AVA MediterrAegean names new executive chef
Keith Bombaugh’s resume includes stints at Alinea, Mirabelle
Keith Bombaugh, whose resume includes stretches alongside chef Grant Achatz of the three-Michelin-starred Alinea in Chicago and time at the helm of Mirabelle in Washington, D.C., has been named executive chef of AVA MediterrAegean, the latest in the Riviera Dining Group portfolio.
Bombaugh is a late-game addition to the AVA team following the departure of “Top Chef” Season 3 winner Hung Huynh earlier this month. No reason was given for Huynh’s exodus, but Bombaugh seized the opportunity when the chance to work with Michael Michaelidis, head of culinary, presented itself.
“It’s not often when you’re an executive chef that you find someone who can really help mentor and guide you,” Bombaugh told the Orlando Sentinel.
Michaelidis, a 12-year veteran of the Robuchon Group, earned five Michelin stars during his tenure at two Singapore restaurants (for a total of 26 spanning an international career working for various celebrated chefs).
“To go to Florida and be a part of an opening of this magnitude and do something different than what I’ve done with a lot of my career, focusing on large, communal, sharing aspects rather than the tasting route, is something that really intrigued me,” Bombaugh said. “It’s something I feel is going to be a direction in the future of cuisine — where people are spending more time together at the table, sharing like you do with family, but with the highest quality of ingredients.”
Locals have high expectations for AVA, which opens its doors Feb. 1 in the space formerly occupied by Luma on Park. It is now taking reservations.
For Bombaugh, a career pivot from the modern toward something more classical is exciting — in particular in a place like Winter Park where the scene is growing.
“If you look at Chicago, D.C., Boston — all these cites at one point weren’t what you’d consider culinary meccas. Winter Park looks very similar to the south shore of Boston, feels very much like home — except a lot warmer in the winter,” he joked, noting
the crisp weather. “The food scene is evolving; the culture is constantly being pushed. I think it’s a great environment for what we’re trying to do.”
And for a whole new roster of fresh ingredients. Bombaugh was awarded a Michelin Plate recommendation during his time at D.C.’s Mirabelle for his efforts in obtaining quality foods from local farmers.
In contrast with many imports from Greece to help capture the essence of the region— sun-dried oregano, thyme and rosemary, feta from Sparta — he’s enjoying life in a growing zone where local tomatoes and strawberries present themselves in January, among other Florida-centric ingredients.
“I haven’t had citrus comparable to what we’ve seen just in the farmers market here. It’s incredible. We’re doing a mignonette, a play on a citrus shrub, that pairs incredibly well with oysters, and using citrus in cures for our fish. And the lemons that are going to be charred and utilized in the garnish for the lamb and roasted potatoes — there’s just a level of vibrancy and brightness you don’t get when you’re tasting citrus outside of Florida.”
He describes AVA’s Greek-inspired menu as clean.
“There’s nothing confusing about it, but that doesn’t mean there are fewer challenges or less beauty from a culinary standpoint. Nailing a saltbaked branzino is just as intricate as doing a molecular foam.”
Plus, he notes, there’s nothing showy to hide behind.
“It’s either perfectly executed or it’s not.”
The team at AVA hopes to transport guests to the Mediterranean via a communal experience and, says the website, a “mantra of ‘Parea’ (from Greek): A group of friends who gather to share life experiences, philosophies, values and ideas.”
Dining is more than the food on your plate and the beverage in your glass, says Bombaugh.
“It’s very much about who you’re dining with and that’s the beauty of communal sharing. It gets people involved, talking and sharing in the food that’s in front of them.”