Taste of the Nation

Executive Chef Kim Canteenwalla, Executive Chef Carlos Guia, Executive Chef David Spero (Part 2 of 2)

While the entertainment sounds fantastic, what we're most excited about is the food. So, we asked Chef Guia what he'll be preparing. "My dish for the evening is going to be a watermelon gazpacho with a jumbo lump crab meat, avocado, cilantro and some yucca crisps," he told us. "I use a little bit of watermelon liquor and rum in it; it gives it a little more flavor. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward. I chose this dish because it is light for the summer. The event is going to be indoors and outdoors. When people are walking around -- if they are by the pool -- it’s a good little refresher. Besides, it will go well with all the great beverages we'll have."

Next, we asked Chef Canteenwalla about his involvement with Taste of the Nation. "This is probably my third or fourth time being involved in Taste of the Nation," he told us. "I did a couple of them with Kerry Simon; I did it last year. We're always looking to give back. We're very fortunate with what we have and the people around us. Myself, I like to just give as much time of myself back to the community and help people wherever I can. I do it monetarily, I do it with my own time and I get my staff involved in it. It's just about being fortunate and giving back whatever you can give back. There are tons of mentors and chefs that I've worked with that have always had that mindset. I've grown up with it, and I feel good about giving back."