An Evening to Remember with Three Michelin Star Chefs

The crashing of the waves, a gentle evening breeze as the sun sets. Not much can improve upon that set up — until you add in a special tasting dinner prepared by three Michelin starred chefs and some of the most thoughtful regional wine pairings I’ve experienced. 

“How lucky are we?” gushed my colleague, Rebecca Horrigan. I was thinking the same thing myself. Last week’s special dinner — an exclusive culinary event hosted by Caruso’s Restaurant at Rosewood Miramar Beach with Salty Magazine (a worthwhile gastronomic reading adventure in itself) — was nothing short of divine.

Caruso’s Chef Massimo Falsini (one Michelin Star, one Michelin Green Star) welcomed two acclaimed guest chefs, Brian Limoges of Enclos in Sonoma, CA (two Michelin Stars, one Michelin Green Star), and Felipe Riccio of MARCH in Houston, TX (one Michelin Star) for an incredible, one-night-only dinner with a collaborative ten-course (!) tasting menu highlighting the delights of fine dining, regional offerings, and world-class culinary talent — as well as those incredible ocean views.

It was, quite simply, a night to remember. 

The evening kicked off with a glass of Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque Brut bubbles (that beautiful floral bottle I’ve been admiring in high-end magazines since I was a teenager). Less than 30 vintages of this champagne have been produced to date, shared our sommelier. That beautiful bubbly was accompanied by a welcoming course that included a fabulously plated “Venison and Its Antler” by Chef Limoges, a rich savory venison tartlet served on an antler, as well as a pretty plate of small bites highlighting carrots, chanterelle mushrooms, and tomato with uni from Chef Falsini and Chef Riccio. 

As summer starts to wane, our lovely tomatoes become all the more precious. These local gems were on great display in Chef Falsini’s “Ode al Pomodoro.” With three different varieties of cherry tomatoes cut toybox style in a colorful arrangement, alongside a healthy serving of oil drizzled stracciatella and house-made panzanella, this was probably my favorite dish of the night. And it was excellently paired with a 2024 rosé from A Tribute to Grace, an extremely quaffable wine on its own, which became even more enjoyable and complex when paired with the acidity of the tomatoes and the richness of the cheeses. 

I honestly could have stopped the meal right then and there and been pretty happy, but there were courses and courses still to come. Among the highlights was a “60-Day Dry Aged Tuna Belly” served on rice with sea urchin and brown butter from Chef Limoges, nicely paired with a 2024 sauvignon blanc from Habit McGinley Vineyard in Happy Canyon. I also loved the two pasta courses — a “gettoni” made from an assortment of farm vegetables in a parmesan consommé from Chef Riccio; and a rich and creamy “Cappellacci Alla Mantovana” made with squash and chanterelles from Chef Falsini.

There was plenty of meat on the menu as well, including a caviar and spot prawn dish (“Tsar Nicoulai Caviar”), “Baja Kampachi Tartare,” gorgeous trout (“Dalmatian Brudet”) and “Dry Aged Liberty Duck and Plums” that was mouthwateringly paired with a 2012 syrah from Stolpman Vineyards Ruben’s Block Ballard Canyon, which along with the Perrier-Jouët, was probably my favorite sip of the night.

There was no shortage of desserts in this special collaboration dinner either. Caruso’s Pastry Chef Vincent Donatelli capped off our evening with a fig and rosemary compote on buttermilk mousse, and an assortment of fruit candies and bon bons, including a beautifully plated sunflower seed praline cookie that looked like a sunflower. It truly was a magical night. 

This was the second Michelin Chef collaboration dinner between Caruso’s and Salty Magazine. They did a November 2024 evening with California guest chefs Josiah Citrin of two Michelin–starred Mélisse in Santa Monica and Mattia Agazzi of one Michelin–starred Gucci Osteria in Beverly Hills, and the organizers say they are planning on additional collaborations with their Michelin peers in the future.