Chrissy Benoit

Clay Conley Has a Secret Love for Skittles, Starburst, and Twizzlers

If you don't know who Clay Conley is, you're obviously not that into food. For the past two years, Conley has been nominated for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef in the South -- this year he was the only nominee in all of Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Maine native started off his culi ... More >>

Paul Castronovo: Give Him Pasta and Wine and He's Good to Go

If you've spent more than five minutes in South Florida, you know who Paul Castronovo is. As part of the Paul and Young Ron Show, Castronovo has woken up more South Floridians than a strong cup of Cuban coffee. The Paul and Young Ron morning radio show is much more than the usual comedic high jinks ... More >>

Rodney Mayo and Scott Frielich: South Florida's Savviest Restaurateurs

To say the South Florida nightclub and restaurant scene would be a much more bland and boring place without Rodney Mayo and Scott Frielich would be a huge understatement. While Mayo was opening his long-established West Palm Beach nightclub and live music venue, Respectable Street, in the mid-80s, f ... More >>

Ryan Sentz of Funky Buddha Brewery Wants More Breweries and No More Crappy Beers

As craft beer bubbles into South Florida's mainstream Ryan Sentz and the Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery in only two short years have risen to the head of the pack. Maybe it's the Maple Bacon Porter that has craft beer enthusiasts packing their bar three deep. Maybe it's the speakeasy vibe of their B ... More >>

Nanci Alexander of Sublime Would Vote Foie Gras Off the Island

Quick! Name all the restaurants you can that donate all their profits to non-profit organizations? Sublime does just that. Sublime's owner, Nanci Alexander, is number five on our Tastemaker countdown. She founded the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF). The creation of Sublime is an ext ... More >>

Tim Petrillo of the Restaurant People Wants to See Edgier Restaurant Concepts

When it comes to downtown Fort Lauderdale restaurants, many have come and gone. If it wasn't lack of interest, it was the recession. If that didn't kill their business, changing trends did. Point being: it's a fickle business and you have to be on top of your game to stay relevant. In terms of the ... More >>

Steve Martorano Wants More Great Italian-American Places

A little over 20 years ago, Steve Martorano -- number seven on our Tastemaker countdown -- was on his way back up north. His dreams of opening a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale didn't work out and the cook (he doesn't like the word chef) was at the airport, waiting for a flight to Philadelphia. Then, ... More >>

Tom Moynihan of d.b.a./cafe Follows in His Father's Footsteps

d.b.a./café breaks the notion that good food and drink must be accompanied by a fancy setting and fancy prices. Cut up wine boxes line the kickspace under the bar. More of them form a New York City skyline at the far end of the restaurant, past the multicolored string of Christmas lights. Yes, Ch ... More >>

Lindsay Autry of Sundy House is South Florida's Top Chef

Being a finalist on season nine of Bravo's Top Chef, may have brought Tastemaker number 9, Lindsay Autry into our living rooms, but the chef had been working on her culinary career long before that. The Johnson & Wales University graduate's career started as a kid in North Carolina, trying to figur ... More >>

David Sabin of Brickhouse PR Wants to See More Celebrity Chef-Driven Restaurants

Not long ago the Palm Beach Wine and Food Festival was just a one-night affair taking over Palm Beach's very exclusive Worth Avenue. That is, of course, until our Tastemaker number 10, David Sabin brought it to another level. He's brought the festival from a one night event into a five day celebrati ... More >>

Jodi Swank of Swank Farms Would Vote Nutella Off the Island

Things are growing in Loxahatchee. That's where Jodi and Darrin Swank of Swank Specialty Produce grow some of the most beautiful and desired vegetables and herbs on their hydroponic farm. Though farming isn't easy in South Florida, the work pays off. The produce from the farm, which includes 200 v ... More >>

Cleve Mash of Dirty Martini Brings a Taste of Country to Palm Beach County

Before Cleve Mash became one of Palm Beach County's nightclub and restaurant owners, he was just an 18-year-old boy manning the door at his favorite South Florida nightclub. Sure, he wasn't old enough to be a bouncer -- but no one else knew it. Back then, he imagined opening his own club in that ver ... More >>

Lauren DeShields of Market 17 Is Done With Overrated Steakhouses

Lauren De Shields is a lifelong Florida native. She grew up in a Florida, food-centric family and even began her formal culinary education at Johnson & Wales University in North Miami. She cooked under Dean Max at 3030 Ocean for three years before heading out to California where she cooked at severa ... More >>

Tim Lipman of Coolinary Cafe: Serve Food That Is Honest, Fresh, Simple, and Refined

Tastemaker #14, Tim Lipman, and his wife Jenny, are the cool kids behind Coolinary Cafe, Jupiter's 47-seat eatery that is so often so packed, reservations are recommended for the nightly seatings. What's most impressive, however, is that Lipman changes his specials menu twice daily. Such frequent ... More >>

Iliya Dimitrov of Valentino's Cucina Italiana Has a Secret Weakness For Ben & Jerry's

Not to sound pretentious, but there are bartenders and then there are mixologists. Bartenders are perfectly happy pouring a beer or mixing together a vodka and soda. Mixologists, on the other hand, are like mad--drunken--scientists: mixing up concoctions that have never been seen before. Iliya Dimi ... More >>

Top Ten Craft Beer Selections in Broward and Palm Beach Counties

American Craft Beer Week officially begins May 13 and runs through the 19; a whole seven days worth of events and special tappings to keep your taste buds excited and your liver in a state of confusion. This year marks the eighth consecutive week by the Brewer's Association. As they state, "Americ ... More >>

Frank Coniglio of E.R. Bradley's Saloon: Tells Us About the Harvey Wallbanger and His Love of Horse Racing

The Palm Beach food scene wouldn't be what it is today without the Coniglio family and its most notable family member - number 16 on our Tastemakers list - Frank Coniglio, co-owner for a string of Florida establishments that includes Palm Beach Island's Cucina dell'Arte, Nick & Johnnie's and Cha Cha ... More >>

Marc Falsetto of Rok:Brgr Hopes to See More Chefs Taking Culinary Leaps

Tastemaker 17 is Marc Falsetto, founder and CEO of ROK:BRGR Burger Bar and Gastropub in downtown Fort Lauderdale. You've probably noticed that gastropubs serving up craft beers and hand-crafted burgers are pretty popular these days. And for good reason - craft burgers and craft beers are two of th ... More >>

Julieta Bocos of Casa Frida is South Florida's Mexican Ambassador of Food

At Casa Frida Number 18 on our Tastemakers list, Julieta Bocos wants you to taste Mexico. Not the Mexico fast food chains try to sell, and not the Tex-Mex most Americans mistake as Mexican food. Slow-cooked moles - a Mexican sauce made with chocolate and chilis - and fall-apart pork called cochinit ... More >>

Susan Kim of Gabose Would Vote Meatballs Off the Island

Thanks to Susan Kim, you wouldn't be out of line if you called Lauderhill, Florida's Little Korea. Though the west Broward enclave isn't quite as dense with Korean business as Little Korea in Los Angeles, Kim and her Korean (barbecue) restaurant Gabose have paved the way for the slew of Korean eater ... More >>

Eric Guerro, Mark Fee, and Jeff Evans of Angry Union Brewing: See Which One Chose Chocolate Chip Cookies Over Beer

About two years, Mark Fee started brewing beer on his stove at home. The firefighter paramedic took up brewing as a hobby to let off steam. It didn't take long for some of his friends and fellow firefighters to join in on the brew making. It took only a few tries for the guys to figure out that th ... More >>

Vaughan Lazar of Kapow! Says the Local Scene Needs More Locally Sourced Food and Zombie Killers

The exclamation point is an official part of the name Kapow! Noodle Bar in Mizner Park. That enthusiasm is brought in no small part by the CEO and co-founder, Vaughan Lazar. Although Lazar was once known for his skills as a DJ spinning house music at club parties across South Florida, today he's be ... More >>

24. Dean Max of DJM Restaurants

New Times' Best Of Broward-Palm Beach 2013 issue arrives June 13. To celebrate, Clean Plate Charlie is serving up 30 of our favorite tastemakers -- restaurateurs, chefs, bartenders, and other foodies who make the South Florida food scene what it is. We'll start with number 30 and lead up to South Fl ... More >>

25. Chrissy Benoit of the Little House Boynton Beach

New Times' Best Of Broward-Palm Beach 2013 issue arrives June 13. To celebrate, Clean Plate Charlie is serving up 30 of our favorite tastemakers -- restaurateurs, chefs, bartenders, and other foodies who make the South Florida food scene what it is. We'll start with number 30 and lead up to South Fl ... More >>

Regular Folks Make Amazing Beer for the Little House Brewing Contest

This past Saturday, about a dozen homebrewers from around the area converged on the parking lot of the Little House in Boynton Beach to brave the fickle Florida weather, show off their brews, and enter into a friendly competition. Owner Chrissy Benoit (previously of Havana Hideaway in Lake Worth) a ... More >>

Ten Best Inexpensive Restaurants in Palm Beach County

Blame it on the economy. Blame it on sky-high fuel costs, droughts, and that locally grown, organic craze. Really, blame it on whatever you like. No matter which way you slice it, food just isn't getting any cheaper. Especially in Palm Beach County, where only a small percentage of the populace has ... More >>

"Fart Blossom" Chili and Paella: New Owners Debut New Menu Items at Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives-Featured Havana Hideout in Lake Worth

When Chrissy Benoit told me she had sold Havana Hideout to open her newest venture, The Little House in Boynton Beach, a small part of me panicked. What did that mean for the future of the beloved Lake Worth establishment -- the same place Guy Fieri had targeted for an episode of Diner's, Drive ... More >>

Annual Home Brewer's Brew Off: Only 100 Advance Tickets For Sale

Calling all home brewers: the 5th Annual Home Brewer's Brew Off is currently looking to fill a few remaining spots for the upcoming locals-only home brewer competition taking place on Sunday, Nov. 4.If you have an amazing recipe for your favorite ale, stout, porter or pilsner, now's the time to shar ... More >>

The Little House in Boynton Beach: New Eatery from From Havana Hideout Owner Chrissy Benoit

Who leaves a successful, established restaurant to rescue a historic, dilapidated house and start a new business from scratch -- in a city no one identifies with any sort of dining or nightlife scene?Chrissy Benoit, former chef-owner of Havana Hideout in Lake Worth, who has already tasted success se ... More >>

Adopt-a-Kitchen Program to Help More South Florida Foodies Get a Start in the Restaurant World

Chrissy Benoit, owner of Havana Hideout and the Production Kitchen. ​How would you like to roll out in your own food truck? Maybe build a small business baking your grandmother's amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe? Or that dressing all your friends and family just can't get enough of?For a numb ... More >>

Chrissy Benoit to Unveil Second Production Kitchen

Photo courtesy of theproductionkitchenwp.com.​Budding culinary entrepreneurs in need of affordable, convenient, professionally outfitted kitchen space will soon have that need met when Havana Hideout chef-owner Chrissy Benoit opens her second Production Kitchen in West Palm Beach.  The new PK ... More >>

Havana Hideout Brew-Off Results

Havana Hideout's Chrissy Benoit​A trio of West Palm Beach hopheads planning to turn pro as High Noon Brewing were the big winners in last Saturday's Spring 2011 Brew-Off at Chrissy Benoit's tiki-delic Havana Hideout.  Keith Spencer, Patrick Urrutia, and Doug Gamester, whose Marxist leanings a ... More >>

Havana Hideout to Host Fourth Biannual Brew-Off

​Beer isn't just for breakfast any more, nor is it only for professional sudsers peddling everything from artisan brewskis to industrial pisswater.  For four years now, Lake Worth's Havana Hideout has been showcasing the beers of the area's best amateur brewers, hosting spring and winter Brew ... More >>

Two Incubator Rental Kitchens Open in Palm Beach County for Want-to-Go-Pro Cooks

Is there a food lover out there who doesn't think they'd like to cater, or open their own eatery or bottle their own hot sauce? Here are two places that will let you give it a whirl before commiting to a retail space. Why rent a kitchen? Mise en Place hot kitchen in Tequesta​

100 Favorite Dishes: Grilled Achiote-Rubbed Fish Tacos From Havana Hideout

​As a countdown to the Best of Broward Palm Beach 2010, coming in May, Clean Plate Charlie is serving up a hundred of our favorite dishes in South Florida. Send your own nominations to john.linn@browardpalmbeach.com.No. 18: Grilled Achiote-Rubbed Fish Tacos From Havana HideoutLake Worth's primo ... More >>

Ex-Café Boulud Sommelier Pours, Sips and Savors

​If you've ever met Jenny Benzie you'd know that "sommelier" isn't French for "pompous, arrogant asshole" but for "wine steward." And a very nice one, at that.  Benzie, who spent three years as sommelier at Michael McCarty's seminal Michael's restaurant in Santa Monica before assuming the sam ... More >>

Doggie Bag: This Week in Charlie

C. StilesA bit of eye candy from Todd English's new Wild Olives; we gave our initial thoughts earlier this week.​Here's a look back at this week on the blog:Garlic, fresh parsley, lemon, steak... does it get any better? (The answer is "no.")LOLA in Delray Beach is a damn fine time, both for eating ... More >>

Havana Hideout Owner Reveals Inspiration Behind 'Paper Plate Cuisine'

Photo by Patty CanedoHavana Hideout owner Chrissy Benoit.​At first glance, you may miss Havana Hideout, nestled in toward the end of downtown Lake Worth. However, this tucked-away little jewel sparkles as an homage to "paper plate cuisine." If the music doesn't catch your ear or the inviting couch ... More >>

Havana Shout-out

Havana Hideout isn't hiding any more. The postage stamp-sized tiki bar, lounge, restaurant and generally cool place to hang in downtown Lake Worth hits the big time tonight with its debut on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.  To celebrate, Hideout owner Chrissy Beno ... More >>

Letters for March 22-28, 2007

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Moving and shakin' in crazy L Dub

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