Pictured: Charred corn, pickled snow crab, nectarine, green onion, heirlooms, europa and aioli from Wood Fire Food. Photo by Megan Mitchell.

Wood Fire Food, an experiential catering and event enterprise, has arrived in sunny Florida. Wood Fire Food sources locally-grown, farm-to-table ingredients cooked outdoors over a live, open fire. The company has hosted elegant events in picturesque settings like wide, open fields, and its foray into Florida celebrates the bounties found on the Gulf Coast.

Guests can book a Wood Fire Food experience for weddings, parties and other private and corporate events in any part of the state of Florida. Co-Owner and Creative Director Daniel Sabia and his culinary team mingle with attendees, sharing stories about the food’s origins and preparation. Because the great outdoors is his kitchen, guests are able to watch as their meals are prepared by hand. “Wood Fire Food’s premise is to create an experiential atmosphere where the table is the anchor and the conversation created by it is fueled by the local artisans and produce in the area,” Sabia says. In his cooking, Sabia, who grew up in a family that prioritized time spent together around the table, combines his experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and other fine dining establishments to create a warm atmosphere that unites those gathered together.

Sabia’s dishes are at once inspiring and inventive. “We source everything from a 10-15 mile radius of where we are,” he adds. “We also like to tie in the story of the guests or clients that we’re working with to create the menus for them.” For the inaugural dinner held at The Fox Mercantile on July 28, Sabia drew upon Floridian and southern staples like the main course of ember roasted red snapper with leek escabeche, achiote and orange. The meal was served family-style, encouraging conversation and interactions from every corner of the table. For dessert, he combined iced peaches, sheep’s milk cream and fried cornbread, playing with beloved southern eats and transforming them into a delicious final bite of the meal. Such attention to detail resonated with guests and added another dimension to the evening.

Sabia is especially excited to work with fresh citrus and seafood products from Florida and transform them into something special. “We’re not setting banquet ballrooms,” he says, “but we are setting a table in the middle of an open field and using nature as the backdrop.”

To learn more or book Wood Fire Food, visit woodfirefoodco.com.

Pictured: Charred corn, pickled snow crab, nectarine, green onion, heirlooms, europa and aioli from Wood Fire Food. Photo by Megan Mitchell.

Wood Fire Food