Louis Robinson of Spice

Every third Monday evening of the month, independent chef Louis Robinson of Sarasota’s Spice hosts a popup restaurant at Baker & Wife. The California-raised Robinson, who draws inspiration from various global cuisines, offers everything from private dinners to home cooking demonstrations and menu planning services through Spice. Having a permanent home at Baker & Wife is a thrilling new development for Robinson. The next dinner is at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 and tickets are $45 apiece (purchase at spiceflorida.com/events). 

Q: What is your daily schedule like as a local, independent chef?

A: A workday could consist of creating menus for future popups or for a private dinner. I might be writing recipes for a cookbook I am working on, shopping at the local markets for a dinner, or traveling to a client’s house to cook. I offer menu consulting, personal chef work and food styling. I enjoy the flexibility and being able to network with a lot of awesome people. 

Q: What is the latest news with the Spice popup?

A: I suppose my company, Spice, is most synonymous with my popup restaurant. A popup restaurant is a temporary restaurant that opens for one night and often features really special food that you cannot find at a normal restaurant. The Spice popup is now at Baker & Wife at 7 p.m. every third Monday of the month. The menu will change every month, but it will usually have a central theme and feature some really exciting dishes. This month is our relaunch party to celebrate our new home and it will feature a “Taste the Caribbean” menu full of bold island flavors. And since this is our relaunch party, we are selling tickets at a super discount of only $45 (our normal popup price is $75 to $100, depending on the menu). There will be live music there and a free drink included in the ticket price. 

Q: What are some of your signature dishes?

A: Well, I never repeat a menu and I think that is what really makes my dinners special. At the moment, I am really excited about the dessert for my January 16 popup: a Caribbean-spiced kumquat upside-down cake with coconut anglaise. Being able to take our beautiful, seasonal Florida kumquats and marry them with warm Caribbean spices is a beautiful thing. 

Q: How would you describe your personal cooking style?

A: I would say modern Latin-Caribbean. My style is unique because I work with a lot of really bright, bold flavors, and I elevate them with modern techniques and presentations. I try to let the ingredients speak for themselves. I believe one of the true marks of a great chef is being able to use restraint. Maybe a dish only has four components but those components are treated in such a way that the flavors, textures and visual appearance work in perfect harmony. Simplicity can be complex when it comes to cooking. 

Q: What are your future culinary goals?

A: In the next five years, I would like to expand my popup restaurant to other parts of the country and even do some overseas. I would like to work with chefs that inspire me and just continue to cook great food. Of course, opening a restaurant would be awesome but the situation would have to be perfect, as I would only like to open one where I could really do the special food that I enjoy cooking so much. At the end of the day, if I can make people happy with my food, I am satisfied. 

Farm-Fresh Red Snapper Ceviche  

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh red snapper (skin removed)

1 large watermelon radish, thinly cut

1 English cucumber, cut into small pieces

15 cherry tomatoes, quartered

15 mini tomatillos, quartered

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

1 serrano pepper

2 cups fresh orange juice

4 limes, juiced

2 Meyer lemons, juiced

2 limes, zested

2 Meyer lemons, zested

3 tablespoons agave nectar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sunflower shoots, for garnish

Salt, to taste

Method:

Combine the orange, lime and lemon juices with the agave nectar, olive oil and serrano pepper in a blender. Blend on high until everything is smooth and combined, season with salt, and place the mixture in the refrigerator. Cut the fish into small, uniform cubes and place them in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients (except for the radish). Pour the chilled, blended liquid over the fish and vegetables, and mix well to combine. Chill the mixture for at least an hour. Check for seasoning before serving and add salt if needed. To serve, place several slices of radish on the plate and a large spoonful of ceviche on top. Garnish with sunflower shoots. 

Spice's contact info is 941-739-5913; louis@spiceflorida.com, spiceflorida.com. Baker & Wife is at 2157 Siesta Drive, Sarasota. 941-960-1765; bakerwife.com