By Steve Gorten
KEY BISCAYNE – Have you always wanted to try meals prepared by renowned, award-winning chefs, but haven’t had the access or funds to feed your appetite?
If so, you’ll get that chance Tuesday through Sunday at the 2015 Miami Open.
The “Taste of the Open,” a new feature of the tournament, will sell entrée samples from chefs Tom Colicchio, Scott Conant, Josh Capon and Michelle Bernstein for $10 to $12 each at the Miami Open Experience – an open-air venue just west of stadium court that will also showcase a beach volleyball tournament and fashion shows during this second week at Crandon Park Tennis Center.
Replacing the two food trucks that have occupied the spot all tournament, the “Taste of the Open” offers a menu including two entrée choices from each of the four chefs.
From Colicchio, who will be at the “Taste of the Open” in person Friday at 3 p.m, there’s the wagyu skirt steak with jimaca, lime and charred scallion chimichurri and grilled octopus with avocado black chili, jicama, celery and basil, mint and cilantro. Both entrée samples cost $12 each.
Conant presents roasted eggplant with tomato, basil and stracciatella or polenta with sausage and porcini ragu for $10 each.
Josh Capon offers his South Beach Wine and Food Festival award-winning burger as well as chicken lollipops, Asian style, with cucumber salad for $10 each.
And Bernstein provides Los Cabos shrimp cocktail, zesty cocktail sauce, avocado, popcorn, cilantro and chili or white gazpacho with marcona almonds, cucumbers, grapes, PX vinegar and dill for $10 each.
“We wanted to build a unique product with unique experiences that is new to tennis,” said tournament director Adam Barrett, adding that his goal with the creation of the Miami Open Experience was to provide a set of connected experiences in a single area. “If fans have more to enjoy, and they’re able to enjoy that entertainment longer, it’s a better event.
Said Barrett: “Our taste experience brings in four celebrity chefs: Tom Colicchio, who’s a judge on [TV show] Top Chef; Scott Conant who’s a Food Network chef who has the restaurant Scarpetta in the Fountainbleau [Hotel]; Michelle Bernstein with Michy’s, who’s probably the largest celebrity local chef; and Josh Capon, who won judge’s favorite burger at South Beach Wine and Food. So now you have a high-end chef experience at the Miami Open.”