South Florida Foodies: Looking For a Foodgasm at Tudor House

By Christina Staalstrom Fri., Jul. 22 2011 at 10:25 AM

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

Secret supper clubs, underground dining groups, hidden kitchen groupies -- whatever you choose to call them, private dining clubs are popping up all over South Florida. And they're enticing food-obsessed diners who share a common passion -- the search for the ultimate foodgasm. This is what led Maude Eaton to start the South Florida Foodies. A chef by training, Maude is a food and beverage consultant whose love of comida flavors both her professional and personal lives.

On a recent hot and steamy afternoon, Short Order was invited to join Maude as she sat down with Chef Jamie DeRosa and his team at the newly opened Tudor House to discuss their plans for the group's next dining experience.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

"I approach each venue individually to make sure we showcase the location, the food, and, most importantly, connect with the chef," Maude says, then goes on to explain her family-style dinner approach, which allows guests to try small bites of several dishes and encourages conversation. "In the end of the day it's about bringing people together around the table."

DeRosa is not convinced -- after all, none of his dishes are made for family-style dining. But with Maude's big brown eyes and a flash of her winning smile, even he's a convert to the Maude method.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

The two dance their way through the menu, pens in hand, making sure not to step on each other's toes while still staying true to their individual messages. "I'd like to serve the chilled octopus -- it's wonderful. But it needs to be presented individually," says DeRosa.

Maude smiles. "Then let's serve one for each guest....and what about the grouper cheek and lamb belly? That is not something commonly found on menus" she coos.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

When it comes time for desserts, pastry chef Natalia Arevalo chimes in and wants to present a cornucopia of flavors. Here DeRosa and Maude reign her in settling on a delightful threesome that lets her shine.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

After two hours of talking about food, we are ready for our tasting and the plates descend upon us -- one more flavorful and enticing than the next. A little bit of this, a lot of that. We enjoy all the flavors without feeling overwhelmed -- gotta love the Maude method.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

South Florida Foodies dinner at the Tudor House is August 7. To attend, send a request to the group's Facebook page and get your appetite ready.

Photo by Christina Staalstrom

Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Tudor House Restaurant

1111 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL

Category: Restaurant

0 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Tags:

Jamie DeRosa, South Florida Foodies, Tudor House

We Recommend

Chris

Impress us with unique, flavorful dishes and we won't be ungrateful;http://sem.sanvan@gmail.com

Staceygfla

What is the price of ticket!

Deborah Stroscheim

My husband and I attended the 3800 Ocean Event that Maude hosted, it was absolutely fabulous beyond our expectations. It was our first time to this spectacular restaurant, we immediately made reservations for the Imaging Centers partner dinner; cocktails, appetizers, dinner, bottles of wine, desserts and after dinner drinks. Chef Max, Chef Larry and the staff gave us extra special treatment. Because of the South Florida Foodie event we found a new restaurant to bring our friends and family to year round. Thank you Maude!

Southfloridaboobies

sooo powerful with her 200 followers. Losers from top to bottom

maggiecurran Maggie Curran

@redsteakhouse a little 2 chintzy w the wine. Not enamoured of the family style service. How much is good social PR worth? Think about it.

@redsteakhouse wouldn't come back.for more. Sorry.

I wish @redsteakhouse had tried harder. We're not chopped liver.

Dude man up. It's starting to be obvious who you are. Seriously. Red was awesome and so is Maude for organizing.

Vice-Queen Maria

Hey original comment poster, if you are indeed a restaurant, I wish you'd had the balls to approach Maude and express your dissatisfaction.

Maude is a stellar person, whole-heartedly devoted to the art of cooking and good food. She brings people together at the table.

I actually think these dinners are great because they give mere mortals like myself a chance to try a restaurant without blowing a month's salary on something that might turn out to be an overrated piece of crap. Some of these elitist restaurants are just full of shit with their attitude. If all you want are cocaine dealers and stuffy tourists at your table, then so be it. But if you're smart, like RED and other restaurants that have participated, you'll have outreach dinners like this and build community and good word of mouth.

I have been to three of these dinners and they have all been family style. They are typically more expensive than Miami Spice and offer greater variety.

Peter

Ladies and Gentlemen, whoever wrote that illiterate mess is not affiliated in any way with Red the Steakhouse. I enjoyed the opportunity to cook for the South Florida Foodies and plan to host another dinner with them in the near future. It was a 100% positive experience and a fun filled evening of great food, wine, and new friends.

I appreciate that I was made aware of these comments and am responding to you all that the poster of the previous comments is someone attempting to damage RED.

To all you south florida foodies. thanks again for letting me cook for you and I hope to see all of you again soon so we can share great food and wine together

Peter A VauthyExecutive ChefRed the Steakhousewww.redthesteakhouse.comtwitter:redsteakhousefacebook:redthesteakhouse

Southfloridacheapskates

Why would someone go into a Chef's house/kitchen and insist on a "family" style dinner at a discounted price?? Not cool. Losers. Avoid

Laniev

RED should respond to his... The SFF go to restaurants to enjoy food and friends and to tell all about it. We have been enjoying restaurants for a long time and it's truely a shame that someone (who sounds like the help) would comment like this. CHEF please respond....

Redthesteakehouse

*** warning restaurants and chefs AVOID this group*** Should be called South Florida Shysters. They don't want family style meals they want the entire menu for Miami Spice Prices and try to sell you on their Social Media bs. We did a dinner w/ them and they were a bunch of fat ingrates. They are a joke. AVOID

Gail Casale

To the coward that wrote this mess....Grow Up! It's obviously not from anyone related to Red the Steak House because they know how to spell Steak. But if the eunuch that authored this non-sense was in fact involved with a past event, please know that the South Florida Foodies never stoop to his level. If the food was poorly presented, we never mention it. But if it's a place like RED, where ever single attendee could not stop gushing over the phenomenal job Chef Peter Vauthy and his staff offered last week, we make sure it's posted the world over. The raves came so fast and furious, it made me sorry I missed it last week, but now, I can't wait to drive the 60 miles to experience Chef Vauthy's creations!

Barefootcount

Why don't you be man or woman enough to reveal your identity! Own your words!

Peter

I appreciate that I was made aware of these comments and am responding to you all that the poster of the previous comments is someone attempting to damage RED.

To all you south florida foodies. thanks again for letting me cook for you and I hope to see all of you again soon so we can share great food and wine together

Peter A VauthyExecutive ChefRed the Steakhousewww.redthesteakhouse.comtwitter:redsteakhousefacebook:redthesteakhouse

GretaGrrr

I highly doubt Red's chef Peter Vauthy wrote that comment. One would imagine Peter would know that the correct spelling is steak, not steake. The SFLF group consists of food writers, bloggers, and tweeters who spent the night raving about the restaurant on their twitter and blog accounts. The group paid $68 a person for the dinner, and it brought a lot of press to the restaurant, which was otherwise empty that Sunday evening.