Herald-Tribune entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts does a brilliant job covering Sarasota's vibrant restaurant and music scenes, and his wide-ranging expertise is on full display in his Sunday cover story, "Sarasota’s only Michelin Bib Gourmand chef shares his story."
In his story, Jimmy interviewed Mark Majorie, the visionary chef and co-founder of the Sarasota restaurant Lucky 8, which recently received the area's sole Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.
That's prestigious stuff in the restaurant industry – and well worth a Q-and-A with Jimmy on his cover story.
Q. People are fascinated by chefs and what drives their passion. So what was your approach in interviewing the chef of a Sarasota Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant?
Talking about the Michelin
recognition and its effect on the restaurant – and the Sarasota dining scene at large – was a natural opening point for discussion.
So was Lucky 8's concept, which takes inspiration from Mark Majorie's New Orleans upbringing, where his culinary influences ranged from family dinners to the city's Vietnamese community.
Q. What are the biggest takeaways from this story that you hope will stick with readers?
Besides learning more about Majorie and his background, hopefully this will be a nice change of pace for readers about a restaurant that – between the Michelin recognition and obtaining its liquor license – had reasons to be busy even during the Sarasota area's off-season, when most restaurants are considerably less busy.
Q. What’s the next potential chapter in this story?
As Majorie told me, there are plenty of other local restaurants that – should Michelin choose to return to the area next year and expand its view from its initial three choices – would warrant recognition as well.
Jimmy Geurts is an entertainment reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, covering events, restaurants, music, movies, television and more. He can be reached at: jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com.
Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Behind the story: A Q-and-A with Jimmy Geurts on Lucky 8 in Sarasota
