Susser is now at the top of his game. Witness his green
mango-glazed Long Island duckling or his five-pepper charred
yellowtail snapper with grilled chayote. His colorful yet refined
restaurant in Aventura is a mecca for Southern
Florida dining. Book
well in advance for the coveted chef's table next to the kitchen,
where Chef Allen will join you at the top of each course to comment
on the cuisine.
As committed to humanitarian projects as he is to his restaurant,
Susser serves as a board member and advisor to charities such as
Share Our Strength, Meals on Wheels, the March of Dimes, and
Project Newborn. He also sponsors the Allen Susser Scholarship
Program, which provides scholarships for Miami-area residents to
some of the country's top cooking schools. At this year's South
Beach Festival, during a special Saturday seminar, master sommelier
Andrea Immer will match wines with Chef Allen's food.
Steven Raichlen
Grill guru and author of Miami Spice (Workman Publishing,
$15)
www.barbecuebible.com
Steven Raichlen is the guru of the grill. But he doesn't have a
restaurant. Instead, he teaches people how to barbecue. Grilling
fanatics from Tuscany to
Tokyo have gathered to listen to Raichlen
explain how to cook anything and everything over an open fire, from
chicken to sheep intestines, from prawns to pizza. Raichlen has
published scads of books on barbecuing, including the mammoth and
authoritative The Barbecue Bible, and he also authored a definitive
book on new Florida cooking, Miami Spice.
Raichlen's latest project is the recently established Barbecue
University, which holds its smoky sessions at the legendary
Greenbrier resort in the Allegheny Mountains of
West Virginia. What
better place for an authentic Appalachian pig pickin'? Barbecue U.
provides higher education for enthusiasts eager to get beyond basic
backyard hamburgers and hot dogs. Students can fill in gaps between
barbecuing sessions with horseback riding, tennis,
Sam Snead golf,
and treatments at the world-class spa.