To Gather

The Essence of Life

Photos by Hunter Burgtorf

We’re all naturally social creatures with an innate desire to connect, so it’s no wonder our annual Culinary Issue feels so alive. From crafting new recipes to catering spectacular weddings, chefs and restaurants are cooking up pure joy for our taste buds, so you’re in for a delicious treat. Over the past decade or so, I’ve often felt that the culinary scene has been pushing new boundaries with food preparation and presentation. At times, the food was so artfully presented that it looked too good to eat—until I took my first bite and realized that I’d never tasted anything so good.

This occurred in New Orleans last year when we were working on a feature cover story for longtime friend and advertiser Susan Lovelace of Lovelace Interiors about her roots in the city. We experienced a leisurely four-hour dining event with a set tasting menu at the newly reimagined Emeril’s restaurant, with Chef Patron E.J. Lagasse helming the kitchen. The evening’s conversation, laughter, and joy epitomized what gathering is all about. As the son of the iconic celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse, E.J. had big shoes to fill. His talent, steadfast demeanor, and consummate professionalism have earned him accolades as one of the best chefs in the country. Honing his skills at two three-Michelin-starred restaurants—Core in London and Frantzén in Stockholm—and armed with a degree from his father’s alma mater, Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, E.J.’s future is bright! We were thrilled to feature Emeril and E.J. on our July 2024 cover and in our second luxury coffee-table book, COOK: Cocktails. Cuisine. Culture. by VIE.

VIE team and Susan Lovelace with Chef E.J. Lagasse in the kitchen at Emeril’s New Orleans

Another gathering event for me last year was attending my nephew’s wedding in the quintessentially charming New England town of Ogunquit, Maine. No one does fall foliage better than Maine during the early days of the season, and spending time there with family was a delightful excursion filled with connections, memories, love, clam chowder, and lots of lobster rolls. We stayed at The Dunes on the Waterfront, a serene cottage hotel experience that takes you back in time. The property features twenty-one bright and airy coastal cottages, evoking the dreamy feel of summers past. Please read newlyweds Bobby and KeYana Crowley’s love story in “A New England Wedding Paints an Autumnal Masterpiece,” and stay tuned for a piece on The Dunes in our May Issue!

So much goodness is packed into this issue that it is worth savoring. More culinary royalty graces the pages as we celebrate Chef Thomas Keller’s launch of The Garden at Bouchon Coral Gables on March 13. This alfresco dining experience is sure to be a gathering place for many to make incredible memories among a lush tropical oasis at the landmark La Palma building.

Other seasoned culinary veterans in this issue include Chef Jim Shirley, who owns and operates eight restaurants in our beachside hamlet in Northwest Florida and is the author of Good Grits: Southern Boy Cooks cookbook, available on Amazon. Newer chefs and restaurants also abound, such as Chef Nikhil Abuvala, who just opened his fourth restaurant and has been named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South this year. Our cover star, Chef Tory McPhail, received the award in 2013, and we’re excited to welcome him to the area as the new executive chef and director of culinary for The Citizen and Fonville Press in Alys Beach and a brand-new sports tavern, Scout, coming soon to Watersound.

We hope this array of interesting stories from food scenes far and wide will satisfy all your cravings. Bon appétit, y’all.

To Life and Gathering!

—Lisa Marie Burwell

CEO/Editor-in-Chief/Creative Director

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