Limited Seats Remain for Boca Bacchanal Vintner Dinner Hosted by Rex Gryphon Restaurant Group at Its Rex Baron Post, “Where the Art of Food Meets the Art of Survival”
Evening to be Topped Off with Virtual Reality “Bucket List” Experiences
Hosted by Rex Gryphon Restaurant Group and Montes Winery, this rare Boca Bacchanal Vintner Dinner at Rex Baron includes great food, wine, entertainment, and virtual reality “bucket list” experiences all of which benefit the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museu
The al fresco event will be hosted on the RexBaron terrace on Friday, March 6, 2020 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy a Taittinger Brut La Francaise Champagne welcome, five courses of creative cuisine prepared by Rex Gryphon Culinary Director, Ralph P. Fernandez, paired with select Montes Winery wines. Amidst live music, guests dressed in their best outdoor “survivor” chic will indulge in this epicurean presentation:
Course 1: Alpha Chardonnay
Chargrilled Jumbo Maya Pink Shrimp, Avocado, Pink Grapefruit, Mezze Arugula, Marcona Almonds, Romesco
Course 2: Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon
Cast Iron Seared Diver Sea Scallop, Corn, Organic Baby Spinach,
Cabernet Verjus Buerre Rouge
Course 3: Alpha Syrah
Spice Crusted Lamb Loin, Artichoke Caponata, Flowering Blossoms, Red Pepper Vin Cotto
Chef Ralph P. Fernandez
Course 4: Montes Folly
Tournedo of Prime Beef Tenderloin, Celery Root Potato Puree, Haricot Vert, Pomegranate Syrah Beef Jus
Course 5: Alpha M Meritage
Warm Belgian Chocolate Gateau, Dulce Pepper Glace, Spiced Dark Fruit
In addition to dining and wine tasting, the engaging, interactive evening includes immersion into the unique Rex Baron Re-Story (a new restaurant category) and “chilling or thrilling” bucket list sessions in the none-like-it VRex Lounge.
In the VRex Lounge guests will be able to escape to places they have not yet traveled via unrivaled virtual reality simulator technology. Exclusively outfitted in equipment from Prague, the VREX Lounge is the only public VR venue in the world offering XTAL, the world’s first VR headset with AutoEye and embedded Leap Motion with 5k resolution. While their choices are infinite, vintner dinner guests can choose to walk in space, go on safari, climb Mt. Everest, deep-dive the oceans, walk amongst dinosaurs, tour cities around the globe, pilot a plane, meditate in Bali and more.
VR Lounge
Tickets are $350 per person. All proceeds from the Boca Bacchanal will be used for the heritage education programs–for children and adults–from the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum. To reserve seats at the Rex Baron vintner dinner, visit https://www.bocabacchanal.com/ or call 561-395-6766, ext. 101.
ABOUT REX GRYPHON CULINARY DIRECTOR RALPH P. FERNANDEZ
Ralph P. Fernandez, who brings more than 30 years of entrepreneurial and corporate food and hospitality experience to Rex Gryphon Restaurant Group, drives the food and beverage vision for the REX (Restaurant, Entertainment, Xperience) network of industry-disrupting themed destinations “where the art of food meets the art of survival.” At the casual, upscale rustic yet luxury dining and entertainment venues set for national expansion, ‘urbanites’ are encouraged to create and share their own experiences, food is locally sourced, the cocktails surprise. Currently, RG operates Rex Baron (therexbaron.com) in South Florida at the Town Center in Boca Raton and Mad Rex (themadrex.com) in Philadelphia.
Ralph’s diverse seasoned experience coupled with his culinary creativity, leadership, and passion, continues to raise the bar on the signature Rex Gryphon REX guest experience with high quality, healthy and delicious menu offerings that excite and amaze. Under his leadership, REX Scratch Survivors Kitchens serves up Modern American cuisine based around classic world techniques with new and old-world flavors. The focus is on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients; fresh vegetables from South Florida farms, free-range poultry, the highest grade of organic meats, and spice blends from nearby neighborhood Italian markets.
While creatively adventurous with culinary selections, Ralph makes sure to vary selections to accommodate a wide range of guest preferences and dietary sensitivities. Since his wife lives with Celiac disease and is gluten-free and vegan at times, he creates plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu items, with allergens meticulously noted next to each dish on the menu.
Serving in several culinary capacities, Fernandez’s career spans BOH, FOH and private chef positions for the Four Seasons (Houston), The Pierre Hotel (New York City), Garden City Hotel (5-Diamond/4-Star), Harrah’s Philadelphia (a division of Caesar’s Entertainment Corp.) and California Café restaurant group. His most recent industry accolades have been earned for his leadership for the Fearless Restaurant Group (a 12-year tenure driving the iconic Philadelphia landmark Moshulu Restaurant, White Dog Cafes, Louie Louie, Autograph Brasserie), Trinity Hospitality Group, Forage American Brasserie and Denim American Bistro.
While he notes that his greatest culinary achievement was being awarded “Three Bells” from Philadelphia Inquirer Food Critic Craig LaBan, he is also proud of triumphing as a two-time winner of the Philadelphia Magazine and Foobooz’ “Philly Cooks” competition and winning an American Culinary Federation (ACF) Gold Medal for “Best Entrée” in New York. His biggest personal achievement is being a devoted husband and an engaged dad to his six children, priding himself on having a great relationship with each of them: Christina 23, James 21, Nicholas 19, Catherine 17, Stephen 12 and Sophia 10.
Pedro Pablo Brancoli
ABOUT VINTNER MONTES WINERY: Pedro Pablo Brancoli, Export Manager
Pedro Pablo Brancoli was born in Talca, Chile in 1991. A few years later his family moved to Santiago, where he has lived ever since. He has been a lover of wine since he was very young, and loved to be exposed to different cultures. He studied Business Management at the Universidad Católica de Chile. His first job out of business school couldn’t have landed him in a better place, working at Montes.
In his first year at Montes he managed 15 countries in Eastern Europe as the export manager for those territories. He then took over the challenging markets of Canada and the Middle East, the next two and a half years. In his new role at the winery, he now managers North America and the Middle East- covering two very important areas for the company and the Chilean wine industry as a whole. He is excited to be in a new role and involved in a super-premium winery with 110 countries of distribution.
