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 very busy year round.

But Chef Smith has been working toward this end. At 30, 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., 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 and his culinary team continue to win accolades from customers and restaurant reviewers alike for the hotel’s award-winning cuisine. Signature items such as the Hunan Whole Crispy Fish served with Lobster Oil Potato Purée, Swiss Chard, and Sweet-Sour Chili Glaze; Avilés Bouillabaise with Saffron Fumet and Dried Orange Zest; and the Hot Pepper and Sweet-Soy Calamari (which won first prize in the Taste of St. Augustine) led a Florida Times-Union reviewer to exclaim: “Love is in the air!”.

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

Chef Jean-Stephane Poinard and his wife, Valerie, both hail from culinary-focused families. Jean-Stephane is a fifth generation chef (he and his family owned and operated Lyon’s Hotel Restaurant de Paris since 1962) and member of the elite Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises, founded by one of France’s most esteemed chefs, Paul Bocuse.

Valerie Poinard is a winemaker from the the Domaine de la Fond-Moiroux, an estate owned by her parents and noted for its Beaujolais, Gamay and Brouilly wines. Their move to Florida was the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Chef Poinard, inspired by a childhood trip to the States. When they discovered St. Augustine, like so many Europeans before them, the Poinard family knew they were home.

The true definition of a bistro is a reasonably priced, quaint neighborhood restaurant where one might eat several times a week. And in Chef Poinard’s world, one eats well every day—it is his singular passion. True to his French culinary training, menus change daily based on what is seasonal and available. Entrées are complemented with items from the patisserie—fresh baguettes, artful tartes and pastries, and fruit sorbets and ice creams, which are freshly prepared each day.
Special holiday menus, such as for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other feast days, offer multiple courses. No matter what the occasion, The Poinard family brings you a true “taste of France” made with love. If you hear singing from the kitchen, you’ll know you have made the chef happy!

12 Cathedral Place • (904) 810-2100
www.bistrodeleon.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

Overseeing 95 Cordova, the flagship restaurant of the historic Casa Monica Hotel, Executive Chef DeJuan Roy leads a team of outstanding service and culinary staff. Chef Roy previously served as executive chef of The Plantation Room at the Celebration Hotel in Celebration, Florida. A graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Chef Roy also trained in Europe. With nearly 20 years of culinary experience, Chef Roy uses only the freshest local and finest imported ingredients and dazzling plate presentations to create 95 Cordova’s signature New World Eclectic Cuisine, a masterful blend of American, Asian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Moroccan influences.

As culinary director of the AAA four-diamond Casa Monica Hotel, Chef René Nyfeler oversees all foodservice venues within the hotel as well as catering and banquets. He also caters to the many celebrities who frequent the Casa Monica, and has become a celebrity himself in the process with appearances on Food Network’s “The Best Of”, Burt Wolf’s “Local Flavors of St. Augustine”, the Travel Channel’s “Great Hotels”, and two cooking engagements at the James Beard House in New York City on behalf of the Casa Monica Hotel. Chef Nyfeler, who hails from Biel, Switzerland, was instrumental in helping 95 Cordova win prestigious national and regional awards including the DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) and Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.

95 Cordova St. • (904) 810-6810 • www.95Cordova.com

Like so many of the world's greatest chefs, Christopher Petruzzelli had a humble start as a dishwasher, then cook in a pizza restaurant. But the pace and excitement ignited a passion for cooking in this New York native that had been instilled early on by his Italian-Irish parents. After attending a culinary program in Yorktown, he completed his culinary training in Pittsburgh at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu Program.

This training prepared Chef Petruzzelli well for the next phase of his career--working in several top resorts around the country. First he landed an internship with renowned chef Jesse Llapitan at the four-diamond Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in Colorado. Next stop was one of the great food cities of the world—New Orleans—where he worked as sous chef at the Wyndham Hotel until displaced by hurricane Katrina, He relocated to North Carolina, where he managed kitchen operations and catering services for two upscale hotels—a perfect transition to his current post as executive chef of the renowned Old City House Inn and Restaurant.

Chef Petruzzelli's culinary philosophy of using a global approach with a Southeast Regional focus jives well with owners James and Ilsé Philcox, who hail from England and South Africa, respectively. The hallmark of their award-winning restaurant is a celebration of regional cuisines—a sampling of the "best of the best" from great cities around the world. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner served at this cozy inn, located in the heart of St. Augustine's historic district, Old City House offers the perfect setting and outstanding menus and service for private parties, showers, intimate weddings, and other special occasions.

115 Cordova St. • (904) 826-0184 • www.OldCityHouse.com

An opus, by definition, is "a creative work that defines the artist," 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, Contemporary Spanish Restaurant. Chef McMillan allows only the freshest ingredients to stimulate the creation of the daily seven-course tasting menu. Whether it is 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. Both restaurants feature extensive wine lists of unique, boutique, and international wines and have been awarded the nationally acclaimed Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Both restaurants also recently received Florida Trend’s coveted Golden Spoon Award.

A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Chef McMillan’s 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.

The Tasting Room follows suit with its unique menu of smaller portioned, boldly flavored dishes, which 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) 824-0402 • www.OPUS39.com

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

After looking for a restaurant to buy for several years, when Chef Brian Helm discovered 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 Helm’s wife and partner, Dae Lynn. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., Chef Helm has more than 20 years working in the resort and country club industry. While serving as executive chef of the Sandestin Resort and Club in Destin, Fla., the resort’s signature restaurant, Elephant Walk, was named one of the top 200 restaurants in the state by Florida Trend magazine and several of Chef Helm’s signature menu items were singled out for special mention by the magazine’s renowned restaurant reviewer, Robert Tolf.

For Chef Helm, the purchase of Wildflower Café is the fulfillment of his longtime dream. International cuisines are a passion of this award-winning chef and that is evident throughout his menu—from morning to evening. Popular breakfast items include Crab Cake Eggs Benedict and German Oven Pancakes. For lunch, his award-winning Wildflower Chowder, the Tuscany Panini (grilled chicken breast, peppers, fresh spinach, garlic mayo on panini bread) and Classic Cuban are local favorites. And dinner at Wildflower Café is a highlight. Signature items include: Crab Cakes with Mustard-Chive Sauce and Seared Ahi Tuna served on Asian Slaw to start, followed by Steak au Poivre, Seafood Fettuccini, and Pork Schnitzel. Bon appetit!

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