Sarasota, Saturday, March 18, 2023

I've been a resident of Sarasota for over 20 years, and as this lovely town on Florida's west coast has grown, so have the food and restaurant options. When I first moved to Sarasota in the early 2000s, I was very excited about the old local Florida-style restaurants close to the water or on 41 that used to serve local seafood, steamed, fried, boiled, and pan-fried, and then seasoned by the local chefs to personalize the flavor and give a character to their menu and establishment, and about the local bbq shops where you could see smoke coming out the back of the building. In addition, some Italian pizzerias, as well as a few Chinese take-out joints and Asian buffets, have opened. That's all there is to it. This is what I recall! Most of the best restaurants in Sarasota were family-owned and offered old-fashioned Florida dining.

Sarasota now has a wide range of places to eat, from farm-to-table restaurants to fusion cuisine and international flavors. However, some of the city's traditional seafood and barbecue restaurants have closed. Sarasota's food scene has truly evolved with the times, catering to both locals and tourists.

What is going on now? Many major restaurant chains have arrived in town, bringing with them their atmosphere and ways of presenting their culinary products. The restaurant buildings have been updated and remodeled to make them feel like they belong in a big city. More New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles style than Florida! But what about the food? To match the new atmosphere, the food has also been upgraded, with more diverse and innovative menu options that cater to a wider range of tastes and preferences. This has resulted in a more exciting and dynamic culinary scene than ever before, but... First and foremost, the family business was transformed into a corporate restaurant business, and the local chefs who were tied to the old Florida way of cooking were replaced by chefs who were tied to the corporate and standardized way of cooking and doing recipes, resulting in a more uniform and balanced approach. Some regular customers have expressed disappointment with the changes, as they miss the traditional Florida flavors and home-style cooking that was once a staple of the restaurant. Even so, the new menu has brought in a younger and more diverse crowd that likes modern and worldly dishes. Furthermore, the menu has also been updated to include newer, more trendy dishes that appeal to a wider range of tastes and preferences, as well as some old favorites, but there is also less creativity. This change has resulted in greater consistency in the quality of food and service across locations, but some customers miss the unique flavors and personal touch that came with the old way of cooking. Overall, the transition to a corporate model has been successful. It has been profitable and successful in terms of growth, but it has also led to a loss of authenticity and character. Many great local chefs have relocated to larger cities to avoid Sarasota's seasonality—either too many customers or too many slow nights. Shifting menus, productions, the number of cooks and helpers in the kitchen, inventory, and energy levels are not ideal for chefs seeking a normal, stable, and balanced restaurant, especially when the chef is also a husband and father. This can make it difficult to create new dishes that reflect the culture and ingredients of the region, but it also gives customers who like to eat at the same places a sense of consistency and reliability. Despite the difficulties, even though it's hard, some Sarasota chefs have decided to stay. They have been successful by paying attention to the seasons and using local ingredients in whichever dishes let them show off the unique flavors of the area while also giving them and their team a stable and balanced place to work. 

As a consumer and customer of the local Sarasota dining experience, you have increased your options in terms of the number of restaurants and styles available, but you have lost a lot of personality in the food. This is because chefs must prioritize efficiency and consistency over creativity and experimentation. This reduces the uniqueness of the dining experience. Even so, there are some chefs who can strike a balance between these competing demands and create unique, tasty dishes that showcase the best of local cuisine. 

You can help keep Sarasota's food scene unique by patronizing these chefs' restaurants and encouraging other chefs to focus on creativity and experimentation in their cooking. So, the next time you go out to eat, look for these unique and innovative restaurants to support the local food culture. If you live in the Sarasota area, including Venice, Nokomis, and Lakewood Ranch, or if you are vacationing at Siesta Beach, in a Sarasota Airbnb, or in a vacation home, here is a solution for your weekend evening. Why not invite a local personal chef to your home and have the chef experience dining in your home? No more waiting in line to be seated; no more ordering from extensive menus; no more occasionally grumpy servers sick of seeing a large number of customers come and go with various requests. 

This unique dining experience not only supports local food culture but also provides you and your guests with a more personal and cozy setting. You can also tailor the menu to your preferences and dietary restrictions. It's about a fun experience—a cooking show in which you participate. You can either sit and learn while watching, or you can participate in the show through conversation, questions, and hands-on activities. You spend time with your friends or guests and eat dinner with them. The cooking show is an excellent way to spend time with friends or family while learning new cooking techniques and recipes. It is a fun and inclusive activity for everyone because it is an interactive experience that caters to different dietary needs and preferences. You'll be surprised at how different this alternative way to dine in Sarasota is, as well as how much less expensive it is. A full dining experience for six people at your local restaurant, after struggling to find a reservation for the time and day you prefer, could cost you around $300, including wine and a couple of appetizers for everyone and a main course with desserts (about 65 dollars per person). You still had to share your dining experience with so many other people that your dining experience became shared with others rather than your night with your friends. With this interactive experience, you can have a private and personalized dining experience with a personal local chef and your friends or family while also saving money and avoiding the hassle of reservations and crowded restaurants. A night with a personal chef and a cooking show could cost the same as a traditional restaurant night but provide a higher-quality dining experience. 

Consider inviting your friends and family to your home, which is a reflection of you, your music, your style, and an extension of who you are. Consider your guest arriving at your home and being in charge of the experience you would like for them to have, allowing them to interact with you during the cooking session, avoiding the challenges of getting to the dinner table, and ensuring your night is successful in a place that is under your control. Consider having a personal chef come to your home with your set menu, your favorite wines, and your favorite drinks. You wouldn't have to worry about where to park the cars, and your guests would remember a fun night in your home with chef-prepared food. 

With a personal chef, you can make your own menu and talk to the chef about the food and how it's made. You can also unwind, and without interruption from raucous crowds or time constraints, you can relax and enjoy your meal. The personal chef will take your home, kitchen, family, and guests back to a time when the food and the main host were the main attractions for the evening. All you need is a sink, a table or a counter, a basic kitchen setup, and a refrigerator. This is available on all vacation homes on Siesta Beach, Nokomis Beach, and Venice Beach. 

Chef Giuseppe Urbano's dinner show gives you a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the comfort of your own vacation home, so you can fully enjoy your surroundings and company. With fresh food and warm hospitality, this service is ideal for those looking to elevate their vacation experience. The chef will come with the ingredients, cookware, and tools, and he will create an exceptional food experience at your home to avoid all the difficulties of dining out in Sarasota that are not Sarasota, in particular, has more to offer for a memorable dining experience as an alternative to dining out. 

If you are vacationing in Siesta Beach, Nokomis Beach, or Venice Beach, or if you are a resident of Sarasota, Florida, or just for the winter months, and you want to impress your guests, book a dinner cooking show for great Italian food or a learning experience of the Mediterranean Diet with his meal recipes for longevity with Chef Giuseppe Urbano.

Chef Giuseppe Urbano's alternative to the best places to go out for dinner in Sarasota is ideal not only for vacationers but also for Sarasota residents who want to impress their guests with exceptional food and hospitality.

Chef Giuseppe Urbano will transform your home into a cooking show stage to impress your guests with a delicious Italian dinner or a learning experience about the Mediterranean diet.

Buon Appetito!

Written by 

Executive Chef Giuseppe Urbano