A well-known television chef in Albania has landed in Key Biscayne.<\/p>\n
Renato Mekolli, who rose to fame as a judge on \u201cMasterChef Albania,\u201d and later hosted \u201cHell\u2019s Kitchen Albania,\u201d is now the executive chef at Paral\u00eda at the Ritz-Carlton.<\/p>\n
Paral\u00eda, the open-air Aegean restaurant, serves Mediterranean meze such as Turkish k\u00f6fte, considered the soul of Turkish comfort food. At its simplest, it is a minced meat patty, but Mekolli resists calling it just a \u201cmeatball.\u201d<\/p>\n
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It is \u201cmuch more,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Mekolli is not only leading a renovated concept and an Island adaptive menu, but he is also a neighbor and a Key Biscayne resident.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy riding my bike, walking on the beach, visiting the gym and getting to know my neighbors,\u201d Mekolli told Islander News last week, adding that he starts his days early, always taking a few minutes to stand by Paral\u00eda\u2019s terrace and \u201cjust look at the sea and get inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mekolli\u2019s connection to the kitchen began early in Fier, Albania, where he spent time alongside his gjyshe (grandmother) asking questions about the ingredients and techniques behind every dish.<\/p>\n
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That early curiosity would take Mekoli far from home. Mekolli moved to Greece at a young age, where he worked his way up from entry-level kitchen jobs while facing racism, financial hardship and personal struggles, including panic attacks.<\/p>\n
Mekoli eventually would become head chef at prestigious Athens restaurants, including Vassilenas, a historic, high-end spot and winning several \u201cGolden Hat\u201d (Toque d\u2019Or) awards, the highest culinary honor in Greece.<\/p>\n
After returning to Albania and finding stardom, things suddenly changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLife often has its own plans,\u201d Mekoli said. \u201cWe imagine things one way, but they unfold in another. Even though I had achieved everything I had dreamed of, and even more, feeling grateful for all that God had given me, there came a moment when everything changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, reality was turned upside down. My restaurants closed, the TV show I was hosting came to an end, and hundreds of people were left without jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Refusing to accept the circumstances as a final, Mekolli \u201cmade the biggest decision of my life\u201d and refused to believe that \u201cthis is just how life is.\u201d He had to start again, \u201cstronger, more determined, more confident.\u201d<\/p>\n
That set of circumstances is now the Ritz Carlton\u2019s Key Biscayne and Paral\u00eda\u2019s gain, a sort of renaissance for Mekolli.<\/p>\n
He has introduced that special blend of Greek and Turkish\/Mediterranean influence which started in his grandmother\u2019s kitchen, now an elevated fine-dining technique, with an ability to transform simple ingredients into refined dishes.<\/p>\n
One of his new dinner menu entries at Paral\u00eda, officially to be introduced in May, is the new Lamb Shank.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is slow cooked all day in nothing but lamb juice, my secret ingredient and love,\u201d Mekolli says smiling.<\/p>\n
Islander News\u2019 Maria Carolina Jaso tried the dish.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lamb was cooked just right, the meat nearly falling off the bone,\u201d she said. Mekolli serves it over a smooth, airy eggplant pur\u00e9e, his modern take on H\u00fcnkar Be\u011fendi, the dish known as \u201cThe Sultan\u2019s Delight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaso noted that the smoky pur\u00e9e and fresh asparagus \u201cbrought everything together.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the things Mekolli loves about the Island is the \u201cgood energy\u201d he gets from the ocean.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get inspired by the water and want to introduce lots of fish to the menu.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following his likeness for simple ingredients, his Aegean Seafood Salad, containing simply shrimp, cuttlefish, octopus, mussels and calamari is a must try, according to Islander News\u2019 Mariella Oliva, who was \u201csurprised\u201d by the entry.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt was loaded with shrimp, octopus, and calamari in a delicious olive oil dressing\u201d\u2013 Mekolli says he uses nothing but olive oil. Oliva said the dish was \u201csuper light, yet full of flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mekolli says he could \u201ctalk all day about food,\u201d and is on a mission to \u201cmodernize Turkish cuisine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Take gyros, which are considered Greek, but with Turkish ancestry. His \u201csignature\u201d gyros carry his own \u201ctwist.\u201d and are generously loaded with beef, served with warm pita bread and crispy fries on the side. They are paired with a fresh white onion sauce and a rich, creamy white sauce that adds \u201cthe perfect touch to every bite,\u201d according to Oliva.<\/p>\n
All the dishes at Paral\u00eda carry Mekolli\u2019s well-known plating techniques. To him, \u201cthe kitchen requires discipline and should be respected,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Paral\u00eda\u2019s menu reflects a little bit of Mekolli’s new Key Biscayne home. \u201cWe will tailor our offering to Key Biscayne and Miami\u2019s lifestyle, with a healthy twist and also introduce tapas for the beach and the pool,\u201d he said, and \u201cwill never compromise on quality.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is happy with landing on Key Biscayne, where he feels supported. \u201cMy journey continues here, in a truly unique environment, at The Ritz-Carlton. Here, I found more than just a job, I found a family. People like Derek (Flint, the Ritz Carlton market manager) with passion, values, and commitment.<\/p>\n
In his spare time away from the heat of the kitchen, Mekolli is finalizing a project that may be his most personal yet: an autobiography titled “The Chef \u2013 My Last Chance at Life.” The book promises the “entire journey,” as he puts it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen nothing seems to change, the universe starts working in your favor, guiding you,\u201d Mekolli says of the transition from the turmoil in Albania to the calm of the Florida coast. \u201cThe most beautiful part is that the end of this book is not an ending. It is a new beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
A beginning at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne.<\/p>\n
If you go:<\/p>\n
Location: Paral\u00eda at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, 455 Grand Bay Drive.<\/p>\n
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m. \u2013 9:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Reservations: paraliakeybiscayne.com<\/a> or (305) 365-4500, Ext. 4622.<\/p>\n