MasterChef Season One winner Whitney Miller will be the new chef de cuisine at John Rivers' Southern cafeteria de luxe the Coop. Her debut was at last week's Cows 'n Cabs party, where she showcased newly developed menu items for the Winter Park mainstay.
Look for the Carnival Corner at this year's Food & Wine Classic at the Swan & Dolphin Hotel. The fest's newest section will serve carnival fare (corn dogs! funnel cake! kettle corn!) from food trucks; access is included in the standard admission ($105).
Breyting Community Roaster, a state-of-the-art coffee processor in DeLand, celebrates its grand opening with public tours from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; from 7-10 p.m., an after-party featuring B-52s frontman Fred Schneider takes over the upstairs lounge at Byte Modern Bistro. Schneider helped craft Fred Schneider's Monster Blend, one of Breyting's signature roasts.
OPENINGS Merguez is open in the former Atlas House space on International Drive. Good to see another option for Moroccan fare, especially since Pasha's closure ... JJ's Grille will open a second location in Altamonte Springs ... Another Santiago's Bodega will open in Altamonte either the first week or second week of November.
CLOSINGS After 34 years in business, Larkin's Famous Subs in Belle Isle announced they will close Dec. 4 ... Whiskey Dicks downtown is temporarily closed, scheduled to reopen Nov. 1 ... Pho K5 on Bumby is changing hands, and will be replaced by another outpost of Saigon Noodle & Grill. They remain open during the turnover.
EVENTS On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Christner's pairs up with Stag's Leap Wine Cellars for a five-course dinner with pairings as part of their Cutting Board Series. Cost is $125 per person ... Jonathon Sawyer, 2015 James Beard Foundation Award winner for Best Chef Great Lakes, and Tim Dacey, chef at the Four Seasons' Capa, join forces for an eight-course prix fixe pairing dinner at Capa Thursday, Nov. 5. Cost is $125 per person ... Also on Nov. 5, the Ravenous Pig hosts a Florida Seafood Dinner featuring handpicked seafood selections from Ponce Inlet's Kelly N' Kris Seafood. Cost is $75 per person ... The 15th annual Orlando Japan Festival is Sunday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Village in Hunter's Creek.
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