Chef
Weingarten – Alice for those of us who have had
the fortunate experience of tasting the magic she creates – started
her culinary odyssey at fifteen-and-a-half washing dishes at the
Picnic Basket in New Hope, Pennsylvania. She grew up in a home
where her mother always kept a two-pound tin of Beluga in the fridge.
At 17, Gourmet Magazine ran her fabulous Carrot Cake recipe and
then it was off to Hyde Park, New York for formal training at the
venerable Culinary Institute of America. After three years there,
she left for a three-month internship and found herself in Key
West.
In August of 1999 Alice made the decision to close the highly successful
Alice’s on Duval. Bart Hofford, who had been totally captivated
by Alice’s cuisine on his first visit to her restaurant and quickly
became one of her best customers, joined with Alice to open Alice’s
at La Te Da in September of 1999.
Among her accolades, Alice has been chosen as one of three Chefs from
Key West to prepare dinner at the prestigious James Beard Foundation
in July 2000. Being asked to prepare a dinner at the James Beard Foundation
has long been seen as the single highest honor an American Chef can
achieve. In addition, Alice has the distinction of being awarded the
Chef of the Month in South Florida for August 1999, one of the seven
top hotel Chefs in South Florida in August 2001 and one of the very
elite top ten Chefs in South Florida 1999 by South Florida Gourmet.
Alice’s at La Te Da continued its success in 2000 by being named
a “Fodors Choice” by Fodors and receiving the Zagat Award
of Excellence from Zagat. Alice’s has received these distinctions
every year for the past four years. In October 2001 Chef Weingarten
was made an Honorary Faculty Member Distinguished Visiting Chef by
Johnson & Wales University, North Miami Florida Campus. In the
December 8, 2002 issue of the “New York Times”, Alice’s
at La te da was named “a top pick for the season.” And
in the January 12, 2003 edition of the Orlando Sentinel, Scott Joseph
mentioned that “Key West is getting quite a reputation for its
fine cuisine. Alice's at La te da is one of the reasons."
In 2003 Alice’s was named a DiRona Restaurant, a highly sought
after designation given to only 750 restaurants throughout North America – Canada,
the United States and Mexico. In addition, in 2003 the North American
Restaurant Association gave Alice’s it highest rating – Five
Star Award of Excellence.
In December 2003, Chef Alice and Bart moved it’s highly successful
Alice’s back home to it’s former residence at 1114 Duval
Street, renaming it Alice’s Key West.
The air-conditioned room is lined with windows. The room is beautifully
colorful. The bar is comfortable, friendly and a great place for watching
people walk by on Duval Street. There is a private room in the back
and soon Ali Bar behind the restaurant.
To
truly Taste Key West, although
it is mostly a locals restaurant, one shouldn't visit Key West without
experiencing the dining experience at Alice's Key West Restaurant.
