Creating a menu has to go through so many stages . Can you tell our readers a bit about the process a menu item goes through from concept to table ?
It ’ s a total team effort with my Orlando business partners Millennium Management Group . MMG ’ s executive chef Patrick Steele and the Chef Art Smith Co . executive chef Hector Guerrero work hand-in-hand to make sure new dishes fit the concept , make sense financially , and can be executed to perfection with the volume demands of Homecomin ’. We update the menu seasonally because it must have a sense of place .
If this applies , what is one thing you thought would be great for the menu , but after tasting / testing , it just didn ' t work out ?
One of my favorite — and very iconic — Florida dishes is the Cedar Key Island Hotel ' s Hearts of Palm Salad . I love it , and we do try to offer guests truly unique items that are celebrated by Florida ’ s top food and travel writers .
I have my own spin on the salad , but it was too much for tourists to wrap their heads around it . Our salad had romaine , hearts of palm , strawberries , dates , cantaloupe , honeydew melon , and candied ginger topped with vanilla peanut butter ice cream . Yes , peanut butter ice cream . It ’ s really good , and if you are ever in Cedar Key , you must try it .
It was created by Bessie Gibbs , who owned the Cedar Key Island Hotel & Restaurant from 1946 to 1973 . The salad ' s original recipe calls for slivered lettuce , palm hearts , and dressing with pineapple chunks , chopped dates , and crystalized ginger sprinkled on top along with the signature dressing . The dressing is a mixture of mayonnaise , peanut butter , and vanilla ice cream along with green food coloring .
The bottom line is that we are running a business . It was on the menu for several months and was taking a lot of the servers ’ time trying to sell it . We dropped it , and there was no outcry to bring it back . I order it every time I am in Cedar Key and make it at home from time to time .
For the feel of the restaurant , how did you want guests to feel when they walk in ?
My business partner and MMG co-owner Guy Revelle along with fc STUDIO , a Chicago-based architecture and design firm , took my story and translated it into the Homecomin ’ experience . I wanted guests to feel like they were walking into a rural Florida lodge . A place where family and friends gathered year-round — especially on holidays .
What were some must-have elements of the restaurant layout or decor that you envisioned ?
I wanted old photos from my family ’ s life and my career in Florida . I wanted my James Beard medals on display . I just wanted it to be authentic to who I am . At the end of the day , I give full credit to Guy Revelle for pulling that off .
The Homecomin ’ menu is inspired by seasonal harvests , and our “ Fabulous Florida Farmers ” wall offers guests a snapshot of those people who set the standards for best practices and are essential to the state ' s ecosystem .
The building that houses Homecomin ’ also celebrates the land with native woods including cypress , cedar , and oak .
Local artisans , such as Viable Lumber and Pettit Custom Woodworks near Tampa , collaborated with the design team to showcase Florida ’ s natural landscapes . Homecomin ’ s
BELOW : We love the details in the decor and the laid-back atmosphere of the restaurant . PHOTO BY STEPHANIE SHUSTER