TASTE OF THE TREASURE COAST
Lander says the raw bar has proved to be a popular part of the overall concept, primarily getting
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Northeast and cold-water oysters that sell out every night.
And when asked why he became a chef, he
states simply, “I just like cooking, it’s all I’ve
ever done. Unlike today, we were at the table
every night when I was young. I was cooking
and watching The Galloping Gourmet and Julia
Child.”
Forgoing culinary school, Lander gleaned
his skills from the best. “I apprenticed with a
European chef, so I am rooted and grounded
in French cuisine. I started working as a sous
chef primarily in high-end private clubs in
Atlanta. Then the Moorings brought me to
Vero Beach at the end of 1999.”
Lander’s tenure at the Moorings Yacht &
Country Club lasted 12 years. He oversaw
the extensive remodeling of the kitchens after
hurricanes Jeanne and Frances, and he initiated
the planting of an organic garden. After
Michael’s Table closed, he opened the Garage
Woodfired Pizza & Pub on Old Dixie Highway
in downtown Vero Beach, a venture he
ran with his son from 2013 to 2015. Then Alden
Bing invited him to create a beer-centric
menu for Orchid Island Brewery, an operation
he still oversees today.
Lauded for his considerable talent, his
loyal following has expanded over the years.
Yet he remains humble, unassuming and
surprisingly laid back for someone in his
profession. “I have a more Zen-like approach
than a lot of other people,” he says, smiling. >>
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