EAT + DRINK CHEFS
CLAUDYA ALEMAN
Sails Hoists a Major Talent Naples is now the home of Florida’s only three-star Michelin chef. Eli Kaimeh, who spent seven years as chef de cuisine at Thomas Keller’s celebrated Per Se in Manhattan, arrived in February to oversee culinary operations for the Sails restaurant group—soon to include The Butcher and Sava. The collaboration is the result of a seven-year relationship between Kaimeh and the owners of Sails, Veljko Pavicevic and Corinne Ryan. “Per Se had a great impact on Corinne and me,” says Pavicevic. “We went a number of times, and each visit exceeded our expectations. Eli wasn’t ready to leave New York when we first met, but we stayed in touch with him because we realized he was the person we wanted.”
OUTDOOR DINING
CLAUDYA ALEMAN
The beaches of Southwest Florida are ideal for a special-occasion picnic—except you may not feel like transporting tables, chairs, place settings, food, and drinks to the destination. Kayse Duffy and Monette Everett have a solution for that. Their company, Coast & Mingle, provides full-service luxury picnics for a variety of occasions. “The Gulf Coast is dotted with beautiful, uncrowded white sand beaches,” says Everett. “When hospitality shut down during the pandemic, we thought it was a great opportunity to provide a service to people who wanted to socialize safely.” Celebratory options include birthdays, anniversaries, bridal showers, and corporate events; the pair also caters picnics in private homes and parks. Clients choose among three packages, depending on the number of guests, and have the ability to fully customize their event with tents, fresh flowers, and selfie mirrors. Coast & Mingle will supply grazing boxes and pizza from local vendors or pick up food from your favorite restaurant and deliver to the picnic. “We source our supplies from local, family-owned businesses,” says Duffy. “We also try to support the community. At the end of each month, we donate a percentage of our profits to charities that are important to us, such as Christie’s Cause in Estero, which works to eradicate child exploitation and sex trafficking.” As the business grows, they visualize expanding into luxury event planning, but beach picnics remain the focus for now. “It’s something new to the area,” says Everett, “and most people have never seen anything like it.” (coastandmingle.com) 94
Eli Kaimeh, Darren Veilleux
SAILS RESTAURANT
PICNIC PERFECTION Kaimeh will work with Darren Veilleux, executive chef at Sails, to help elevate the restaurant to a higher level. He will also be responsible for opening the two new restaurants planned for this year. The Butcher will be an upscale steak house located in the former Agave space, while the less formal and more reasonably priced Sava will be adjacent to Sails. Pavicevic describes the atmosphere as “warm and cozy, like stepping into a French farmhouse 100 years ago.” The connection between Kaimeh and Sails is based on a shared passion for excellence. “The most remarkable thing about Eli is his consistency,” says Pavicevic. “He has the ability to execute on the highest level, and he raises the energy of everyone around him.” (sailsrestaurants.com)
NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
094_EATLIST_0521.indd 94
3/30/21 2:55 PM
