Chiles Hospitality: Local, sustainable, organic

The new Beach House chef and menu reflect a passion for locally-sourced foods.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH - Ed Chiles is passionate about the environment.

The new menu at his Beach House restaurant reflects his strong belief in sustainability and locally-sourced food products.

“What we’re trying to do here is local and sustainable on a high level,” said Chiles, founder of Chiles Hospitality. “My business is here. I grew up here. Forty percent of the Florida economy is on the coast. We need to preserve that.”

The menu, headed by newly-hired executive chef Thomas Villetto, features a wide array of locally-sourced seafood, meats and produce along with artisan breads and desserts made at the Anna Maria Bake House, an in-house bakery.

Villetto has worked for both James Beard and Michelin Star chefs at places including Clásico Italian Chophouse and Cafe L’Europe in Sarasota and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston.

“He shares the vision of sustainable food and farming with the company’s founder, Mr. Ed Chiles, and looks to continue the legacy of the Beach House,” according to a statement from Chiles Hospitality.

Some of the new menu items include:

• A beet and goat cheese salad with roasted beets, herbed chevre, pickled onions, radish, tomato butter and citrus vin,

• A wild boar entrée with Shogun Farms wild boar, pomme puree, tarragon ginger glazed carrots and boar demi, and

• A squid ink gnocchi dish with Cedar Key clams, PEI mussels, lobster, squid ink gnocchi and arrabbiata.

“New dishes include Burrata, Crudo, Capellini, Pan-Seared Grouper, Skirt Steak and Duck – incorporating items from Anna Maria Bake House and Gamble Creek Farms,” according to a prepared statement from Chiles Hospitality. “He (Villetto) specifically loves to work with local vendors and small purveyors focusing on fresh ingredients, simple preparation and a regularly

In addition to the Beach House, Chiles is the owner of other Island restaurants – Sandbar Seafood and Spirits in Anna Maria and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub in Longboat Key.

“What keeps me up at night is worrying about water quality,” he said. “In 1993, 211 days of red tide almost broke me.”

Beyond the economic ramifications, Chiles knows that eating healthy is the right way to go for many reasons.

“The post-World War II nutritional model is not only bankrupting us, but it has a huge impact on our health,” he said. “Chronic diseases caused by inflammation are up. There’s more big pharma and spending on healthcare. Why subsidize sugar? You’re creating carbon eating food shipped in from California.”

Putting his money where his mouth is, Chiles became involved with Gamble Creek Farm in Parrish two years ago.

“The farm is all organic,” he said. “Instead of taking nutrients out, we’re putting them back into the soil there… It’s not easy - it’s hard. It’s not cheapit’s expensive.”

But it’s worth it, Chiles said.

Shore Thing Tiki Cruises celebrates with ribbon-cutting

In partnership with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, Shore Thing Tiki Cruises celebrated the launch of their second charter boat with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub. Owners Rick Cardinale, Adrienne Cardinale and Frank Galati were accompanied by their families as well as their dedicated crew.

AMI Chamber to host luncheon at Avocado’s

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce will host its next luncheon on Thursday, Feb. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana and Bar, 6510 Cortez Road W., Bradenton. The fee is $22 for members and $30 for guests and prospective members. This is an excellent networking opportunity, so don’t forget the business cards. For more information or to RSVP, call 941-778-1541.

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