“Build Your Own Brunch” B.Y.O.B. to feature chefs
Timon Balloo of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill,
Antonio Bachour
of St. Regis Bal Harbour and
Makoto Okuwa of Makoto
WHAT: On Saturday, Sept. 20, United Way of Miami-Dade
Young Leaders
will host an interactive cooking and eating experience, “Build
Your Own Brunch” B.Y.O.B., modeled after VeritageMiami’s wildly popular
Interactive Dinner. Guests will spend the afternoon preparing a
three-course brunch, under the tutelage of some of Miami’s most
innovative chefs,
Timon Balloo of
Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill,
Antonio Bachour of
St. Regis Bal Harbour and
Makoto Okuwa of
Makoto. Aside from the food,
Titos Vodka cocktails will be available, and for all the beer aficionados,
Wynwood Brewing Company will have the best fit brew on tap.
While the chefs will lead guests through each course on stage, attendees can look for guidance from
Johnson & Wales culinary students that will serve as sous chefs and sommeliers. All proceeds benefit
United Way of Miami-Dade.
WHO: Timon Balloo, executive chef, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, is a
graduate of Johnson & Wales University, and has been recognized by
the university as a Distinguished Visiting Chef and a repeat recipient
of the Zest awards. In 2009, Balloo opened Sugarcane
Raw Bar Grill, which is part of the Samba Brand Management. Sugarcane
captures the essence of kicking back and eating well. It has received
numerous awards, most notably a nomination for “Best New Restaurant” by
the James Beard Foundation.
Antonio Bachour,
executive pastry chef, St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort,
where he creates desserts for the restaurants Atlantico and J&G
Grill, and also for the hotel events. Bachour, a graduate of Johnson
& Wales, honed his trade as a pastry cook at Sand Hotel and Casino
and Westin Rio Mar, before moving on to the Ritz-Carlton
in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2001, Bachour returned to Miami as the
pastry chef at Talula, and also tried his hand at Italian delicacies at
both Devito South Beach and Scarpetta in New York and Miami. In 2009,
Bachour was helped open the W South Beach Hotel.
Shortly after, he took over responsibility for all pastries for The
Trump Soho hotel and its restaurants. Dessert Professional Magazine
selected Bachour as one of its “Top 10 Pastry Chefs” for 2011.
Makoto Okuwa of
Makoto in Bal Harbour Shops, spent 10 years of culinary training in
Japan, and then
moved to Washington DC to work closely with Chef Morimoto. He was soon
asked to assume the Head Sushi Chef role at Chef Morimoto’s first
American restaurant, in partnership with restaurateur Stephen Starr, and
then later opened Morimoto NY. In 2007, Makoto
opened his own restaurant, Sashi Sushi + Sake in Manhattan Beach,
California, where he remains a partner. In 2011, he partnered with
Starr again to open Makoto in Bal Harbour Shops. Makoto was recognized
by the James Beard Foundation for outstanding contribution.
He has appeared several times on “Iron Chef America” alongside his
mentor Iron Chef Morimoto.
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014
11 am – 2 pm
100 Chopin Plaza
Miami, FL 33131
$75 for Young Leader (maximum 2 tickets per Young Leader at $75 each)
$100 general public
Tables of 8 available
