Guest Chef Jeff Pfeiffer Makes his Debut at River Yacht Club

Photos By Jason Hesch

River Yacht Club (RYC) is a unique and visionary waterfront restaurant in the heart of the burgeoning historic Miami River District. A lifestyle destination that combines gastronomy, entertainment, maritime activities and art into one special retreat for all urbanites. Come dine in a stunning outdoor garden & lounge setting and watch boats anchor to its own marina on premise.

From its inception, River Yacht Club has centered its culinary philosophy on seasonally driven menus executed by an all-star roster of chefs-in-residents to bring a fresh new perspective to the gastronomy of the waterfront restaurant. This innovative and creative approach elevates its epicurean profile to an exacting culinary ideology and standard. This spring RYC is announcing Chef Pfeiffer to be their featured guest chef.

Chef Pfeiffer joins an impressive list of stellar past chefs including Michael Lewis; award winning chef, Christopher Rendell; Chef Alex Chang, whose many accolades include a Star Chef’s 2016 Rising Star nod; and Chef Giacomo Pettinari.

Chef Pfeiffer’s philosophy of simplicity as the key to the most satisfying of dishes, brings together his knowledge of seafood and refined French cooking techniques. He plans to create a sea-centric menu as he finds ocean’s bounty to be the most rewarding and healthy source of nourishment. Bringing classic food steeped in history, technique and familiar flavors Pfeiffer aims to provide an experience where guests will take away a memory of happiness and an unforgettable meal in the beautiful surroundings of the Miami River.

Chef Pfeiffer, who’s passion for gastronomy began at the young age of 15, holds many years of experience having worked under world-renowned chefs such as Christian Delouvrier, Eric Ripert and Joel Antunes, among others. His culinary career first launched in Atlanta, where he worked at restaurants including Brasserie Le Coze and Joel, as well as Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s Bistro Niko, where he was the Chef de Cuisine under Gary Donlick. In 2008, Pfeiffer moved to Miami and worked with Four-Star Chef Christian Delouvrier at La Goulue and later went on to assist with the opening of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s Lobster Bar Sea Grille in Ft. Lauderdale, where he has been the Executive Chef since the restaurant’s inception in 2013.

Soup: Alaskan king crab salad in a gazpacho andalous, with tomato confit and basil. This chill soup really hit the spot. The puree gazpacho goes down smoothly. Decorated with a thin slice of cucumber and a preserved tomato.

Starters: Grilled octopus with pickled red onions, ceriganola olives drowsed with red wine vinaigrette. Thai coconut mussels in a coconut-lemongrass broth, paired with candied shiitake mushrooms, slice of lime, and garnished with cilantro. A cocktail sorbet of oysters and sasanian ghost chili infused caviar. Mussels are one of my favorite meals and this one was no exception, being thick and sweet. The succulent oysters were  as fresh as can be.

Second course: Pernod flambé salt crusted wild striped bass in a lemon extra virgin olive oil sauce garnished with capers. Poached monkfish nicoise topped with fresno chile, thin beans, tomato, olives, and peppers, served with a local herb salad. Scallops provencal with a basil puree underneath, drizzle with lemon-oil, and a tomato brûlée. Pepper-crusted yellowfin tuna au poivre sitting on a potato confit, topped with roasted maitake mushrooms and in a green peppercorn sauce. The dishes were very flavorful, light and a wide range of seafood options.

Sides: Fingerling potatoes with romesco sauce.  Tuscan kale with lemon vinaigrette.

Dessert: A 64% Peruvian single origin warm chocolate tart made and served with dulce de leche ice cream surrounded with peanut and chocolate crumbles. Strawberry vacherin. a meringue as the centerpiece filled with a strawberry jam sorbet laying on a citron custard. Amazing desserts that are divine once again, especially the chocolate tart, so light and airy on the inside

River Yacht Club is located at 401 SW 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33130. Hours of operation are: Tuesday-Thursday (Open for Lunch and Dinner) 12:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.; Friday-Saturday (Open for Lunch and Dinner) 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.; Sunday (Brunch) 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. For additional information, visit: www.RiverYachtClub.com