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Taste Of The Town Visits Michelle Bernstein's Art Basel Pop-Up Eatery

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's lunch among the lily pads at The Botanical Gardens just across the street from the Miami Beach Convention Center. Michelle Bernstein, Miami's celebrated chef, is the official caterer and chef of Art Basel.

Bernstein is serving lunch at The Garden Cafe and serving dinner at Michy's Pop-Up, named after her Miami restaurant just across the garden.

"They can get salads and sandwiches—we're even doing a fresh grilled fish. It's a very European crowd so things have to be fresh and quick. It's meant to be a quick pick-up. Everyone wants to get back and see art and buy it all up," Bernstein said.

Bernstein has brought in a complete staff for the two pop-up eateries and, on the day CBS4's Lisa Petrillo visited, she was in high training mode making sure everything that goes out is not only pleasing to the palate, but to the eye as well.

"This whole staff is new, so we hired about 60-70 that are all new people," Bernstein said. "We had to build a kitchen. It's totally outdoors with tents. It's pretty wild."

Chef Bernstein prepared her famous vegetarian sandwich, a big seller from one of her other restaurants, Crumb on Parchment.  Bernstein also recommended her famous butter leaf salad.

"It's bib and butter lettuce mixed with jalapeño ranch dressing with crispy fried shallots, tomatoes, radishes and avocadoes," said the Chef.

Petrillo tried the salad.

"The dressing is to die for, the onions give it crunch. So you can run around Basel, eat this, and it won't be heavy but it will fill you up," said CBS4's  Petrillo.

After the salad Petrillo took a taste of the vegetarian sandwich.

"The pita is grilled soft and the tomato is sweet and the hummus feels like a comfort food. This is a lovely veggie sandwich," Petrillo said.

After the salad and sandwich, Petrillo tasted a favorite for many, Tuna on a soft bed of Caesar Salad.

"It's nice and smooth, not too much mayo on the Tuna, it's cold and I love it," Petrillo said.

The Garden Café is open through Sunday for lunch and then, for a bite at night, Michy's Pop-up is open for dinner.

For more info and reservations, dinner only, visit www.michyspopup.com.

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