Ticket Editor: One of the best restaurants in downtown Sarasota has been sold
Sad news, no doubt, but I believe there is a silver lining thanks to the impressive résumé of the new owner who is a renowned chef in St. Petersburg.
Wade Tatangelo
One of the best restaurants in downtown Sarasota — a place that has been serving delightfully creative cuisine since its opening in 2007 — has been sold. Sad news, no doubt, but I believe there is a silver lining.
Melange, with its hip, cozy interior and covered sidewalk seating at 1568 Main St., is where folks like myself have come to feast on chef and owner Lan Bradeen's brilliant offerings for more than 15 years. Her rabbit tacos with curry sauce, beef short ribs with sake hoisin sauce, and the shredded duck crepes with brie and brandy cream sauce are among my all-time favorites.
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I have equally fond memories of sipping and dining at next-door sister business, Pangea Alchemy Lab, the speakeasy-style craft cocktail bar owned and operated by Bradeen's longtime life and business partner, mixology maven Brad Coburn. The business opened in 2010 and underwent a rebranding five years later, transitioning from Pangea Lounge to Pangea Alchemy Lab, accompanied by an impressive interior makeover. This transformation inspired me to write a Ticket cover story. I described Pangea as a haven for millennials and hipsters of all ages, emphasizing its role as a special place for those of us who appreciate good hooch.
Melange in Sarasota sold to St. Petersburg chef who won on Food Network show 'Chopped'
Alas, all good things must come to an end, as they say. Chef Bradeen and Coburn recently announced the sale of Melange and Pangea Alchemy Lab. Part of the lengthy email sent May 19 reads, "We want to thank you all for the celebrations, first dates, anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, and wine dinners that we have shared together since 2007. We will carry all these delicious memories with us as we begin our next tabula rasa." Bradeen and Coburn have not provided any information regarding their future plans. They also could not be immediately reached for further comment.
They sold Melange and Pangea to Jeremy Duclut and said that he "chose Sarasota because we are the best foodie town in Florida." Duclut has quite the résumé. Originally from Macon in Burgundy, France, the email notes that he's a Michelin-star trained chef and also owner/partner of the downtown St. Petersburg establishments Wooden Rooster and the Dirty Shirley. Previously, Duclut held the position of executive chef at Cassis, the popular American and French brasserie and bakery occupying prime real estate on downtown St. Pete's Beach Drive. Duclut also found TV fame earlier in his career. In 2009, he won the first episode of season three of the Food Network show "Chopped."
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“We knew that Melange and Pangea was the place for us," Duclut said in the same emailed statement. "My wife (Liset) and I have loved coming here for years! Our intention is not to change, our focus and attention will be on food and cocktail creation and execution. At the moment, we are not planning on changing anything other than a little aesthetics around the bar and restaurant. What we want to do first, is to get to know our guests and Sarasota.”
The statement further highlights that Duclut has hired Chef Jonathan Warfield to oversee the kitchen, while Caitlin Eaddy will manage the front of the house at Melange. “Jon is my best friend and my daughter’s godfather," Duclut said. "We’ve been together since Cassis, and he’s the perfect person to run the kitchen. Caitlin is a great asset and has a knack for making guests feel welcome.”
Yes, I look forward to visiting Melange and Pangea again and seeing what the new team does with Bradeen's and Coburn's creations. I also hope that they each stay here in Sarasota-Manatee. You can never have enough gifted chefs and mixologists.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.