The kitchen and dining area at Bistro 41 in Bell Tower Shops was buzzing with excitement in early May as four former contestants from Hell’s Kitchen created culinary magic for 145 patrons.
The four celebrity chefs – Milly Medley from Philadelphia, Penn., Sterling Wright from Nashville, Tenn., Bret Hauser from Miami and Barret Beyer from Long Island, N.Y., – each appeared in previous seasons of the hit TV show Hell’s Kitchen, and joined Bistro 41’s new corporate executive chef and general manager Allen Fisher in preparing a five-course meal on May 3.
The menu consisted of a watermelon and burrata salad prepared by Medley, pan-fried trout with couscous prepared by Wright, pomodoro risotto with char-grilled prawns prepared by Hauser and panko- and herb-crusted lamb lollipops with bacon prepared by Beyer. Fisher created mouthwatering golden s’mores for dessert, and each course was expertly paired with wine provided by Casillero del Diablo.
“Beyond the food, which obviously was fantastic, our guests had a fabulous time interacting with the chefs,” Fisher said. “Their creativity and charisma spilled over from the kitchen into the dining room, and that helped create a memorable evening for everyone.”
Bistro 41, a landmark casual fine dining restaurant that opened in 1996 at Bell Tower Shops, partnered with Chef Works and Casillero del Diablo to produce the one-night Hell’s Kitchen Takeover event, which was not affiliated with the Fox television series.
About Bell Tower Shops
Bell Tower Shops is a landmark shopping, dining and entertainment destination centrally located in Fort Myers, Florida. The open-air center offers fine retail shops including eclectic boutiques and shopping favorites Williams-Sonoma, Chico’s, White House | Black Market, Victoria’s Secret, Pink and Talbots. Exceptional shopping is complemented by distinctive restaurants: Bistro 41, Cru, DaRuMa Japanese Steak House, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Blue Pointe Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill, Cantina Laredo, Mimi’s Café, T.G.I. Friday’s and Society. In addition to The Fresh Market, Bed Bath & Beyond and a 20-screen Regal Cinema complex, Bell Tower Shops is home to exceptional specialty retailers and restaurants including Society, World of Beer, Francesca’s Collection and Ulta. A community partner and pet-friendly destination, Bell Tower Shops hosts special events throughout the year, including concerts, fundraisers, art fairs and more. Visit www.thebelltowershops.com for more information.
About Madison Marquette
Madison Marquette is a leading private real estate investment manager, developer, operator and service provider headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1992, the company’s reputation is built on the successful development, repositioning and redevelopment of commercial mixed-use assets in major gateway and emerging high-growth markets throughout the United States. Madison Marquette partners with global institutional and private investors to achieve industry-leading investment performance across asset classes. In addition, the firm provides integrated management and leasing services to many of the most sophisticated institutional owners in the industry. On behalf of owners and investors, Madison Marquette provides insight, and often innovative incorporation of retail, that results in high-performing and unique real estate destinations that add long-term value to their communities. Current high-profile projects include The Wharf in Washington, D.C., the redevelopment of the Asbury Park waterfront in New Jersey and Pacific Place in Seattle, WA. The firm covers major U.S. markets through its primary offices in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Fort Lauderdale. Madison Marquette is a member of the Capital Guidance global group of companies. For more information, visit www.MadisonMarquette.com.
