Chef Allen Susser Celebrates James Beard Awards With Alumni Dinner

All photos by Laine Doss

Chef Allen Susser with Jamie DeRosa, Timon Balloo, and Mike Moran celebrate the James Beard awards.

For decades, Chef Allen Susser has made an impact on the South Florida culinary scene, but rarely do you see a chef's legacy in person.

Last evening's alumni dinner to benefit the James Beard Foundation saw more than a dozen of Miami's best chefs celebrating the Beard Awards at Trio on the Bay. The common thread among these chefs was the fact that all of them have been inspired by or worked with Chef Allen.

The dinner had guests visiting various stations, each manned by a chef serving a dish from his restaurant. For entertainment, a live simulcast of the James Beard Awards ceremony was broadcast from TV monitors above the many bars. The event spilled out onto the oversize patio, where diners enjoyed wine and food as the moonlight played on the water. Award winners included:

Outstanding Chef: Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park, NYC)
Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard (San Francisco)
Rising Star Chef: Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC)
Best New Restaurant: Next (Chicago)
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Mindy Segal (Mindy's Hot Chocolate, Chicago)

For a complete list of 2012 James Beard Award winners, click here.

Brandon Whitestone (Trio on the Bay) and Daniel Serfer (Blue Collar) share kitchen duties at Chef Allen's reunion dinner.

FIU's culinary program was well represented at last evening's dinner.

Fresh peaches three ways was one of three dishes presented by Tudor House restaurant.

Tudor House executive chef Jamie DeRosa was Susser's executive chef at Taste Gastropub in Delray Beach.

Trio on the Bay presented foie gras with black cherries.

Timon Balloo worked at Chef Allen's before gaining kudos for his food at Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill.

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