Gatherings in Florida and Tennessee helped spread the 90/90 celebration through the south.

February 16, 2025 at Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Nashville, TN

Friend of the JPF Maneet Chauhan and guest chef Brian Riggenbach of The Mockingbird restaurant hosted a beautiful four-course brunch at Chef Maneet’s Nashville dining room. The menu paid homage to Jacques, starting with a delicately spiced Butternut Squash Soup and finishing with a classic Apple Galette. The dishes in between were a charming blend of French and Indian cuisine, and guests were delighted by the dynamic presentation from Chef Maneet and Chef Brian.

February 18, 2025 at Sereia in Miami, FL

Diners at the beautiful Sereia restaurant were treated to an incredible six-course meal crafted by Miami’s top chefs, including Henrique Sá Pessoa, Norman Van Aken, Miguel Massens, Michael Beltran, Danny Ganem, Michael Schwartz, and Soraya Caraccioli-Kilgore. The menu of dishes inspired by Jacques included Vichyssoise with Corn and Caviar, Paupiette of Dover Sole, and Roasted Breast and Roulade of Capon. The packed dining room enjoyed hearing emotional testimonials from the chefs, and the great Chef Norman Van Aken had this to say about the night:

I feel very lucky that I get a chance to invite my dear friends, the chefs–the best chefs in the city, really — to participate in this event tonight. It just gives me an amazing thrill that the Jacques Pépin Foundation is doing the work that Jacques believes in, which is … about fine dining, but it’s more than that. It’s also about community building, lives being saved, … all kinds of things that are really important to the ongoing future of the United States of America and the world in general. I am very grateful to be here.

February 28, 2025 at Norman’s in Orlando, FL

Chef Norman Van Aken wasn’t finished with the 90/90 fun after Sereia, and hosted a second spectacular gala dinner at his eponymous Norman’s restaurant. The sold-out evening featured a select group of Orlando-area chefs preparing various courses and hors d’oeuvres, including Chefs Andres Mendoza, Carlos Robles Molina, Kyle Rhodes, Camilo Velasco, Stefan Riemer, and Gloriann Rivera. The elegant menu included Poulet Au Vin Jaune, Pork Terrine with Pistachios, and Foie Gras Tart, all with beautifully paired wines. The convivial evening was a perfect way to close out a month of warm and meaningful celebrations.

In the Press

These 90/90 events also made quite a stir in their local media outlets:

• Orlando Sentinel published a lovely piece about Norman Van Aiken’s connection to Jacques.
• Orlando Weekly wrote up a nice feature for the Norman’s dinner.
• Nashville Scene promoted the Chauhan Masala & Ale House brunch and more Nashville 90/90 events coming later this spring.
• NBC Nashville aired an interview with Chef Maneet and Chef Brian before the Chauahan Masala & Ale House brunch.
• Tasty Chomps Orlando Food & Travel Guide interviewed Chef Norman in advance of the Norman’s dinner.
• Broken Palate wrote about both the Sereia and Norman’s events.
• Food, News, and Views podcast connected with Chef Miguel and Chef Norman ahead of the Sereia dinner.

Thank you to all of the chefs and guests that made February a memorable month in our 90/90 Celebration!