Three years ago, chefs Frank Imbarlina and Mellissa Louty teamed up under the moniker Two Chefs on Hillview and started dishing up delightful delicacies to a devoted following of Sarasota foodies. The pair had each spent decades in the restaurant industry before opening their own businesses. Louty was offering catering services as well as making wholesale breads and desserts for local restaurants, while Imbarlina was producing artisan charcuterie items and smoked fish products for wholesale distribution.

“That’s how Frank and I met. We were both renting the same space for our wholesaling businesses,” Louty explains. “Our businesses were growing and we wanted to have our own place. So we were really just looking for space to do our wholesale businesses and catering for me. And then we found this spot on Hillview and with the location we thought it would be fun to have a little store, too.”

Having a storefront in addition to their wholesale businesses gave Imbarlina and Louty the opportunity to flex their culinary creativity. In addition to their wholesale items, the chefs also offered an array of other items including soups, sauces, and quiches whose flavors varied from day to day. Over the next few years, they built up a loyal local following. But in February of 2024, catastrophe struck when the cost of their property insurance skyrocketed by over $30,000. Imbarlina and Louty were forced to shutter their beloved business with no warning. Thanks to the generosity of the culinary community in Sarasota, the Two Chefs on Hillview have managed to keep the business going.

“We’re moving around from kitchen to kitchen each week,” Imbarlina says. “It’s rough, but we have good friends who have rallied behind us and made it possible to keep going. We’re doing anything we can right now to keep the brand alive while we’re looking for a new spot.”

In their more limited capacity, Two Chefs on Hillview are still able to offer plenty of customer favorites. Charcuterie boards remain a top priority. Imbarlina prepares pates, rillettes, confits and spreads for the True Charcuterie Arrangements, while Mellissa makes the bread. Mixed Arrangements including charcuterie and bread, along with extras like cheese, fruit and homemade accompaniments like creole mustard, and pear and ginger marmalade. There are a wide array of other arrangements to choose from including various Dessert Arrangements featuring artisan desserts by Louty.

Two Chefs also provides full-service catering, offering everything from multi-course sitdown dinners to 200-person cocktail parties with passed hors d’oeuvres or grazing tables. They offer some unique bites, like WonTon Cones stuffed with savory and tangy orange beef.

“A lot of people are used to working with other caterers that just send over a standard menu,” Louty says. “We like to talk to our clients and find out what their event is about and what they’re looking for as far as food. Then we customize the menu and send it to them and work with them to build exactly what they want.”

Two Chefs has also resurrected Bootsy’s Pot Pies, a favorite from the old storefront. Customers can call in pre-orders for pot pies which will be delivered once a month. Flavors are posted on the Two Chefs on Hillview Facebook page. Louty also continues to offer all of her baked goods, including her signature key lime pie and visually stunning custom cakes.

One of the things both Imbarlina and Louty enjoyed most about their storefront was having a place to host public cooking classes. They have adapted to that setback as well, and are offering private classes for the time being. As they look for a new storefront, one with a space for cooking classes is high up on their priority list. But finding a space has proved daunting, and despite their resiliency, the pair could use a lucky break.

“We need to find a space,” Imbarlina says simply.

Two Chefs on Hillview, (941) 210-3535, chefs@twochefsonhillview.com, twochefsonhillview.com. 

Pictured: Level up your next event with a charcuterie spread from Two Chefs on Hillview. Photo courtesy of Two Chefs on Hillview.

Calling all neon enthusiasts! Take a trip back to where jean jackets, big hair, and neon colors ruled the runway as The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is hosting a double-feature laser light spectacular on Thursday, July 11th, that transports you back to the 80s. Bishop After Hours: 80s Night kicks things off at 7pm. Dust off your leg warmers and crimping iron because it’s a night of dazzling lasers synchronized to the iconic beats of the 80s. Get ready for a blast from the past with hits from Kenny Loggins, U2, Prince, B-52s, and more! Grab some refreshments and get ready for the second show at 9pm, featuring hits from the Police, Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, Devo, and More! If you favor the show Stranger Things, you may recognize some of the songs as this mesmerizing laser show is set to season 2’s unforgettable score. This is a double feature you won’t want to miss! Tickets are sure to sell out fast, so grab your friends and get ready for a totally tubular and mind-bending night at The Bishop. Feel free to wear your best 80s outfits and get ready to rock! 

To learn more, visit.

Christmas came early this year with new shows added to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 2024-2025 season lineup. Shows just announced include Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll Part VI (November 7), Dave Koz and Friends 2024 Christmas Tour (December 1), The Four Phantoms in Concert (December 18), and Top Of The World – A Carpenters Christmas Show (December 20). Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12, at 10 a.m. EDT. 

https://www.vanwezel.org/

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that Alice Court (Boca Grande / Toronto), Tim Flood (Manasota Key), and Peter Offringa (Sarasota) have been elected to the Hermitage Board of Trustees. In addition, longtime Hermitage supporters and Sarasota arts philanthropists Charlie Huisking (Sarasota) and Flora Major (New York / Sarasota) have been unanimously elected as the Hermitage’s first Honorary Trustees. All five commenced their term on July 1, 2024. Earlier this season, past Hermitage trustees Larry Bold (Manasota Key), Tom Dignam (Englewood), and Andy Maass (Longboat Key) were recognized by the Hermitage as Emeritus Trustees.These additions to the Hermitage Board follow a remarkable season that has included more than 55 live programs and events, dozens of new and expanded arts and education partnerships in the community, and another record-breaking fiscal year.