Avilés Restaurant & Lounge
Deco
La Pentola
La Strada
Opus 39/The Tasting Room
Wildflower Cafe

Managing food and beverage for one of St. Augustine’s premier hotels is no small task. In addition to overseeing the resort’s signature restaurant, Avilés—open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily—the job also entails managing all banquets and meetings. With the Hilton’s elegant, bayfront facilities, perfect for weddings, private parties, and corporate functions, all this keeps Executive Chef Brad Smith (pictured fourth from left in picture) very busy year round.
But Chef Smith has been working toward this end. At 29, he is young to have achieved an executive chef appointment but his experience positioned him well for this accomplishment. A graduate of the Southeast Culinary Academy in Orlando, Fla., he worked his way up through the ranks, building cooking and managerial skills along the way. His career path had him criss-crossing the globe to: Las Vegas (Race Rock); St. Augustine (A1A Ale Works); the U.S. Virgin Islands (Hard Rock Café); Naples, Fla. (Hilton Naples Towers, where he served as head chef for Don Shula’s American Steak House); and finally back to St. Augustine to accept his first executive chef position, working for Hilton’s most unique boutique hotel property. He lauds his culinary staff of eight, with whom he shares a great deal of camaraderie. “Having worked with a staff of 67 in my last job, I enjoy the hands-on creativity of working in this more intimate venue,” he says. “My goal for Avilés is to be regarded among the upper echelon of North Florida restaurants.” With this ambitious culinarian at the helm, that shouldn’t be a problem.

32 Avenida Menendez • (904) 829-2277
www.hilton.com

Chef Jorge Talavera brings a world of global experience to create lively continental dishes that are as delicious as they are beautiful. This talented culinarian hails from Guadalajara, Mexico and specializes in Mediterranean and Latin cuisines, so popular now in American restaurants. And that is what Chef Talavera showcases on his menu at La Pentola, using only the freshest local seafood and meats, fresh herbs and organic produce from local suppliers, housemade pastas, and premium quality spices and oils.
You could define Chef Talavera’s cooking as a “cuisine of the sun” since all preparations derive their inspiration from regions with sunny climes. Case in point are his Grilled Lamb Chops, twin lamb chops grilled and topped with spinach, garlic, tomatoes, and feta cheese; his Veal Osso Buco, braised veal shank in herbed tomato-white wine sauce topped with gremolata and served with porcini mushroom and poblano pepper risotto; Chicken Saltimbocca, sautéed chicken breast, topped with prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella cheese, and veal demiglaze; or his magnificent Seafood Pasta, a mèlange of shrimp, scallops, New Zealand mussels, and calamari, sautéed with spinach, sundried tomatoes, and artichokes in a sherry cream sauce over egg fettuccini. Chef Talavera, and his talented wife, Susan, make all of the breads and delectables desserts served at the restaurant, making the entire meal a feast of authentic and inspired flavors!

58 Charlotte St. • (904) 824-3282 www.lapentolarestaurant.com

Chef Mark DeRusso has built a career on his passion for the culinary arts. And, true to his birthright, he specializes in the Italian cuisine of his heritage. Chef DeRusso, a graduate of the Hudson County Culinary Institute in Jersey City, N.J., developed his skills working for several restaurants including Aruanno’s here in St. Augustine and took the plunge to open his own restaurant in July 2000. La Strada embodies all of Chef DeRusso’s philosophies of what makes Italian cuisine a worldwide favorite—a comfortable setting, gracious service, and soul-satisfying food crafted from the freshest seasonal ingredients.
Along with traditional Italian favorites such as chicken Marsala, homemade lasagna, succulent lamb dishes, and shrimp scampi, Chef DeRusso has developed a number of dishes that are distinctively his own. Chicken DeRusso features chicken breast rolled with prosciutto ham, mozzarella cheese, and herbs, finished with a Madeira-mushroom sauce, and his Duck a’ La Strada features crispy roasted duckling served in a sauce of cranberries and port wine, finished with fresh mushrooms. His potato-crusted salmon served on a lemon-horseradish cream sauce is always a favorite with customers. Chef DeRusso flexes his creative muscle on a weekly basis, developing a list of innovative specials for lunch and dinner, or making food to order upon request, proof of his improvisational culinary skill.

4075 A1A South • (904) 471-0081

An opus, by definition, is Òa creative work that defines the artist,Ó and Opus 39 is just that. For owners Christine and Chef Michael McMillan, the quality of ingredients is the driving force behind Opus 39, as well as their newest restaurant venture, The Tasting Room, Wines & Tapas. Chef McMillan allows only the freshest ingredients of the day to stimulate the creation of the daily five-course tasting menu. Whether itÕs crisp baby lettuces from local organic farms or mushrooms flown in from Europe, all culinary creations at Opus 39 allow the ingredients to speak for themselves. Opus 39Õs extensive wine list of unique, difficult to find, boutique, and international wines has been awarded the nationally acclaimed Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Chef McMillanÕs experience includes having worked at Trois Jean in New York City under Master Chef of France, Jean Louis Dumonnet; and in Dallas with nationally acclaimed chef Dean Fearing at the Mobil 5 Star/AAA 5 Diamond restaurant and hotel, The Mansion on Turtle Creek. Christine and Michael McMillan are celebrating their fifth year with Opus 39.
The Tasting Room follows suit with its focus on authentic Spanish ingredients of tapas. Small plates and entrZes of boldly flavored dishes are meant to be an adventure and shared. Tasting room partner Michael Lugo, a native of Puerto Rico and accomplished restaurateur, is always happy to share his insights on food and wine pairings.

Opus 39 • 39 Cordova St.
(904) 810-6810 • www.OPUS39.com

Tasting Room • 25 Cuna St.
(904) 810-2400 • www.TasteTapas.com

After looking for a restaurant to buy for several years, when Chef Brian Helm discoverd Wildflower Café, “all the stars aligned.” One of the beaches’ most popular eateries, Wildflower Café was the right size, in a great location, and had a good feel, according to Chef Helm’s wife and partner, Dae Lynn. Helm, an accomplished chef with more than 20 years working in the industry, purchased the business in February from Chef-owner Frank Wendt. Chef Helm, a Johnson & Wales University graduate, has extensive experience working in the hotel industry, serving as executive chef of the Sandestin Resort and Club in Destin, Fla., the Palm Coast Golf Resort and Club in Palm Coast, Fla., and most recently the Embassy Suites in Jacksonville, Fla. For Chef Helm, who is already putting his personal touch on the menu, the purchase of the Wildflower Café is the fulfillment of his longtime dream to own his own restaurant. International cuisines and ingredients are a passion of this award-winning chef, who is no stranger to good press. While serving as executive chef of Sandestin, the resort’s signature restaurant, Elephant Walk, was named one of the top 200 restaurants in the state of Florida by Florida Trend magazine. Chef Helm’s Tahitian duck, Sri Lankan tuna, and gumbo were singled out for special mention by Florida Trend’s restaurant reviewer, Robert Tolf. Chef Helm’s award-winning Lobster Ragoût was featured in numerous newspaper articles and on “Florida Style, a television show that features local chefs.

4320 A1A South • (904) 471-2691 www.wildflowercafefl.com