Grilling with the Pros

Backyard grilling is not a solitary activity. The combination of smoke and icy beers and shooting the breeze on the deck is one of the best ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. And when the host is co-owner of one of South Florida’s artisan butcher shops and his guests include chefs and folks in the biz, you know that sizzling steak is about the best it can be.

Freddy Kaufmann of Proper Sausages first met Gonzalo Rivero at The Tides in South Beach and now considers him a good friend and mentor. Now executive chef of the Boca Raton Resort and Beach Club, Rivero, from Michoacan, took charge of the kitchen while the conversation, not surprisingly, turned to food.

“The future of the American plate?” asked lawyer Steve Ehrlich of Select Foods. “Fast casual. People are not cooking at home.” Eating out has become the norm – but not necessarily for the right reasons, he says: '"Maybe that’s worth posting! I ate it!"

“I’m somewhat guilty of wanting to be excited by everything I eat,” said Kaufmann. “People regard eating well as a feast. It shouldn’t be the big deal that we make it.” Added Ehrlich: “Every meal doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving.”

Despite their comments, their Sunday event was a feast: simple ingredients prepared simply perfectly.