KEY WEST'S NINE ONE FIVE CHOSEN FOR BEARD FOUNDATION HONOR

KEY WEST, Florida Keys -- Key West's nine one five restaurant and wine bar recently received a prized culinary honor: an invitation for its chef to prepare a wine dinner for the members of the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

On Thursday, Aug. 16, Chef Chris Otten and owner Stuart Kemp will showcase their edgy, innovative culinary mindset at New York City's Beard House, an internationally recognized culinary center that was home to the late chef, author and teacher widely acknowledged as the father of American cooking. The Florida Keys tourism council is among the event's sponsors.

Well known to lovers of fine food, nine one five is located in a restored Victorian mansion at 915 Duval St. While its setting is historic, its approach to food is sophisticated and contemporary. Culinary specialties include flavorful tapas-style offerings and indigenous seafood prepared with a unique twist, such as a whole yellowtail snapper served with a sizzling Thai sauce. The extensive wine list has an international flair.

Owner Kemp also brings an international sensibility to the restaurant. A British citizen who has lived in the Keys for 19 years, he owned the Key West nightclub Wax before opening nine one five in September 2003.

Executive Chef Chris Otten, who has been with the restaurant since its inception, has a poise that belies his relative youth. His passionate interest in cuisines from around the world is reflected in his eclectic menus.

For the Beard event, according to the Beard Foundation's guidelines for visiting chefs, the Key West team is to prepare a gourmet five-course dinner for the foundation's members. Each course is to be paired with fine wines, and the dinner is to be preceded by a cocktail hour featuring five types of passed hors d'oeuvres.

Kemp and Otten have chosen their hors d'oeuvres and dinner menu specifically to showcase the subtle, succulent flavors of Key West seafood -- including yellowtail snapper, grouper, Florida lobster and Key West pink shrimp.

"It is indeed an honor to be selected for such an event, but also a unique opportunity to promote and showcase Key West and its wonderful cuisine," said Kemp. "We have designed a menu that exemplifies the very essence of Key West, incorporating our local seafood in every course."