Michelle Bernstein
Encyclopedia
Michelle Bernstein is a James Beard Foundation Award
-winning chef from Miami, Florida
, known for her Latin-style flavors of cooking.
, she has drawn widespread acclaim for her culinary skills. She took over the restaurant Azul at the Mandarin Oriental in 2001, and was lauded for her sophisticated haute cuisine by Esquire Magazine food critic John Mariani, who dubbed it "the best new restaurant in America.
Bernstein was previously a co-host of the Food Network
series Melting Pot and was once in a battle on Iron Chef America
versus Bobby Flay
, from which she emerged victorious. She has since appeared on numerous shows, including as a guest judge on Top Chef
.
In 2005, Bernstein and her husband, David Martinez, became business partners and left Azul to open Michy's together. Gourmet Magazine declared it one of the "Top 50 restaurants in the country" and Food & Wine Magazine
dubbed it "Best New Restaurant 2006".
Their third restaurant arrived in 2008, called SRA. Martinez. They are currently planning their fourth venture together, Michelle Bernstein, a new restaurant to open in Fall 2009. Bernstein has also opened a Miami chapter of Common Threads
, a program designed to inspire culinary prowess in underprivileged children ages 8-11. It's an after-school program that meets weekly and instills in youngsters the importance of balanced, nutritious meals. Bernstein said in a 2011 interview, with Aventura Business Monthly, that many of the kids she mentors are fortunate to get "fast food" for dinner most nights.
In 2009, Bernstein opened two new restaurants at the Omphoy Ocean Resort
, in Palm Beach, Florida. In addition to her two restaurants, Michelle Bernstein's and MB Terrace, she also provides services for In-Room dining, and Weddings, and Special Events.
In September 2010 she debuted her own cookware line on HSN called michelleB Forged Aluminum.
James Beard Foundation Award
The James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
-winning chef from Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, known for her Latin-style flavors of cooking.
Biography
A former ballerina and honors graduate from Johnson & Wales UniversityJohnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, co-educational, career-oriented university with four campuses located throughout the United States. Providence, Rhode Island, USA, is home to JWU's first and largest of four currently operating campuses. Founded as a business school in 1914, by...
, she has drawn widespread acclaim for her culinary skills. She took over the restaurant Azul at the Mandarin Oriental in 2001, and was lauded for her sophisticated haute cuisine by Esquire Magazine food critic John Mariani, who dubbed it "the best new restaurant in America.
Bernstein was previously a co-host of the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
series Melting Pot and was once in a battle on Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America
Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the...
versus Bobby Flay
Bobby Flay
Robert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...
, from which she emerged victorious. She has since appeared on numerous shows, including as a guest judge on Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
.
In 2005, Bernstein and her husband, David Martinez, became business partners and left Azul to open Michy's together. Gourmet Magazine declared it one of the "Top 50 restaurants in the country" and Food & Wine Magazine
Food & Wine Magazine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
dubbed it "Best New Restaurant 2006".
Their third restaurant arrived in 2008, called SRA. Martinez. They are currently planning their fourth venture together, Michelle Bernstein, a new restaurant to open in Fall 2009. Bernstein has also opened a Miami chapter of Common Threads
Common Threads
Common Threads may refer to:* A long-time radio show broadcast on station WHTG-FM.* Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, a documentary film about the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt....
, a program designed to inspire culinary prowess in underprivileged children ages 8-11. It's an after-school program that meets weekly and instills in youngsters the importance of balanced, nutritious meals. Bernstein said in a 2011 interview, with Aventura Business Monthly, that many of the kids she mentors are fortunate to get "fast food" for dinner most nights.
In 2009, Bernstein opened two new restaurants at the Omphoy Ocean Resort
Omphoy Ocean Resort
Omphoy Ocean Resort is a luxury hotel that opened in Palm Beach, Florida, United States during the summer of 2009. The Omphoy is the first new hotel development in Palm Beach since 1990...
, in Palm Beach, Florida. In addition to her two restaurants, Michelle Bernstein's and MB Terrace, she also provides services for In-Room dining, and Weddings, and Special Events.
In September 2010 she debuted her own cookware line on HSN called michelleB Forged Aluminum.