Great meals begin with great company, and this weekend Isla puts two of the best cooks in one kitchen.
Two Celebrated Chefs Share One Kitchen for One Night
On Saturday, July 11, Isla launches the inaugural edition of Dinner with Friends, a new chef collaboration series staged inside the restaurant’s intimate Capital Room. Executive Chef Lonie Murdock, the visionary behind downtown DC’s Caribbean fine dining destination, welcomes acclaimed Canadian chef Ron McKinlay for a one-night-only dinner. Known for his devotion to seasonality and ingredient-driven cooking, McKinlay brings his signature style to Washington for a single evening. Together, the two chefs have composed a five-course menu shaped by a shared passion for storytelling through food.
Moreover, the format itself is the draw: two respected voices in modern kitchens, cooking side by side, trading ideas in real time. Consequently, no two editions of this series will ever taste the same.
A Five-Course Menu Built on Seasonal Ingredients and Bold Flavor
The evening opens with snacks of Dutty Gal and Escovitch Carpaccio before moving into Burnt Beef Tartare layered with foie gras, cured yolk, and charred baguette. Next, an Onion Soup arrives enriched with oxtail, parmesan, and bay leaf, followed by a Seafood Roulade of callaloo and pepper shrimp mousse.
The centerpiece is a Surf & Turf pairing Westholme fillet with bacon, lobster jus gras, and wild mushrooms, accompanied by seasonal shared sides. Finally, dessert lands with a Gizzada of grated coconut and Planteray Rum — a sweet Jamaican farewell to a globe-spanning menu! An optional curated wine pairing, available for $60 per guest, completes the experience.
Menu items may change with seasonality and availability, so guests with dietary restrictions or allergies should contact Isla directly.
Limited Seating Makes This DC Dining Event a Must-Book
Seats are scarce by design. The Capital Room setting keeps the evening close, conversational, and personal, which is precisely the point of Dinner with Friends. Tickets are $150++ per guest with a $30 deposit required, and reservations can be secured HERE via OpenTable.
The event is presented in partnership with Planteray Rum, Chef’s Warehouse, and Westholme Wagyu. For anyone tracking the best chef collaboration dinners in Washington DC this summer, this is the table to claim!
The Washington Lobbyist Keeps You at DC’s Best Tables
The Washington Lobbyist champions the chefs, restaurants, and one-night-only experiences that make dining in the nation’s capital unforgettable. Follow along, share this story with a friend who loves a great dinner party, and join us at the table — DC’s next great food moment is always one reservation away.
Location: Isla, 1100 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 Average Cost: $150++ per guest ($30 deposit required); optional wine pairing $60.
