Chefs
Michael Pisarri
Michelle Bernstein
Chef Michelle Bernstein, James Beard Foundation Award-winner for “Best Chef: South” (2008), is a Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent. Known for her vibrant, flavor-forward cooking, Bernstein draws inspiration from culinary memories and extensive global travels.
With her husband and partner, David Martinez, she owns and operates Michelle Bernstein Catering, along with several successful concepts, including Miami Beach cocktail bar Sweet Liberty; Little Havana’s Café La Trova; and La Cañita, located in Bayside Marketplace. In 2022, Bernstein partnered with CookUnity, a meal delivery service that brings her menu of fresh, pre-cooked meals directly to people’s homes. Recent projects include the opening of La Cañita Kendall and La Cañita Miami Beach, as well as the Zebra Club, a subterranean cocktail bar and supper club in South Beach, will open in fall 2026, featuring a globally influenced food menu.
No stranger to a TV set, Chef Bernstein currently hosts two Emmy award-winning television shows: Check, Please! South Florida (PBS) and SoFlo Taste. She also regularly appears as a guest judge on nationally televised culinary competition programs, including Top Chef (Bravo TV) and Chopped (Food Network).
In August 2026, Bernstein took her talents to sea as Culinary Curator & Chef Partner for Victory Cruise Lines. In a partnership created exclusively for the cruise line, she brings her creative vision to signature menus and destination-inspired dining experiences that celebrate the unique flavors, ingredients and traditions of the Great Lakes and Canadian coasts.
Bernstein also devotes time to causes she is passionate about, including her role as Vice Chair of the National Board of Common Threads, a national program that she not only brought to South Florida but also played a pivotal role in establishing the organization as a national non-profit. Their mission is to champion improved community health through the power of food and nutrition. Additionally, Bernstein partners with Cosentyx to share her personal story as an actual patient with psoriatic arthritis and to empower other people living with the condition to continue looking at all available options to address their pain.
Mushroom Persillade
When my son became a little pickier, as children often do, around the age of 5, I racked my brain to come up with recipes. I made him my mom’s favorites, my early favorites—pretty much anything he would accept. Watching Jacques one day, I saw him making a recipe for Chicken Persillade. That was it! As soon as I saw it, I knew Zach would LOVE it. And sure enough, 8 years later it’s still his favorite. This is an ode to that recipe; made almost exactly the same, except swapping any combination of mushrooms for chicken, and adding a little Spanish sherry and Aleppo pepper flakes.
Thank you Jacques for feeding my son and all of us, so much knowledge, passion and love.
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