Pirolo and Compton worked together at Scarpetta for almost four years.

Two of the plates I tried while chatting with with Scarpetta's new chef de cuisine Nina Compton (who just took over the helms this week), and outgoing chef de cuisine Michael Pirolo (who is moving on to Macchialina Taverna Rustica) were new pasta compositions that chef Compton has created for the menu: First one sampled was tagliolini with suckling pig sugo ($24).

Michael explains that "it takes three days to make." They brine, and then braise the entire pig (photo of brining pigs follows), take the meat off the bone, and toss it with perfectly cooked strands of yolk-colored pasta, broccoli rabe, garlic, pork cracklins, and juice from the pork.

"Now that she's doing dishes like this I'm glad I'm leaving," jokes Michael, "because she would have taken my job anyway."
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Exit Michael Pirolo, enter Nina Compton.

Michael Pirolo, chef de cuisine at Scarpetta, worked his last day at the Fontainebleau restaurant last Friday; he is moving on to partner with the Pubbelly guys on Macchialina Taverna Rustica (820 Alton Road, in the space formerly filled by Silvano). Nina Compton, formerly Scarpetta's sous chef, has taken over the helm -- just the second female chef at the Fontainebleau.

The two have teamed here since Scarpetta's pre-opening, and were still together in the kitchen cooking up some of Scarpetta's new menu items while we talked. Actually, they talked. I mostly ate, trying to jot down some notes while doing so. When I did ask a question, I would generally have food in my mouth, so it would sound like this:More >>

Energy Kitchen CEO Anthony Leone

​Had a good bison burger lately? If you've never tried this leaner beef alternative, head down to Pinecrest and check out Energy Kitchen's first outlet outside the New York area.

Known for their healthy approach to fast food, the restaurant brings their line of burgers, wraps, salads, and smoothies to South Florida. Anthony Leone, Founder and CEO, plans to open multiple Miami-area locations over the next couple years, including in South Beach, Coral Gables, and Aventura.

We sat down with Leone to get his thoughts on the Miami market and on his growing chain of healthy quick-serve joints:

New Times: What brought you to the Miami market after opening 10 stores in the New York area?
Anthony Leone: Being an FIU graduate I am very familiar with Miami. We thought that it would be the ideal area to be the first store to open outside the NY area. In addition we partnered up with Justo Pozo who is a phenomenal entrepreneur himself. He shares the same mission and values as us and is passionate on making Energy Kitchen the pioneer and leader in the healthy fast casual segment. Our goal is to have 1,000 stores in 10 years.

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It's 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and Vincent Pantoliano, executive pastry Chef at Meat Market, is in the kitchen experimenting with different ingredients and techniques. He wants to get the right textures and flavors. He often comes in early so there's extra time to "play" in the kitchen.

This adventurous spirit won him the first prize in the StarChefs Vitamix challenge. His goat cheese cheesecake wowed judges that including Marcus Samuelsson and Harold Deiterle. Comparable to a Top Chef Quickfire challenge. "It was stressful to be cooking and representing not only myself but also Meat Market," he says.

This Long Island native has a Cordon Bleu culinary degree. He has spent years working as a sous chef across the country, but it wasn't until he got to Meat Market that he found his true passion. "I love pastry because it allows me to utilize my creativity more -- people accept whimsical things when it comes to dessert." When asked for his favorite ingredient, he quickly replies, "Sugar -- it's fascinating what you can do with it".
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billwisserphoto.com

​Chef/owner of Chow Down Grill Joshua Marcus doesn't stock chopsticks. No way. No how. Why? It makes sense to him, but not to many others. At one time, it caused a bit of a stir on his Facebook and Twitter pages. We wanted to know what he had to say about the whole affair.More >>

Photo by Seth Browarnik/Red Eye Productions

Myles Chefetz

​In Part Two of our interview with restaurateur Myles Chefetz, we discuss celebrities who dine at Prime One Twelve, his new hotel, and other upcoming projects. For more information about the James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur, see Part One of our interview with the man who owns Prime One Twelve, Prime Italian, Prime Hotel, Big Pink, Nemo, and Shoji Sushi.

New Times: How often do you change the menu at the various restaurants?

Myles Chefetz: They change. In fact, I'm coming up with a new menu at Big Pink in the next couple of weeks. Nemo is really evolving. I'm going to be changing the concept there. That restaurant has been open for 15 years. I want to do a broader-based fish concept. My plans are to redo that in the summer. I might even change the name. But I will keep the signature Nemo dishes, like the wok-charred salmon and the prawns. At Prime One Twelve, we are constantly coming up with new ideas. As soon as I come up with a new idea, it ends up on six other local menus. It's quite flattering, but it's kind of annoying too.

Too bad you can't trademark this stuff.

No, you can't. You can only protect the format if it's likely to cause confusion.

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Photo by Seth Browarnik/Red Eye Productions

Myles Chefetz

​A veteran Miami restaurateur, Myles Chefetz owns some of the hottest eateries in town -- all of which are within a block of one another. First came the eclectic Nemo, which was followed by the amped-up diner Big Pink. Chefetz really hit his stride six years ago with Prime One Twelve, which reinvented the steak-house concept. Good luck getting in there; the wait is often two hours, even with a reservation. Other successful culinary forays include Shoji Sushi and Prime Italian. Most recently, he has debuted the Prime Hotel and Lounge, cementing himself as the king of South of Fifth Street.

While Miamians have long acknowledged Chefetz's restaurant-mogul status, he was recently recognized as a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's prestigious Outstanding Restaurateur award. As a longtime friend and fan of Myles, I sat down with him to get the skinny on his James Beard nomination, the secrets to his success, and the deviled egg craze.

New Times: Congrats on the James Beard Award. I think I was the first person to tell you about it. What was your reaction?

Myles Chefetz: I was more surprised than anything because I don't have a PR company. I fly under the radar because of that. I don't publicize myself personally. Many of the other nominees have New York connections, and the James Beard Foundation is out of New York. Stephen Starr has New York connections, for example. I am not really involved with the James Beard Foundation. How did they get my name out of 21,000 names? .

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Top culinary prospect Luis Young

​In the midst of the giant South Beach Wine & Food Festival, we bring you this small, feel-good story about Johnson & Wales student Luis Young. The 19-year-old has eight more days to get ready for the S. Pellegrino  Almost Famous Chef Competition held at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in Napa Valley, California. Luis, from Panama City, Panama, came to Miami to study at Johnson & Wales in September of 2008. He has already nabbed the South Regional crown against seven students from his alma mater and competing culinary schools from the area, winning with an Herb Scented Seared Venison Tenderloin entree. Now he'll be preparing the same dish against eight other regional winners from across the U.S. (plus one each from Canada and Italy) during a three-day finals (March 5th through 8th). Winner takes home up to $20,000 in prizes and an all-paid apprenticeship from one of the participating chef judges. Last year's winner, David Awad, is currently working at Michael White's Alto  in NYC, which just received a Michelin Star.

Short Order spoke with the young, aspiring chef as he prepares to head west for his challenge; plus we've got a photo of his contending venison dish.
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Jackie Sayet

Victors and spoils: Trophy tchotchkies as colorful as their owners get carted around the competitive BBQ circuit and have the scuff marks to prove it.

​This past Sunday, I joined foodie friends and bloggers Steve, Paula, and David on a tiny trek to Homestead for a taste of America -- and what could be more U, S of A than barbecued pig, funnel cake and roasted corn vendors, and cowboy and tchotchke stalls of all kinds?

Now mind you, I know it sounds like fun and games, but the annual event brings serious competition between the "Ribbers," with a horde of trophies at stake to add to their overflowing and quite colorful collections. Also, it's even a more imposing challenge for attendees, who must attempt - as any respectable rib eater would - to sample as much diverse 'cue as possible in mere hours.

All I will say is thank god my seasoned company (I was the only newbie to Ribfest) had a plan of attack!  Divide and conquer (always a good idea in most situations) by splitting up and bringing back our spoils to a picnic table to share and compare. Brilliant. I recorded the experience on my food blog, Kitchen Interviews.  Here is the event, in pictures. 

Jackie Sayet

Beauty in the imperfections

We'd be kidding ourselves, however, to not admit that a significant portion of this sacred day is also spent thinking about food​.  The food we haven't eaten since last nightfall!

The symbolic nature of hunger during today's ritual fast is obvious. But it's also simple math: a reverse bell curve, peaking in the morning as we wake up with empty stomachs, receding in the afternoon as our thoughts turn inward, and then spiking again at night, once the bountiful break-the-fast feast is spread before us.

Part of the specialness of holidays, no matter what your denomination, is spending time with family.  For us Jews, it's also about the bonding of generations over foods traditional to our ancestors' homeland and also the modern Jewish American home.

Cooking these meals together is especially important in my family.  My mother hosts Yom Kippur at her house, and I assume my usual role as sous chef.

 

FASTING SPOILER ALERT: Click here at your own risk for an account of preparations for tonight's meal that may render your bell curve less curvaceous. Don't say I didn't warn you!