By: Maryanne Salvat 

Super Chef Geoffrey Zakarian Celebrates at the Tudor House 

Food Network’s ultimate culinary battle officially ended last Sunday when Tudor House’s Chef & Partner Geoffrey Zakarian conquered Elizabeth Faulkner in the exciting holiday-themed finale of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. Tudor House is celebrating the victory with specials drawn from Zakarian’s “Next Iron Chef” creations.  These include an amuse bouche of Halibut Crudo with Coconut, Lime and Olive Oil, Truffle Scramble Eggs ($28) and Caramel Pork Belly with Artichokes Bariguole ($24). All of these dishes will be available through December 31. Chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s first foray into battle as an Iron Chef will premiere on Sunday, December 25, at 9pm ET/PT.

Zakarian’s restaurants include Tudor House in Miami and The Lambs Club and The National in New York City.  He also oversees the dining program at The Water Club in Atlantic City.  He will now appear regularly on “Iron Chef America,” demonstrating his razor-sharp knowledge of culinary techniques in this fast-paced cooking competition.  When not battling in kitchen stadium, Zakarian stays busy filming “CHOPPED”, where he is featured as a recurring judge, and highlights his favorite dishes on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” For reservations or more information, visit www.tudorhousemiami.com or call 305.534.8455. 

Digest Miami Holiday Survival Guide

Digest Miami is celebrating the holidays with the Digest Miami Holiday Survival Guide, composed of mouth watering holiday dishes from some of the city’s leading chefs. Specially created for the Holiday season, this extensive collection features recipes from twelve Chefs, many of whom are James Beard winners or nominees. Since the introduction of Digest Miami, it has garnered the interest of the best Chefs in South Florida and now allows you to step into the kitchen of some of our favorite restaurants. The Survival guide is a comprehensive step-by-step resource for anyone wanting to create the perfect holiday meal, from appetizers like Chef Michael Shikany’s Foie Terrine, to main courses like Paula DaSilva’s Rack of Lamb and Peter Vauthy’s Standing Rib Roast. The menu also includes side dishes like Chef Paul Griffin’s Asparagus Al Forno, Chef Michelle Bernstein’s Patatas Bravas and Chef Dana Brizee’s Truffle Mac & Cheese. And to add a bit of decadence we’ve included desserts such as Chef Antonio Bachour’s Panna Cotta and Chef Miguel Aguilar’s Bread Pudding. Specialty cocktails from Morton’s Steakhouse and Wynwood Kitchen complete the menu. For more information about DIGEST MIAMI, visit www.digestmiami.com or contact Nick Betancourt | 786-287-1725 | Nick.Betancourt@yahoo.com or Tima Zein | 305-752-9400 | press@digestmiami.com. 

Arquiste:  The Debut Fragrances 

A scent is a time capsule. It can invoke our most intimate memories and dreams, and open doors to distant worlds. Created by an architect specializing in Historic Preservation, Arquiste is a fragrance collection that transports the wearer to evocative moments in history. Meticulously researched using authentic sources and crafted with only the rarest of ingredients, each fragrance restores the olfactive experience of a particular time and place, allowing both women and men to unlock personal revelations and experience history in a most intimate way. Available at The Webster Miami priced from $165.

MatzoBall® at LIV 

A holiday in its own right, the Society of Young Jewish Professionals, JDate and SLEEK MedSpa bring back the MatzoBall® on Saturday, December 24. Celebrating 25 years, the high-energy event starts at 8 p.m. at Miami’s own LIV (you must be 21 or older to attend). Adding to the party-frenzy, for the first time ever, the MatzoBall has spawned a sister party, The Big Chill, geared towards the 25 and older crowd, which will take place at Arkadia. Tickets to each event are available for advanced purchase online at www.matzoball.org or at the door – cash only for $30. A group ticket granted access to both MatzoBall and The Big Chill is available online only for $50.

December Spirited Dinner with Revolucion Tequila

In presenting Miami’s hottest monthly series, Mercadito Midtown is pleased to feature Revolucion Tequila for the last spirited dinner of the year on Wednesday, December 28 at 8:30 p.m. Throughout the evening, Chef/Partner Patricio Sandoval will present four gourmet, sharing courses – all prepared using Revolucion Tequila. Cocktails created by the award-winning Tippling Bros. will also showcase the spirit, and will be paired with several courses. The cost is $45 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity). Mercadito’s expert culinary team, as well as a Revolucion ambassador, will be on hand to answer any questions. Visit www.mercaditorestaurants.com/midtown to view the menu.