Ten of Miami's Best Chefs to Co-Host Taste of Pace Summer Soiree

You'll be hard-pressed to find a Miami chef dinner lineup quite like this, and it's a gathering for a good cause.

The inaugural Taste of Pace Summer Soiree, organized by Kush Hospitality and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, is slated for Thursday, July 13, at Southern Glazer's Hospitality Education Venue in Wynwood. All proceeds from the event benefit the general operations of Pace Center for Girls. This Miami-based nonprofit provides career-building, counseling, learning opportunities, and other services to local girls.

"Part of my job is to make sure that Miami is aware of what Pace is and all of the good it does here for our community," Matthew Kuscher, owner of Kush Hospitality and a Pace board member, tells New Times. "So, I wanted to do something different, pulled out my Rolodex, and so many people were very quick to help for this event."

The format for the Taste of Pace Summer Soiree is a sit-down, multi-course affair. Confirmed chefs preparing the courses on site include Michael Schwartz (Genuine Hospitality Group), Norman Van Aken (considered the founding father of new world cuisine), Niven Patel (Ghee), Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer (Boia De), Devin Braddock (Ariete Hospitality Group), Brad Kilgore (MaryGold's Florida Brasserie), Jose Mendin (Pubbelly Sushi), Sebastian Vargas (Los Félix), Scott Linquist (Coyo Taco) and Zak Stern (Zak the Baker). Southern Glazer's mixologist, Giovanny Gutierrez, will prepare a cocktail menu for the evening.

Among the preliminary dishes provided to New Times and to be served at the event include crispy morcilla with endive apple salad and aji amarillo aioli from Michael Schwartz and, from Scott Linquist, a lamb sirloin barbacoa with banana leaf-roasted lamb neck, pozole grits, and pickled chiles.

According to Kuscher, 100 tickets will be sold for the Taste of Pace Summer Soiree event at $1,000 each.

"Anyone who has been to any of my restaurants has seen an opportunity to donate to Pace, and we've also done chef dinners to raise funds, which have been a success," he says. "This is taking things to an all-new level. You've never seen a lineup like this for a sit-down dinner."

Beyond its chefs, stand-up comedian and Only in Dade's Carlos Hernández will emcee, street artist Atomik will create a piece on site, and mentalist Alan Chamo will perform. Kuscher says other talent may be added down the line.

Taste of Pace Summer Soiree. 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, at Southern Glazer's Hospitality Education Venue, 2105 N. Miami Ave., Miami; pacecenter.org. Tickets cost $1,000.