Valentine's at Swallowtail - featuring Chefs Rebecca Reed & Mimi Lan -- *NO DIETARY ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE*
**PLEASE NOTE—DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS MENU, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ANY DIETARY RESTRICTIONS. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, thank you!
Join chefs Rebecca Reed and Mimi Lan, for an exquisite French-Vietnamese menu sure to inspire romance and warmth. Their menu will be filled with flavors from both classic Vietnamese comfort cooking and from the rich, buttery cuisine of French pastry scenes.
About Chef Rebecca Reed:
Chef Rebecca Reed has always been passionate about pastries. But it wasn’t until 2009, after receiving a Sociology degree from Wingate University, that she knew it would be her career.
Following this calling, she moved to New York City to study at the French Culinary Institute. While there, Rebecca studied under some of the most respected names in the culinary industry. However, it was Rebecca’s drive and creativity that earned her a Master of Pastry Arts degree with Honors. After graduating from the FCI, Rebecca continued her New York education at Locanda Verde under the tutelage of James Beard Award winning chef, Karen Demasco. While at Locanda, the restaurant earned many accolades, including a nomination for Best New Restaurant in the country, as well as best dessert honors from New York Magazine, The New York Times, and Bon Appetite.
After New York, Rebecca returned to her Southern roots as the Pastry Chef at Aspen Grille in Myrtle Beach, SC. An Opentable Top 100 American Fare Restaurant, Rebecca wowed the Grand Strand with her fresh take on the classics. She even won the Lee Brother’s Certified South Carolina Holiday Recipe Contest for her Sweet Potato Crème Brulee with Cinnamon Whipped Cream.
Traveling farther south, she then took the Pastry Chef Position with M Hospitality Group at Matthew’s Restaurant. Rebecca brought her unique flair and classic French training to the fine-dining scene of Jacksonville, with a whimsical style that makes her beautifully crafted desserts look more like works of art. But don’t worry, these artistic creations can, and should, be eaten! Here, Chef Rebecca established the sweet side of the Matthews Cooking School, where home bakers could learn the tricks of her trade thanks to her interactive classes. In 2016, while still at Matthews, she helped open neighborhood favorite Rue Saint Marc as their Pastry Chef. There she showcased freshly baked breads as well as more casual, yet deliciously decadent desserts. This included her flavorful macarons, which received praise in a Food and Wine article about the Jacksonville food scene.
Chef Rebecca relocated to Black Sheep Restaurant Group as their Corporate Pastry Chef in 2018. She enjoyed overseeing the pastry programs at Black Sheep, Orsay, and Bellwether. Through her passion for leadership, this new platform will allowed her to utilize her bold flavors, Southern roots, and whimsical style to captivate a new audience at some of the First Coast’s most popular dining establishments.
Motivated to shine a light on the happenings of the Jacksonville food scene and to prove to herself that she can complete on a national level, Chef Rebecca was a contestant on Chopped Sweets on the Food Network in 2020 and came home with the title of Chopped Sweets Champion. This experience whet her appetite for tv appearances. She went on to be a competitor on The Dr Seuss Baking Challenge on Prime where she was a finalist and received praise for her pallet and artistic style as she was dubbed the ‘flavor queen’ by the judges.
Chef Rebecca continues to bring her sweetness to the Jacksonville area through food centric collaborations, and cooking classes. Stay tuned for what she will be dishing up next!
https://www.chefrebeccareed.com/
About Chef Mimi Lan:
Chef Mimi Lan is a Michelin-trained personal & popup dinner chef who curates thoughtful, immersive dining experiences with story-telling to connect with people and bridge the gap of understanding between different cultures.
Her culinary repertoire spans the globe, drawing inspiration from both time-honored traditions and modern innovations. While my Vietnamese-American heritage is reflected in her mastery of classic Vietnamese cuisine, she is equally skilled at creating dishes that feature a tapestry of various international cuisines. As an avid traveler and contributor to @WorldofMouth, the trusted restaurant guide powered by culinary experts, chef Mimi’s palate is constantly challenged and refined by the world's finest dining experiences.
Chef Mimi’s culinary journey has given her the opportunity to apprentice at Michelin-starred kitchens such as in New York (Per Se) and Bangkok (Gaggan), where she honed my skills alongside culinary masters. She continue to deepen her expertise through private lessons at award-winning global restaurants in food destination cities such as Hong Kong, Paris, Saigon, Hoi An, Shanghai, Rome, Chicago, Barcelona, and Portugal, to name a few- to ensure that her techniques and creations remain at the forefront of the culinary world.
Embracing a philosophy of "eat local, think global," chef Mimi prioritizes premium, locally-sourced ingredients to create dishes bursting with freshness and flavor, while incorporating global inspirations to traditional dishes for a truly unique dining experience.
IG @thetastecurator
