Narrative Of A Five Course Meal

There’s nothing like a good prompt or theme to get a writer in the spirit of storytelling.

It’s no wonder I was immediately drawn to the idea of dinner and a story.

Founders of Emerald Coast Storytellers, Kristy Holditch and Ali Diamond host monthly open mic nights that are enough to pull any lover of literature in. But their Story-Pairing Dinner series offers a refreshing and immersive fine dining element.

“It’s a truly intimate and one-of-a-kind experience. In fact, it’s the first of its kind,” Diamond says. “Guests don’t just hear the story; they savor it. Each moment, flavor, and emotion intertwines in real time, allowing the audience’s personal experience to shape how they connect with the narrative.”

Holditch and Diamond breathe new life into the tradition of wine and course pairings. And locals and visitors otherwise unplugged from the Emerald Coast writing community find an approachable entry into an expressive outlet.

“All of your senses are getting worked simultaneously to make this a memorable event,” says Solange Jazayeri, a local writer who attended the event and participated in Dave King’s pilot reading.

Suddenly, stories move beyond the audience of fellow writers and adjacent friends.

Photos by Jenn Deeb

“Breaking bread has always been one of the simplest, most powerful ways to connect,” Holditch says. “Our dinners are often set around community tables or in intimate spaces where everyone naturally comes together—storytellers, chefs, and guests alike. There’s something about sharing a meal that softens people and opens the door for conversation and connection.”

The structure of story-pairing is simple: For every course, you get two stories—the story of the dish as told by the chef of the night and a reading of an original work by guest authors.

“The food becomes part of the rhythm of the evening,” Holditch says. “It’s the pause between stories that makes the stories themselves feel even richer.”

I was lucky enough to attend the most recent Story-Pairing Dinner in September. Holditch and Diamond, recently celebrating  three years of Emerald Coast Storytellers, landed on the theme “Delusions of Grandeur.”

The September event was hosted at M&P by Farrington Foods in partnership with chef William Farrington. With each dish presentation, Farrington shared anecdotes and inspiration behind the flavors. Guests then got a chance to savor each course before being swept off into an original and immersive experience as authors approached the mic. 

“I love the collaboration of really creative cuisine,” Jazayeri says. “The chef has done such a phenomenal job of bringing his own storytelling and his own creativity into the dishes that he’s pouring out. While you’re being feasted, your ears are also being feasted.”

Photos by Jenn Deeb

There were five courses and five readings. I somehow landed amongst the story pairings and was matched with the third course—a fine dining take on classic country-fried chicken. 

In contemplating the theme ahead of the event, I felt a moment of clarity as words began to swirl in my mind prompted by the “Delusions of Grandeur” theme. Feeling inspired, my words were driven to the page, and I created an original poem for the event, titled Pipe Dreams.

That sense of surety in expression is so important. It is what Holditch and Diamond bring to the local writing community with Emerald Coast Storytellers. The Story-Pairing Dinners are what give a platform to share that sense with others.

“I’ve always said that sharing your work as a writer can feel like pulling your own heart out of your chest and saying to the world, ‘Hope you like it!’ It’s raw, vulnerable, and yes, scary, especially in front of a room full of strangers. But when you do, something magical happens. It brings people together, sparks inspiration, and reminds everyone that they’re not alone.”

The series has given rise to a new audience and experience.

“The Story-Pairing Dinners have helped expand our community by attracting a new audience, one that appreciates fine dining but also values creativity and culture,” Diamond says. “It’s a more intimate, elevated experience that blends culinary excellence with the arts, drawing in people who might not normally attend one of our regular storytelling events.”

The next Story-Pairing Dinner is planned following the 2026 new year and will be held at Raw & Juicy in Alys Beach, a local farm-to-table, organic-focused restaurant. 

Photos by Jenn Deeb

Five Course Pairings

Thoughtfully prepared dishes complement curated varietal selections paired with creative works from community writers

Course 1

Dish: Tater Tot

With M&P standing for “meat and potatoes,” Farrington makes a tribute to half of his namesake with his signature take on the classic tater tot. Made from Kennebec potatoes, which have an optimal starch and moisture content for frying, the tater tot provides a perfectly golden-crisp crunch on the outside with a smooth and soft inside. Topped with sous vide egg yolk and served with a shot glass of vichyssoise soup, which is a leek, potato, and onion soup served chilled.

Wine: Chenin
Blanc, 2022

Lang & Reed Wine Company, Mendocino, California

Medium- to full-bodied. Slightly honeyed with a varietal character of pear, peach, and bergamot notes.

Story:  A Love Letter
to Steven Tyler’s Lips by Rae Cline

Rae Cline is the author of the short story collection, The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals. Her debut novel is forthcoming in spring 2026. Cline shares a sultry, somewhat silly, and overall heartwarming glimpse at the reality of compromise in relationships.

Photos by Jenn Deeb

Course 2

Dish: Ricotta Gnudi

A larger, lighter, and fluffier cousin of gnocchi, gnudi are pillowy Italian dumplings made from ricotta cheese, eggs, and flour. Farrington served his gnudi, which he describes as “the filling of the pasta without the pasta dressing the filling,” in a parmesan and pancetta broth of housemade chicken stock, alongside a slice of focaccia sourdough made fresh for dinner service from Farrington’s in-house starter.

Wine: Sancerre, 2023

Vincent Grall, Silex, Loire Valley, France

Medium-bodied with a refined texture. Crisp and fresh on the palate. Bouquet of citrus fruit flavors like lime, grapefruit, and lemon. The flinty minerality adds a smokey stone character.

Story: Sarah’s Story
by Chris Gillan

Entrepreneur and author of The Preppy Hippie’s Guide to Affirmations and the newly published book, Hacking the Job Search, Gillan shares a quirky and relatable take on a classic corporate example.

Photos by Jenn Deeb

Course 3

Dish: Sous Vide and Seared Chicken Thigh

A tribute to his mother who “wasn’t the best cook but she could cook a couple things really well,” Farrington shared a classy take on the classic Southern-style country-fried chicken. After two hours of sous vide time, the Joyce Farms chicken thighs are skin-seared in a cast iron pan with wagyu beef fat. This Southern comfort dish is served on top of whipped potatoes and a tarragon chicken velouté, Farrington’s favorite French mother sauce, a sauce which he says may be the reason his wife married him.

Wine: Chardonnay, 2020

Peake Ranch, Santa Barbara County, California

Fresh notes of citrus blossom, white
pineapple, crème brûlée, with delicate expressions of stone fruits and dried flowers.

Story: Pipe Dreams
by Paige Aigret

I come from a background in creative writing. My education regularly placed me in literary salon settings, writing workshops, and poetry discussions. Stepping away from journalism from time to time, I still enjoy writing creatively. I wrote Pipe Dreams after being inspired by the September Story-Pairing Dinner’s theme, “Delusions of Grandeur.” The poem discusses the struggle to find financial freedom and rejecting class and wealth in an age of consumerism.

Course 4

Dish: Steak Mole

USDA prime filet imported from Iowa. Grass-fed, but more importantly, grass finished filet, a process that takes more time on the farm but creates a better product, according to Farrington. The steak was seared in beef fat. The mole sauce was a tribute to Farrington’s first-ever chef role, which he humbly claims to have been too green to get, at a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. The mole was made of dried chilis, coffee, and other ingredients. Topped with a lime crema, cotija cheese, and an apple and cabbage slaw.

Wine: Cabernet
Sauvignon, 2022

Eric Kent Wines, Sonoma County, California

Complex and smooth. Aromas and flavors of dark fruits like blackberry and black plum coupled with
notes of blueberry, fig, and a hint
of dark chocolate.

Story: The Pheonix
and the Seamstress
by Ali Diamond

Emerald Coast Storytellers co-founder Ali Diamond is a writer, entrepreneur, journalist, and aspiring author working on publishing her debut novel in the horror genre. In The Phoenix and the Seamstress, Diamond discusses themes of triumph in the face of trauma and ways we can wield hope and confidence as a tool for healing.

Photos by Jenn Deeb

Course 5

Butter Pecan & Praline Crisp

Farrington says his dad is “the person who taught me to eat, and eat well, and probably one of the main reasons I started cooking.” Which is why Farrington shared his take on one of his dad’s favorite desserts, butter pecan pie, which included a butter pecan and praline crisp on a white velvet sponge cake with brown butter mousseline, candied pecans, pecan liqueur toffee sauce, and a classic butter pecan ice cream on the side.

Wine: Riesling, 2018

Dundee Hills, Mad Violets, Oregon

Harvested in October and crafted in the off-dry German Kabinett style. Fresh minerality paired with vibrant citrus, honey, and stone fruits, finished with sweet stone and floral notes.

Story: Jazzmen by Dave King

Local entrepreneur and creative Dave King of Sowal House has expanded his talents to writing with his original series screenplay work titled Jazzmen, which tells the story of a fearless jazz columnist and a rising trumpeter navigating the dark heart of 52nd Street in 1940s New York City. King shared a pilot episode reading at the September Story-Pairing Dinner with a little help from a cast of friends who tagged in to read parts as King narrated direction, scene, and setting.