From the catch of the day to key limes, there are many foods and ingredients that are distinctly Florida, and here’s how your attendees can land some of the local bounty.
“With so many of our groups coming from out of state, we get a lot of requests to incorporate Florida-inspired dishes into breaks, stations and events,” said Glenn Rogers, chef at The Singer Oceanfront Resort, Singer Island. “Most recently, we made key lime s’mores for a beach bonfire for one of our groups. The specialty s’mores featured a key lime pudding, graham cracker and roasted marshmallow. It was fun, interactive and offered guests a unique twist on a Florida classic.”
That’s just one example of how groups meeting in Florida can partner with chefs to infuse local flavors into their programs. Following, various Florida chefs at popular meetings properties detail how they work with groups to design locally inspired menus.
Fresh Fare From Local Purveyors
Orlando’s Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Chef Judd Ellis collaborates with local purveyors to craft restaurant and banquet menus, as well as the specialty offerings featured during the hotel’s annual food festival, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, where the "For the Love of Florida" section features Florida-focused dishes such as pumpkin fry bread and grilled oysters.
“We work with Hammock Hollow Farms for leafy greens and kale, The Villages Grown for microgreens, Wish Farms in Plant City for berries, Zellwood for corn, and a variety of local seafood, including rock shrimp and stone crab, sourced fresh from the Gulf,” Ellis said.
One standout dish featuring local ingredients is the Dynamite Shrimp Bowl at Cabana Bar & Beach Club at the Dolphin Resort, which includes tempura-fried rock shrimp served with smoked eel sauce, avocado cream and sushi rice.
At Amare, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at Swan Reserve, guests can enjoy local ingredients in the Seabass Al Cartoccio, prepared with wilted greens, tomatoes and heirloom potatoes, all finished with a delicate white wine sauce.
Ellis frequently explores Florida’s farmers markets for fresh citrus and specialty ingredients. Having access to locally made mozzarella and Orange Blossom honey from Orlando vendors adds a special touch to the dishes served in the property’s restaurants, bars and lounges.
[Related: 13 Unique Group Experiences in Florida That You Haven’t Tried]
Harnessing the Sea
Michigan-born Eric Champagne has been cooking in Florida for 18 years and now oversees Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach’s culinary program as executive banquet chef for meetings, events and catering. Over the course of his career, he’s come up with many special Florida-inspired dishes. One includes his Floribbean Salad featuring oranges, spinach, roasted red bell peppers, hearts of palm and pickled red onions served with a citrus vinaigrette.
Another, a pan-seared hog snapper with maitake polenta fries, roasted asparagus and a roasted tomato hollandaise, is something many visitors to Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach have never tried.
“Some of the food planners’ requests include local grouper and other seafood. Grouper is one of the most popular items we sell. Others include fresh Florida red snapper, hog snapper, fresh Gulf shrimp and crab,” Champagne said.
“When I write a menu, I try to incorporate as many local ingredients and flavors as possible to give our guests an authentic Florida food experience,” he continued. “Some of the flavors I use include Latin Caribbean influences. Another reason is the availability, cost and freshness of local ingredients are better than non-local.”
Champagne uses many local vendors for his day-to-day operations at Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach.
“I have fresh fish delivered at least three times a week, and more than half of that fish is local. A lot of my produce is sourced locally as well, including microgreens, oranges, tomatoes, strawberries and hearts of palm,” he said. “Personally, I don’t make many cocktails, but I do enjoy beer from some of the local breweries in Clearwater Beach and often incorporate my favorites into my dishes. Some of the dishes I make include seafood boils, beer battered shrimp and seafood.”
Panhandle Pairings
For a chef who was born on a Kentucky farm, spent her childhood in New Mexico and has been a chef in Northwest Florida for the past five years, Kara Mardell, executive chef for The Wharf Fish & Oyster Company in Pensacola Beach, has a pretty broad food playbook. And, being in The Panhandle, which borders Alabama and Georgia, she’s also well versed in Southern dishes, as well.
“Our goal is to intertwine incredible Southern and Gulf Coast flavors with every dish,” Mardell said. “We’re proud to source our ingredients from local purveyors, offering the freshest fish and beef and produce in ways that are both creative and approachable. Basically, people like to know what they’re eating, where it comes from. We get our fish and fish dip from Maria’s Seafood here and our produce from 196 Black Garlic Market, known for its Black Garlic Hot Honey, which we use on our hot honey chicken sandwich.”
Local grouper is also a staple, she says, and is served with Yukon potatoes and broccolini.
“There’s a joke that the closer to the beach the chance of getting frozen fish is greater, but not here,” she said. “We’re on the Gulf where we have an abundance of seafood.”
Citrus is synonymous with Florida and Mardell is no stranger to bringing in orange, lemon, lime and other citrus.
“We’re working on our own version of key lime pie now and all flavors of margaritas—key lime, lemon, orange,” she said. “There’s also the ‘Paid Vacation’ cocktail, created with vodka, infused with passion fruit and tarragon. Gin lovers will enjoy the specialty cocktail, ‘A Cherry Good Time,’ made with citrus gin, filthy black cherry syrup and lemonade.”
Mardell has one dish she created with a nod to New Mexico’s Latin roots with a hint of Florida citrus: “We brine and roast whole chickens and serve them with Caribbean rice and beans with an orange cilantro beurre blanc sauce. A few other mainstays include Gulf Oysters Rockefeller, Seafood Boil and the Gulf Grouper BLT.”
The Wharf boasts seven event spaces for parties of 50 to 2,500 guests.
From Seafood to Spirits
“At Henderson Beach Resort, we take full advantage of Florida’s rich culinary landscape, bringing the freshest local ingredients straight to our guests' plates and glasses,” said Christopher Matthew, director of food and beverage, Henderson Beach Resort & Spa, Destin. “One of our proudest accomplishments is our exclusive Bourbon and Blended Rye, crafted in collaboration with Timber Creek Distillery in Crestview, Florida. Our food and beverage team was deeply involved in the process, hand-selecting locally sourced ingredients to create a private-label spirit that is now a signature feature across the resort.”
“Given our prime location along the Emerald Coast, we have direct access to some of the freshest seafood available,” he added. “A standout favorite at Primrose is our Flo Country Grouper—a signature entree that highlights fresh, locally caught grouper, blackened to perfection and paired with shrimp and crawfish risotto. It’s a dish that truly captures the bold, vibrant flavors of the region. From seafood to spirits, we prioritize partnerships with regional suppliers to bring the best of Florida’s flavors to our guests.”
Guests are looking for dishes that not only highlight regional flavors but also align with sustainability and wellness trends, Matthew added.
“We’re continuously innovating to ensure our menus offer fresh, high-quality and thoughtfully sourced ingredients,” he said. “At this stage, accommodating dietary preferences isn’t a special request—it’s an expectation. One of the things we do best is personalizing our menus to meet a variety of dietary needs while ensuring every guest enjoys an exceptional dining experience. Whether gluten-free, vegetarian or any other preference, we craft meals with the same attention to quality and flavor, ensuring no one misses out on a great meal.”
From the Shore
Rogers of The Singer Oceanfront Resort prides himself on using local fisheries to source grouper, mahi-mahi and red snapper at his beachfront resort.
“If we have the choice, we always prefer local fish from our shores, including our crispy whole snapper, ceviche made with red snapper, mahi-mahi tacos and the grouper fillet,” he said. “Here on Singer Island, we have direct access to fresh caught fish each day. Our restaurant’s location in proximity to top fishing locales like the Keys allows us to deliver peak quality and flavor in the fish we serve.
“Some of our produce is local to West Palm Beach and other parts of Florida, including our corn, heirloom tomatoes and microgreens,” he continued. “The mangoes we use for our mango salsa on the mahi-mahi tacos are also local as Florida has some of the best mangoes. In the winter, most of our guests are coming from the Northeast and Canada, and the seafood and tropical flavors are what they look for.
“At Caretta Caretta restaurant the butter for the shrimp and grits incorporates a combination of Florida oranges and lemons,” he added. “Additionally, the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad features locally sourced heirloom tomatoes. Lastly, the snapper used in our ceviche is marinated in a leche de tigre and features local Florida citrus including orange and lime juice.”
[Related: Unique Outdoor Event Spaces for Your Next Florida Event]
Themed Buffets
“Planners want buffets to be delicious and look visually exciting, so we've created Florida-themed buffets using bright colors from Florida's fruits and vegetables while using local, seasonal ingredients,” said Todd Holender, executive chef, Opal Sands Resort. “We use local citrus, key lime, grouper, mahi-mahi, spiny lobster, Key West pink shrimp, tropical fruits like mango, papaya and pineapple.
“Think shrimp and grits with a Florida twist, refreshing citrus-infused salads, locally sourced stone crab claws and a tropical fruit station bursting with vibrant, sun-kissed fruits,” he continued.
Holender also creates a Miami-inspired buffet station featuring vibrant Latin flavors and tropical fruits, a Tampa Bay seafood bar with fresh, locally sourced seafood like stone crab and shrimp. and a Key West-style cocktail and appetizer selection offering light, island-inspired dishes with a refreshing flair.
“Many planners are seeking grazing tables, creative action stations and interactive dining experiences to enhance guest engagement. Creative food displays are gaining popularity, along with an increasing demand for plant-based and vegan options,” he said.
Fresh Fine Dining
Originally from Ploemeur, Brittany, in France, Robin Guillaume has nearly two decades of international cooking in five-star kitchens under his belt. Now, as the area executive chef at Lake Nona Wave Hotel in Orlando, he has introduced transformative dining experiences and received a Michelin Guide recommendation just six months after opening BACÁN.
“When guests come to Florida, they want to experience as much of the local flavors as possible and taste the best of what we have to offer. Florida has an incredible variety of local ingredients, but tomatoes, citrus, mahi-mahi and grouper are some of the most popular. One standout dish is our salt-crusted grouper filet served over a grilled tomato salad with Florida orange oil—there’s nothing more Floridian than that,” Guillaume said.
“We source a lot of our microgreens and lettuces locally, and tomatoes and citrus—especially lemons and oranges—are at the top of the list. Overall, healthy eating is a top priority for many guests, and we make sure to offer options that cater to different dietary needs.”
Taste of Florida Coast
“Meeting planners often look for unique, locally inspired experiences that showcase the flavors of Florida. Key West pink shrimp is one of my favorites, and we also use local oranges, tomatoes and berries from nearby farms. Microgreens and seasonal stone crab claws are also staples,” said chef Aldo Novoa, director of culinary, Pier Sixty-Six Resort, Fort Lauderdale.
“One of my standout buffets is the Taste of Florida Coast, featuring local greens, Florida black grouper and Key West shrimp cakes with corn succotash and tomatillo salsa.”
New trends Novoa is seeing lean toward colorful, simple and artisan-style dishes that highlight quality ingredients. "Sea-cutery"—seafood-focused charcuterie-style boards—is gaining popularity.
[Read more meeting and event news in Florida]
Island Time
Chef Thomas Wittich, executive chef, Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton in Key West, plates a signature, Key West-inspired dish: local mahi served over sweet plantain mash, accompanied by seasonal local vegetables and finished with a vibrant tropical fruit salsa.
“It’s a perfect balance of bold island flavors and fresh Florida ingredients. It’s a standout,” Wittich said.
He incorporates an abundance of Florida’s finest ingredients, with citrus—especially key limes—playing a major role.
“Local pink shrimp and fresh seafood are staples, and one of my favorite catches to feature is golden tilefish. Since they feed on crustaceans, their meat develops an incredibly delicate, sweet and flaky texture that elevates any dish,” he said.
“We source around 60% of our seafood from Fishbusterz, a trusted local supplier known for their high-quality catch,” he added. “We also work with Florida farms like C&B Farms in Hendry County and Mack Farms in Osceola County for fresh, locally grown produce.”
Of course, the trend toward vegetarian and vegan fare is not going away, he says, and, in fact, there has been a significant rise in requests for vegetarian and vegan options, as well as plant-based proteins for events.
“Gluten-free demand has surged in the past year, especially after a brief lull during the pandemic. Meeting planners are increasingly prioritizing dietary inclusivity, and we’re more than happy to accommodate those needs.”
Modern Meets Tradition
Executive Chef Stephen Osgood oversees the culinary experience at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort’s signature Harvest & Reel restaurant and poolside Castaway Cantina and directs banquet offerings.
As a St. Augustine native, Osgood began his career working in many of the Ancient City’s award-winning restaurants in the downtown historic district. Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, he blends traditional techniques with modern trends, relying on fresh, local ingredients to create menus that celebrate both regional flavors and global influences.
At the resort’s Harvest & Reel, Stephen manages an open-show kitchen from which guests enjoy locally sourced and specialty seafood for dinner. Guest favorites include fresh Latin ceviche, whole-fried red snapper, tomahawk ribeye and daily fresh catch specials.
Osgood also oversees customized culinary experiences in more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 5,200-square-foot, oceanfront ballroom with outdoor terraces and expansive waterfront lawns.
Read more from the 2025 edition of Meetings Today Florida.
