'Dining With The Stars' Orlando An Elevated Culinary Adventure

ORLANDO, FL - I attended the 'Dining with the Stars' event at Sear + Sea Woodside Grill located at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa this week on a media visit. The event brought together chefs recognized by Michelin including Chef Jobin Thomas and Chef Gerald Sombright for a culinary adventure. I think going back to my recent story about the meaning of the Michelin Guide, this dinner another perfect representation of that.

Chef Gerald Sombright was recognized two years ago at the launch of the Florida Michelin Guide and is the first Black man in the United States to earn a Michelin star. He earned the star at Knife & Spoon at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. Sombright has a beautiful piece that was published in Food & Wine about the meaning of the award to him and how hard he worked for recognition in a tough industry for any chef, but especially for those without access or power. Sombright is a celebrity chef and has been featured in Bravo TV’s Top Chef Season 14 and has previously worked with Chef Michael Mina.

Chef Jobin Thomas runs the Michelin Guide recommended (2022-present) Sear + Sea at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek. Thomas previously worked at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas and was born in Bangalore, India. Thomas started working in kitchens at age 15 in Toronto and has worked his way up to his current post. Between Sombright and Thomas, there was a wide variety of influences impacting the creativity behind the menu items.

Amuse-Bouche by Chef Gerald Sombright: Local line caught cured catch with guava, ponzu, coconut, hearts of palm, and finger lime. This dish set the mood perfectly. It was a party in my mouth literally. A tropical infusion that certainly sets the mood. The exquisite flavors and contrasts were a preview of what was to come. The perfect Brut Rose pairing could not have been better .

"Heirloom Tomato" by Chef Jobin Thomas: Buffalo milk burrata covered in a tomato gelee, sea water brined Datterini yellow tomato gazpacho, basil oil, local greens, Giusti 50-year aged balsamic vinegar of Modena IGP. This dish really showed the creativity in cooking by Thomas and how he views food. The burrata was wrapped in a tomato gelee that made it look like a tomato, but when you pierced it with a fork - it was cheese! The flavors flowed perfectly together and I have to say the gazpacho was a perfect match. The acidity of the dish was matched with a Chardonnay.

"French" Onion by Chef Gerald Sombright: Charred onion dash, crispy manchego, soubise espuma, pickled onion. A twist on a traditional French Onion soup. Sombright said the dish was inspired by his days cooking French cuisine, but this one featured a Japanese and Spanish twist. It tasted like a clear onion soup you would find at a Japanese steakhouse, but crossed with the saltiness of the cheese for a very pungent flavor that was washed down by a mellow Sauvignon Blanc. You only need a few bites of this dish to taste its exquisite umami, a memorable and powerful understanding of combining flavors to hit different profiles in your mouth. Superb.

BBQ'd Monkfish in Charcoal by Chef Jobin Thomas: Japanese pickled daiko, XO sauce, tempura nasturium. Thomas pushed the boundaries again with this dish and followed up the Japanese flavors in the previous course with a mixture of Chinese cuisine. The XO sauce was on the sweeter side, but since Monkfish is very versatile, the flavors came through in a wonderful way. Personally - I am not as inspired today by monkfish on menus these days, but my mind could be changed with this creative presentation. The paired Pinot Noir had body, but kept the fish front and center.

Duo of Squab by Chef Jobin Thomas: Confit squab legs, squad roulade, fig mustarda, fire-roasted coconut, baby beets, cassava, pan jus. This twist on a French dish once again showed how Thomas shows his identity while cooking. The coconut sauce felt very Southeast Asian and the cassava and beats as well as the fig played an important part in balancing the squad. I think this dish is the most "gourmet" item on the menu which can sometimes feel forced on some tasting menus, but this one did not disappoint. The breading around the meat gave it an extra oomph in your mouth and the Burgundy wine perfectly washed it down. Thomas really shows in this dish how he thinks about food and how he is influenced in the kitchen.

Koji Aged Tomahawk by Chef Gerald Sombright: Certified Angus Beef served with carbernet buttered local mushrooms, fondant potatoes, black garlic jus. Koji is such an interesting choice for this dish, Sombright said the thought process was to create a similar element to the aging process for meat. This dish was not quite what I expected, but a representation of the deep twisting of flavors that Sombright blends in dishes. A deep dive into Japanese elements that is unfamiliar to me when thinking about American steakhouses or meat dishes and more of an exploration of tastes. The Cabernet Sauvignon washed it down just right and interacted well with the koji flavor from the beef. I am more interested in koji after this experience.

Land of Milk & Honey by Executive Pastry Chef Sergio Favela: Lavender milk custard, caramelized milk cooked in ghee, wild honeycomb, lacto-sugar cane. The meal ended with another homage to the roots of Sombright and elevated by Favela. Dessert was light, but exactly what you need after a tasting. The Sauvignon Blanc Auslese mixed so well with the honey of the dish, it was almost like drinking mead. Perfect ending.

I was impressed with the mastery of each dish, the choice of ingredients, nothing on this menu was really safe - it pushed boundaries and really told the story behind the two chefs. As a diner, I felt like I had a complete and unique experience and that my thoughts on each of these dishes were reshaped after experiencing the cooking behind Sombright and Thomas. That is the power of chefs, food, and culture.

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About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 10 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.