Culinary Photo Tour of The Chef Cleveland and Heath Dinner Event at PB&G Inside The Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World

The Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World is swiftly making it’s mark on the Central Florida food scene enticing those with discerning palates to it’s 2015 roster of “special dinners”. The resort opened it’s doors to guests just this past Summer and already we are seeing the three restaurants inside the resort luring in locals and resort guests alike with their specialty craft beer, cocktails and insightful dishes. You can see my initial reviews of PB&G and Ravello here. I’ve yet to dine at Capa, the resorts rooftop steakhouse but I have had cocktails there and the views are some of the best on Walt Disney World property.

This weekend I was invited out to experience dishes prepared by PB&G Chef Gerald Sombright and guest chefs Jenny Cleveland and Ed Heath, a 2015 James Beard Award nominee, from Cleveland-Heath restaurant in Edwardsville, Illinois. This worldly dining experience featured locally sourced cuisine and Southern inspired food and was paired with craft beers from Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa, Florida (See my brewery tour here) and Funky Buddah Brewery out of Oakland Park, Florida.

COCKTAIL HOUR

Our six course pairing dinner began promptly at 6 p.m. with a one hour cocktail hour replete with specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. I tried not to sample too much anticipating the six course menu ahead. My guest and I noshed on mini bacon topped pancakes, pea soup and shredded pork sliders and sipped on Enza Prosecco as well as Blackberry Moonshine Mojitos.

DINNER

Amuse Bouche

CHEESE STICK / BLACK EYED PEA HUMMUS

First Course

AVOCADO TOAST / GRAVLAX / CAPERS / RED ONION / CITRUS

Beer Pairing: More Moro Blood Orange IPA from Funky Buddah Brewery
Wine Pairing: Jolivet Sancerre Loire, France

Second Course

PHO / WAYGU BEEF / AROMATICS / SWEET ONION / SMOKED OXTAIL CONSUMME

Beer Pairing: Puppy’s Breath Porter from Cigar City Brewing
Wine Pairing: Schlumberger ‘Les Princes Abbes’ Alsace, France

Third Course

DEEP FRIED PORK BELLY / WATERMELON / PICKLED JALAPENO / MINT / VIETNAMESE VINAIGRETTE

Beer Pairing: Hop Gun IPA from Funky Buddah Brewery
Wine Pairing: Kracher Gruner Veltliner, Austria

Fourth Course

BEEF TONGUE / GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Beer Pairing: Maduro Brown Ale from Cigar City Brewing
Wine Pairing: Argyle Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon

Fifth Course

GOAT CHIVA CUBANA / BLACK BEANS / MINT / RADISH / RED ONION

Beer Pairing: Evander Belgian White Ale from Cigar City Brewing
Wine Pairing: Rioja Alta ‘Vina Arana’ Rioja, Spain

Dessert Intermezzo

BASIL ICE CREAM / STRAWBERRIES

Sixth Course

TART CHERRY PIE A LA MODE

Beer Pairing: Last Snow Coconut Coffee Porter from Funky Buddah Brewery
Wine Pairing: Heitz ‘Ink Grade’ Port Napa, California

This dinner experience was priced out at $75 inclusive of tax and gratuity. The wine pairing could be added on for $35 and the pours were extremely generous. The beer pairing was $25 additional and included six 16oz pints. There was no way I could have finished all six pints of beer but it was nice to have the option. Especially the pints that I favored over others like the More Moro Blood Orange IPA. I felt that the value received far outweighed the price tag.

The dinner was such a success that Four Seasons already has four more events scheduled over the next four months. Be sure to book your seat in advance as the event that I attended was sold out. Here’s what you have to look forward to:

March 23, 2015 – Gin-spiration

Four Seasons Resort Orlando has teamed up with local distiller St. Augustine Gin to create an evening of creative cocktails and cuisine. Enjoy a four-course dinner by Capa Chef Tim Dacey along with libations by Mixologist Anna Mitchell McElroy.

Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Capa
Price: USD 95 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity

April 18, 2015 – Farmers & Fizz

Join Chef Gerald Sombright of PB&G and Sommelier Jill Davis for a four-course farm-to-table experience featuring Lake Meadow Naturals and wines from the Champagne portfolio of Terry Theise, author of Reading Between the Vines.

Time: 6:00 pm
Location: PB&G
Price: USD 145 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity

May 18, 2015 – Rajat Parr Wine Dinner

Capa is pleased to welcome Rajat Parr, world renowned sommelier, author of Secrets of the Sommeliers and winemaker of Domaine de la Côte and Sandhi Wines, for a five-course dinner by Chef Tim Dacey with wines from Parr’s own projects. Parr is a 2015 James Beard Award nominee on behalf of the Mina Group for Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional.