Pictured: State Street Executive Chef, Michelle Wolforth. Photo courtesy of State Street Eating House + Cocktails.

State Street Eating House + Cocktails recently participated in an invitation-only Celebrity Chef Dinner culinary event, hosted at Pops Sunset Grill in Nokomis, Florida. Sponsored by the James Beard Foundation, the event featured some of the best chefs in the country, including State Street’s own executive chef, Michelle Wolforth. At the intimate waterfront establishment, Wolforth and her colleagues dazzled the 200+ ticketholders with inspired courses that showcased a delicious survey of styles and cuisines. Notable James Beard Foundation award winners at the event included Martin Rios from New Mexico, a three-time finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest; Rabii Saber of Four Seasons Resort in Orlando, a 2019 semifinalist for his pastry work; and Justin Aprahamian of Milwaukee, a frequent finalist for and one-time winner of the national Best Chef award. For State Street’s offering, Chef Wolforth created a special agnolotti pasta dish, a branch of the repertoire she’s used to help take the downtown Sarasota establishment to new heights. Stuffed with pea and ricotta, and served with petite spring vegetables, jamon and green romesco, its colorful presentation was matched only by the depth of its flavor profile. “Michelle is just a master of blending flavors and reimagining traditional preparations,” says State Street owner Chris Voelker, “and we’re extremely proud that she mastered such a creative, tasteful dish upwards of 200 people.” For Wolforth, meanwhile, the opportunity to work side by side with such distinguished colleagues gave her an opportunity to talk shop with esteemed colleagues. “As chefs, we all kind of operate in our own bubbles where we’re concerned about our restaurant’s sourcing, menu, personnel, et cetera,” says Wolforth, “so to get a chance to spend time with chefs I admire on top of cooking for a cause is really fulfilling for me. In my mind, this is what cooking is all about.”

Pictured: State Street Executive Chef, Michelle Wolforth. Photo courtesy of State Street Eating House + Cocktails.