Miami Beach, FL (January 12, 2012)

There’s a new chef in town! Essensia Restaurant at The Palms Hotel & Spa welcomes new Signature Chef Julie Frans. Chef Julie hails from sunny San Diego where for six years she owned and operated Dining Details, a full-service catering company and chef agency specializing on unique dining experience with a healthy and organic twist.

With the addition of Chef Julie, The Palms continues to embrace and evolve Essensia’s fundamental culinary concept of ‘natural gourmet dining’. Truly dedicated to following a farm-to-table approach, Essensia’s new menu items are inventive, healthy and flavorful. It is a varied seasonal selection of global cuisine made with premium ingredients and locally sourced produce, meats and seafood.

“We are very excited to have Julie on board,” said Corporate General Manager Hamid Abdulhafid. “Her passion for food, health, and sustainability is completely in line with Essensia’s philosophy and The Palms’ mission to being environmentally responsible.”

A few standout menu items include Calabaza & Caramelized Fennel Soup served with cumin spiced Greek yogurt and spiced pepitas; South Beach Ceviche with Local Grouper (GF/DF) featuring citrus cured local grouper, tropical fruit, red bell pepper, Asian pear, Serrano chile, and cilantro served with plantain chips; Duck Confit, Roasted Beets and Shaved Apple Salad featuring watercress, local Florida Sunshine Bleu Cheese, toasted hazelnuts with a walnut-cinnamon pear vinaigrette; Latin Mojo Spiced Local Wahoo (GF/DF) served with roasted tomatillo puree, charred corn salsa, green basmati rice, cumin and lime roasted baby squash; Braised Black Cod in Kombu Miso Broth served with soba noodles, stir fry veggies and Asian greens, blistered tomatoes and micro mustard; Butternut Squash Lasagna (V) featuring sage, walnut, goat cheese, pasta layered in a light béchamel with a side of haricot verts almondine; Lavender Thyme Grilled Rack of Lamb served with pistachio mint yogurt, and finished with juniper berry balsamic, Israeli couscous with fire roasted red peppers, eggplant and grilled endive; Pepper Crusted Florida Raised Natural 8oz Rib Eye Filet served with Florida Sunshine Bleu Cheese, port peppercorn demi, truffled wild mushroom risotto with porcinis, shitakes and enoki mushrooms and roasted broccolini; and Local Grass Fed Braised Beef Short Ribs served with fig ancho chile chocolate demi, celery root-leek puree, cumin roasted baby carrots and fried leeks.

DF = Dairy Free; GF = Gluten Free; V = Vegetarian

About Essensia Restaurant & Lounge

Essensia awakens the senses with natural gourmet cuisine and indulgent cocktails in a sensuous and relaxing ambiance. The menu offers patrons a wholesome and seasonal variety of light global fare with a genuine focus on utilizing local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. Essensia’s exclusive wine list is committed to being sustainable, organic or biodynamic and has been selected for sharing Essensia’s mission to being environmentally conscious.   Essensia is open 7 days per week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The Palms offers complimentary valet parking with dinner, up to 3 hours. For restaurant reservations, please call 305.908.5458 or visit www.essensiarestaurant.com.