Chef Dean James Max In the Kitchen At Cheeca Lodge

After a fire closed the place down 11 months ago, Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada is about to debut with a new look and taste, announcing Chef Dean James Max as the resort's "Concept Chef." A James Beard "Great Regional Chef of America," Max will add his signature Modern American Seafood spin--the same one that had critics raving at 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale where last year's Hell's Kitchen finalist Paula DaSilva is the chef de cuisine—to Cheeca's culinary darling, Atlantic's Edge. Also coming to Cheeca, Nikai Sushi, originally developed by the resort's owners in Jackson Hole, featuring the raw goods and over 35 kinds of sake. [EaterWire]