Our week of dreaming about the warm sun, tasty eats and wonderful hospitality continues as we make our way south down the Florida Keys. Today Tim Bolen visited Islamorada, and something that has been part of the community since 1946 is the Cheeca Lodge & Spa. Today we were joined by chef Frederick Delgado aka Chef Rico to see what kind of tasty food they serve there.
Frederick Delgado A.K.A. Chef Rico is a chef at a luxury resort, Cheeca Lodge & Spa located in the Florida Keys. With an extensive background in the Marine Corps, as well as food and hospitality, Chef Rico helps oversee the resort’s culinary program. This includes three beloved restaurants: Atlantic’s Edge, Mia Cucina, Nikai Sushi Bar & Restaurant and two oceanfront bars – Tiki Bar and 25 South Tiki Bar.
Chef Rico says he incorporates dishes across Cheeca restaurants that take inspiration from the melting pot that is the Florida Keys.
“[In the Florida Keys] they take fish to a whole new level, they take their seafood personally,” said Chef Rico.
All-new menus feature a balance between land and sea. Some examples of the food at Cheeca Lodge & Spa include Stone Crab from Key Largo, Mahi Mahi dish with cilantro rice a fennel salad and steamed clams, whole fried yellow tail snapper served with island rice and a mango salsa.
Islamorada
Islamorada is where backcountry sport fishing and saltwater fly-fishing were pioneered. It’s where legendary angling figures including Ted Williams, Jimmy Albright and Cecil Keith plied their trade. Also, around the highest density of profession offshore charters boats with tournament-grade captains can be found in Islamorada.
The unique location -lying between Florida Bay (the “backcountry”) and the Atlantic Ocean (the “front side”)- provides an unrivaled diversity of fishing opportunities.
The Gulf Stream flows past the islands from 10 to 20 miles offshore, bringing seasonal visitors like sailfish and marlin, kingfish and wahoo, dolphin (mahi-mahi) and tuna close enough to shore to be targeted by small-boat anglers. Tarpon and bonefish are among inshore species coveted by light-tackle anglers.
It’s this access to fresh local seafood that inspires the cuisine of the Florida Keys.
For more information about the contest and how to enter, visit https://www.chch.com/keystoadventure.
