Dale Talde to Pop Up in Miami Beach, Host Coral Gables Book Chat

Dale Talde, the latest Top Chef alum to plan a restaurant in Miami Beach, is celebrating the release of his new cookbook, Asian-American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes From the Philippines to Brooklyn, with a pop-up dinner and book signing.

The book, which hits stores and Amazon September 15 ($32 for hardcover and $16.99 for e-book), features the chef's recipes that riff on Asian classics in what Talde calls Asian-American cuisine.

In the book, Talde also shares stories about growing up as a Filipino-American. In the opening chapter, he describes his mom and aunt cooking nose-to-tail long before the concept was popular.

What follows in the rest of the book are recipes for mashups like pad thai with bacon; chicken wings 'n' waffles; and kung pao chicken wings. Particularly interesting is the chapter on sauces and dressings that includes easy-to-follow recipes for kimchi yogurt, Halal cart-style white sauce, and shrimp paste sofrito.

In honor of the book, Talde will host a one-night Talde Miami Beach pop-up Tuesday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m., at the Thompson Miami Beach’s 1930s House. The intimate dinner will be limited to 40 people and will give Miamians a chance to sample the chef's food a few weeks before the scheduled November opening of his namesake restaurant, Talde, also at the Thompson Miami Beach. 

The menu includes the chef's signature dishes, such as pretzel pork and chive dumplings, as well as dishes from his new cookbook. The dinner costs $55 per person (excluding tax, gratuity, and alcohol), and each ticket includes four courses, a bottle of Brooklyn Sorachi Ace beer from Brooklyn Brewery, and a copy of the cookbook. Reservations are required and can be made via taldemb-popup.splashthat.com.

On Wednesday, September 30, the chef will host a book signing at Books & Books in Coral Gables. Beginning at 8 p.m., fans can enjoy a conversation with the chef, moderated by me, Laine Doss, focusing on stories from Talde's cookbook, his influences, what to expect at his upcoming restaurant, and some Top Chef gossip. The event is free and open to the public.