A few moments ago I emailed the participants for tomorrow’s SJO Pop-Up Restaurant with the final details they needed to know. They already knew the date and time: Saturday, March 24,  at 6:30 p.m. And earlier this week I announced that our chefs will be two James Beard Award nominees, Hari Pulapaka of Cress in Deland and Henry Salgado of Spanish River Grill in New Smyrna Beach. But they only just now learned the location.

I’m excited to tell you that our pop-up restaurant will be at Gary’s Seafood Specialties, 721 W. Amelia St., Orlando, about a block west of the old Amway Arena. (Guests can get a last look at the arena when they drive by; it’s scheduled to be imploded the following morning.) Our “dining room” will be the processing room where fish are cleaned and filleted and boxed to be sent to the restaurants. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to learn about the journey our food takes on the way to the table.

Gary’s is one of the largest providers of seafood to restaurants in Central Florida and around the country. What most people don’t know is that Gary’s is also a purveyor of such specialty items as Kobe beef, Kurobuta pork, truffles, infused salts, vinegars, foie gras, game birds, caviar and cheeses. Attendees will have a chance to see everything Saturday on tours of the facility.

They’ll have a chance to taste much of it, too — all of the menu ingredients will come from Gary’s.

I’m also pleased to tell you that the wines will be from Vibrant Rioja, the award-wining wine region of Spain. 

The dinner is sold out.

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