MIO RESTAURANT ASSERTS URBAN LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE WITH ITS
“CHEF FOR A DAY” SERIES TM
November 17th, 2009 | Washington, D.C. | For Immediate Distribution

MIO Restaurant, located on 1110 Vermont Avenue, announced today the extension of its very successful “Chef for a Day” seriesTM of events. In recognition of the growing acceptance of urban Latin American cuisine by the D.C. palate, Manuel Iguina, owner, has decidedly showcased MIO’s signature accentuation of its menu in the tradition of the haute cuisine historically offered by Latin America’s largest metropolises such as Lima, Ciudad México, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and San Juan. In keeping with MIO’s convivial and passionate personality, Guest Chefs are encouraged to uninhibitedly offer their personal favorites as adapted by Latin America’s urban tastes.

“Beyond fusion, Nuevo Latino, or other marketing categorization, one notion is becoming increasingly clear to the D.C. palate – urban Latin American cuisine is here to stay and is confidently finding its place amongst the best menus around the city,” said Iguina. “I believe Latin American cuisine in the U.S. has evolved, full circle if you may, to the little known realization that the best restaurants throughout Latin America’s metropolises have been pushing the envelope on the harmonious, or often dramatic, blending of ingredients used for millennia and the intense creativity applied to cooking techniques seen around the world. The fact that urban Latin American cuisine has not been paid attention to may be a blessing in disguise, allowing us to stay focused on the food and not the trend”, said Iguina.

With this in mind, Iguina conceived the idea of “Chef for a Day”TM, where friends of MIO, from all walks of executive lives, are given the opportunity to work hand in hand with the restaurant’s outstanding staff in offering a glimpse of the urban Latin American taste. Chefs have included the CFO of a major DC bank, the Vice President of an IT company, Directors of major national hotel chains, and diplomats, among others.

“We have purposely focused on successful professionals with a sincere love or deep personal experience for and with Latin American urban cuisine and culture. Because that is where the love affair begins, intensifies and is ultimately longed. We can get a “Latin food fix” in many places around D.C., but that ultimate expression of Latin American urban creativity, the almost surreal whirlwind feeling of seeing our seasonings and ingredients elevated to the highest expression of haute cuisine is what many crave for and we work passionately to deliver,” concludes Iguina.

Saborea Puerto Rico 2010 Dazzles With Mio Preview
http://foodservicemonthly.typepad.com/

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Enjoy a prix-fixe, three-course casual dinner inspired by Asturian and Dominican traditions.

Continuing on the success of our “Chef for a Day” events, Mio welcomes Joe Rio.

It has always been about different cultures connecting, clashing or absorbing. Joe takes the staples and grilling “barbacoa” techniques of the Taino, products from Spain and other staples from Africa and Asia to share the mixtures of our cultures. Hearth and warmth. Stews and heat.

The hearty Dominican sancocho and Asturian fabada are family traditions, complex yet every day. We add a little bit more should unexpected guests arrive – and we welcome them to share. It’s stories about cooking habichuelas con dulce during Lent or espageti by the river; the smell of boiled cod fish at noon in the tropics or green plantains boiling in salt water from the Atlantic at the beach; the sound of the sazón sizzling in the skillet or cider streaming into a glass; and the whiteness of fluffy rice or technicolored fruits and vegetables.

And of course, for Abuelita Sofia cooking was not precise, scientific, molecular. It was about tasting, sharing, and using what she had: in good days and not so good days. We are all thankful for the good days y compartimos con ustedes nuestra buena comida.

Joe was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up enjoying foods from his grandmother’s kitchen, to bodegas and delis in New York, and his dad’s firehouse (Ladder 19) in the South Bronx. He rediscovered his other roots, family, and heritage in a small town on the Atlantic coast of

Spain whose name translates as either fruitful or vicious village and which still produces the best cider!

A Washingtonian since 1986, Joe has worked throughout Latin America for international consulting firms and now heads Sánchez+Polanco LLC, a small business dedicated to marketing, communications and professional and success coaching.

Time: Between 17:30 and 21:00hrs

Cost: $40 plus plus

Dress Code: Casual Attire

“The Cuisine of Puerto Rico ; Its roots and cooking traditions”

 Puerto Rico’s top Chef Alfredo Ayala  will teach our attendees how to make:

 1.“Sofrito”

2.Salsa Criolla – “Chillo” (Red Snapper)

3.Pionono relleno de carne de cangrejo

We will also have Rums of Puerto Rico making great cocktails as part of the event.

Cost: $75 pp

Mio, is proud to bring a real taste of Puerto Rico to the Nation’s Capital.

Manuel Iguina is serving as DC’s local ambassador hosting the nationwide tour in the nation’s top cities sponsored by Saborea Puerto Rico,  Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Rums of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association.  

The food and festivities will be featuring Puerto Rico’s top chefs Alfredo Ayala and Augusto Schreiner working in combination with Mio’s Team.  The menu will include a whole roasted marinated pig… flown in directly from Puerto Rico and roasted on-site along with other Puerto Rican accompaniments.  We will also have Rums of Puerto Rico making great cocktails.     

Enjoy chef demonstrations and a Tasting Menu Dinner

Time:       7:00 PM

Cost:               $65 per person

Dress Code:  Casual Attire      

Mio – Mine, Yours, Ours, Salud!!

Continuing on the success of our “Chef for a Day” events, Mio welcomes Pedro Smith-Blondet, Vice President of K2Share.

Born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Pedro recalls his time living above Pou Dols, a restaurant and training school in Barrio Gotico, Barcelona, as his most defining moment in his culinary obsession.

Combining a sense of humor and the inherent conviviality and vitality of Spanish and Latin American cuisine, Pedro will offer some time-tested Ibero-Caribbean dishes that marry the Old, the New and the “Soon-to-Come”!

Enjoy chef demonstrations and signature 5 course dinner hosted by International GUEST CHEF JOSE SCHAEFER from Peru.

Cost: $65per person

MENU

AMUSE BOUCHE

TIRADITO CRIOLLO AL AJI MIRASOL

Finely sliced Rockfish cooked in lemon juice,

served with Peruvian sauce made with Ají Mirasol

**

FIRST COURSE

SUDADO DE PESCADO

Steamed Black Grouper cooked with onions, tomatoes,

cilantro and Chicha de Jora.

**

SECOND COURSE

ANTICUCHOS DE CARNE EN SALSAS PERUANAS

(HUACATAY, ROCOTO, ETC)

Marinated grilled beef serve with a variety of Peruvian sauces (Huacatay, Rocoto, etc.)

**

MAIN

CABRITO A LA PIURANA CON YUCAS

Goat stew in green sauce made with cilantro served with yucca.

**

DESSERT

SORPRESITA

DistinguishedBanquet Manager from the Marriott Hotel will delight guests with high-end Caribbean cuisine.

Building upon the success of our first €œChef for a Day€ event, Mio Restaurant welcomes Luis Mercedes as a guest chef at our Open Kitchen on Saturday, August 22^nd.

As the Banquet Manager for the Marriott Hotel, Luis, originally from the Dominican Republic, has visited top restaurants and has conducted benchmark testing worldwide allowing him to develop a love and appreciation for international cuisine. From his travels, Luis has developed a rare talent for blending art and food to create the perfect mix of artistry and taste.

Besides Mio€™s regular menu, Luis will create a Caribbean €œspecials of the night€ for our guests.

Date:Saturday, August 22^nd, 2009.

Time: From 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm

We liked restaurant week so much, that we’re extending it for the entire month!

Featuring a different 3 course menu, each week!

Lunch $20.09
Dinner $35.09