There is no question that TPC Sawgrass, home of THE PLAYERS Championship, is a major destination for golf enthusiasts. For too long, however, the restaurant at the clubhouse has not received the recognition it deserves.
This may be an unintended consequence of it being situated beyond the property’s entrance gate. Prospective diners may presume — incorrectly — that it is somehow off limits to the community at large.
So, let’s dispel that myth here: Nineteen is indeed open to the public. And anyone who enjoys truly fine dining or who wants to impress guests would do well to make a reservation.
In January, Nineteen welcomed its new executive chef, Matt Voskuil, who has an outstanding culinary pedigree. With the enthusiastic support of his team, Voskuil has reinvented the menu. The results are, in themselves, the best argument for making Nineteen a destination in its own right.
The cuisine might be termed “Modern Southern,” though perhaps “Southern with a high degree of finesse” might describe it better.
Arriving in Ponte Vedra, Voskuil wanted to instill a sense of place in the new menu, even using ingredients sourced locally. It’s an interesting concept, one that sets Voskuil’s meals apart from those of other establishments. You can find a variety of restaurants that specialize in ethnic foods, and you can find eateries that focus on Southern fare of the most common variety.
But Voskuil presents Southern-inspired selections elevated to the next level.
Beyond this, nearly three decades working alongside some of the world’s great chefs has given him the confidence and knowledge to make surprising and delightful choices.
Preconceptions about flavor vanish with a single bite.
“Part of my process is to take the things that people expect and then try to put a unique twist on every single thing,” Voskuil said.
This is an art. Where fine artists sometimes make surprising choices that transform their work into something greater, Voskuil does similarly with his medium, food.
Though a native of Wisconsin, Voskuil was familiar with Southern cuisine because one set of grandparents were from Georgia. It was a dining experience he never forgot even as his career took him to diverse kitchens in some of the most exclusive establishments in the country.
Voskuil came to Nineteen from Ocean House, a five-star Relais & Chateaux resort in Westerly, Rhode Island, where he was executive chef.
He traces his choice of career back to his youth and, fittingly, his love of golf. He had played the game since he was in the seventh grade. Then, as a youth, he accepted a job in the local clubhouse kitchen because it would allow him to play the courses.
There, he worked with European chefs and observed fine dining for the first time.
He attended culinary school in Chicago and went on to some significant jobs. He led culinary teams at The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island, and at three Las Vegas establishments, The Venetian Resort, ARIA Resort & Casino and Bellagio Hotel & Casino. He was among those selected for the opening in 2005 of The Mansion, a five-star Joël Robuchon restaurant in the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas.
Voskuil began his position at TPC Sawgrass just as THE PLAYERS was getting under way, which necessitated putting Nineteen’s new menu on the back burner.
The restaurant did a soft launch in mid-June because that is the slowest month of the year. The Stadium Course closes for maintenance and restaurant patronage declines. In other words, if there was a good time to experiment and make adjustments, that was it.
From all accounts, the changes were well received.
“I feel really good about it,” Voskuil said. “I feel like the team was very supportive and enthusiastic about it, and those are as important — if not more important than — my feelings.”
On Friday, July 14, Nineteen officially debuted the new menu, inviting local media to experience it and relay their observations to the public. Voskuil, a perfectionist, likened this menu to “version 1.0.” He said he expects to achieve “version 3.0” by 2025 and hopes to incorporate a few more international influences.
That said, there is no reason to postpone a visit to Nineteen. Voskuil and his team have created a range of selections that will delight and surprise guests today.
What follows is just a taste of what Nineteen’s culinary experts served during the media preview dinner.
An Elegant Repast
The evening began with a bread-and-butter board featuring various breads, cornbread muffins, segments of the TPC Pretzel and a trio of butters. It is important to note that, unlike many establishments, Nineteen features breads that are all made fresh onsite.
This was followed by a unique offering from Nineteen’s “Start” selection, the Hundred Dollar Deviled Egg. Everyone, at some point, must try it and consider the price an investment in experience.
Served on a crispy potato cake, a layer of hard-boiled egg white and a thin slice of salmon, this deviled egg incorporates onion, parsley, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.
But where does the hundred dollars enter into it? An essential topping holds the answer: a full ounce of osetra caviar. This is served with Moët Imperial Bubbles.
The result was perhaps the first of many discoveries made during the course — or, perhaps, courses — of the meal.
This was followed by a tableful of mouth-watering selections.
There was the Chilled Seafood Platter with oysters, poached shrimp, crab salad, cocktail sauce and kumquat mignonette.
This was joined by a Southern Ham and Cheese Board that included preserved fruit, spicy mustard and Ritz crackers.
Another selection was the Steak Tartar made with cured egg yolk and garnished with crispy potato skins.
The Hen of the Woods Mushroom challenged preconceived notions. The source for this unusual dish is Son & Skye Mushrooms, located here at The Beaches. This is a cultivated wild mushroom, served with onion cream and crispy chicken skin.
The final entry in this course was one of the evening’s enduring surprises: Seared Scallops. Served with braised beef cheek and horseradish cream, the flavors complemented one another in a way that was nothing short of a revelation. Of course, beef goes with scallops!
What followed was the undisputed centerpiece of the dinner: the Salt-Baked Prime Rib, wheeled in on a special table, the ribs extending from a large shell of salt and egg whites. This is one of the “Feasts” offered at Nineteen, the others being Suckling Pig Roast, Cedar Plank Salmon and Low Country Boil.
The Feasts are three-course interactive culinary experiences. They are especially suitable for families or other groups to enjoy together.
“That sort of experience,” said Voskuil, “is different than everybody ordering their own entre and everybody just kind of eating in solitude and doing their own thing.”
This shared experience promotes a kind of unity among the members of the party.
The meat is cooked slowly inside the shell, which locks in the natural juices.
“It accomplishes a lot of the same things as sous vide cooking,” said Voskuil, “where you need a vacuum-pack machine and all the other stuff to kind of get that flavor, the juices locked in and that nice tender flavor development.”
He called the salt shell “an old-school, non-plastic way of accomplishing the same thing.”
The prime rib was in the oven for about five or five-and-a-half hours. Sans shell, that lengthy cook time would normally leave the meat dried out.
This course is served with a tableside presentation during which the brittle salt case is broken away to reveal the much-anticipated prime rib.
Note that any of the Feasts must be ordered 72 hours in advance.
Following this, the team served Phyllo Crusted Flounder with tartar sauce, potatoes and broccoli in a dish Voskuil referred to as a play on the idea of fish & chips.
Also served at this time: Pork Tenderloin with apple-cider brine, sweet corn pudding, braised greens, smoked apple chutney and barbecue sauce that is made onsite. Sides included cheese potatoes, green bean casserole, Son & Skye mushrooms and mashed potatoes.
The dinner concluded with strawberry shortcake and an incredibly tasty Key Lime Crème Brulee topped with blackberries and blueberries.
Postprandial Observation
Nineteen has revealed itself to be a place for culinary discoveries. Beyond what is written here, many additional menu selections await.
Chef Matt Voskuil and his team have given area diners another destination to visit.
It’s worth driving past that gate.
