chef José Andrés hosted the event, and the bites came from his restaurant Katsuya at SLS Hotel South Beach.
Neutral-tone macarons were strewn on a plate of colorful flowers at a Tribute Dinner honoring Danny Meyer and Chuck Wagner held at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Among the hors d'oeuvres at Starry Night: An Evening With Tyler Florence was a whole toasted shitake log with mushrooms and fresh herbs that protruded from the dish. The event was held at the Fisher Island Club.
Guests could pluck honeydew push pops, which also contained caviar and crème fraîche, from a melon.
California pheasant polpette, served with black truffle aioli, were served in a dish alongside actual pheasant feathers.
Nearly every possible garnish—from the traditional celery stick to the more trendy jerkey—crowded into a bloody Mary served in a mason jar at the Southern Kitchen Brunch at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Homestyle signage identified the Georgia peach and cherry pies served at the Southern Kitchen Brunch.
Rainbow-hued cake pops, served upright and upside down, were among the desserts at a Wine Spectator Wine Seminar held at the James Royal Palm hotel.
At the Modern Mexican With a Spanish Twist dinner, held at Toro Toro at InterContinental Miami, a dessert trio contained plated carrot cake infused in pepita oil and a shaved pepita bark that looked like the fluttered skirt of a flamenco dancer. The dish from chefs Alisa Romano and Pati Jinich also had glazed tangerine supremas dulce de leche flan with a cacao nibs crust and chocolate salami with galletas María chunks.
A first course of salmòn curado con tamal tierno y mole, from chef Bruno Oteiza, contrasted squares with circles and looked like a modernist painting.
At the Spice It Up at Four Seasons dinner at Edge Steak & Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Miami, chef Michelle Bernstein served sticks of roast calabaza—a pumpkin-like squash—with ricotta and pepitas.
Stone crab claws were elegantly served on a white platter at An Evening With Jean-Georges Vongerichten at his J&G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. The presentation was not crowded, allowing the plate to contrast with the black claw and yellow mustard sauce.
Alongside the title dish at Ceviche & Pisco were coconut halves displaying the individual ingredients. The arrangement added a color-blocking element to the presentation. My Ceviche created the dishes served at the event at the Gale South Beach rooftop.
Summer rolls were served on trays set in a base of raw lentils at the Vegetarian Dinner at the Space Miami. A succulent, the motif of the dinner, also adorned the tray.
A display for Strongbow cider at the Grand Tasting featured rows of upside-down bottles slotted into wooden boards. Gold-painted apples in barrels, trees, and loose piles added to the scene.
The walk-around event at Fontainebleau Miami Beach featured a roving performer wearing a dress strewn with cake pops.
Chinese noodles awaited guests at their seats for a screening of Soul of a Banquet, a film about chef Cecilia Chiang by Hong Kong-born director Wayne Wang. The new hotel Metropolitan by Como provided catering for the movie night, which took place at the New World Center.
Cronut creator Dominique Ansel presented a new dish at the Death by Chocolate dessert party: a chocolate “oyster” shell filled with milk chocolate cream, coconut gelée, and a pineapple “mignonette.” Ansel hosted the February 21 event poolside at the National Hotel.
Josh Gripper from the Dutch at W South Beach served a white chocolate and dark rum creation served in an angled glass that made it easier to reach the contents with a spoon.
During the cocktail hour at the Flavors of India dinner, chef Amol Agarwal of host venue Ritz-Carlton, South Beach served chicken chaat in mini cones.
Chef Asha Gomez had a pretty plating for her first course of coconut and vegetable stew. A baby vegetable medley was artfully piled on the side of the bowl.
Clothespins provided an unexpected serving presentation idea for a dish at the Flavors of India dinner.
Bar Lab created handcrafted cocktails for the dinner to pair with each course. The snow-like garnish on champagne flutes set the beverage apart.
Star fruit and flowers added artful accents to brandy snifters for another one of Bar Lab’s cocktail pairings.
A particularly bountiful and colorful dessert buffet was decorated with whole and cut fruit at the Chef After-Party February 20 at Thompson Miami Beach hotel.
Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Anita Lo contributed to the decadent dishes at the February 21 dinner at the Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach. Among them was a lobster and sushi combination that was prepared in front of guests at the alfresco event.
In a twist on a traditional seated dinner, guests saw their food prepared at their table during the Interactive Dinner February 21 at the Biltmore Country Club Ballroom. Chef Marc Randazzo hosted the Italian-theme event, and guests got into the spirit by wearing toques with title sponsor Barilla’s logo.
Pickled onion was a colorful garnish choice that broke apart the beige tones of fried chicken and waffles from Root & Bone. The dish was served at the Southern Kitchen Brunch on February 22 at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
A Perfect Pairing Brunch started with bite-size portions of deviled eggs, crostini, and meatballs served atop wooden platters. The February 22 event took place at the Dutch at W South Beach.
Servings of Oreo cheesecake came with a folded napkin and spoon, making for smoother service in the dine-around format. The dessert, from Tru Tru Cakes and More, was served at the Farm to Table Brunch February 22 at the Palms Hotel & Spa.
Color-blocked beverages offered an appealing visual at the Farm to Table Brunch. The beverages, from American Harvest Organic Spirit, were the red-hued Peppered Mary with purees of tomatoes and red bell peppers; the yellow-hued Saved by the Bell with yellow bell pepper and green chili; and the green-colored Local Harvest, with basil leaves, lime, cucumber, and agave.
A display of spirits and yellow and red cherry tomatoes provided on-theme decor at the Exploring the Bloody Mary tasting seminar February 22 at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach.
For the second course of the Tribute Dinner, guests poured potion bottles of red fruit soup over lobster in a dish by Spanish chef Quique Dacosta, whose eponymous restaurant boasts three Michelin stars. The February 21 event at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel honored Basque cuisine pioneer Juan Mari Arzak as well as Ted Baseler, president and C.E.O. of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
A dessert bar at the Tribute Dinner included cheesecake and guava cones. Celebrity Cruises created the treats.
A treelike tower of biscuits made for clever decor at Chicken Coupe host’s Andrew Carmellini’s station. The event was held February 20 in the ballroom at W South Beach.
Edible flowers made for an unusual garnish on a taco from Miami Beach’s Huahua’s Taqueria at the Tacos After Dark event on February 19 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Presenting dishes family-style? Colorful presentation helps, like the dishes served at the Culinary Odyssey: An Israeli Dinner event February 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Residences Miami Beach. Chef Michael Solomonov prepared the dinner with two visiting Israeli chefs, Meir Adoni and itan Vanunu. The dishes included twice-cooked eggplant, beets with tehina, Moroccan carrots, tabbouleh with quinoa and walnuts, and Bulgarian-style pepper salad.
Befitting its Polynesian theme, drinks at the Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown were served in a variety of kitschy vessels along with bamboo-style straws. Emeril Lagasse hosted and was among the judges at the cocktail competition February 20 at Shore Club.
At the Oyster Bash, host Island Creek Oysters presented an Instagram-ready version of its dish—oyster sliders with chili aioli and a scallop ceviche. Island Creek’s Jeremy Sewall hosted the event with Ming Tsai and Josh Capon on February 20 at Lure Fishbar.
Served during the reception at the Harlem Shake Dinner, compressed watermelon with feta cheese “snow” had a striking color contrast. Chef Marcus Samuelsson hosted the event with Charles Gabriel, JJ Johnson, and Christopher Lee on February 20 at the Forge restaurant.
At the reception for the Tuscan Trio Dinner February 20 at Siena Tavern, chef Fabio Viviani served mini coccoli—crispy dough, stracchino cheese, prosciutto di parma, and truffle honey.
