Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa

39 Beach Lagoon Road
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

Phone: (904) 261-6161
Phone: (904) 261-6161
Concierge: (904) 432-1467
Concierge: (904) 432-1467

DIRECTIONS Resort Map

Things To Do

Meet the Chefs

2024 Fish to Fork Participating Chefs

SAM FORE | OWNER AND CHEF, TUK TUK SNACK SHOP | LEXINGTON, KY

Sam Fore is a Sri Lankan-American chef and recipe developer based in Lexington, Kentucky. Her pop up, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, crisscrossed the country to bring her Sri Lanka meets the South dishes to diners far and wide since 2016. Her pop up stints led to her first brick and mortar, Tuk Tuk Snack Shop, opened in September of 2023. Fore's cooking is a reflection of her Sri Lankan upbringing in the American South; her dishes include her spin on Southern classics as well as new riffs on her family's time-tested dishes. Her recipes can be found in multiple national publications and across the web - her take on tomato pie graced the cover of Food & Wine in 2019. She was named one of Plate Magazine's Chefs to Watch (2018), was one of Southern Living's inaugural Cooks of the Year (2020) and was named one of Taste of the South's Taste50 (2022). In 2021, she joined the cast of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, which airs nationally on PBS stations. In 2023, Fore was named a finalist for a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast.

JASMINE NORTON | OWNER AND CHEF, THE URBAN OYSTER | BALTIMORE, MD

Chef Jasmine Norton grew up in Baltimore, MD and discovered her love for oysters at the tender age of seven after being introduced to them by her father, who later taught her how to shuck them. Her love for adventure and passion for food sparked the creation of her first restaurant concept: The Urban Oyster. Chef Jasmine’s goal is central to her business: to introduce oysters to friends, family and peers. In 2017, Jasmine opened the first female, black owned oyster bar in the United States, The Urban Oyster. Shortly after opening its doors, the Baltimore Sun nominated Jasmine’s cream of crab soup for the best in the city and in 2019 the restaurant was dubbed The Best Raw Bar by the Baltimore Magazine. In 2020, Jasmine opened her second restaurant, The Urban Burger Bar, and quickly received the Best Burger nomination within a few short months of opening. Jasmine was named the 25 Women To Watch by the Baltimore Sun in both 2019 and 2021. She has competed on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games and Chopped. She has also been featured on the Cooking Channel for The Urban Burger Bar. In 2021, she created her very own private label of oysters, Ice Aprons™️ slated for distribution in 2025. Jasmine’s love of community and food inspires each concept that she creates.

STEVEN GOFF | OWNER AND EXECUTIVE CHEF, TASTEE DINER | ASHEVILLE, NC

Prior to his newest venture as the Owner and Executive Chef at beloved Tastee Diner, Chef Steven Goff served as the Executive Chef at funky Modern American restaurant, Jargon, in West Asheville. Before that, Goff worked as the head butcher at Standard Foods in Raleigh, and is the former Executive Chef and Owner of the King James Public House and AUX Bar in Asheville. Steven left home at fifteen, and spent the next eleven years homeless, jumping freight trains across the US and Europe, cooking wherever his travels took him. After being stranded in Asheville, he got more serious about cooking and enrolled in the AB Tech culinary program receiving honorable degrees in both Culinary Arts, and Baking and Pastry. Because of his early life experiences, he is highly dedicated to supporting the local community through his food. He co-directed the popular local fundraising event The Blind Pig Supper Club, and served on the Board of Directors of Asheville Independent Restaurants. Goff is currently on the Board of the Piedmont Culinary Guild in Charlotte and the Chow Chow Culinary Event Series in Asheville. Chef Goff’s cuisine has been recognized by Food and Wine Magazine, Bon Appétit, Garden and Gun, The Local Palate, and various local publications. In 2019 he was named Chef of the Year by the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. He lives in Asheville with his wonderful wife Samantha, their daughter Emma, and their array of animals.

JONATHAN ZARAGOZA | CHEF, BIRRIERIA ZARAGOZA | CHICAGO, IL

Chef Jonathan Zaragoza was raised on Chicago’s Southside by a tight-knit family with strong cooking roots — he recalls standing on a step stool, helping his mother stir eggs as a five year old. At the age of 12, in the backyard of their home, Zaragoza began learning to make birria, roasted goat from Jalisco, in a wood-burning oven built by his grandfather and father. His task was to start the fire, tending to it until the goat was ready to go in for its overnight roast. In 2007, Birrieria Zaragoza opened its doors giving Zaragoza a platform to create and continue learning from while diving headfirst into Chicago’s hospitality industry. From working at Sepia and Sixteen as a young cook, cutting his teeth on the Michelin circuit, to becoming the chef of Masa Azul at 22, Zaragoza’s culinary abilities have afforded him acclaim and the world as his kitchen. His path has taken him throughout Mexico, deep into its rich culinary heritage, to bring its traditions with him to London, Dubai, Paris and all across the US. Lately, you’ll find Jonathan cooking at his restaurants Birrieria Zaragoza Čálli and El Oso.

SAJI GEORGE | OWNER & EXECUTIVE CHEF, MESA | JACKSONVILLE, FL

When Saji George was young, living with her grandmother on the coast of India, she did all the chores the other kids ignored - fetching fish from the market and carrying a sack of flour on her head from the mill. For all her hard work, Saji’s grandmother promised: “You’ll be blessed someday.”
At the age of 13 she moved to upstate New York with almost no education in the English language. She lived in a small apartment with her father and brother, and she eventually began cooking all the meals. Her beef curry became her father’s favorite. Watching him enjoy it was one of the simple joys in her life.
After high school, Saji went to college to become a dietitian and then moved with her family to Palm Bay, Florida.
In September 2021, Mesa opened in Jacksonville’s Avondale neighborhood with a tasting menu and has earned glowing reviews.

OMAR COLLAZO | EXECUTIVE CHEF, OMNI AMELIA ISLAND | AMELIA ISLAND, FL

Executive Chef Omar Collazo joined Omni Hotels & Resorts in 2014, and since then has held multiple culinary positions with the brand. In 2021, he was promoted to the Executive Chef role at Omni Amelia Island Resort, where he oversees culinary operations for over 10 dining outlets and banquet functions across the resort’s 80,000 square feet of meetings and event space. Prior to joining Omni Hotels & Resorts, he spent years working alongside Chef Kenny Gilbert in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Chef Omar, his wife Carmen, and their three beautiful daughters reside in Jacksonville, and they enjoy time outdoors as often as they can.

2024 Fish to Fork Emcee

RACHELLE LUCAS

A culinary enthusiast with a passion for travel, Rachelle began blogging 2007 when she started documenting her life as an innkeeper. As her wanderlust grew, she sold the inn to pursue travel blogging full-time and has since been to over 57 countries in pursuit of the tastiest meals. Her success through blogging and social media led to even more opportunities including working for the Travel Channel as a video journalist and appearing on live television as a guest on the syndicated morning shows, Daytime in the United States, and Expresso in South Africa. She’s also contributed to Visit Florida as their Food and Dining Insider and was chosen by the Four Seasons to blog about their inaugural Around-The-World By Private Jet Experience visiting 8 countries in 22 days. Rachelle has been featured in PEOPLE Magazine, Food & Wine, and Travel + Leisure. She was also listed by Trip Advisor as one of the Top 25 Culinary Travel Blogs to follow, voted one of USA Today's 10 Best Food & Travel Blogs, and was a finalist in Saveur's 2019 Blog Awards for Best Culinary Travel.

Guest Favorites at Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa

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Championship Golf

Named one of the "Top 121 Golf Resorts in the World" by Conde Nast Traveler.

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Indulge at The Spa

Relax and revive at our full-service, nature-inspired spa.