Patricia Coffey
Chef Concierge, St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
What service can you provide to groups that they normally might not receive?
The St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale offers its legendary Butler service to all guests. This service includes, but is not limited to, unpacking and packing and morning coffee service. The Butlers work closely with the concierge team to insure that any needs of the guests are met…and exceeded. My team consists of four amazing gentlemen, including two additional members of Les Clefs d’Or, USA, who “make the impossible possible” every day.
As Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of North America,” group activities may include a private luxury yacht tour of the more than 300 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway, including a private chef to prepare wonderful hors d’oeuvres for a champagne reception, or a full seven-course dinner with wines to match each course. We can also arrange sailing adventures that can include snorkeling and scuba diving, or sailing to a private island for a picnic lunch.
What are your group restaurant recommendations?
Depending on the size of the group we can give our guests dining experiences in a multitude of ethnic cuisines as well as fabulous creative American fare. CERO restaurant can accommodate groups of up to 10 people in their private dining room and the main restaurant will accommodate larger parties. The restaurant features amazing seafood and grilled meats under the direction of renowned chef Toby Joseph.
For wonderful Cuban and Spanish fare I would recommend Catalina Restaurant. Mario and his team will welcome you for an evening of fabulous food and gracious hospitality. Casa D’Angelo is my choice for Italian cuisine, and they have private dining rooms that will accommodate groups of almost any size. For an absolute Fort Lauderdale experience, Blue Moon Fish Company would be my choice for seafood.
Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
Las Olas Boulevard, with its charming shops, galleries, and outdoor cafes, is a great place to stroll day and night. Many of the shops stay open late in the evening and there are numerous choices for dining and entertainment.
The beaches of Fort Lauderdale are among the most beautiful in South Florida. Fort Lauderdale Beach has a section of about four miles of unobstructed ocean views. Walk the beach or join the hundreds of walkers and joggers on the brick-lined sidewalks.
What has been an unusual request from a group?
The meeting planner for a large group and her fiancee were having a difficult time arranging a date for their wedding nuptials because they both traveled so much. The groom-to-be had accompanied the bride-to-be to the resort and was spending time relaxing while she was hard at work. The groom came to me and asked if there was any way that they could get married while they were in Florida. As a notary public in the state of Florida I am licensed to perform wedding ceremonies, so I told them that it would be my pleasure to make the arrangements for them. I was able to get the bride’s wedding dress (which she had purchased months earlier) shipped overnight from Atlanta and arrange flowers, music, a wedding cake, a tuxedo, and marriage license all in one day. Unbeknownst to the bride and groom, the president of the company that the bride represented requested that their final evening gala be turned into a wedding reception for the couple. So, in a day and a half a wedding on the beach and reception for 250 people turned an average conference into a wedding to remember.