Celebrate the holidays with Carpaccio, Le Zoo and Makoto

Carpaccio’s Ossobuco is a holiday season staple.

Since holiday meal-planning can be an anxiety-inducing endeavor, we thought it would be fun to check in with a few of Bal Harbour Shops’ most beloved chefs to share how they prepare for the holiday. Read on for insider tips, tricks and endless inspiration. These chefs may not show up to help you in your kitchen, but they will happily welcome you to one of their tables.

By Tali Minor

Chef Manuel Paucar, Carpaccio

What is your favorite dish to prepare during the holiday season and why?
Ossobuco. It’s a hearty dish that’s good for the winter season—especially when paired with a great Cabernet!

Is there something special you’re adding to your restaurant menu for the season?
Yes, some extra pasta dishes with a twist on the Bolognese sauce, as well as Pappardelle with a short rib reduction and also a bone in rib-eye steak, timely for some cold weather.

When entertaining at home, what is one of the first things you think about?
Entertaining at home is music by Luis Miguel, red wine, comfort food, cheese and various cold cuts.

Is there a particular beverage you like to enjoy and/or serve for the holidays?
A great Cabernet, preferably from Napa Valley.

Let’s talk about dessert. What’s your favorite sweet indulgence?
Lava chocolate cake and ice cream.

Chef Julian Alexander Baker, Le Zoo

What is your favorite dish to prepare during the holiday season and why?
It’s all about the turkey challenge. Let’s be honest, we only really eat turkey once a year so the expectations for a moist bird are always set high and the disappointment of getting it wrong—well, that’s a conversation for a whole year ahead.

Tell us about Le Zoo’s Thanksgiving menu this year. What are some dishes we can expect to see and what is your thought process behind the creation of this special menu?
It’s all about keeping things traditional. I love a traditional roast, flavors and colors of the season. The color alone of the butternut squash soup we make says Thanksgiving to me. Plus, it’s so comforting. The textures of the sage and onion dressing we make, looking for the crispy corners on our baked dishes… these really are holiday flavors.

When entertaining at home, what is one of the first things you think about?
For any occasion when entertaining at home it’s about the planning. Proper planning enables you to spend as much time as possible at the table with friends and family without sacrificing the quality of the food.

Is there a particular beverage you like to enjoy and/or serve for the holidays?
Baileys Irish cream makes the holidays.

Let’s talk about dessert. What’s your favorite sweet indulgence?
Steamed sticky toffee pudding with grated nutmeg is truly decadent!

Chef Will Trover, Makoto

What is your favorite dish to prepare during the holiday season and why?
I enjoy cooking Prime Rib because it is what I enjoyed during my childhood Christmases and it always brings back fond family memories.

Is there something special you’re adding to your restaurant menu for the season?
I am adding Peking Salmon to our menu this Holiday season and I’m very excited about it. It is our take on Peking duck which I always remember from “A Christmas Story” when they burned the duck and then went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant. This dish takes the classic Peking duck and applies it to a whole fish with all the traditional accompaniments.

When entertaining at home, what is one of the first things you think about?
For me it is all about the menu. I always like to go very traditional around this time of year but make sure that I have plenty of appetizers ready because I always seem to be running late.

Is there a particular beverage you like to enjoy and/or serve for the holidays?
Growing up, it was a family tradition to start off the day with Mimosas and I’m proud to say I continue that today. As the day progresses, I tend to enjoy some bourbon on the rocks.

Let’s talk about dessert. What’s your favorite sweet indulgence?
There is only one answer to this: Pecan Pie—only to be made by Mom.

Makoto just introduced Peking salmon to its holiday menu, as well as two new mochi flavors: Seoul Cookie (cinnamon and persimmon) and Hojicha (toasted green tea with hints of cocoa and caramel).