Talula Chef Tells a Coral Gables Knife Fight Restaurant Story

Jacob Katel

Chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo shows her knife technique.

​Chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo and her husband Frank own Talula (23rd Street and Collins Avenue, Miami Beach). They've been working together since they met while working together at Tribeca Grill in New York City.

Here's a story Andrea tells about a fight she witnessed while working as Frank's Sous Chef at The Heights Restaurant in Coral Gables:

This is way back when I was a sous chef in Coral Gables. There was a Haitian guy and a guy who had been in the Sandinista Army when he was like 15. Where are they from? Nicaragua. So it was a Haitian and a Nicaraguan guy and they just hated each other. So one day they're arguing and the Haitian guy pulled one of my knives and was chasing the Sandinista in the lot out back of the kitchen.

None of the guys who worked there did anything. They just stood there and watched. So me, being stupid, I jumped on the Haitian guy's back. I didn't wanna see anybody get stabbed on my watch.

So then, two guys from the Italian place next door came out and helped me break up the fight. But as soon as we get the knife out of the picture, the Sandinista just starts beating the shit out of the other guy like bam, bam, bam, really bloody.

That was back in the day. A kitchen is a dangerous place to get in a fight. Lots of knives, heat, fire, oil.