Sweet’s Alina Eisenhauer to Host Travel and Food Reality TV Show

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

Alina Eisenhauer, Executive Chef and owner of Sweet Restaurant and Bar on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester will be hosting a new Food and Travel show called Surf n' Gourmet.

"We shot the pilot in Northwest Puerto Rico which was truly one of the best food experiences of my life," said Eisenhauer. The show's production company has received interest in the show, but need to find the financial backing to shoot a second episode for it to be picked up by a network. 

According to a press release from Working Title Media, Surf ‘n Gourmet is a travel and food reality TV show, combining a surfing adventure "with unique local cuisine as seen from the eyes of a chef who loves food and surfing."

The release said the show is "best described as Anthony Bourdain meets the 'Endless Summer', our intrepid host, Chef Alina Eisenhauer, travels the world on a hunt for great waves, the surfers who ride them, talented chefs and superior local eats. As each show travels to a new locale, she checks out the hot surf spots, the best surfers and chefs, and off-the-beaten-path places to eat."

Some of the locales for the series include: France, Portugal, Ireland, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Northern California and Central Florida. The show is shot in High Definition and combines "the beauty of the locations, incredible surfing and mouthwatering images of food."

Working Title Media is starting a crowd funding campaign to air the second episode. According to the press release,"The Indiegogo campaign provides funding for the show’s next food and surfing adventure. Perks include everything from downloads of the Puerto Rican pilot show, to an invite to the premiere wrap party at Sweet Kitchen and Bar Restaurant in Worcester, MA with crew and host, Alina Eisenhauer, to an all-expenses paid trip to be part of the crew (as Executive Producer) for the show’s next destination’s shoot. There are also cooking classes with Chef Alina, signed posters & scripts and a Crew T-Shirt."

Menu Expanding at Sweet

As Eisenhauer waits to see if Surf 'n Gourmet is picked up by a network, she and her staff are working on a whole new menu of small plate and shared plate dinner options.

"I chose this format because it is the way I like to dine with friends. It lends itself to a very fun, social way of eating and gives diners the option to try lots of different things each time they come in," said Eisenhauer.

Eisenhauer has already begun adding new items to the menu and will be adding more each week until the end of the year as they complete the menu for 2015. Sweet moved to down the street from it's original location nearly two years ago, and according to Eisenhauer, "Moving to our new space at 72 Shrewsbury street has given us the kitchen space and equipment needed to do a lot of exciting new things."

Sweet will also be adding new desserts and will also begin to offer brunch on Saturdays in the near future. The bar will be adding eight new draft beer lines, giving them 14 total beers on tap. Some of the new items on the menu are Korean Nachos (Korean BBQ Short Rib, Cucumber Kimchi, Garlic Chili Aioli on Sesame Rice Puffs), Poutine (Crispy Duck Fat Potatoes, Maple Brook Farms Cheese Curd and Gravy), Roasted vegetable Salad (Baby Kale, Roasted Root Vegetables, Capri Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Maple Sherry Vinaigrette), Arugula Salad with Crispy Pig Ears, and Fried Capri Goat Cheese.

Everything at Sweet is made fresh and in-house. Sweet makes its own sausage for breakfast and for the lamb sausage on the dinner menu. They cure and smoke their own bacon, and make their own breads, sauces, Aiolis, and their famous pastries using local ingredients. Sweet is also home to Worcester's largest small batch Whiskey and Bourbon selection. The bar is devoid of most major commercial spirits and the focus is on small craft distillers primarily from the U.S.

Eisenhauer is building upon Sweet's already great reputation and is trying to offer a comfortable experience for Sweet's patrons. Eisenhauer said, "Guests can expect to have a great meal prepared from ingredients that were locally sourced and carefully prepared.  We are continually working to provide a fun, relaxed and social atmosphere where guests can enjoy exceptional food without feeling the need to be overly dressed or stuffy.  We are constantly working to create fun and unique new food and drink experiences to bring to our guests."

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Related Slideshow: 10 Best Breakfasts and Brunches in Worcester

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