Alex Guarnaschelli and Jorge Ramos hosted a clambake at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach for the second year in a row. The event was part of the Crave Greater Fort Lauderdale series presented by Capital One. Now in its fourth year, the Crave Greater Fort Lauderdale series brings a taste of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to Broward and Palm Beach counties. “It is the perfect alternative for those foodies who want to experience the festival without having to fight Miami traffic,” says a regular attendee. The series continues to expand each year with additional dinners hosted by a collaborative effort of local and celebrity chefs. The food lover’s festival spans five days from February 20-24 with over 100 events throughout three counties in South Florida. One hundred percent of the net proceeds benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at FIU.

On Friday, February 22, 2019, Food Network Chef, Guarnaschelli partnered with Executive Chef, Ramos to organize an outdoor seafood-based soiree on the ocean front terrace of the luxury Conrad Hotel. Guests visited tables from twelve local restaurants to sample their signature dishes and enjoyed wine and spirits. Attendees met local chefs and even got to interact with celebrity personality, Guarnaschelli, “You can tell I’m from New York because I’m wearing all black,” said laughing as she addressed the crowd.

The star of the evening was the seafood stew served in a homemade bread bowl prepared by resident chef, Jorge Ramos. The clam, shrimp and calamari stew was mixed in a flavorful tomato broth to create the ultimate comfort food. The talented chef Ramos is a South Florida native with over fifteen years of experience in the hospitality industry. Ramos oversees all of the restaurants onsite of the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach that opened in October 2017.