One of the most exciting toques in South Florida’s culinary scene, chef Adrianne Calvo is bringing world-class taste to a small-town locale.
Adrianne Calvo behind the bar at her restaurant in Kendall.
She’s the youngest chef to ever cook for the United Nations and, at 19, catered the 2003 World Series for the then-champion Florida Marlins. She’s the winner of multiple awards, including champion of the 2013 Master Holiday Chef Challenge, where she beat 14 prominent national chefs, yet you’ve probably never heard of Adrianne Calvo or her wildly popular Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar in Kendall. Napa Valley-inspired menu items like the Wine Country cheese plate, the 24-hour braised prime beef short rib, and the Harris Ranch Black Angus five-diamond reserve filet have also won Calvo a strong following over the years. Here, the 31-year-old Cuban-American culinary force talks about what stirs her success.
Why did you become a chef?
I didn’t originally want to be a chef; I wanted to go into journalism. It wasn’t until a scheduling mistake in my sophomore year of high school, when I was put into a cooking class. While I was waiting to get out of it, Johnson & Wales [University, which has a prominent culinary academy] came in and gave a presentation. From that point forward, all I wanted to do was cook.
Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar’s platano soup.
Did you have any major hurdles to jump?
It was—and still is—very much a man’s world, but it didn’t matter. I stayed focused and went from doing an internship to opening my restaurant at 23 years old. I call myself the Beyoncé of the food world because Beyoncé’s band is all women and my kitchen team is all women. I think they’re drawn to me because they see opportunity or maybe they see themselves in me.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I was the fat kid. My mom cooked every day, and while the other kids were out playing, I’d stay inside setting the table hoping that dinnertime would come faster. I just cook things that I love to eat. We slowly braise our osso buco for six hours and check it every 45 minutes to make sure it’s simmering properly. There’s so much attention paid to the dish that whenever the guest has it, it becomes a memory.
Do you have passions outside the kitchen?
Seven years ago, I started my own foundation called Make It Count in honor of my sister who passed away from cancer. Her whole thing was “make it count,” and she wanted to help kids and families going through treatment when she got better. We partner with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and have countless other sponsorships. My whole staff has to devote time to the charity; if you work here, you have to give back. 11510 SW 147th Ave., Miami, 305-408-8386