Tanzy Hosts Monthly Farmers' Market Dining Series

We all love buying fresh produce at the local farmers' market — but what we actually do with all those fresh fruits and vegetables when we get home is another story. Wouldn't it be easier to plan your next farm fresh meal with a little help?

That's the idea behind iPic Tanzy Boca Raton's new Farmers' Market Dining Series, a seated dinner for patrons and the public who want to learn more about where their local produce is coming from and what they can do with it once they get it home.

According to Tanzy spokesperson Michelle Soudry, the idea for the dinner series began with Tanzy's communal dining event last season, known as "Herb Garden Night." The first event took place in May with great success, and a second dinner in a series of six has been slated for Wednesday, June 10.

"This series has been named for its focus on guest education, and the creation of special dishes made using fresh herbs from Tanzy’s on-premise garden," says Soudry. "As we expanded our locally sourced selections from area farmers, we felt it would be appropriate to rename the series and introduce more specialty dishes while also bringing in local farmers to provide a unique educational culinary experience for our guests."

Each Farmers' Market Dinner features an exclusive three- to four-course pairing menu presenting new dishes of the season prepared and hosted by Tanzy’s in-house chef team. Past dining events have been hosted by Tanzy Boca Raton executive chef Brian Nelson, but future events will include celebrity hosts and area farmers (to be announced) as the series progresses.

When guests arrive for the Farmers' Market Dinner Series, they will be checked-in and brought to a private dining area with communal seating where they can meet and mingle with fellow foodies. Each guest will be offered the full Farmers' Market menu for the evening. During the event, the chefs and mixology team will provide information on each course's culinary creation.

"Emphasis will be made to help educate the guests on farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, and produce," says Soudry. "In addition, the chefs will answer any questions guests might have on how to re-create these easy-to-make specialty dishes at home."

This week, the dinner series will be extra-special, however. Guest hosts include iPic Entertainment Group's culinary vice president, Sherry Yard, and the company's master mixologist, Adam Seger.

Yard was born and bred in Brooklyn and began her culinary career at NYC's Rainbow Room, followed by stints at Drew Nieporent’s famous Montrachet and Tribeca Grill. She relocated to California, where she established herself as a prominent pastry chef at San Francisco’s celebrated Campton Place. But it was a move to Los Angeles to work with chef Wolfgang Puck that was most rewarding; she served as his executive pastry chef for nearly 20 years, creating menus and opening new restaurants while mentoring an entire generation of pastry chefs in kitchens from Singapore to Santa Monica. Her innovative desserts were a staple at the Academy Awards Governor's Ball, the Grammy Awards, and the Emmy Awards. Today, Yard was recently tapped to serve as the vice president of culinary development for the iPic Entertainment Group, overseeing all restaurant and concession concepts for the brand’s luxury movie theaters nationwide.

Seger is best-known for taking a chef's approach at the bar. A Cornell School of Hotel Administration graduate, Seger's mixing style has put him on an international stage. He was the first American to present cocktails to the Russian Cocktail Club in Moscow and was the first to present a Mixology Master Class to the International Association of Culinary Professionals. To stay cutting-edge, the master mixologist takes frequent cocktail culture trips to bring the best of the world's cities to the Tanzy bar.

If you can't make it this week, don't worry. The Farmers' Market Dining Series continues through October with four additional dining events, slated for July 15, August 12, September 9, and October 2. The cost will vary according to the evening's menu.

The June Farmers' Market Dining Series event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 10. Dinner is limited to 40 people, and reservations are required. The cost is $50 per person and will include a four-course tasting menu, with the option to purchase a $30 accompanying wine flight.

Tanzy is located at 301 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Call 561-922-6699, or visit tanzyrestaurant.com.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.