F
or years I have been enthralled by photos of long, beautiful dining tables in dramatic settings. Surrounding the tables are happy people enjoying meals of locally sourced foods prepared with care by local chefs. On a warmer than usual winter day in the Florida Panhandle, one of these photos came to life for me. I was invited to the table. The specific location was the future site of the Kaiya Beach Resort on Florida’s Scenic Highway 30-A. When completed, the Kaiya community will include homes, an inn, and a club. Planned venues focus on the natural beauty of the Grove (a beautifully landscaped green space) and the beach. Kaiya will also offer wellness through a spa and fitness center, adventures along the Gulf Coast, and farm-to-table dining. It will be a place of relaxation and rejuvenation nestled in the heart of the South Walton beaches.
Outstanding in the Field set up its 160-foot table on the white sands at Kaiya Beach Resort along Scenic Highway 30-A in Northwest Florida on February 6, 2019.
The Kaiya philosophy of blending the inside with the outside and appreciating the natural beauty of the area makes it a perfect choice for an Outstanding in the Field event. This mobile celebration is the labor of love of Jim Denevan, an artist from Santa Cruz, California. Twenty years ago, he became disenchanted with the mundane state of so much fine dining. Where style over substance was the norm, Denevan’s focus was on the substance. Looking for a way to honor the ingredients in meals, he designed the ultimate farm-to-table pop-up restaurant by bringing the table to the source. After two decades, he has brought this concept to at least fifteen countries and every state, including Florida.
Right: The perfect appetizer—fresh grouper crudo, prepared by Chef Phil McDonald of Black Bear Bread Co.
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