May 05, 2014

Miami foodies and Top Chef devotees special chef dinner at Scarpetta

TOP CHEF ALUMNAE NINA COMPTON & SHIRLEY CHUNG TO PARTNER FOR EXCLUSIVE DINNER

One Night Only Collaborative Menu Available Saturday, May 17th

(Miami Beach, Fla. – May 5, 2014) – For one night only, foodies and Top Chef devotees will be able to enjoy a delectable evening with a special chef dinner at Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach hosted by chef de cuisine Nina Compton and chef/friend Shirley Chung. Nina Compton has settled back into the kitchen of the AAA four diamond restaurant after starring in Season 11 of Bravo’s award-winning show. In addition to winning the title of “fan favorite,” Compton also ended the season with a new friend in Chef Shirley Chung, a fellow Season 11 competitor. “Shirley and I just clicked,” notes Compton. “When the show was finished, Shirley and I kept in touch and promised to ‘do something together’ and I’m thrilled we’ve been able to make it work.” On Saturday, May 17, 2014, Chung will step into Compton’s kitchen and serve a special five-course collaborative menu reflecting their unique styles and influences. At the end of the evening, each guest will receive a signed commemorative menu from the duo.

Priced at $150 per person (excluding tax and service charge), the menu will be served at two exclusive seating’s – 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; maximum of 50 guests max per seating. Whether fans of the show, or just adventurous foodies, diners are sure to be delighted with what the pair has in store for the memorable dinner. Two wine pairings will be available for $75 or $115 per person. Scarpetta’s regular a la carte menu will also be available that evening. Scarpetta opens for dinner service at 6 p.m. Located in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Avenue. Reservations for the Compton/Chung dinner are required and can be made by calling (877) 326-7412 or booked online at fontainebleau.com/chefdinner.

About Chef Compton

A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Nina Compton began her professional journey at Daniel in New York City with renowned chefs Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee. She’s had the privilege of working with some of South Florida’s top chefs including Norman Van Aken at Norman’s and Philippe Ruiz at Palm d’Or, before being recruited as executive chef of Casa Casuarina, a private club and intimate boutique hotel in Miami Beach. In 2008, the excitement behind the renovation of the famed Fontainebleau Miami Beach combined with the chance to work with Scott Conant, lured Chef Compton to Scarpetta. Under Conant’s tutelage, Chef Compton has spent the last five years perfecting her skills in regional Italian cooking.

About Chef Chung

Prior to her role on Top Chef, Chung was the Executive Chef for China Poblano by Jose Andrés. Shortly after she opened China Poblano, it was nominated for the “Best New Restaurant” award by James Beard in 2011. Born and raised in Beijing China, Shirley was exposed to international cuisine at an early age by her grandmother, Liang Si Yi, former Director of The Red Cross in China and daughter of Chinese scholar Liang Qi Chao. Shirley came to America at age 17 for a college education. She worked in Silicon Valley for a few years after graduating college with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. Shirley decided to follow her passion for food so she left her career behind and enrolled in culinary school. She is trained in classic French and Italian cuisine, worked and opened restaurants for Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy and Mario Batali. After she opened CarneVino as Chef de Cuisine for the Batali group, CarneVino earned multiple awards for Best Steak House internationally. From working in China Poblano, she fell in love with Mexican cuisine and learned more about her own heritage, Chinese cuisine.

About Scarpetta

From award-winning chef/restaurateur Scott Conant, Scarpetta offers refined Italian cuisine in a light, airy space that marries a traditional maritime aesthetic with New World elegance. The AAA Four Diamond Award-winning restaurant’s bold architecture serves as the perfect stage for Conant’s seasonally inspired Italian fare, composed of farm-fresh ingredients and clean, earthy flavors that pay homage to his Italian heritage. At the Miami outpost, there's an emphasis on fish with a Mediterranean Italian approach with southern Italian touches. Italian for "little shoe," "scarpetta" is also synonymous with the slipper-shaped piece of bread used to mop up every bit of sauce. At the helm of the kitchen is chef de cuisine Nina Compton. Signature dishes include delightful spaghetti with tomato & basil and creamy polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms. Tucked into the Fontainebleau’s Sorrento Tower, with views of both the ocean and the resort’s stunning pool-scape, Scarpetta features three distinct dining areas including a picturesque wraparound air-conditioned veranda-offering floor to ceiling views of Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s poolscape, an intimate bar and lounge area as well as the restaurant’s main dining room.