Wednesday, July 12, 7:00 pm
Members $125, guests $155

Every summer, food lovers up and down the eastern seaboard wait for local crabs to slip into something a little more comfortable, so to speak. As they grow, the crustaceans shed their hard shells, revealing for a short while a soft, pliable, and—after a quick turn on the grill or in a sauté pan—absolutely delicious version of themselves. To help us celebrate one of the most precious moments of the culinary calendar year, chef James Wierzelewski of Vix in Miami Beach’s Hotel Victor will be preparing a softshell-focused menu at the Beard House.

Wierzelewski, who spent several years cooking in Thailand and Malaysia, where the warm waters are home to crabs that molt all year long, has had considerable experience in preparing these delicious crustaceans—and he can’t wait to share his expertise. Over the course of his globetrotting career, this chef has made his mark: he won a Golden Siam award in 1993 for culinary mastery at Ma Maison, considered among the best restaurants in Thailand, and in 1996 he was honored with a Bonlac Great Chefs of Asia award for his work at Lafite in Kuala Lumpur. In all, he has planned and managed the opening of 12 restaurants, including Aria in his native Chicago, which Chicago magazine named one of the city’s top restaurants.

Since Vix opened in February 2005, Wierzelewski’s overseas training has informed every aspect of his work (the chef even likes to refer to himself as a modern-day Marco Polo). Victoria Pesce Elliott of Food & Wine wrote that Wierzelewski has “crafted an inspired global menu that’s attracting serious food lovers.” The Sun Post’s Mark Goldberg placed Vix at the top of his 2005 list of Miami’s Top 10 Restaurants, proclaiming that Wierzelewski “opens a new vista in culinary WOW.” Lee Klein of the Miami New Times agreed, naming the restaurant “one of the finest dining destinations on the Beach.”