Legendary steakhouse The Forge strikes again with a new top chef.
Miso-marinated Chilean sea bass with baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and a yuzu-ginger reduction at Miami Beach mainstay The Forge.
Traditional, staid steakhouses have become an endangered species in a culinary environment ruled by innovation. The Forge, long-standing and often dominant in the Miami steak scene, could fall into that trap, but the family-owned restaurant has evolution as part of its character. To that end, owner Shareef Malnik has recently brought in Executive Chef Christopher Lee, a Michelin-starred toque who’s honed his considerable skills at some of Manhattan’s most elite eateries, including Aureole, Gilt, and Oceana. Despite the accolades, Lee is an approachable character (unless you’re a purveyor—if those tomatoes aren’t perfect, don’t even bring them through the door). Rejecting deliveries, he notes, is one way to train food providers to bring only the best.
At The Forge, this trait is expressed by elevating classic steakhouse staples without pretense. Malnik selected Lee for his maturity and finesse after a rigorous nationwide search. But it was Lee’s culinary agility and farm-totable ethos that ultimately set him apart, says Malnik, whose mission is to evolve the family business while upholding the significance of what his father created in 1968. “We want to push The Forge into the next 10 years, into the next chapter of what The Forge can be,” says Lee. “It’s bigger than any one of us.”
An unexpected pastrami duck breast elevates the traditional deli staple.
But don’t get too attached to one particular menu item. “In most steakhouses, you can run a popular dish forever, regardless of its seasonality,” the chef says. “Here, I adjust to make sure the food is always at its freshest.”
Thankfully, the steaks stick around, though. The 16-ounce dry-aged strip “Super Steak” and the 40-ounce dry-aged Prime tomahawk chop will continuously grace the menu, among a handful of others. Lee has worked his New York connections to source these prestigious cuts, along with nine other steaks, from famed butcher Pat LaFrieda.
He’s also come up with an array of steak accompaniments, vibrant creations like the garden-vegetable chimichurri (a nod to Miami’s South American population) or the Rossini of foie gras and black truffles (a tribute both to Lee’s classical French training and to the Italian composer). His signature steak sauce, a mouthwatering accouterment made with 13 top-secret ingredients, is kept “off the menu” yet served regularly.
Michelin-starred Executive Chef Christopher Lee honed his skills at some of New York’s most esteemed restaurants.
Beyond steak, the composed entrées show off Lee’s range—from the elegant miso-marinated Chilean sea bass with baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and a yuzu-ginger reduction to the playful pastrami duck breast with braised cabbage, lemon cornichon sauce, house-made Russian dressing, and rye gnocchi in place of the classic pastrami on rye found at a typical Jewish deli.
Of his philosophy with The Forge, Lee recalls a lesson he learned from renowned chef Thomas Keller: “Keller says your palate only appreciates the first few bites before flavor saturation sets in. My goal is to expand on textures and acids without excess to keep guests wanting more.” Seems like The Forge has found its route. 432 41st St., Miami Beach, 305-538-8533