CHEF ASIF IN THE SPOTLIGHT AGAIN

Naples’ own celebrity chef heads to the James Beard House Nov. 16.

BY CHELLE KOSTER WALTON / Gulfshore Life

First it was various stints on the Food Network, including a victory over Bobby Flay with his tandoori chicken. Now Chef Asif Syed from 21 Spices by Chef Asif in East Naples is making headlines with an invitation from the James Beard House in New York to prepare a dinner for around 70 guests on Nov. 16.

Syed established a relationship with the James Beard Foundation through the NaplesNEXT event last March, where the Beard House curated a dinner and Syed served seafood curry from his restaurant’s progressive East Indian repertoire.