There were no kicks fast as lightning, it wasn't frightening, and the staff showed expert timing when the Catalina Hotel's Kung Fu Kitchen and Sushi recently hosted South Florida's Chef's Club on their South Beach rooftop lounge.

Chef Josh Wahler, of Hell's Kitchen fame, and Nobu South Beach and Los Angeles pedigree, is the new chef in charge at the Kung Fu.

He says, "Besides being a Jewish kid from northern Jersey, Asian food is what I do. I had a pair of chopsticks in my hand as soon as I could hold them."

Chef Wahler prepared a variety of party snacks for his guest including sushi rolls, a salmon tartare and fried gyoza take on chips and dip, and fried pork dumplings.

The Catalina Hotel is hosting a Spam Allstars New Year's Eve. A $95 all access pass gets you entry to three buildings, the Spam Allstars performing live, DJ's spinning, a "lavish super buffet" from 8 p.m. to midnight, open bar, champagne toast and breakfast buffet.

Here are some more pics from the Chef's Club dinner.

Here is a list of folks who were there and who they represented:

Benblatt, Russ     Whole Foods Market     
Bernal, Sean     Oceanaire    
Carrino, Larry     Brustman Carrino PR    
Espinel, Bernardo     Ritz-Carlton South Beach    
Espinel, Malka     Johnny V    
Hutson, Cindy & Shirley, Delius     Ortanique on the Mile    
Jacobs, Michael     SHGC    
Jeffries, Ali     Brustman Carrino PR    
LoSasso, Dewey     the Forge    
Maisonet, Isaac     STK    
Martin, Nate          
Maybury, Gordon     Loews Miami Beach Hotel    
Rivera, Gonzalo     The Tides South Beach    
Rothschild, Andrew     SHGC      
Romano, Jessica     Ritz-Carlton South Beach    
Santiago, Max     STK    
White, Natalie     Whole Foods Market    

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