Scene in the Tropics

Top Miami Chef Packed His Knives And Went Home

This just in from Miami Herald's food editor, Kathy Martin, who was serving as a judge today for a high school cooking contest at Johnson & Wales:

"Fellow judge Michael Bloise introduced himself as "formerly of Wish." Upon questioning, he said he parted ways unexpectedly with Wish at the Hotel about 3 weeks ago, and is prohibited by his severance package from discussing details. Bloise, 32, said he's been working on his house (in Hollywood), spending time with his 10-year-old son and thinking about what's next.

He might want to talk to the Newport Beach, where I hear that Michael Blum is out at Michael's Kitchen. I'm waiting for a call back from the hotel to confirm that."

We heard the same thing about Blum, too. But the Bloise exit is a surprising one. Also somewhat surprisng was that apparently Mark's South Beach has been 86-ed. Do we smell a recession or just a mass foodie exodus? Stay tuned.

Update: Michael Blum confirms that he's no longer in charge of the kitchen at Michael's Kitchen -- and that his name will be coming off the Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort venue shortly. "The owners of the hotel were dead set on doing things their own way. They wanted a nightclub, and I didn't want diners coming in there and being disappointed," he said in a telephone interview. It was a mutual decision, Blum says, and he continues doing the Sunny Isles Beach hotel's catering while he looks for other kitchen to call his own. Hotel management did not respond Saturday to a request for comment.

More Foodie News: Daniel Boulud Filming at Michael's Genuine

So David Bouley had issues at the Ritz Carlton South Beach, but Daniel Boulud, one of the world's most esteemed chefs, soon to open his own restaurant in downtown Miami, is filming right now at Michael's Genuine Food and Drink---a small table of about 8, including North One 10's Dewey Losasso, film crew and all, for his HD Mojo Network show, After Hours. According to our spy, Boulud also plans to film at The Standard, Sardinia and Michy's, so get ready for your close ups and remeber to chew with your mouths closed!

In News Totally Unrelated To Miami: Welcome Burgers for Posh and Becks

The U.S. hasn't been this excited for a British import since the Beatles arrived on our soil decades ago. And geez, you'd think the arrival of Posh and Becks was the second coming or something. We just got an email from a Landon Cowan, who told us "alongside throngs of photographers, reporters and deranged fans, I waited for David Beckham's arrival" at LAX. And he didn't go empty handed. "Unlike the hundreds of my cohorts, I brought hamburgers for everyone." Hey, Landon, you want to scare Posh away or something? "In the hours leading up to David Beckham's arrival, I gave away approximately 100 hamburgers to attending media and fans." This link shows Cowan's brave, selfless attempt to feed the Beckhams upon their official arrival to the US. While we don't think the Beckhams will be shilling for Burger King anytime soon, it was a nice attempt!

Looney for Clooney

So a South Beach source saw Clooney at Nobu two months ago, dining with a man, not a woman. And apparently Ocean's 13 has been long finished and screening in Cannes in a few weeks. So not sure whether Clooney actually flew his South Beach, uh, siren, to star in the  movie or not. In fact, we're not sure any of the rumor of  him dating this woman is actually true at this point.

Sorry Miss Jackson...

Which Janet Jackson do you like better, the fat or the thin version? Was there really much of a difference? Her 60 pound weight loss is dramatic, yes, but we're used to Jacko's little sis's penchant for yo yo-ing up and down. That said, Jackson was at Barton G. The Restaurant last night with her 12 dancers and four security guards eating like there was no tomorrow. Well, the dancers and body guards really went nuts. Janet, however, requested special things, like, no oil, no potatoes and no taste. Just kidding. She did well and we're proud. She didn't even dive into the jumbo ice cream sundae, instead, choosing to nibble on a lonely lil strawberry--sans chocolate. It must have been hard to resist all that food, really, and for that, we admire the newly thin Jackson for exhibiting extreme willpower. What went on behind closed doors at her suite at the Mandarin Oriental, however, is unbeknownst to us. We'll choose to believe it's all carrot and celery sticks in her mini bar.

Ruben's Sandwich

So we have been informed that oversized Idol Ruben Studdard is in town training at The Standard Hotel with celebrity trainer Adam Cronin, who escorted Studdard down the aisles at Wild Oats, telling him what and what not to eat. Perhaps all the chips and dips were for Cronin, not Studdard, then.

Idol Thoughts

Spotted in Wild Oats on Alton Road today with a "cart full of food," according to our witness, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard. Studdard said he was in Miami, "just chillin'," and when asked who he thought would win this year's stiff competition, he said either Chris or Katharine. But based on Elliot Yamin's stellar performances tonight, perhaps Kat won't be so lucky. Wait a minute. Oversized Studdard at a health food store. Wow, that's big!

Hunky Housewives star says no to dudes

Jesse Metcalfe clearly doesn't care that half his admirers happen to be GAY MEN. That's right, the Desperate  Housewives hottie, who is en route to Miami for a party at crobar Saturday night, refuses to allow men into his meet and greet. According to one of our most excellent moles, Metcalfe's rider (list of demands) with crobar states that he's only to meet and shake hands with women Saturday night and that all gay men are strictly prohibited from attending. We wonder why the comely Metcalfe doth protest too much. Hmmm.

Barking mad

Lisa Pliner, wife of shoe king Donald, had a hissy fit when she was dining at Sushi Siam on Lincoln Road with frequent Pliner model , Baby Doll Pliner, the family Maltese. Lisa ordered a salmon plate just for the dog and when a waiter caught the pampered pooch eating off the plate, he went ballistic and took the plate away screaming that dogs do not eat off plates. Lisa paid her check and left, but don't expect the Pliners to shoe up at Sushi Siam ever again. We promise you they won't.

Can't Touch this.

Yikes! Was that Star Jones dining at Touch last Saturday night? Apparently it was, albeit a liposucked version of the original portly one. She and friends ate like it was their last meal, gorging themselves on Kobe steak, 2.5 lb lobster, angus filet and washed it all down with Opus One. According to our spy, people had no clue who it was, nor did they seem to care.

Girls, he's ENGAGED!

We wonder if Matt Damon wasn't a celebrity, would girls still find him irresistable? We frankly think he's blah, not even cute along the lines of a Muppet or a Hobbit, for that matter. But whatever.

The newly engaged (read: off the market)  Damon was at Prime 112 on Saturday night with party of 6. Despite the engagement news, a group of 10 blonde bachelorettes kept coming over to the table to meet him.

According to our spy there, it was getting very irritating, especially for the staffers who couldn't turn over the table since Damon was being interrupted so often and his din din took such a long time.

Shaq's new home

Shaquille O'Neal and wife Shaunie did dinner at Grazie, the new-ish Italian eatery on South Beach last Thursday. Shaunie ate chopped salad and penne pomodoro and Shaq was good, eating just grilled chicken. Shaq and the missus loved it so much they told owner Moshe Petel that it would be their new home--ah, so that's where Shaq's moving to!

JLo and behold

spotted at the Forge last night at a girlie girl dinner party was none other than Jennifer Lopez, sans slight hubby Marc Anthony.

According to our spy witness, if you were wondering if Miss Lo was preggo, the answer is no--sort of. "Her stomach was as flat as a pin, but, girl, that ass could carry twins."

Just after the girl friend blew out her birthday candles, Miss Lo grabbed a mirror, fixed her lipstick and fled into the night, kind of as if she was expecting throngs of snappers out front clammoring to take her mug.

"Not a single paparazzi was outside," said the spy. "Not a one."

Nemo meet Neptune, part deux

Pharrell and Paulina Rubio showed up at Nemo's brunch together last week because they are working on a song together…or so he says.

Nemo, meet Neptune (and Barry Manilow, too)

Mega producer and hip hopper Pharrell Williams loves the brunch at Nemo. He goes every Sunday and loads up on pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith’s amazing white chocolate banana bread pudding, and is always with gorgeous girls. We hear Barry Manilow happened to be there last Sunday brunch as well, and loved the Wok Charred Wild King Salmon – he visited the buffet twice for seconds. Could it be magic?