This is “Small Bites,” a South Florida Sun Sentinel feature with tiny tidbits on the food and beverage scene — because we know that sometimes you just don’t have room for a long article. You want a little news brief instead, an amuse bouche of information, if you will. Enjoy!
WHAT: Chef Mitchell Lienhard applied for a position at Café Boulud Palm Beach when he was 18. He never heard back.
But next month, Lienhard gets to live a full-circle moment.
Today, Lienhard is culinary director of French chef Daniel Boulud’s acclaimed La Tête d’Or — and he is coming home to South Florida to present a one-of-a-kind dining experience as a guest chef at Café Boulud Palm Beach. They didn’t get him then, but they got him now.
“It’s surreal,” Lienhard tells the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “At 18, I never imagined I’d be back here as a guest chef. It’s incredibly rewarding and humbling.”
Lienhard — who grew up in Royal Palm Beach, forming memories at local restaurants and the West Palm Beach GreenMarket — will collaborate with Christopher Zabita, executive chef of Café Boulud Palm Beach. Together, they’ve crafted a five-course dinner (with wine pairings) and an a la carte tasting menu featuring some of the most popular dishes at La Tête d’Or.
Chef Boulud says both chefs are “deeply talented, passionate and dedicated to their craft” and explains how the idea came about.
“With the incredible success of La Tête d’Or over the past year in New York, we have had so many guests ask for us to offer a taste of our French steakhouse concept in Palm Beach,” Boulud says. “Our Café Boulud Palm Beach guests are used to enjoying some of the finest cuisine in the region, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring them this exclusive collaboration event.”
Chef Mitchell Lienhard, culinary director of La Tête d’Or in New York City, which is part of celebrity chef Daniel Boulud’s culinary empire. (Bill Milne/Courtesy)
For his part, Zabita says the experience has been inspiring. “Mitchell brings such a thoughtful and precise approach to his food, and collaborating with him has been a great creative exchange. We share a similar philosophy of letting exceptional ingredients and clean flavors speak for themselves.”
Lienhard adds: “This collaboration feels like a full-circle moment. Returning to Palm Beach, where my career first began, and joining chef Chris and the Café Boulud team will be incredibly special. It’s the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the place that shaped my early career and create something memorable together.”
WHEN: Thursday-Friday, Nov. 6-7
Tasting menu from 5:30-9:45 p.m.
Five-course dinner from 6:45-10 p.m.
WHERE: Café Boulud Palm Beach, 301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach (at The Brazilian Court Hotel)
COST: Five-course dinner is $295 per person
INFORMATION: 561-655-6060; cafeboulud.com/palmbeach
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)
EXTRA TIDBITS:
The a la carte tasting menu includes:
Starters such as Fruit de Mer, Snapper Crudo, Maine Mussels Gratinées, Crab Cake, Sweet Bread Nuggets, Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, La Tête d’Or Caesar and Lobster Bisque
Main courses such as Filet Mignon, Prime New York Strip, Bavette, Dry-Aged Double-R Ranch Porterhouse, Prime Rib of Scharbauer Ranch American Wagyu Beef, Dover Sole Meunière and Grilled Florida Snapper
Desserts such as Pecan Joconde, Chocolat Amer, Tarte Citron-Framboise and Vanilla Berry-Cassis Sundae
The five-course menu includes:
Taste of Seafood
Caesar Salad
Dover Sole Meunière
Prime Rib
Vanilla Berry-Cassis Sundae and Petit Fours
“The menu reflects both nostalgia and evolution, featuring signature dishes from La Tête d’Or while showcasing incredible local ingredients from South Florida,” explains Lienhard. “We wanted to create an experience that feels cohesive and true to our philosophy, blending the best of La Tête d’Or with the seasonality and technique that define our approach. For these two nights, Café Boulud will be fully transformed into La Tête d’Or, with their team joining ours to bring the experience to life.”
Christopher Zabita, executive chef of Café Boulud Palm Beach. (Todd Coleman/Courtesy)
Maine Mussels Gratinées. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)
La Tête d’Or Caesar will be on the menu during the two-night culinary collaboration at Cafe Boulud Palm Beach. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)
Dover Sole Meunière. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)
The Prime Rib will be served with creamy spinach, pommes purée, peppered popover, carotte vichy, bearnaise and bordelaise during the La Tête d’Or pop-up at Daniel Boulud Palm Beach on Nov. 6-7. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)
Pecan Joconde. (Evan Sung/Courtesy)