Royal Ritz

Watermark Grille

11280 N. Tamiami Trail, Naples. 596-1400. Dinner: 4-11 p.m. daily. (Magician, Sunday through Thursday, 6-9 p.m.). Credit cards. No reservations. Easy parking in big mall lot.

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Petite Chef, Grand Job

At just 27 years old and standing only 5-feet, 2 1/2-inches tall, Amy Visco (size two) is the new chef de cuisine at the King's Crown Dining Room at the South Seas Resort at the tip of Captiva Island. The restaurant recently transitioned from a private enclave exclusively reserved for resort guests to a public dining destination with glorious views of the water and a fresh-as-the-breeze-through-the-palms menu. Visco, who is originally from the Philadelphia area and moved here a year ago from a Westin Hotel kitchen in Greenville, S. C., now manages a staff of 17 (from 10 different nations) and routinely puts in 12-hour days.

Q. How did you change the King's Crown menu?

A. I'm a big fan of supporting your local farmer and fisherman. From right outside the restaurant, I gather sapodilla fruit from the trees and make a sorbet with it. I found a source for mangrove honey on Sanibel and I use local sweet potatoes in a vichyssoise. I buy Florida heirloom tomatoes for salad. I make a ceviche with key limes and a relish with mangoes for fish. Our menu reflects where we are.

Q. What are some of the house specialties?

A. The osso buco with foie gras risotto. Also popular is our Gulf prawns served with a lobster grits cake. The grouper baked in paper with key lime essence and coconut rum butter is a huge favorite and so is the heirloom tomato salad with pumpkin seed encrusted goat cheese. Another salad that I do in winter is warm baby spinach with caramelized walnuts, smoky bacon and apple butter vinaigrette. And our South Seas lobster and prawn bisque is always requested.

Q. Is the professional kitchen still a man's world?

A. It's getting better. Most women chefs used to be pasty chefs, but now more are getting degrees in both food and pasty. I did. The more you can do, the more valuable you are. Three of the 18 in our kitchen are women.

Q. When did you know you were destined to be a chef?

A. At age 14. During high school I worked in fast-food places, and in restaurants all through college. My parents tried to talk me out of this life. But I was absolutely sure. I have a real passion for food and cooking.

Q. Who was your major influence?

A. My Italian grandmother. At 83, she still cooks for our family at holidays, and she made homemade pasta every night for my grandfather.

A. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A. Owning my own restaurant in Philadelphia. The relaxed but elegant place will seat about 50 and my menu will be based on local ingredients prepared in creative ways. I'll emphasize beautiful presentation.

King's Crown Dining Room

South Seas Resort, 54 Plantation Road, Captiva Island. 472-5111. Dinner: 6-9 p.m. daily. Credit cards. Reservations required in order to gain entrance to the resort.