The Summer Dinner Party That Literally Survived a Storm
Theodora Beach Club x Chef Charley Pretet proves open fire cooking is even better when Mother Nature joins the guest list.
Some dinners are memorable because of the food. This one was memorable because halfway through the meal everyone started screaming, "SAVE THE MEAT!"
More on that later…
Theodora Beach Club is one of New York's most coveted reservations this summer. Just a 5 minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan, the seasonal concept brings Theodora's iconic Brooklyn spot to Governors Island for communal dinners that feel worlds away from the city. One ferry ride later, chefs are cooking over live fire, strangers become dinner companions, and suddenly it feels like you're on holiday somewhere along the coast instead of NYC.
As someone who already loves Theodora's restaurant in Brooklyn, I was excited to see what they had planned with Australian guest chef Charley Pretet of Terra Firma, whose open fire cooking has earned a cult following.
The night starts exactly how every summer dinner should. Welcome cocktails in hand, everyone wanders toward the outdoor grills where Chef Charley and his team are cooking everything over blazing wood fires. No hidden kitchen. No curtain. Just smoke, flames, sizzling wagyu, and chefs doing what they do best. It's dinner and a show!
The Menu
Amuse
Oysters with Westholme wagyu fat, scallop, freekeh, and finger lime
To Begin
Smoked caciocavallo with amba, olive sourdough, cherry tomato, and smoked grapes
Yellowfin tuna with green olive, charred tomato, anchovy, and pine nuts
Theodora's eggplant with saj flatbread, labneh, and shishito
From the Fire
Red snapper smoked on a wooden plank with chermoula and harissa
Westholme MS9 Wagyu Tomahawk with pistachio gremolata and jus
Sides
Charred carrots with smoked labneh, pistachio almond dukkah, and feta
Market salad with mustard greens, mint, and parsley
Dessert
Fire-cooked crêpes with dulce de leche, pineapple, and smoked whipped cream
Let's talk about the real star of the night.
The smoked caciocavallo absolutely stole the show for me. I've eaten a lot of mozzarella in my life, but I'd never seen cheese cooked directly over open fire like this. The outside developed this smoky, caramelized crust while the inside stayed perfectly molten. Paired with warm sourdough, sweet tomatoes, and smoked grapes, it was genuinely one of my favorite bites of the night. If I could've ordered an entire plate of just that, I would've. Not going to lie, I was so sad I hated to share this dish because I wanted more!!!
Then there's Theodora's eggplant, which absolutely deserves its own fan club. Creamy, smoky, tangy from the labneh, and perfect with the warm saj flatbread. It's one of those dishes that reminds you vegetables can absolutely be the main event.
The oyster also surprised me. Bright, fresh, and packed with a spicy little kick from the finger lime, it was the perfect way to wake up the palate.
The only dish that didn't quite land for me was the yellowfin tuna. It wasn't bad by any means, but next to such bold flavors, it felt like the one course that didn't leave a lasting impression.
And then...
The sky turned black…
Out of absolutely nowhere, one of the wildest summer storms rolled over Governors Island. The wind picked up instantly. Rain started flying sideways. Plates were being cleared. Chairs were moving.
And somehow the entire dinner collectively had the exact same priority.
"SAVE THE MEAT!"
Watching Chef Charley and his team rush to rescue the wagyu from the fire while guests laughed and scrambled for cover might've been the most New York thing I've ever seen. At one point a nearby tree actually fell from the storm, but thankfully everyone was completely safe.
Twenty minutes later, the rain disappeared just as quickly as it arrived.
The grills were fired back up, and dinner continued. The team even brought everyone complimentary drinks while we all laughed about what had just happened.
Honestly? It made the night. You can't plan moments like that, and those are usually the dinners you remember forever.
Then came the wagyu.
The giant Westholme MS9 tomahawk was everything you'd hope for from a chef known for cooking over fire. Smoky, beautifully crusted, buttery inside, and simply finished with pistachio gremolata and jus. No unnecessary flourishes. Just incredible ingredients treated with respect.
Theodora Beach Club isn't just about incredible food. It's about creating an experience that feels spontaneous, communal, and a little bit magical. You come for Chef Charley's open fire cooking. You stay because somehow you've spent the evening eating incredible wagyu with strangers who now feel like friends after surviving a summer storm together.
It felt like the best dinner party of the summer. And somehow, even Mother Nature wanted an invitation.
