JW Marriott Ario Sessions a Gastronomical Delight

The kitchen during the Ario Sessions at JW Marriott on November 7th was like poetry in motion. Chefs of all descriptions are bobbing and weaving through the expansive display kitchen, pouring over every minute detail of a five-course Asian-inspired tasting dinner menu. In the end, all the attention to detail seems worth it, as two seatings of discriminating guests are treated to a special evening by the Marriott’s Chef de Cuisine Damian Manfre's team, including Guest Chef Pablo Zitzmann, a Michelin award-winning chef out of Coral Gables.

“I’m extremely happy with the experience we delivered to our guests,” said Chef Manfre, reflecting on the whirlwind of an evening he orchestrated. “We created a unique five-course tasting dinner with amazing food and wine pairings selected by our sommelier, Rob Smith.”

Each course had a specially selected wine pairing. The evening began with canapés, including Mochi Donut, Kampachi Tart, Venison Tataki and Chawanmushi. Next was a Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Ora King Salmon Mi Cuit, 14 days Dry-Aged Duck Breast, 25 days Dry-Aged American Wagyu Striploin, and Nori Gelato.

The teamwork necessary to pull off such an opus is impressive.

“Thankfully, we count on a very talented group of chefs that support us,” Manfre said. “We were a total of 12 chefs from JW Marriott. Chef Pablo brought his Sous Chef, Ivan Fernandez, to guarantee a successful dinner service. The type of cuisine we presented needs a high level of attention to detail, as the products we utilize are very delicate and require a very professional and focused environment.”

Zitzmann gained fame by beating chef Bobby Flay in his own kitchen, according to worldsofflavor.com. Zitzmann is the chef-owner of Zitz Sum in Coral Gables. His restaurant is the recipient of a 2022 Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Award, a 2022 James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, and was included in the list of The New York Times 2022 Best 50 Restaurants in America.

“I always looked at this work,” Manfre said, “and in 2022 I had the opportunity to finally meet him and have dinner at Ritz Sum. It blows my mind. The way he links the Asian cuisine with the classic French techniques is just superb. Not to mention that he is originally from Colombia. I’m from Argentina. Our Latin roots definitely create a connection and respect for each other’s work. I contacted him to offer the opportunity to share his cuisine with our guests and he immediately accepted.”

Manfre said diners at the Ario Sessions were thrilled.

“Our guests were very excited with how the dinner went,” Manfre said, “they truly enjoyed it. They were looking for this type of dinner. It’s not very common in Marco Island and Naples.”

Manfre is proud of the performance of his staff.

“An event like this requires a lot of attention to detail, the cooking process and execution is planned very carefully to ensure we are offering the best quality to our guests. It takes a sense of focus, passion, and resilience to overcome the usual challenges that an event like this one presents. Our team is very passionate and love what they do. This makes the execution process very easy."