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MIGUEL MAGAÑA, NEW CHEF DE CUISINE AT BIZCAYA, THE RITZ-CARLTON COCONUT GROVE -- WINE IS FUN… PERIOD! MONTHLY DINNERS
Los-Angeles native and Art Institute of California graduate, Miguel Magaña, 29, is the new Chef de Cuisine at Bizcaya, the Mediterranean bistro-style restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove. He comes from the Jer-ne restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, California, a post he ascended to after just eight months as the restaurant’s sous chef. He will prepare the “Wine is Fun…. Period!” – wine dinner series with Sommelier Jeffrey Galloway, on the first Thursday of every month, starting June 5 at 7 p.m. The highlight of the dinner series, limited to 14 guests, is a Five Card Stud poker with a card dealt at each course. The guest with the best hand at the end of the night wins a Ritz-Carlton prize ranging from a bottle of fine wine to Sunday Brunch, dinner in Bizcaya, treatments at the Boutique Spa and much more. Dinner guests frequently trade cards trying to build the best hand. “We don’t call it cheating,” said Valentine Dominguez, a regular patron, “we call it sharing. It’s become a tradition.” The schedule for the “Wine is Fun…. Period!” series is as follows: June 5, July 3, August 6, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4. The cost: $90 per person, includes tax, gratuity and complimentary valet parking. Bizcaya restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton, 3300 S.W. 27th Avenue, Coconut Grove, 305-644-4680 www.ritzcarlton.com. 
Lalo Durazo of Jaguar LatAm Grill and Mari Nalli has now come up with IQ, a concept based on quesadillas (price range from $6.95 to $7.95) with international flavors, on the Mari-Nalli locations. The options now include: Ceviche Tostadas; Chilorio Tacos; Ropa Vieja Tacos (fresh hand-made tortillas); New quesadilla flavors. IQ offers table service; outdoor seating a a sidewalk café. The IQ locations in Cocowalk and Coral Gables (2271 Ponce de Leon corner of Giralda) are open daily for late breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cocowalk (305) 443-3999 --- Coral Gables (305) 648-0688. DON IGNACIO CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL OPENS IN DORAL, MIAMI One of the most important universities of Peru, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, is now exporting its Don Ignacio Culinary Arts School to Miami. Founded by former Vice President of Peru, Mr. Raul Diez Canseco, The internationally affiliated university offers a curriculum taught by teachers from Peru, France, Spain and the US. The school’s partnership with the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, the Hofmann Hotel Management School in Barcelona, Spain; the Apicius Cooking School in Florence Italy; Don Ignacio in Lima, Peru and Disney World, Orlando, Florida, will enable students after graduation to continue their education in Lima, Lyon, Barcelona and Florence on their way to becoming culinary professionals, starting a semester in any school, and finishing in Lima. According to Mr. J. Marcos Rodriguez of the Peruvian Consulate in Miami, Don Ignacio Culinary Arts School Miami will be equipped with state of the art kitchens, amphitheaters with interactive TV screens, classrooms for baking, cooking and dessert making. A hall for the study of Oenology will enable students to take classes with experts from all over the world. A restaurant school and other amenities are available. Don Ignacio’s Miami affiliate will start classes on May 12, 2008 in Doral. Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry and Chef for a Day are some of the programs offered. Don Ignacio Culinary Arts School is located at 10395 NW 41st Street, Suite 125, Doral, FL 33178. For more information, contact Gloria Barbier at 305.629.2929. www.usil.edu.pe CLOSED: MARK’S LAS OLAS, FORT LAUDERDALE After closing Mark’s South Beach a few weeks ago, Chef Mark Militello has now closed Mark’s Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. SUGARCANE LOUNGE BY SUSHISAMBA SLATED TO OPEN IN MIDTOWN MIAMI IN 2009 The Sushisamba Restaurant Group is planning to open the 4,200-square-foot indoor/outdoor Sugarcane Lounge, its third Ultralounge Concept, at 3252 North East 1st Avenue in Midtown Miami, between the Design District and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. According to concept developer, Shimon Bokovza “it was a natural expansion for us to bring the brand to Miami’s booming Midtown district.” For more information about Midtown, call (305) 757-0001 or visit www.midtownmiami.com. DAVID MULLEN NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF, PAOLA HUTTO PASTRY CHEF AT BOURBON STEAK, THE FAIRMONT TURNBERRY ISLE RESORT & CLUB David Mullen has been appointed executive chef and Paola Hutto has been appointed pastry chef at Bourbon Steak Miami, the Michael Mina restaurant, at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Mr. Mullen was chef de cuisine at Angle at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach and worked with Julian Serrano at Masa’s and Picasso, Wylie Dufresne at 71 Clinton Fresh Food, Daniel Boulud at Daniel, and Laurent Tourondel at Cello, among others. Paola Hutto previously worked at Mesa Grill at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Bourbon Steak Miami, The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, 19999 West Country Club Drive in Aventura. 786-279-6600. CORAL GABLES RESTAURANT WEEK, JUNE 2 THROUGH 9, DOWNTOWN GABLES Starting June 2nd through June 9, Downtown Coral Gables will be abuzz with the first Coral Gables Restaurant Week during which the city’s finest restaurants will offer three-course prix fixe lunch and dinner menus. The participants include: Cacao, Caffé Abracci, California Pizza Kitchen, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine, La Cofradia, La Dorada, Ortanique on the Mile, Caramelo, Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill, Sushi Maki, Benihana, Artfish on the Mile, Two Sisters, Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, Hoja Nueva Restaurant, JohnMartin's and the newly-opened Por Fin Restaurant. “We are pleased to be part of an event that celebrates Downtown Coral Gables’ vibrant restaurants,” commented Chef Edgar Leal, Cacao Restaurant. For a complete list of participating restaurants and menus (menus available starting May 5th), please visit www.coralgablesrestaurantweek.com 
CHEF JESSE SOUZA NOW CHEF AT BALEENMIAMI, GROVE ISLE HOTEL & SPA, COCONUT GROVE
The new chef at BaleenMiami, at the Grove Isle Hotel and Spa is Chef Jesse Souza. Originally from New England chef Souza was recently executive chef at City Cellars in Coral Gables. After six years as executive sous chef at the Claremont Resort & Spa in Berkeley, CA, chef Souza came to Miami where he opened Chispa with chef Robbin Haas. At BaleenMiami chef Souza has created an eclectic menu focused on seafood, an appropriate choice for a waterside restaurant. BaleenMiami, Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Coconut Grove, 305.857.5007. www.GroveIsle.com 
The hip, brand new 175-seats indoor/outdoor Blu Pizza e Cucina at Mary Brickell Village, a restaurant/lounge with a full bar serving exotic cocktails, a brick oven - for thin-crusted pizzas, meats and fish - skirted by a12-seat pizza bar - “just like in Italy ” - is Blu Restaurants Group’s third restaurant. The first two are the South Miami landmarks Trattoria Sole and Blu la Pizzeria del Sole, operated by Maurizio Farinelli and partners. The fourth restaurant is slated to open soon at 8915 SW 72nd Place, Miami. Chef Riccardo Tognozzi, formerly from La Bussola, Oggi and Da Vinci, has created a menu which starts with the desserts – pleasing every child in us. The menu lends itself to a casual, hip eatery with bar foods such as glorified version of Roman street foods, as well as to a fine Italian restaurant, with superb items such as the cioppino, his own version of seafood pasta. According to manager and partner Luca Delogu, Blu Pizza e Cucina is “a fusion of Trattoria Sole and Blu la Pizzeria del Sole – respectively at 5894 Sunset Dr. and 7201 S.W. 59 Ave. in South Miami.” Mr. Delogu who is from Rome, Italy, explained: “We’re taking the best of the two menus and we are adding some unique Italian recipes and a great list of wines.” The wine list focuses on boutique wines at reasonable prices with many half bottles and a good selection of over a dozen wines by the glass. The Desserts ($6 to $8), which open the menu, are the handicraft of pastry chef Ligia Mora, who worked with chef Tognozzi at La Bussola. On the list a superb pannacotta di sambucca with cherry compote, a warm truffle chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, and a warm applet art with caramel ice cream. A private room seating 40, with screen and state-of-the-art electronic equipment, for special functions and conferences, dinners, corporate luncheons opens on the cocktail lounge and the terrace. Blu Pizza e Cucina at Mary Brickell Village is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. till midnight. Mary Brickell Village -900 S. Miami Ave. suite 130. 305-381-8335 |
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