Fresh off the plane from his Colombia vacation, Chef Andres Marin is bringing some South American flair to his menu for this month's Traveling Plate dinner on Wednesday at the Parker Playhouse.
The Traveling Plate is a monthly dinner event hosted by the ARC Broward Culinary Institute featuring the kitchen talents of local chefs in a unique South Florida location. This will be Marin's first Traveling Plate dinner since his promotion to executive chef at the ARC Broward Culinary Institute in February 2012. The
ARC Broward Culinary Institute was founded to provide students facing disabilities and other life challenges with a supportive education program in the field of cooking.
An e-mail went out Monday morning to give the 50 lucky guests a sneak peak at what's in store for the menu. Taking inspiration from his recent travels, Marin' menu reflects upscale dining while utilizing seasonal flavors and some Colombian favorites. Many spring vegetables such as tomatoes, asparagus, and fresh greens will adorn diners' plates, alongside seafood, cheese and meat selections.
The multi-course menu begins with cocktail hour where diners are encouraged to bring their own wine pairings or order from the in-house menu. Passed appetizers will feature some Colombian favorites such as chorizo sausage crostini and guayaba con queso.
The main meal will start with a seafood appetizer followed by a salad course, and the main entrée features surf-and-turf, followed by a decadent dessert. Some more unique ingredients such as green peppercorns and wasabi cream liven up staples such as seared ahi tuna and filet mignon, while fresh fruits including raspberries and the increasingly popular blood orange will play a role in several dressings and sauces.
Marin said his menu was inspired by the fresh fruits and herbs found at the local Colombian markets of South Florida, and the ingredient list for the evening will also feature herbs grown right in the gardens of the ARC Broward Culinary Institute. Aside from the fresh herbs, the ARC will also be providing kitchen support by Sous Chef Harold and three to four Culinary Institute graduates.
Clean Plate Charlie will be there Wednesday night to report on this month's dining experience and keep our readers posted on when they can get in on the next Traveling Plate event.
