Fresh off his success at the James Beard House in New York City, Chef Doug Ruley of SoDel Concepts headed off to Napa Valley, Calif., to participate in Bouchaine Vineyards' Chef Series Sept. 30. Bouchaine, the oldest continuously operating winery in the Carneros District, is owned by Gerret and Tatiana Copeland of Wilmington. Coastal residents and visitors who couldn't make the wine dinner shouldn't despair. On Thursday, Oct. 26, beginning at 6 p.m., Ruley and wine director Mike Zygmonski will recreate the Bouchaine dinner at Bluecoast Seafood Grill + Raw Bar in Rehoboth Beach.
Read MoreFor the fourth time, Doug Ruley, executive chef for SoDel Concepts, has been asked to cook at the James Beard House in New York, which puts him in a tie for the most times a chef has cooked at the former home of cookbook author and TV personality James Beard. The dinner, a salute to Delmarva, is scheduled for 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15, in the Greenwich Village townhouse.
Read MoreScott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts, recently announced the promotion of Meghan King to the position of director of training and development for the hospitality group, which has 10 restaurants along the coast and The Clubhouse at Baywood in Long Neck. King was previously the general manager of Lupo Italian Kitchen, SoDel's Italian restaurant in Rehoboth Beach.
Read MoreThe Milton Historical Society announced that Chef Maurice Catlett from Matt's Fish Camp Lewes will participate in the second annual King Cole Cannery Celebrity Chef Cookoff and Basket Raffle fundraiser set for 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Milton Fire Hall.
Read MoreAs far as company-wide activities go, SoDel Concepts’ Summer Softball Showdown, held July 19 at Sports at the Beach in Georgetown, was a home run. More than 120 of the hospitality group’s employees signed up for the draft, which resulted in six teams. This year, Yellow Fever, led by Kris Medford, took home the trophy.
Read MoreLupo Italian Kitchen in Rehoboth Beach is one of six restaurants in Delaware to win a 2017 Wine Spectator Award. "Restaurants continue to raise their game when it comes to wine, and we are particularly proud to present this year's winners," said Marvin R. Shank, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. Lupo, one of SoDel Concepts' 10 coastal Delaware restaurants, received an Award of Excellence for its well-chosen assortment of quality producers and a thematic match to the menu in price and style.
Read MoreAs many stories go around these parts, Chef Chris Parks found his way to SoDel Concepts thanks to the area’s small-town feel. A few years ago, Parks and his wife, Korin Miller, a writer, along with their oldest son Miles, now 4, were looking to relocate to the Delaware beach area having grown out of their small New York City apartment. One thing led to another, Parks interviewed with the late Matt Haley in 2014 and Parks started anew with SoDel.
Read MoreThe Rehoboth Beach–Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce welcomed Bluecoast Seafood Grill & Raw Bar to the resort community with a ribbon cutting June 26.
Read MoreSen. Chris Coons recently visited Bluecoast Seafood Grill & Raw Bar to meet the staff and tour the new restaurant, which was built from the ground up on Route 1 near the entrance to downtown Rehoboth Beach.
Read MoreSoDel Cares, the philanthropic arm of SoDel Concepts, recently donated $2,500 to the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, part of a global organization of business and professional leaders providing humanitarian services in their communities.
Read MoreThe Clubhouse at Baywood, a full-service restaurant and banquet facility in Baywood Greens, recently hosted a Delaware Perfect Wedding Guide networking event for wedding professionals.
Read MoreLast weekend, two long-awaited restaurants—Bluecoast Seafood Grill & Raw Bar and The Vineyard Bar & Bistro—debuted in Rehoboth Beach. Located on Route 1 near the new Fresh Market and Bed Bath and Beyond, Bluecoast is the 10th restaurant under the SoDel Concepts umbrella and the second Bluecoast in the group. The first, situated in North Bethany Beach, is SoDel’s flagship restaurant and the business on which SoDel’s founder, Matt Haley, built a culinary empire along the coast.
Read MoreLast week I got a sneak peek at the soon-to-open Bluecoast Rehoboth in Gateway center - the 10th of SoDel Concepts’ owned and operated restaurants in Coastal Delaware. The simplicity of the all-white structure follows you through the double doors and into the 4,500-square-foot restaurant. Sparkling white kitchen tile is reinforced by whitewashed woods and white window frames that reach up to the soaring, open-plan ceiling. The kitchen is a chef’s dream, with roomy prep stations, sparkling new equipment and a walk-in refrigerator that’s bigger than many Manhattan apartments.
Read MoreThe new Bluecoast Seafood Grill & Raw Bar, scheduled to open in early June on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach, has been built from the ground up, but the faces in the kitchen will be familiar to SoDel Concepts' longtime customers. The veteran chefs represent some of the finest in the SoDel Concepts hospitality group, which owns Bluecoast and nine other restaurants.
Read MoreSoDel Cares, the philanthropic arm of SoDel Concepts, donated $10,000 to The Freeman Stage at Bayside, an open-air performing arts venue near Fenwick Island that is celebrating its 10th season.The Freeman Stage is part of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, which also brings arts education to southern Delaware.
Read MoreThis year, Lupo Italian Kitchen in Rehoboth Beach, Bluecoast Seafood Grill in Bethany Beach and Catch 54 in Fenwick Island will feature a lavish brunch that aptly salutes these spring holidays. Easter is April 16; Mother's Day is May 14. Brunch on Easter and Mother's Day is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lupo and Catch 54, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bluecoast. To make reservations, call Lupo at 302-226-2240, Bluecoast at 302-539-7111 or Catch 54 at 302-436-8600.
Read MoreSoDel Concepts' foundation, SoDel Cares, recently donated $4,000 to the Food Bank of Delaware. The hospitality company presented the check when students from the nonprofit's culinary program visited SoDel Concepts' offices in downtown Rehoboth Beach. The culinary program is part of the Food Bank's mission to find long-term solutions to end hunger and poverty. The training encourages under- and unemployed Delawareans to find jobs in the food service industry, which currently has a high demand for skilled labor.
Read MoreScott Kammerer, president of Rehoboth Beach-based SoDel Concepts, recently announced the recipients of the company’s Shining Star awards for the first quarter of 2017. The recognition is given to employees who are committed to cultivating a positive work environment and giving guests a memorable dining experience. The general manager at each restaurant selects the award recipient, who receives a $250 bonus and certificate.
Read MoreFrequent diners at SoDel Concepts’ nine restaurants have circled March on their calendars. Each restaurant is featuring a dessert made with Girl Scout Cookies. The public is invited to sample all the creations and vote for their favorite Thursday, March 30, at NorthEast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View. SoDel Concepts purchases 1,000 boxes of cookies to make the desserts. “Each restaurant gets a certain flavor,” said Doug Ruley, corporate chef for SoDel Concepts. “The chefs and their teams come up with a recipe that complements the cuisine.”
Read MoreScott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts, recently announced the promotion of Raul Rodriguez to executive chef at Fish On, 17300 N. Village Main Blvd., Lewes. “Raul has so much talent,” Kammerer said. “He’s as considerate to his staff as he is creative in the kitchen. He’s such a nice person.”
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