Watch CBS News

Best Chefs Heating Up Miami's Culinary Scene

Food. We Miamians like a lot of it. Fortunately, the recent influx of talented chefs helps us fill our craving. From hipster to up-and-coming, here are Miami's top five chefs heating up the culinary scene.

everyday
(photo credit: bryaninthekitchen.com)

Bryan Underwood
Bryan In The Kitchen
104 NE 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33132
(305) 371-7777
bryaninthekitchen.com

Click here to read Bryan's food blog.

Bryan Underwood is a diet model turned chef. Instilled within his blood, Underwood was destined for the culinary scene. Rather than using processed foods, Underwood stresses "real food" with natural ingredients. His downtown Miami joint serves up everything from paninis to cupcakes, topped with a healthier, but just as tasty French buttercream. Or try a smoothie made with homemade Greek yogurt; flavors include mango, blueberry and acai. If looking to throw a healthy party, Bryan is available for catering as well.

Related: Best Tapas In Miami

Screen Shot 2012-06-29 at 4.37.15 PM
(photo credit: latinburger.com)

Ingrid Hoffmann
Latin Burger and Taco
(Food Truck)
latinburger.com

This former Food Network star now has an Univision show called "Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffmann." And with good reason, it is the first cooking show with a weekly U.S. broadcast on a national network. The Miami native has been in the cooking atmosphere for more than 13 years. And, just for good measure, Hoffmann co-owns the food truck Latin Burger and Taco. The Latin macho burger is to die for, no joke – chorizo, Oaxaca cheese, chuck, fresh-rolled sirloin and Ingrid's special "avocadolicious" sauce, made with Chilean haas avocados.

guf
(photo credit: gulfstreampark.com)

Ralph Pagano
Ten Palms American Trackside Kitchen & Stone Crab Parlor
901 S Federal Highway
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
(954) 455-6760
gulfstreampark.com

Click here to see a video of Ralph on Facebook.

Mr. Pagano "took his talents" to Broward's Gulfstream Park in October after a stint at STK Miami. He even cooked up a storm with The Fountain Club Restaurant, a pop-up restaurant that offered up whole Florida red snapper and BBQ brisket through the end of June. The catch? The restaurant was set up along Gulfstream's colorful fountains. There is no "horsing around" for Pagano even on Sundays, where he is the executive chef behind brunch. At $40, it's worth it to try a slicing station, fresh fruits, cheeses and great desserts.

Screen Shot 2012-06-29 at 4.42.16 PM
(photo credit: michysmiami.com)

Michelle Bernstein
Michy's
6927 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33138
(305) 759-2001
michysmiami.com

Click here for a full dinner menu.

"Top Chef" mentor and Delta Airlines first/business class meal designer, Michelle Bernstein does it all. The Miami native and Johnson & Wales graduate has four restaurants and a café, all of which have drawn great praise from Esquire and Gourmet Magazine. Now, for the food. Appropriately called "plates of resistance" because they are all dangerously good, highlights include squid ink handkerchief pasta and prawns as well as cioppino – a mix of fresh fish, clams, mussels, rock shrimp and calamari. And to avoid busting your wallet, all entrees are available in half portions.

Screen Shot 2012-06-29 at 4.45.35 PM
(photo credit: nemesisbistro.com)

Micah Edelstein
NeMesis Urban Bistro
1035 N Miami Ave
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 415-9911
nemesisbistro.com

Click here for a full menu.

Another "Top Chef" contestant, Micah Edelstein has a "Ratatouille" type of setup. The main attraction includes roasted eggplant, tomato sauce and fried capers. The restaurant itself is designed in a vintage style with Middle-Eastern prints. You can't get much more hip than Micah. "Sexy Nibbles" include leek and fig braised duck potstickers with a delightful guava-cardamon sauce. Finish it off with the carrot ginger pecan cake pain perdue, which is topped with "rummed" up citrus syrup.

Related: Best Delis In South Florida

Anthony Cave is a freelance journalist based in North Miami Beach, Fla. He has written for The Miami Herald, Broward/Palm Beach New Times, CruiseCritic.com and he also interns at WLRN-Miami Herald News. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.