SWFL CONNECTIONS

Longtime islanders will fondly remember chef Danny Mellman of Greenhouse Grill fame. Since leaving Southwest Florida, Mellman has been a major catalyst in the transformation of Blue Ridge, Georgia, where he and Michelle Moran have turned sustainable food into a tourism catalyst. When not at their working farm, this inspired pair helm several restaurants, including Harvest on Main, in Blue Ridge.

Splitting their time between Sanibel Island and Greenville, South Carolina, restaurateurs Mark and Larkin Lawson Hammond own a culinary sphere that extends to Lake Lure, North Carolina. Tables on the outdoor decks at Larkin’s on the Lake often go on a wait list during summer and fall. Happy patrons also enjoy this duo’s many fine restaurants in nearby Greenville, South Carolina, which include Larkin’s, Grill Marks and Limoncello.