Chef Michael Bennett, a Miami-based Gluten-Free cookbook Author, is now consulting for Gourmet Markets.

For Immediate Release
FoodBrats.com
November 29st, 2011
Miami, Florida

Miami, Fl. | November 29th, 2011 ~ FoodBrats.com announces that our chief Author member, Chef Michael Bennett has changed career objectives and is now pursuing what he considers an idyllic Gluten-Free culinary arena, Gourmet Markets. Since his time conducting healthy Spa Cuisine based menu expansion in Miami’s Epicure Gourmet Market on South Beach, Chef Michael Bennett always wanted to get back to the console of only utilization the best ingredients to generate a superlative healthy-lifestyle cuisine.

He has developed and extended his Gluten Free culinary consultancy responsibilities among two different companies. One located in the Caribbean, on Grand Cayman (Wine Down Gourmet Market – opening next month) and opening on Valentine’s Day, 2012 – Harvest Market and Café in the upwardly classic neighborhood of Belleair Bluffs on Florida’s West Coast. After Chef Michael Bennett three year reshaping of the culinary remnant from the 1990’s – Bimini Boatyard, (BBY) he is now undertaking the development of specialized Gourmet Markets.

Chef Michael Bennett endorses his previous culinary posts – via the Social Media universe with his Gluten-Free cookbook “In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks”. It is the first of three cookbooks that he penned for FoodBrats.com albeit being the distinctly recuperative soul at the resuscitated BBY dinosaur. This past year after releasing his third cookbook, Chef Michael Bennett honed his predominately Caribbean-inspired cookbook’s recipes to be 100 percent Gluten-Free. Chef Michael Bennett’s 180 + page | four color | 125 + Gluten-free recipe cookbook was rewritten with an emphasis on America’s newest dining trend. His healthy Gluten-Free recipes capture the distinct Miami flavor of a multi-national Caribbean cookery heritage, while keeping recipes vigorously vibrant gluten-free taste profile. Powerful photography, exclusive design, one-of-a-kind recipe flow, helpful sidebars and QR (Quick Response) codes blend to create the perfect sampling of what this Gluten-Free Caribbean based cookery style has to offer. The QR codes link you directly to the Internet so your interactive experience is as fun as it is informative.

Chef Bio:
Michael Bennett, born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. to first generation Floridians, has spent most of his adult life in the food and hospitality industry. Michael’s grandfather was the family’s first restaurateur, operating a few South Florida restaurants after emigrating here from Ohio in the 1940’s. He earned critical culinary kudos as the Executive chef for the 26 year, culinary tour d’ force – Left Bank restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Under his auspices he brought Left Bank it’s first ever “Best of” (Zagat Survey), “Four Stars” (AAA) and “Four Diamonds” (Mobil) to their 20 plus year era of three star ratings. He is affiliatted with several culinary and food-related organizations. Chef Michael regularly lectures on South Florida’s “Caribb-ican” cuisine.
Chef Michael Bennett is considering this somewhat of a homecoming because he started cooking at a seafood restaurant on Florida’s West Coast while still attending college. He then transferred to the Culinary Institute of America to pursue his true professional passion. After leaving the CIA and for the next 11 years, Michael’s life revolved around intense periods of kitchen management followed by months of O.J.T. under the tutelage from Miami’s most important and well-known chefs. During this time he sought out the most exotic and chic dining network to hone his craft.
Chef Michael Bennett is a well-known, award winning (Chef of the Year-1995) Florida chef whose clients are a Who’s Who of Media and Sports personalities. Some of his clientèle comprise celebrities from the entertainment and sport industries including; Wilt Chamberlin, Roger Stubb, Oprah, Jayda and Will Smith, Patrick Stewart, Andy Rooney, Michael Caine, Daryl Hanna, George Hamilton, Walter Cronkie, Morgan Freeman, Elton John, Snopp Dog, Madonna, Trina, Beyonce and others…..

About FoodBrats.com
FoodBrats.com was founded in 1991 and as a “budding” Chef | Author PR services provider for chefs and soon to be authors. FoodBrats.com helps Chefs and Authors publish food related articles and their own books on a regional basis. FoodBrats.com provides Chefs | Authors with direct and personal access to quick, quality orientated publication in trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

Contact us for more information at
Email: foodbrat@gmail.com
Or; 305-851-3441

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What’s cooking in South Florida?

What’s cooking in Miami?
Check out this new website….
http://www.examiner.com/cooking-in-miami/michael-bennett

Chef Michael Bennett’s dish for New Times-Pairings 2010.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Michael Bennett
Bimini Boatyard
1555 17th street Cswy.
Fort Lauderdale, Fl. 33306
954-525-7400

Chef Michael Bennett’s dish for
New Times-Pairings 2010.

Fresh Ingredients and Tropical Flavors are deliciously
absorbed in a Value-Endorsed State of Mind

“Food and Cooking has been my entire life…

making it a value just seems right!” ~Chef Michael Bennett

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 2010 – The Bimini Boatyard (BBY) was first usher into the Fort Lauderdale dining scene scape in September of 1989. A lot has happened in the world since the time of its opening. Remember the fall of the Berlin Wall? The reins of this lengthy journey have been taken on by chef and cookbook author-Michael Bennett, once acknowledged by the American Culinary Federation as Chef of the Year -1995.
Today the BBY is best-known for its exciting and wildly popular “Caribb-ican” menu, value-based wines and the best Happy Hour in Fort Lauderdale. Like BBY’s menu, the wine list selections are globally sourced, chosen for their value price point and a complementary taste when paired with our menu. United with our casual-style of service – that is straight from the heart – referring to a sense of caring and friendliness, it is the combination of good food and this almost neighbor-like service that has invigorated this 21 year landmark.

Chef Michael is participating in the Pairings event this year and he gives us this recipe to post so all will be familiar with the dish before they get a chance to try in on September 16th, 2010.

My recipe for the New Times-”Pairings” event 2010

• Event will take place on September 16th, 2010 – in Fort Lauderdale.
• Chef Michael will be showcasing a fabulous recipe made from WHITE tuna.
• It is prepared in a new – “Old World” style.
• As chef Michael Bennett mixes in the classic French cookery methodologies with Caribbean and Asian elements – to form a new classic cooking method that is transformed by the use of an un-likely pairing of ingredients.

For more recipes and information about chef Michael Bennett’s cookbooks, goto:

http://www.foodbrats.com

***

Escolar

Red-Curry and Beurre Noisette Mop

served with Plantain and Pineapple

8 portions

*** White Tuna – being extremely rich – should only be eaten in smaller portion sizes.
5 oz. Is all you’ll need to be satisfied.

Ingredients:

First part of the recipe
Caribbean Sweet-Spice:

Pink Peppercorns 3 Tbs.
Green Peppercorns 1 Tbs.
Mustard powder ½ teas.
Ginger powder ½ teas.
Seasalt 1 Tbs.
Mrs. Dash 1 Tbs.
Curry Powder ½ teas.
Poultry spice ½ teas.
Cayenne pepper pinch
Paprika 2 Tbs.
Mace pinch
Nutmeg pinch
Garlic, granulated 1 teas.
Onion, granulated 1 teas.

2nd part of the recipe: the Mop
Butter ½ lb.
Red Curry paste 2 Tbs.
Triple Sec liquor 1 teas.
Brandy 1 teas.
Sesame oil 2 oz.
Salt and pepper 1 teas. (4 to 1 ratio-salt to pepper)
Honey 4 oz.

Escolar 8 (5oz. fillets about 1 ½ inch thick)

First part of recipe – directions:
Place all spice ingredients in a coffee bean grinder and pulse into powder.
Use this powder to sprinkle – heavily onto the fish – before grilling.

2nd part of recipe directions:
First: you are going to make the sauce, then glaze the fish as it cooks on a grill.
Mop/Sauce:
Place the butter in an already hot – heavy bottom pan to speed the butter’s browning. Stir while the butter starts to cook. Continue to stir as the pan heats the butter and you will notice the butter starting to turn a brownish color. At this point add the red curry, watch for boiling. The curry spices will hasten the browning of the butter. Then, as the color deepens in brownish tint, add the CAREFULLY rest of the ingredients.
Carefully add the liquor to the glaze because there is a chance that the mix will be too hot and boil up rapidly and over flow on the stove.
Finish with adding the honey last. Cool the glaze.
Next – Season with the Caribbean Sweet-Spice blend and cook the fillets of Escolar over the grey coals of a well-oiled grill grates. Mark-the fillets, that is sear on the grates (about two minutes) and then flip and cook 1 minute more. Then move over to the cooler parts of the grill and cover so the heat of the coals work to heat the fish like an oven. Cook about 5 minutes more per inch of fillet thickness.
As you are cooking over the grey coals, lightly brush with the mop. Flip over and mop again. Move the fillet, mop again, close lid, cook and mop once again. Finish cooking and mop once more. Place on a warm platter until ready to serve. There will be some juices that flow out.
To plate, Make the next part of the recipe. Place the melange in the center of the plate and set the cooked fish fillet atop and mop with a little more sauce and let it roll down onto the plate.

NOTE:
Using a 3 inch round ring mold, fill with the plantain melange and push down onto the mixture to form a compressed circle of plantain. Lift the mold to remove, leaving a perfect circle on the plate where the fillet can rest easily.

Garnish with a small salad of arugula, sunsprouts and citrus sections or, just a little micro greens.

Paired with a special combination of tropical food elements;

Plantain and Pineapple

enough for eight portions

Ingredients:
Plantains, greenish-yellow 3 each
Pineapple pieces 1 small can (about 5 oz.)
Red Bell pepper, diced 1 each
Cilantro, chopped well 4 bunch
Seasalt ½ Tbs.
Oil As needed

Directions:
Heat 1/2 quart of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees.

Clean the plantains. This is done by making a slit into the plantain with a small pairing knife along the ridges of the banana-like veggie. Remove the skin, then dice the plantain into 3/8 – 1/2 inch size diced.
Fry the plantain-about 2 minutes so they are no longer raw. Then remove from oil and drain. Season with salt.
In another saute pan, saute the diced peppers in a small amount of oil. Toss in the drained plantains, then the pineapple and then cilantro. Toss in the pan to mix the melange. Season again with the Seasalt. Remove and then place in the center of the plate. Place the fish fillet over top.

For more recipes and information about chef Michael Bennett’s cookbooks, goto:

http://www.foodbrats.com

Interview with Author / Chef Michael Bennett

Interview on channel 39 in South Florida about cooking Salmon and recipes in his new cookbooks

Interview with Author / Chef Michael Bennett

Follow link:

This interview is just one of seveal you will find on the YOUTube – FoodBrat Channel

The 2010 Mango Congress – in Miami

The Mango Congress in Miami“>

Press Release
Contact info: The Professional Image
Chef Michael
305-851-3441

For Immediate Release:

The 2010 Mango Congress

South Florida – July 9-11th, 2009 ~ When both houses of this Congress meet, it transforms the day into something delicious.
Both houses of Congress: the Harvesters of the Mango and the Artists that produce works of art with the Mango – are staging a weekend of mango exploration. Not just of mango and its exotic tropical tastes, but to discuss how beautiful a World it is with the mango as its King. The Mango has and will always be the King of Fruit. Our chef’s symposium is going to be held the weekend after of country’s independence to discuss the taste-variances and usages of this King of Fruit.

Mangoes, the fruit with 2000 different Sir names and tastes originates somewhere in in the sub-continent of India. That is why we are going highlight Indian varieties of Mango at this years Mango Symposium. South Florida, a bed of tropical infusion cookery has always been a place for mango tastes exploration. That is why this mango symposium has always been held here. It has been the only mango-inspired symposium in this hemisphere. This congress will be held in Miami at Fairchild Gardens once again. Fairchild Gardens the home of the Mango Symposium for the past decade has been the brain child of Dr. Richard Campbell.

He has traveled the World in search of mangoes in which he brings back to Fairchild Garden to plant and study. Dr. Campbell has selected his Indian mangoes on which to base this years mango discussions. Author / Chef Michael Bennett will help in bringing in noteworthy chefs from all around South Florida to be apart of this intense discussion. Chef Michael, the author of two tropically-inspired cookbooks, has been apart of this Mango Congress for many years. His writing revolves around the cooking of tropical recipes and feels as though this is the perfect venue to get the word out about how great mango are for any seafood dish. Being that this is South Florida, it is only natural that seafood and mango would be paired quite regularly on many restaurant menus.
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The Professional Image – Press release

For Immediate Release.

February 8th, 2010
Contact info:
Rebekah: 305-851-3441 (locally)
Email: the_professional_image@yahoo.com

South Florida Chef Whips Up the World’s Foremost “Caribb-ican” Recipe Book.

Chef/Author Michael Bennett cooks up a special Caribbean-style cuisine and NEW COOKBOOK at Fort Lauderdale’s finest wood-grilled Seafood restaurant.

South Florida, February 7th, 2010 /Books PR News/ — When in Florida you can never run out of Seafood restaurant choices. South Florida has a highly diversified food culture where every observed and ranked restaurant boasts of their healthy seafood recipes. Chef Michael Bennett’s current menu represents an elite melange of our South Floridian pelagic-based cultures. Many current South Florida residents come from Caribbean island nations, namely; Jamaica and the Virgin Islands (which are British), Cuba and Puerto Rico (Spanish), Haiti and Martinique (French).

Chef Michael has tapped into these individual-istic cultures that have all lent their own culinary flavor to South Florida’s unique dining landscape. After returning from a four year culinary journey in the Caribbean, chef Michael Bennett utilized these culinary experiences to develop a “Caribb-ican” vibe at his current post as Executive chef.  This post, at the very popular Bimini Boatyard in Fort Lauderdale, has been a launching point for his first and second cookbooks.

After two years working with this exceedingly visible South Florida cookery conception, chef Michael’s Bimini menu apprises diners which Caribbean isle each recipe is dedicated to. People can choose dishes from a French, Spanish or British Caribbean island namesake. An example of this is when chef Michael pairs the familiar Gulf Grouper with an distinctive Santo Dominican twist of mango, plantain and coconut.

When it comes to food, Miami and South Florida live up to its name as the Magic city- food magic! Chef Michael explains, “as chefs we never fail to surprise people from different walks of life with our excesses in our tropical seafood bounty. There have been different forms of Caribb-ican cuisine but, this style is the most easygoing and acceptable for a sweeping spectrum of Americans”, says chef Michael.

His new cookbook, In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks, is a collection of recipes from his current position at this vital local Caribbean favorite. Author Michael Bennett has compiled his best-tasting recipes from notable Caribbean dining spots where he had employed them. Chef Michael promises a gastronomical burst of cuisine for food lovers and cooking enthusiasts alike; a salute to the Caribbean ’s quintessential definition of food as a celebration of life.

About the Author
Michael Bennett is a well-known award wining (Chef of the Year-1995) South Florida chef and who’s clients are a Who’s Who of Media and Sports personalities. He earned critical culinary kudos as the Executive chef for the 26 year-local culinary force Left Bank restaurant. Under his auspices he brought “Best of” (Zagat Survey), Four Stars (AAA) and Four Diamonds (Mobil) to the long-time three star rating. He is the founder and member of The Professional Image, inc. publisher for the Culinary Arts. He also holds culinary affiliations with several culinary and food-related organizations in the USA and around the world. He regularly lectures on South Florida ‘s “Caribb-ican” cuisine.

A “Caribb-ican” chef’s life is what Michael promotes in both of his books. Chef Michael’s first book “In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks” and his latest book “Underneath a Cloudless Sky both feature this “Caribb-ican” recipe styling, both  being published by The Professional Image, inc.
*** We have a free PREVIEW of the book at:
http://www.freado.com/book/5448/In-the-Land-of-Misfits-Pirates-and-Cooks

Look for Chef Michael on Channel 39 where he will demostrate recipes from his new cookbooks – Thrusday March 24th, 2010- 8:30AM.

About The Professional Image, inc.

The Professional Image was founded in 1991 and as a “budding” Chef/Author services provider for chefs – and soon to be authors, has helped to publish food-related articles and books on a regional and national basis. The Professional Image is based in South Florida with outposts throughout the Caribbean. TPI provides chef/authors with direct and personal access to quick, quality orientated publication in trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

For more information, please visit http://www.foodbrats.com, or
E-mail: info@foodbrats.com or call at 1-305-851-3441, to receive a free publishing estimate.

The Professional Image only publishes Cookbooks.

***

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