New at Vue 30A: Chef Christopher Mayhue’s Vision for This Local Favorite

For years, Vue on 30A has been a go-to for locals, long-time vacationers, and destination diners alike along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A, offering breathtaking views and upscale-but-approachable service.

But over the past year, something new has taken shape inside Vue’s kitchen. There’s a confidence on each plate that suggests a fresh point of view — one anchored in the past, but looking forward. At the heart of that evolution is Executive Chef Christopher Mayhue.

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Chef Mayhue’s culinary journey began at just 18, working in professional kitchens locally, then across Charleston and the Arkansas Delta, before returning to his roots in Northwest Florida. Like many in the industry, he trained under accomplished chefs — most notably Brian Murray, former executive sous chef for Emeril Lagasse — who instilled in him a deep respect for ingredients and a passion for thoughtful, flavor-driven cooking.

“It’s about caring for what’s on each plate,” Chef Mayhue says, “where it came from, and the people you’re serving it to.”

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That philosophy guides everything happening at Vue today. After officially taking the helm nearly one year ago, Chef Mayhue began shaping the kitchen culture and menu in subtle, deliberate ways, careful not to disrupt what loyal guests have long loved about the award-winning restaurant. “We didn’t want to shock the system,” he says. “We made changes slowly, with intention, and the entire team bought in.”

It’s not just about new flavors or dishes; it’s about a new kind of energy — one driven by teamwork, especially the longstanding partnership between Mayhue and Vue’s Executive Sous Chef Dalbert Hughes. The two have worked together for more than a decade, across multiple properties in the region, and now lead the kitchen at Vue with a shared vision rooted in mentorship, experimentation, and mutual trust.

“I come to him with an idea, and he says, ‘Go for it,’” Chef Hughes says. “We taste, tweak, and build on each other’s strengths. That’s where the best dishes come from.”

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So what exactly is new on the menu? A lot. And yet, it all feels right at home. During a recent visit, I was able to enjoy all of the following thanks to a tasting menu designed by Chef Mayhue.

To start, there’s the Ember Shrimp, Vue’s smoky-spicy answer to the classic bang bang shrimp. Inspired by the beach bonfires just steps from the patio, it brings the heat with pepper flakes and the depth of oak smoke. The Southern-style seared tuna is another standout, served rare with Tabasco aioli, champagne truffle vinaigrette, and arugula for balance. And then there are lamb lollipops, marinated in chimichurri, served with a polenta cake and a velvety brown sauce that ties it all together.

“We’re not trying to be overly fancy or pretentious,” says Chef Mayhue. “We just want every dish to be thoughtful, refined, and rooted in what makes this area special.”

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Seafood, naturally, takes center stage — nowhere more memorably than in Vue’s house-smoked tuna dip. While nearly every 30A restaurant offers a version, Vue’s is in a category of its own. Whole tuna loins, flown in from Jensen Tuna in Louisiana, are broken down on-site and smoked over oak wood in a massive outdoor smoker. “We do about 60 pounds at a time,” Chef Mayhue tells us. “You break it open and see the smoke ring like you would on pork. It’s legit.”

The Niceville Hot Chicken is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Nashville favorite (and the visitors that frequent from the 615 area) but toned down with a honeyed finish that doesn’t sacrifice flavor and will not blow out your palette. A 16-ounce pork tomahawk, one of the menu’s boldest offerings, is paired with sweet potato hash and glazed with a tamarind barbecue sauce, an idea sparked on a trip to India and reinvented with Southern soul.

Chef Hughes’s influence is especially apparent in the nightly seafood features, which draw on his classical French training and a global palette shaped by years of work in hotels across Jamaica and the U.S. “I mix techniques —French, Indian, Caribbean — and fuse them based on what ingredients speak to me,” he says. “It’s all about the flavor.”

That collaborative mindset has paid off. The kitchen now boasts a tight, seasoned core team, most of whom have worked together long enough to anticipate each other’s moves. “We’re in a place now where we can really push the refinement,” Chef Mayhue adds. “Better plating, deeper flavors, more cohesion. It’s the phase we’ve been working toward.”

Desserts maintain the same high standard. From New Orleans-style beignets with bourbon caramel, apple compote, and dulce de leche ice cream to a rich Jamaican Blue Mountain (not to be confused with the Blue Mountain area of 30A) rum cake with raspberry and spice, there’s a sweet finish for every kind of diner. Like the savory menu, nothing is phoned in.

But the Vue experience is more than just food. “It’s about every moment, from the time a guest walks in until they leave,” says Chef Mayhue. “The atmosphere, the service, the meal — if any part of that falls short, we’ve missed it.”

That holistic approach is resonating. Regulars have taken notice, and so have newcomers. “Outside of our loyal members, we’re seeing more non-member locals and travelers return, again and again,” he notes. “In a place with this many dining options, that’s the best compliment we can get.”

Looking ahead, Vue is poised to continue evolving. Chef Mayhue plans to deepen relationships with regional purveyors like JV Foods, a Louisiana-based distributor that curates fresh cheeses, specialty produce, and hard-to-find ingredients from Asian and Southern farms. “They send us a list each week of what’s available, straight from the source,” he explains. “It’s stuff you’d otherwise have to order online or drive to New Orleans for yourself. It’s a game-changer.”

Still, for all the fresh ingredients and refined techniques, the heart of Vue remains simple: a love for food, people, and place. “We’re not reinventing the wheel,” he tells us. “We’re just making it spin a little smoother.”

So, whether you’re a 30A local, a seasonal resident, or here for your first beach week, now’s the time to take a fresh look at the Vue on 30A — one of our favorite places that takes reservations. The Gulf may still steal the show at sunset, but what’s happening in the kitchen is every bit as stunning.

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