{"id":133679,"date":"2026-01-27T16:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/133679\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T16:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:40:09","slug":"michelle-bernstein-is-miamis-culinary-queen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/133679\/","title":{"rendered":"Michelle Bernstein is Miami’s Culinary Queen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ChefChef Michelle Bernstein at Sra. Martinez, her flagship restaurant in Coral Gables. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

For 25 years, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) has been a kaleidoscope of celebrity chefs, grand tastings, and unforgettable dinners that have shaped Miami\u2019s foodie identity. This month, as the festival celebrates its milestone anniversary, the spotlight will land squarely\u2014and deservedly\u2014on one of Miami\u2019s own. Chef Michelle Bernstein, the city\u2019s beloved James Beard Award\u2013winning culinary ambassador, has been named the honoree of the festival\u2019s silver-anniversary tribute dinner. And for Bernstein, the recognition is as surprising as it is meaningful.<\/p>\n

Affectionately known throughout the city as \u201cMichy,\u201d Bernstein is not just a chef but a symbol of Miami\u2019s culinary rise. The hometown toque is adored by peers, staff, and diners alike, though humility sometimes prevents her from seeing her impact. \u201cI think it was Bobby Flay who whispered into [SOBEWFF executive director] Lee Schrager\u2019s ear: \u2018It\u2019s about time that you put a local in for the honoree,\u2019 and I guess he thought of me,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m still kind of surprised. I keep thinking that maybe they made a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Schrager, the choice was clear. \u201cIn addition to being one of the chefs who has put South Florida on the map, Michelle has been participating in this festival since its earliest incarnation as Florida Extravaganza on FIU\u2019s north campus,\u201d says Schrager. \u201cTo say she has been a supporter, friend, and driving force and talent behind this festival\u2019s success and longevity would be an understatement. It made all the sense in the world to honor her as our first local chef tribute dinner honoree for this, our twenty-fifth year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"StandoutStandout dishes at Sra. Martinez include fire-roasted cauliflower with green tahini and harissa oil. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

\u201cI have done every single festival since its inception,\u201d Bernstein says proudly. Not illness, scheduling, nor even an accidental oversight could keep her away. \u201cI did one festival with a black eye,\u201d the Miami native recalls. \u201cI think they might have forgotten about me once and at the last minute I was thrown into a dinner. I do a lot of replacements. I call myself the cleaner.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lack of ego is striking. Bernstein shows up, works hard, and treats every invitation\u2014whether glamorous or last-minute\u2014as an opportunity to give the festival her best. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s been 25 years of organized chaos, giggling, nerves, and fear,\u201d she reflects. <\/p>\n

Schrager adds, \u201cI am lucky enough to call Michelle a friend, but beyond her big heart and unwavering support, she has never been anything but a staunch supporter for the festival and its mission: to raise money for the Chaplin School of Hospitality at FIU and help forward the careers of the next generation of hospitality professionals. Without someone like Michelle, a die-hard Miamian and undeniable culinary powerhouse, the festival wouldn\u2019t be the success it is today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SeafoodSeafood paella with bomba rice, prawns, mussels, and cuttlefish. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

Which is why it is so meaningful that Bernstein will be bestowed SOBEWFF\u2019s biggest honor this month. The tribute dinner, the festival\u2019s marquee event, brings together nationally acclaimed chefs to honor a single figure. Ironically\u2014and delightfully\u2014the honoree does not cook. Bernstein will finally be a guest at her own dinner. \u201cSadly, I would like to hide in the kitchen,\u201d she admits. \u201cI have to actually sit, eat, and be charming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Held at the Loews Miami Beach February 21, the evening will be emceed by Bobby Flay and complemented by wine pairings curated by Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Esclan\u2019s Sacha Lichine. Choosing the chefs who would cook in her honor proved both challenging and sentimental. Her all-star roster includes Michael Symon, Scott Conant, Lindsay Autry, Timon Balloo, and Thomas Buckley. <\/p>\n

For the dessert course, Bernstein selected Duff Goldman for reasons far deeper than fame. The pick was a nod to their shared Jewish heritage. \u201cEvery time I eat his food, it makes me emotional because it reminds me of what came out of my grandmother\u2019s and my mother\u2019s hands,\u201d she describes.<\/p>\n

\"ChefChef Michelle Bernstein at Sra. Martinez. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

That sense of connection\u2014to memory, to family, to the people who feed us\u2014has always guided the way Bernstein leads. At Sra. Martinez, her flagship restaurant in Coral Gables, the bond between Bernstein and her team is palpable. The staff adores her in a way that goes beyond professional courtesy; they orbit around her with the natural affection of a chosen family.<\/p>\n

Across her storied career, Bernstein has cooked for presidents (including Mikhail Gorbachev), won a James Beard Award (Best Chef: South, 2008), and helped define Miami cuisine for a global audience. She first garnered attention at the sultry South Beach hot spot Tantra in 1998. She went on to helm the kitchen at Azul from 2000 to 2004, establishing her reputation at the innovative, modern Brickell Key restaurant that became a magnet for celebrities and dignitaries.<\/p>\n

From there, Bernstein opened the cherished\u2014and much missed\u2014Michy\u2019s, Sra. Martinez (twice), the chic dive bar Sweet Liberty, the award-winning Caf\u00e9 La Trova, and the vibrant Latin-Caribbean bar La Ca\u00f1ita, which now has three locations across Miami. Her success is shared with her husband, David Martinez, who is her partner in all ventures. (They met at Azul, where David was a waiter.) Together, they have built not just restaurants, but a brand rooted in hospitality, warmth, and community.<\/p>\n

\"TropicalTropical pavlova with passion fruit caramel and citrus curd. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

Sra. Martinez, which relaunched in 2024 in Coral Gables, blends Spanish cuisine with Mediterranean flavors, spanning dishes like shrimp aguachile with avocado, lime, and fresh tostadas; seafood paella with bomba rice, prawns, mussels, and cuttlefish; fire-roasted cauliflower with green tahini and harissa oil; and New York strip with green peppercorn sauce and chimichurri. <\/p>\n

The power-lunch spot transforms into a romantic space at sunset with live music, Miami flair, and a charming ambience. \u201cWe want people to feel comfortable having a business meeting at lunch, but yet come in at night and feel like you can be with your family or on a great date,\u201d Bernstein explains.<\/p>\n

Still, nostalgia is creeping back in. \u201cI\u2019ve been missing Michy\u2019s more and more,\u201d the Johnson & Wales alum admits. \u201cAt Sra. Martinez, I\u2019ve been throwing some classic dishes on the menu like gnocchi lasagna, chestnut soup, and a fried chicken sandwich, which is an homage to my fried chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WithWith more than 25 years in professional kitchens, Bernstein is known for her leadership and calm demeanor. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

Bernstein\u2019s culinary reach extends far beyond her dining rooms. Her 2008 cookbook, Cuisine \u00e1 Latina: Fresh Tastes and a World of Flavors from Michy\u2019s Miami Kitchen, provided home chefs a road map to replicating her most delicious plates. Through her eponymous catering company, the pert chef designs custom menus with the same care as if she were building a restaurant dish. \u201cCatering used to be a bad word,\u201d she says. \u201cBut we\u2019re giving people experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ShrimpShrimp aguachile with avocado, lime, and fresh tostadas. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s her career on camera. Bernstein hosts two Emmy Award\u2013winning TV shows, Check, Please! South Florida (PBS) and SoFlo Taste (Channel 10). She also regularly appears as a guest judge on nationally televised culinary competition programs, including Top Chef and Chopped, and has competed herself on Iron Chef America\u2014and even bested Flay. \u201cI\u2019m connecting with a different audience,\u201d she says of her TV career. \u201cPeople who may never come to my restaurants.\u201d <\/p>\n

For all the accolades and accomplishments, Bernstein\u2019s most candid moments surface when she talks about her family. As the mom of Zachary, 14, she negotiates between demanding kitchens and motherhood\u2019s emotional bandwidth. \u201cNobody balances anything,\u201d she acknowledges. \u201cIt is a fallacy to think that anything can be balanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"My\u201cMy confidence comes out when I\u2019m standing on a hotline. I feel power and strength from the kitchen. but in real life, i\u2019m very soft and tender.\u201d. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

Bernstein shares a recent mom-fail about waking up early to make her son a fresh mushroom-and-pasta breakfast\u2014only for him to declare it \u201ctoo mushroomy.\u201d \u201cI almost started to cry,\u201d she admits. But she reminded herself: she tried her best, and he knows he is loved.<\/p>\n

\"GreekGreek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and ripped pita. Photo by Salar Abduaziz<\/p>\n

\u201cMy confidence comes out when I\u2019m standing on a hotline,\u201d she says. \u201cI feel power and strength from the kitchen. But in real life, I\u2019m very soft and tender. I think about everybody else first.\u201d<\/p>\n

This instinct\u2014to lead with kindness, to nurture, to love fiercely\u2014defines Bernstein as much as her food. And it is what makes her one of Miami\u2019s most cherished figures.<\/p>\n

As the twenty-fifth anniversary tribute honor approaches, Bernstein is preparing for an evening destined to be more emotional than any award she has received. \u201cAt the moment, it\u2019s the most exciting thing that I could have ever imagined.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chef Michelle Bernstein at Sra. Martinez, her flagship restaurant in Coral Gables. Photo by Salar Abduaziz For 25…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[225,227,226],"class_list":{"0":"post-133679","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hialeah","8":"tag-hialeah","9":"tag-hialeah-headlines","10":"tag-hialeah-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}