Local Faces

Three locals — a celebrated chef, a world-renowned violinist and the creator of the world’s largest miniature circus — share Sarasota as their inspiration

Jean-Pierre Knaggs

Chef/proprietor of The Bijou Café, a local favorite since 1986. His claim to fame is Bijou’s pommes gratin Dauphinois. When Knaggs worked as a chef on a yacht years ago, his boss loved this dessert so much he sent Knaggs to France to master the dish.

Is it true the local politicos power lunch at The Bijou? “It’s a super power lunch place. If we placed microphones under tables, we could listen in on a lot of secrets. But your secrets are safe at The Bijou.”

The Bijou has been an institution since the Reagan administration. How do you explain your staying power? “For one, our location is amazing. We’re across from the Sarasota Opera House and within blocks of dozens of theaters and galleries. Our place is packed on theater and gallerywalk nights. It’s the perfect spot to begin or end an evening out.”

How do you describe your cuisine? “Our menu definitely has a continental flare with a heavy emphasis on fresh seafood and meats and seasonal, regionally grown produce. Our wine list is pretty creative, too.”

Where do you eat when you’re not working? “We always try new restaurants, to wish them well. My wife and I love Japanese food, so we usually head for DaRuMa (5459 Fruitville Rd; 941-342-6600; www.darumarestaurant.com) to get our fix.”

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Itzhak Perlman

Renowned violinist and conductor (he performed at President Obama’s inauguration!) who founded The Perlman Music Program, which offers gifted young musicians winter residencies in Sarasota (Dec. 22 to Jan. 8). More than 20 on-campus rehearsals and master classes are free and open to the public, culminating in the Celebration Concert, Jan. 7, at the Sarasota Opera House.

What do you get out of mentoring students? “We all understand how good it feels to help someone. I get that feeling all the time. Every lesson I teach is really a gift to me.”

Why did you and your wife choose Sarasota for the PMP Winter Residency? “We’d like to take credit for it, but coming to Sarasota was the brainchild of Dr. David Klein, a Sarasota resident and husband of Heidi Castleman, who was formerly on the faculty of The Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, NY.”

Why do you open rehearsals and classes to the public? “To let the community participate in the mentoring process. It’s extremely rewarding to listen to and watch promising young musicians learn from acclaimed musicians. We also hope the students gain stage savvy by paying attention to what happens to them under pressure.”

What’s the best advice for a young person with dreams of becoming a classical musician? “Practice!”

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Howard Tibbals

Creator of the Howard Bros. Circus, a to-scale miniature replica of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the largest miniature circus in the world. See it at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Your giant mini-circus contains roughly 42,000 items. How long did it take to build? “Sixty-four years. No circus was bigger than Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey from 1919 to 1939, which is what my model replicates down to the smallest detail.”

What did your wife think of you spending your free time building it? “It’s a passion my wife of 20 years, Janice, understands. She was a doll collector. When we got together, she told her family she was marrying a man who played with dolls.”

Why did you choose The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art as its permanent home? “What better place to house my model than in the Ringling Circus Museum, founded by John Ringling, the circus king, and one of five brothers who created the Ringling Bros. Circus?”

What’s next for the museum? “Its Tibbals Learning Center is opening a $7.5 million interactive addition on Jan. 21, where children can experience the magic, drama and excitement of the circus. They can walk a tightrope, simulate flying through the air as a human cannonball and see deathand gravity-defying acrobatic feats.”