More from Sybarite Pig owner Daniel Naumko (pg. 154)
by Lynn Kalber
You have a background in music. What instruments do you play?
I have been playing music since I was a kid. First was organ, when I was 4-5 years old, then I got into rock ‘n’ roll and learned to play guitar. I’ve gotten back into organ now. Then I started playing drums, and by the time I was 13, it was exclusively drums, and that’s what I went to school for. I was a touring musician in Venezuela. Now it’s mostly a hobby, a passion—I listen to music constantly. It’s one of the most important passions in my life now. Along with beer and food.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about your customers?
That sometimes customers can make you or break you. In many different ways. They can make/break a restaurant and they can make/break your soul, too. It all depends on the place. In West Boca, it’s had an impact on what we do. As an owner, you have to decide if you’ll allow your customers to shape you, or the other way around. I have a very strong will when it comes to what I want to offer to people. My vision of the restaurant and what I want it to be isn’t something I can expect everyone to adore.
What’s the toughest thing about working as a restaurateur in South Florida?
There are a couple of small farms making incredibly high-quality produce, but for a small restaurant like myself, I can’t afford it. My customers can’t afford it, and I can’t afford it. That’s a struggle.
The second struggle is a lack of passion in the chefing industry out here. I don’t feel they are hungry enough, and trying hard enough, to make names for themselves as professionals. That’s disappointing.
Cats and beer: Are they similar?
Yes, there is a relationship! My partner and my wife and I have cats. It says a lot about a person if you dig cats more than dogs. I love their independence and how they’re in their own world. A cat is a cat, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. You call them, they don’t come. That has a strong relation to the way my partner and I think about our projects.
The cat on our logo is looking away from you, the viewer—and that’s kind of how we feel about everything. We appreciate the consumer, but we are confident in what we want. We’re not tasting the trends, we’re doing it because we love it. We’re always gonna do what we love.
The Boca Interview (pg. 92)
by Nila do Simon
In the Boca Interview, tennis legend and local Chris Evert shares the inspiration for her new tennis clothing line and why her “retirement” is different than most.
Here are some classic clips from Evert as a tennis star.
Deconstructing the Dish (pg. 162)
John Hutchinson, chef and owner at J&J Seafood Bar and Grill, gives step-by-step details of preparing a grilled black grouper feast.
Grilled black grouper with fruit salsa
Black Grouper – You need 7 oz. per person
(1 ½ lbs. of fish should feed four people)
Salsa:
1 gold pineapple
1 red pepper
1 small red onion
1 small papaya
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Make the salsa:
Grill the pineapple. A simple grill mark is plenty. Then medium dice the pineapple and papaya. Small dice the onion and pepper. Give a rough chop to the cilantro. Combine everything in a bowl. Set aside.
Grill the grouper:
Season the fish with olive oil, garlic salt, pepper or whatever your favorite grill spice might be. Grill on maximum temperature, on a pre-heated grill. Mark the fish on the grill quickly, with the show side first for one minute (show side is the pretty side not the blood line side). Gently flip fish over and grill for two minutes. To finish, turn one side of the grill off and place fish on the off side with the grill lid closed for 7 to 10 min. This acts just like the oven. Take fish to the plate, then cover with salsa, making sure to get plenty of juice, oil and vinegar. Delish!
