Sue Torres Brings Fine Dining to Riverside Theatre

Cooking is arguably the first skill one learns with a parent or grandparent. Countless childhood pictures feature a small child proudly grasping a spatula and stirring into a skillet while “helping” in the kitchen.

Cooking is the pinnacle of a multisensory experience, and as Riverside Theatre’s executive chef, Sue Torres, understands, there is no better classroom than a kitchen.

With almost three decades of experience running kitchens and owning a restaurant, Torres has never lost her desire to teach by creating culinary adventures for people of all ages. Currently, she is simultaneously bringing immersive experiences to both the patrons of Riverside Theatre and the learners at The Magnolia Schoolhouse, a homeschool learning center.

Joining Riverside at the end of 2025, Torres almost immediately launched a new fine dining experience. With themed menus for each show curated by Torres and her team, guests can now opt for dinner and a show. For example, instead of simply seeing the musical comedy 9 to 5 this spring, she says guests dined on menu items such as buttermilk fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and chocolate chess pie before the show, to enhance their viewing pleasure.

Torres brings this same dedication to culinary integration when teaching at The Magnolia Schoolhouse. Each week, she arrives with locally sourced ingredients to take her learners on an adventure fueled by global cuisine. She aligns her recipes with the school’s curriculum, so the children learn about food from the countries they are studying. With Torres as their guide, they work in small groups to cook items such
as dumplings when studying Asia or Scotch apples when learning about England.

She says, “Sometimes the kids are uncomfortable trying new things, but the greatest creations come from being uncomfortable.” She laughs and says that sometimes children become reluctant culinary explorers, “simply because their classmates like to comment on what they are eating, and they don’t want to be left out.”

In addition to teaching, she enhances the school’s community by introducing patrons to her homemade moles, salsas, and other seasonal offerings at its marketplace at the House of Natural Living. Her products are sold under the banner of Mas Sueños, which means “more dreams.” The name is a callback to her NYC restaurant, Sueños, which she owned and operated for over 10 years. As Torres says, “Sueños was my first dream, and now I have more dreams of what I can create here in Vero.”

Appetizer: Chilled Avocado & Grapefruit Soup

A refreshing soup with tropical soul

Serves 4

• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1 grapefruit, segmented, juice reserved
• 1 leek, washed and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 celery stalk, cut into pieces
• 1 Idaho (russet) potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• Salt to taste
• 6 cups vegetable stock or water
• Juice of 1 lime

Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add the celery, potato (if using), and a pinch of salt. Pour in the vegetable stock or water and bring to a simmer.

Cook until vegetables are tender and liquid has reduced slightly, about 20–25 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool completely.

Blend with avocado, grapefruit segments, reserved grapefruit juice, and lime juice until smooth.

Season with salt to taste. Chill thoroughly before serving. Ladle the soup into four chilled bowls. Garnish with fresh grapefruit segments, sliced avocado, and a generous mound of tortilla strips.

Entrée: Pan-Seared Wild Salmon

Fresh seafood and bright tropical flavors pair for a colorful, nutrient-rich dish.

Serves 4

Chef’s Note: Cilantro is a traditional component of salsa verde.  If cilantro is not to your taste, substitute equal amounts of fresh chervil, flat-leaf parsley, or tarragon.

• Four 6-ounce wild salmon fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil or avocado oil
• Creamy Salsa Verde (see below)
• Black Bean–Pineapple Salsa (see below)
• Lemon and lime wedges

Remove salmon from refrigerator 15–20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Place salmon in the pan and cook 4–5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook an additional 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness. Allow salmon to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

To serve, spoon about 2 oz. of Creamy Salsa Verde onto each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of Black Bean-Pineapple Salsa. Place the salmon on top, then finish with another generous spoonful of Black Bean-Pineapple Salsa over the salmon. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a lime wedge. Serve immediately.

Creamy Salsa Verde

• 2 tomatillos, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed but not seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 avocados, preferably Haas, peeled and pitted
• 2 tsp. salt
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3/4 cup water

Pour the water into a blender, add the tomatillos and serrano chiles, and blend until smooth. Add avocado, salt, lime juice, and cilantro. Blend until creamy and fully incorporated. Adjust seasoning to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Black Bean–Pineapple Salsa

• 3/4 cup cooked black beans, drained
• 3/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced 1/4 inch
• 3/4 cup English cucumbers, seeded and diced 1/4 inch
• 1/2 cup pickled red onions, drained
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 habanero chile, seeded and finely minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

Combine the black beans, pineapple, cucumber, and pickled red onions in a bowl. Add the cilantro, lime juice, habanero, salt, and pepper. Stir gently. Add the oil, then mix until evenly coated. Allow the salsa to rest at least 30 minutes before serving.

Dessert: Guava-Strawberry & Cream Cheese Empanadas

This dessert is inspired by the flavors of a classic pastelito de guayaba y queso. For a family-friendly version, simply omit the mezcal.

Serves 6-8

• 1 package GreenWise puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1 cup guava paste, cut into small dice
• 3/4 cup strawberries, washed, dried, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water (for egg wash)
• Confectioners’ sugar and strawberry slices for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4-inch squares. Combine the diced guava paste and strawberries.

Place approximately 1 tbsp. cream cheese in the center of each square. Top with the guava-strawberry mixture. Brush two adjoining edges with egg wash, then fold diagonally and press edges together firmly to form triangles. Seal with the tines of a fork.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with remaining egg wash. Bake 18–22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, spoon strawberry puree (see right) onto each dessert plate. Place a warm empanada in the center of the puree. Finish with a generous dollop of mezcal-spiked whipped cream. Garnish with sliced strawberries and a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Strawberry Puree

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Refrigerate puree until ready to serve.