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They’re on TV every week, demanding more
caramelization on the mirepoix and less
reduction on the rosemary-balsamic marinade.
As judges for reality cooking competition
shows, celebrity chefs entertain audiences with
their critiques (and clever insults) while they
challenge contestants in a professional kitchen.
Their words carry weight. Many are already
household names in the culinary world after
years of honing their flawless techniques. And
as the world’s fascination with celebrity chefs
skyrockets, one can’t help but wonder what it
would be like to savor one of their ingenious
and carefully crafted recipes.
Here, we’ve rounded up our top celebrity chef restaurant picks
in Interval resort vacation destinations. Having an exceptional meal
created by your favorite as-seen-on-TV food genius can be as simple
as calling ahead to reserve a table when planning your next trip.
INTERVAL WORLD ■ Issue 1, 2018 33 32 INTERVAL WORLD ■ Issue 1, 2018
IN GOOD TASTE
OFF CAMERA, CELEBRITY CHEFS ARE
SERVING UP UNFORGETTABLE MEALS
AT THEIR OWN RESTAURANTS.
Hail to the Chef
BY REBECA PICCARDO
Bazaar Mar; Bazaar Mar
MIAMI, FLORIDA
JOSÉ ANDRÉS: BAZAAR MAR
Famous for his inventive dishes using a tech-
nique called spherification (reshaping liquid into
a semi-solidified sphere), the Spanish-American
chef is widely recognized for bringing the small
plates–dining concept to the U.S. Andrés owns
a group of 26 restaurants around the world, including Bazaar Mar,
which opened within the SLS Brickell Hotel & Residences at the end
of 2016. Seafood takes center stage here, from the name and menu
to the decor itself. The blue and white dining room is like a mythical
seascape: A giant fish-head sculpture with horns is mounted behind
the bar, tiles are decorated with designs depicting mermaids and half-
lobster people, and golden crabs appear to crawl up the walls.
As Seen on TV: Made in Spain, Iron Chef America, Top Chef
Must Try: At Bazaar Mar, every plate is presented with a whimsical,
sea-themed twist. Take the California “funnel cake,” for example: a thin
seaweed wafer topped with avocado, blue crab, tobiko (roe), mayo,
and cucumber served on a silver octopus-shaped stand. Tapas are
also featured, and include Maine lobster croquetas and the world-
famous marinated “Ferran Adrià” liquid olives (if you want to see what
spherification is first-hand). For dessert, order the Key lime pie “our
way” — Key lime ice cream with a graham-cracker crumble in the
shape of a sand castle, served with a lime foam.
SCOTT CONANT: SCARPETTA
Establishing himself as a chef by working in pop-
ular Manhattan Italian kitchens for nearly 30 years,
the finicky TV judge eventually opened his own res-
taurants, which have consistently earned starred
reviews and awards. One of his well-known out-
posts is Scarpetta, at the Fontainebleau Miami
Beach hotel. Although Conant’s menu items sound simple, his intricate
cooking methods bring bold flavors out of the most basic ingredients.
For one, he makes his pastas from scratch daily, and seasons them
with herb-infused oils. And he doesn’t cook them completely in boil-
ing water — he finishes off by transferring them al dente to a pan of
sauce, adjusting its thickness by adding pasta water from the pot.
As Seen on TV: Chopped, Top Chef
Must Try: Conant’s creamy polenta is silky smooth and served with a
fricassee of truffled mushrooms. His spaghetti with tomato and basil is
a standout dish for the chef, who takes a meticulous approach to pre-
paring a sauce that involves boiling, peeling, and deseeding fresh plum
tomatoes before mashing them.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
GIADA DE LAURENTIIS: GIADA
This Food Network darling is best known for her
laid-back charm, and always looking glamorous in
the kitchen. Her shows and cookbooks pay hom-
age to her Italian roots, as she demonstrates how
to whip up easy-to-make versions of old family
recipes. Although her cooking existed only in the TV
CALIFORNIA “FUNNEL CAKE”
BAZAAR MAR