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  • Sushi 101: Uchi’s Chef Tyson Cole Shares What You Want to Know About Sushi, But Were Afraid to Ask

    Soy sauce - a little (or none) goes a long way Don’t put your sushi in the soy sauce. You don’t sit rice in soy sauce, if you even use soy sauce. You should wipe only a small amount of soy. Try to use as little soy sauce as possible, especially if the restaurant serves your sushi with other yakumi, or sauces and accents that are meant to go with your order. The Japanese never serve soy sauce with sushi. You have to ask for it. There’s a reason for that. Wasabi - not like butter Don’t make a paste. You’re not supposed to make a paste, mortar, putty, or anything gloppy with wasabi and soy sauce. I’ve seen so many people take their wasabi “paste” and spread it on their sushi like they’re buttering toast. Then, they line up the pickled ginger on top like roof shingles. You can’t even see the fish! And when they eat it and the wasabi knocks their eyes back into their head. Pickled Ginger This is used to cleanse your palate. It’s not to eat with your sushi. Not only is it pickled, but it’s ginger. Two really strong flavors. So when people put that on their sushi, you know what they taste? Pickled ginger! Order one at a time Sushi is a delicacy. If you eat it one bite at a time, right when it’s made, you’re eating when it’s at its best. That long paper list they give you at many sushi places makes people think they have to order everything right then and there. When you place a large order, the chef makes all of it at once, which takes time, which makes the first piece old by the time they’ve finished the final piece. Then, when it gets to your table, it sits even longer as you work your way through it. If you want mediocre or bad sushi, order it that way. If you want good sushi, don’t order it all at once. Click below to launch slideshow > Eat your sushi immediately when you get it With fresh French fries, you have only a few minutes to eat them until they’re soggy and gross. Same with sushi. It’s supposed to be cold fish and warm rice. Eat it when it’s served. Otherwise it’s just dying on your plate. A word about chopsticks You don’t need them as much as you think you do. Sushi was originally made to eat with your hands. The only time you need chopsticks is for sashimi. Everything else, you can eat with your hands. Even nigiri, which is a piece of fish served on a small pod of rice. Cheap sushi is an oxymoron Half-price appetizer sushi …cheap sushi … that’s a bad idea. Sushi should not be used to save money. It means you’re eating bad fish. Period. Skip the Spicy Tuna Roll The two most popular sushi rolls in America are: the California roll and the Spicy Tuna roll. California because it’s delicious. It’s the perfect combination of cucumber for texture, avocado for creaminess and a little fat, and crab for sweetness. California rolls are great. On the other hand, spicy tuna rolls come from sushi chefs in America trying to get rid of their older tuna with spicy mayonnaise. I would eat 1,001 things at a sushi bar other than a spicy tuna roll. Respect your sushi chefs The good ones really know what they’re doing. If you have a chance to eat sushi, always do it at the sushi bar. Every sushi chef has a stash that they want to share. Just trust they’re going to give you something good. Bigger is not better Sushi is supposed to be bite-sized, and the rice is supposed to fall apart in your mouth. It’s a delicacy. It’s supposed to be small, simple, and clean, not overloaded with rice and a bunch of other crap. Don’t be high maintenance It’s okay to ask for the occasional substitution. But when it comes to taste, the customer is not always right. Some substitutions are simple and that’s fine, like a California roll with no crab. That’s fine. But if you come to Uchi and ask for Hamachi belly, cut extra thin, with no skin, on small rice balls, with a slice of lemon on top, and spicy sauce on the side, the answer will be, “No.” Sushi rice It’s supposed to be warm and it’s supposed to be soft. It’s not supposed to be sticky, hard, or crunchy. Sushi has everything to do with the rice, not the fish. You read food blogs that don’t know what they’re talking about, saying they had sushi fall apart on them (probably because they soaked it in soy sauce), and that the rice was too soft. Would you rather the rice be super sticky so it can absorb a lake of soy sauce and still maintain some structure? Gross. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. Click below to launch slideshow > What to know about mackerel (saba) This is the number one type of sushi fish that is known for food poisoning. Saba is a very oily and particularly strong tasting fish. It’s the cheapest fish you can buy, and most restaurants cure it with salt so they can hold it for a long time. Some restaurants hold it for up to a week or ten days. That is where the food poisoning comes in. Some people really like saba, but if you don’t trust the sushi restaurant, it’s not smart to order this stuff. Note: At Uchi, we buy all of our mackerel fresh and cure it in-house each day. Whatever is not used that day is then moved to our grilled mackerel dish, Saba Shio. After that, whatever is not used is discarded. Beware of too much escolar Not many people know this, but escolar is a natural laxative. It’s a great fish to use for sushi, but order it only in small amounts. There are some big horror stories attached to it and those who have consumed too much of it. Sake It is meant to be enjoyed when it’s very fresh and cold. It’s amazing how well it goes with sushi. It’s so clean and delicate. A lot of people don’t know how to enjoy sake. They’ll order a bottle of hot sake and sip on that for their whole meal. It’s disgusting. In Japan, the only time they drink warm sake is at festivals when it’s cold outside, sort of like how we drink mulled wine at holiday festivals. You wouldn’t drink that stuff on a regular basis, though, especially because it’s made from cheap wine. Guess what? Warm sake is also cheap. If you’re going to pair your sake with sushi, be sure to order cold sake. Don’t mess with the warm stuff. One bite nigiri Nigiri is the sushi rice pressed together with a slice of some sort of fish on top. You really shouldn’t take two bites. It’s supposed to be one bite. Unfortunately, some restaurants get carried away with the size of their nigiri. If it’s just too big, hold it with your fingers. Smear a dab of soy sauce on top of the fish (not the rice) and take a bite. Then take the second bite without setting it down. Clean your plate If you’re in Japan or in a real Japanese restaurant, don’t ever, ever, ever leave anything on your plate. You eat everything. Their philosophy is, “We’re an island nation. We barely have enough resources. So when you have something on your plate, you better be thankful for it. And you better eat it.” Avoid pre-sliced sushi If you go to a sushi bar and everything is pre-sliced, it’s not a good sushi bar. You see pre-sliced sushi at a lot of restaurants. It means it’s cheap. It means the restaurant is cutting corners. They’re not paying attention to the product or respect to the fish. They’re exposing the fish to more air, which is breaking it down and ruining its texture. Colorful fish does not always equal fresh fish Ever seen someone take a look at a block of bright red tuna in a sushi case and say, “Man, that tuna looks so fresh!” There are five kinds of fish that Americans typically consume for sushi: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, eel, and a whitefish. You can buy any of those fish in a precut, preformed, preweighed block. You’ll notice the tuna is really red, and the salmon is really orange. That’s from the nitrates used to package the fish. Many sushi restaurants order that way because the fish is cheap and they don’t need skilled labor to make their sushi. Bottom line: If it doesn’t look natural, it probably isn’t. Chef Tyson Cole Hai Hospitality partner/executive chef Tyson Cole will tell you that his early memories of food were far from exotic. He grew up in Florida with typical suburban fare and didn’t crave anything beyond spaghetti and sandwiches. After heading to Texas for school and finding himself unable to pay for his classes at the University of Texas, student Tyson needed a job, and fast. After days of pavement pounding, he finally ended up with a dishwashing job at Kyoto. Before he took the job, he had never even tried sushi. But once he did, he was hooked, and not just on sushi, but on Japanese culture and language. Tyson educated himself on every aspect of the cuisine. Even surprising himself with his skill and dexterity with the knife, he quickly worked his way from dishwasher to head sushi chef. Tyson then moved to Austin’s top sushi restaurant at the time, Musashino, where he completed an intensive traditional apprenticeship under owner, Takehiko Fuse. The two spent time in Japan, where Tyson experienced the food and culture while gaining technical skill. In May of 2003, Uchi opened with Tyson as Executive Chef and co-owner. Tyson’s seamless blending of global ingredients with traditional Japanese flavors to create his celebrated “perfect bite” gained him local, regional, and national attention and Uchi soon became one of the top fine dining destinations in Austin. He was awarded a coveted spot on Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2005 list. In May 2011, Tyson received a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest; and celebrated a James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist nod for Outstanding Chef in 2016. He opened his second restaurant in Austin, Uchiko, in July 2010 and celebrated the release of Uchi the Cookbook in March 2011. In 2012, he opened an Uchi in Houston, Uchi Dallas in June 2015, and a new concept, Uchiba, in Dallas in January 2018. In 2015, what was formerly known as Uchi Restaurant Group changed its name to Hai Hospitality, a sign of the evolution of the brand and the path ahead. In 2018, Chef Cole opened a new concept, LORO Asian Smokehouse & Bar, in Austin with barbecue legend Aaron Franklin; as well as Uchi in Denver. Hai Hospitality will also open Uchi Miami and LORO Dallas in Summer 2020, and Uchiko and LORO in Houston in 2021. Uchi is anticipated to open Summer 2020 and is located at 240 Northwest 25th St., Miami, FL 33127. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Uchi

  • Restoring Florida's Everglades Will Benefit Both Humans & Nature

    Everglades National Park (ENP) is our only national wetland park, and one of the largest aquascapes in the world. Perhaps more than any other U.S. national park, ENP’s treasures are hard to defend. Lying at the southern end of an immense watershed the size of New Jersey, ENP is caught between the largest man-made water project in the world upstream and a rapidly rising ocean downstream. The park and the wider Everglades ecosystem have suffered immense ecological damage from years of overdrainage to prevent flooding and promote development. In 2000 Congress approved the largest ecological restoration project in the world – the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which is expected to take more than 35 years to complete and cost at least US$10.5 billion. In addition to repairing some of the damage to this unique ecosystem, the restoration is designed to ensure reliable clean drinking water supplies for South Florida cities and protect developed areas from flooding. The plan is making progress – but the closer it gets to its goal, the more the details matter, and some of those details have become roadblocks. As I complete my 30th year as an ecologist studying and trying to restore this great place, it is increasingly clear that restoration can work and will benefit both wild spaces and people. However, that view rests heavily on the assumption that we will commit to fixing a central problem – water storage. Managing water flow The Everglades drainage area stretches over 200 miles, starting near Orlando and reaching south to the Gulf of Mexico. At least 100 miles of it is made up of the wide-open grasslands called the Everglades. Nearly 83 percent of the Everglades lies outside of the national park, mostly on agricultural or state-protected lands. The Everglades landscape is flatter than a billiard table, and water tends to pool on it. Florida has huge swings in annual rainfall, which can vary by as much as 82 percent from average levels year to year, and water evaporates very rapidly during dry seasons. Historic water flow pattern through the Everglades (click for larger image). Image by Evergladesrestoration.gov Before the 20th century, the Everglades managed these flows naturally. They were a network of vast marshes that expanded and contracted from wet to dry seasons, populated by plants and animals that evolved strategies for dealing with unpredictable depths. Alligators created ponds to live in and crayfish burrowed into sediments during dry seasons. Sawgrass, which grows throughout the Everglades, can withstand drought, floods and fires and thrives in soils that contain pathetically few nutrients. As development spread across Florida, farmers, ranchers and urban dwellers sought to control floods and manage water supplies during droughts. In 1948 Congress authorized the Central & Southern Florida Project, which would become the largest water works project in the world, with more than 2,000 miles of canals and dikes, 71 pump stations, over 600 water control structures and 625 culverts. This infrastructure, which spans 16 counties, is operated today by the South Florida Water Management District. Current Everglades water flow (click for larger pic). Evergladesrestoration.gov Engineers rerouted a huge portion of the water that flowed south into the Everglades from Lake Okeechobee, diverting it to Florida’s east and west coasts. This enabled agricultural development and a huge western expansion of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. It also destroyed the St. Lucie and Fort Meyers estuaries by flooding them with unnatural pulses of fresh, and often polluted, water. In the Everglades it caused a 90 percent decline in populations of wading birds and repeated seagrass die-offs in Florida Bay and Charlotte Harbor, which in turn led to algae blooms and fish kills. Seagrass dieoffs in southwest Florida, 2013. Rehydrating the Everglades The restoration plan seeks to restore some of the Everglades’ natural water flow. Models increasingly confirm that it is possible to effectively rehydrate all of the Everglades, including the National Park. Planned flow after Everglades restoration (click for larger view). Evergladesrestoration.gov But water coming out of Lake Okeechobee is polluted with phosphorus from fertilizer used on farms upstream. Plants in South Florida evolved in soils that were naturally low in phosphorus, so the Everglades is hypersensitive to it. Under natural conditions water flowing into the Everglades would contain 8-10 parts per billion (ppb) of phosphorus. Current levels range between 100 and 300 ppb. Adding so much phosphorus to the system can cause massive shifts from sawgrass plains to dense, oxygen-poor cattail monocultures, which outcompete sawgrass under higher nutrient conditions. Florida is now under federal court orders not to release water to the Everglades until phosphorus levels have been reduced close to natural concentrations. Removing a 300-year supply of phosphorus from Lake Okeechobee waters will require many acres of land to store and treat water by filtering it through beds of aquatic plants and algal mats. This system is partially constructed, but water cannot be released to the Everglades until it is finished, which may not happen for years or even decades, largely because of the cost. Restoration thus is effectively at a standstill. Stormwater treatment ponds, used to remove excess phosphorus before discharging water into the Everglades. South Florida Water Management District/Flickr Meanwhile, the Everglades ecosystem south of Lake Okeechobee is rapidly deteriorating. Fish and bird populations are not recovering, alligators are getting skinnier, invasive pythons are ranging unchecked and algal blooms repeatedly devastate Florida Bay. In ecologists’ worst-case scenario, the Everglades could reach a condition called an alternative stable state, in which the ecosystem has been altered so drastically that it cannot be restored to its original condition. Seagrass beds and mangrove forests along the coasts are already collapsing, partly due to reduced freshwater flow. Facing these conditions, scientists and managers are privately and off-record debating the formerly unthinkable option of letting water that contains some intermediate level of phosphorus flow into the Everglades. Even mildly relaxing phosphorus standards could make hydrological restoration much more achievable. And the nonprofit Everglades Foundation, which advocates for restoration, is offering a $10 million prize to researchers who can develop a cost-effective technology for removing phosphorus from natural water bodies. Global climate change raises other uncertainties. The Everglades is very close to sea level, and is already being affected by sea level rise. Peat soils in coastal forests are collapsing due to salt water intrusion. And a recent study estimates that hydrological restoration could be stymied if climate change reduces Florida’s annual rainfall by as little as 10 percent. An interim goal: water storage Still, progress is possible. In a 2015 report, the University of Florida’s Water Institute concluded that nearly all uncertainties and problems associated with Everglades restoration could be markedly improved by building more ponds and impoundments to store water. One million acre-feet (an acre one foot deep) of storage, distributed across several locations both south and north of Lake Okeechobee, could substantially reduce water surpluses and shortages for farmers, tribes, city residents and the Everglades. Building more water storage facilities would also drastically improve our ability to remove phosphorus from the water. But storing water is difficult and expensive in such a flat, porous landscape. Making dikes out of Florida’s porous rock is like trying to contain water with walls of Swiss cheese: they have to be very thick, and water cannot be stacked deeply for fear of rupturing those walls. As a result, it takes a lot of land to store water. We have already made huge investments in water distribution and management to buffer ourselves from floods and drought, and to restore the ecology of the Everglades. Water storage is key to the future of cities, agriculture and Everglades restoration - the same structures buffer everyone. If we do not make these investments, all of South Florida’s past drought and flooding challenges will intensify as our weather becomes less predictable. Completing an integrated natural and human water system for south Florida will have a payoff comparable to a moon shot. But unlike a space mission, we have already mostly paid for this venture. Going the final miles will be cheap compared to the alternative, and future generations will thank us for it. By Peter Frederick Research Professor, University of Florida Image header by goodfreephotos.com Special thanks to The Conversation for this story. You can support the independent network which provides news by donating today

  • Miami Beach’s Backyard is Finally Reopening!

    Miami Beach’s backyard is finally reopening after a 12-week closure. Starting tomorrow, residents and visitors can once again enjoy our seven mile stretch of beautiful sun and sand. Beaches will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the following COVID-19 safety measures in place: Facial coverings must always be readily available and are required for use in bathrooms, at concessions or when social distancing cannot be achieved (except for members of the same household) Social distancing will be enforced and groups of 10 or more are prohibited No use of exercise equipment or playgrounds; no shared equipment, organized activities, sports or classes; no special events or group picnics No fishing, pets on the beach, floats, tents/canopies nor coolers Visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/reopening/beaches/ for additional details Over 100 social distancing ambassadors will be deployed on the beach daily for the next few weeks to ensure patrons are following the aforementioned measures. The city has also partnered with several local, environmental non-profits to take a creative approach in spreading the message of keeping the beaches clean. You'll spot our environmental crusaders from Clean Miami Beach, Debris Free Oceans, Surfrider Foundation and VolunteerCleanup.org as they'll be walking the beach to remind all beachgoers to respect the sand and environment. Want to conduct a cleanup yourself? Visit our website to view step-by-step instructions on how you can carry out solitary cleanups safely, www.mbrisingabove.com/cleanup. By ML Staff, Courtesy of Miami-Dade

  • Venus Williams: Inspiring, Creative & Commanding

    Being a professional tennis player is not an easy task and you hardly stop, but Venus Williams, former World No. 1 player in the world and seven-time Grand Slam winner, took time to chat with Miami Living’s publisher Markin Abras about living in Florida, her professional ambitions and tennis. Originally from Compton, California Venus, along with her sister Serena moved to West Palm Beach, Florida to train and develop their tennis career. Interview by Markin Abras, Images by Joseph Blasius Erlinger Markin Abras: What made you stay and reside in Florida all these years? Venus Williams: Like most people, I love great weather. Florida is a great place to live because I can exercise and play tennis outdoors any time of the year. I also enjoy the shopping and the climate of Florida. I like being outside and doing as much outdoor activity as I can. MA: Serena also lives in Palm Beach Gardens. Does your proximity to her gives you any advantages on and off the tennis court? VW: We aren’t home much because we are on the road most of the year. But when we do have down time and are home, living in the same city makes it easy to spend some time together. MA: For our Miami Living readers, what drives you to visit Miami? VW: I love karaoke and some of my favorite karaoke spots are in Miami! Entrepreneur Unlike most other active tennis players, Venus invested time in launching non-tennis related businesses. Venus is the CEO of design firm V Start Interiors and in 2007 launched her own fashion line, EleVen. MA: Besides tennis and karaoke, you have dedicated time to become an entrepreneur. What sparked your journey to explore creative businesses? VW: I have always enjoyed being creative, and traveling the world exposes me to so many interesting things. I explore through my travels. I am always interested in growth. MA: How involved are you in the design and development of EleVen? Specifically what areas of the business you participate the most in (design, approval, marketing, management, etc)? VW: I have a great team of people who work with me, but I am involved in all aspects of the creative and business process. MA: Any challenges we should know about? VW: I have so many ideas and narrowing down to a few can be most challenging. MA: And how often do you release a new collection? VW: Typically, we release a new collection to coincide with each new season. MA: Your mission at EleVen is to get people moving, healthy and feeling good about how they look and feel. Has this mission transcended beyond your fashion work? VW: Absolutely. The mission from EleVen transcends into how I live my life. HEALTH & FITNESS In 2011, Williams announced to the world she had Sjögren's syndrome. This autoimmune disease is not only difficult to diagnose, it is incurable. Despite the bad news, Venus took her business mission to heart and applied some personal healthy choices. VW: Since changing my diet, I feel much better and have more energy. I also find that my skin and hair are healthier. I have fresh juice or a smoothie everyday. I have many favorites and they are all at Jamba Juice. I especially enjoy the fresh squeezed juices. MA: And do you ever have any cravings for meat? VW: Ohhh yes, I love a good burger and crave meat all the time! GOLDEN TENNIS CAREER Venus Williams became the first black American tennis player to reach World’s No. 1 ranking in 2002 with her powerful and athletic-style. Her impressive seven Grand Slam singles titles ties her twelfth on the all-time list, plus Venus holds four Olympic gold medals, one in singles and three in women's doubles with her sister Serena. MA: You have an astonishing list of accomplishments. Are there any special ones that stand apart? VW: All of my accomplishments are important to me. Its really hard to pick just one. MA: If you can’t just pick one, do you ever stop and reflect about your overall accomplishments? VW: If I find myself reflecting, its usually about how I am truly grateful to have lived my life doing what I love to do and being able to travel the world doing it. MA: And what can you share about difficult moments such as watching your sister Serena lose at the US Open? VW: Whether we win or lose, we always keep each other motivated. Losing is what makes you work harder. FOLLOW VENUS Whenever you are interested in learning more about Venus, including her latest collection, inspirations and updates, check out her websites: Website: venuswilliams.com Eleven by Venus: elevenbyvenuswilliams.com Instagram: instagram.com/venuswilliams Facebook: facebook.com/VenusWilliams

  • Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut: Unbelievably Fast

    The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut has been unveiled. With a limited production of 125 units, and 40-50 units being produced each year, it is the fastest Koenigsegg ever made. Starting roughly at $3 million, every surface element on the Jesko Absolut has been purposefully constructed to reduce drag or surrounding turbulence around the car while increasing high-speed stability. This meant elongating the car and giving it a more tear-dropped shape. The rear extension of the Jesko Absolut makes it 85 mm longer than the track-focused Jesko and the dished rear wheels, changing its appearance. The top speed of the Jesko Absolut is extremely high -- theoretically reaching 330 MPH depending on certain conditions. The Jesko Absolut is powered by a 1280 bhp (1600 bhp on E85), twin turbocharged V8 engine, featuring the world’s lightest V8 crankshaft that weighs just 12.5 kg. This new flat-plane 180-degree crankshaft produces more power with greater efficiency, while achieving a higher 8500 rpm rev limit. Featuring a nine-speed super engine, multi-clutch transmission, The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut comes with an innovative gearbox comprising nine forward gears and several wet, multi-disc clutches in a compact, ultra-light package. It is capable of gear changes between any gear, at near light speed. This is thanks to the simultaneous opening and closing of clutches, which make the driving experience so seamless that it feels like the driver and car are symbiotically connected. Koenigsegg uses the industry’s longest front and rear wishbones, more akin to Formula 1 racing than the typical road car. Enlarged wheel bearings in lightweight housing provide an unrivaled mix of responsiveness and stability. Koenigsegg has developed new driver controls using touchscreen technology built into both the new SmartCenter and SmartWheel. SmartWheel’s screens feature haptic feedback, allowing ease of use without the need for constant visual connection. Driver and passenger can use SmartCenter to operate the automated climate control system, audio, and navigation systems. Click on image to launch slideshow > The ambience of the Koenigsegg cabin is one of luxury combined with technology. Rich materials (leather, alcantara, carbon fibre, aluminium, and glass) combine with traditional artisan craftsmanship and modern convenience to provide a truly beautiful place to drive without compromise. The cabin is modern and elegant, yet easily switches between relaxed cruising and high-performance track work. Images by Philipp Rupprecht Courtesy of Koenigsegg

  • Reddit’s Alexis Ohanian Steps Down to Support Racial Inclusion & Social Change

    In a powerful gesture, Ohanian announced on Friday that he was stepping down from his role on the board of directors of Reddit, and encouraged the company to replace him with a Black candidate. He additionally pledged to donate the future gains from his Reddit stock to causes that advance the Black community, including reducing racial hate, and an immediate pledge of $1,000,000 to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp. Courtesy of Forbes

  • Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons & Justine Simmon Open Up About Their Marriage

    In a time when life feels fragile and love can seem fleeting, there are signposts reminding us that life holds immeasurable meaning and love can last a lifetime if we have vision and faith and accrue the tools to sustain what we hold dear. Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons is a living example of iconic musical accomplishment and steady business acumen, but more importantly, as he sees it, he is living example of how to live one’s life in faith and love. As Rev Run and his wife Justine Simmons speak with me about their marriage and their new book, Old School Love: And Why It Works, it further brings home the lesson that faith and love are actions we must take every day to ensure a life of substance; one where our relationships and being of service to others takes center stage. During the 1980s and 1990s, Rev Run’s rap group, Run-D.M.C. pioneered a powerful hip-hop sound that acted as a wrecking ball to break new ground and cross into the mass consciousness. Run-D.M.C. helped pioneer rap music’s journey from underground urban sensation to mainstream cultural phenomenon. According to Rev Run, the fame, wealth, product endorsement deals and magazine covers did little to quell what was lacking within. His first marriage had ended, and he felt he had no spiritual center from which to rebuild. For him, Christianity was the catalyst that helped him find his center and higher purpose, which created the foundation from which to build his marriage to his beautiful wife, Justine Simmons. Audiences then fell in love with their blended family on the long-running MTV docu-series Run’s House, and subsequent television shows on The DIY network and the Travel Channel. Their new book, Old School Love, certainly saves the best for last as they open up like never before, sharing the ups and downs and intimate details about their life and their marriage. Rev Run’s performance at the 2020 Grammy Awards was, indeed, a full circle moment for the artist, reverend, and mentor to millions. Below, Rev Run and Justine discuss what makes their marriage and their family rock-solid, and the journey that has gotten them here. I want to compliment you on a job well-done. I’ve read many celebrity-authored books, and rarely do I feel compelled to recommend a book. This one, I’m going to recommend. I’m a single mom, like your two daughters, Angela and Vanessa, who you write about in the book. Dating can be disheartening, and I found this book inspiring as well as healing. Rev Run: What made you feel that way? I’m very interested… Reading about your loving, old-fashioned courtship makes me feel quite hopeful that such a thing exists. The two of you are emotionally responsible with one another. I love how you speak about being mindful during a conflict, and not being cruel or hitting below the belt, but really taking care of each other’s feelings. RR: Well, thank you! You’re very welcome. I watched your family’s show, Run’s House, when it was on, but this book is different. The two of you get very intimate and really take your fans inside your marriage, and even into your sex life. That’s private stuff. What made you want to share those parts of your marriage? RR: People have been asking us for the longest to do a book, so we wanted to be very transparent and give people as much help as we could as to the dynamics of why we’re here, and how we arrived at this place together. The only way to do that is to go as deep as we could into ourselves, to pour it out to you. Justine, what do you have to say? Justine: Joey and I so wanted to help people in their marriage, so much so, that we wanted to give them our all and say, “This is what we are doing, and hopefully if you try it this way, it could help you in your own marriage.” We know it’s not easy. We were blessed to have mentors that were trying to make their marriages work, so we had that early on to look at and see how to make our own marriage work. We just wanted to make sure we gave you all the lessons we’ve learned over the years. Are you that couple in your social circle that people go to for advice about their relationships? RR: We feel it when we walk down the street. We feel people wanting to look up to us. Because of the television show, Run’s House, not just close friends, it almost feels like the world, whether they know us or not, feel that way. Run’s House was so impactful in that way. I don’t really get cornered by couples per se, but I get cornered by the world at large, to just feel admired by them. JS: Maybe one or two couples have come to us, but I’d rather not say names. If you notice, on Run’s House, we showed ourselves going to church and different things like that. We tried to lead by example. Even on our cooking show (Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers) and our renovation show (Rev Run’s Renovation), we always tried to lead by example. RR: Do as we do, not what we say. That’s what was so good about our reality shows. Michael Jordan never told people, “Here’s how to dunk the ball.” He just dunked, and [the late] Kobe [Bryant] became inspired. You can feel our truth, and it’s been inspiring. JS: So many people would comment on my husband’s Instagram, asking us to please put out a book, or saying, “You guys should write a book!” Rev, what have you done differently in your marriage to Justine that you didn’t do in your first marriage? RR: I was young. I was on the road, and when I came back home and off the road, I didn’t have what I needed. I was too young. Later, I went to church, and I had time to slow down and really be more attentive. Like other famous families, your marriage and your family are also a brand and a business. Are there ever times when the brand clashes with your personal relationship? RR: No. We never leaned too hard on making it a brand. It was always a tool to help. Run’s House wasn’t about trying to sell clothing or sell jewelry, or to sell anything. We were trying to convey a message of family, of love and of being connected. That’s all it was ever about. We never tried to turn it into a booming business. JS: My husband also really tried hard to not take things in that direction, like, “No, we’re not doing that, because it might start this.” RR: Right, it might bring a wedge between me and my wife. We were very careful with that. I put a little bit into business, but I think I put more into my family than I do into chasing business deals, my ego, and trying to be the top entrepreneur, or the top rapper, or top anything anymore. I can see the pitfalls coming towards me, and I’ve watched it too much. I can just feel that if I put too much energy in another direction it will hurt my family. My intuition knows best. Your faith in God and the guidance that both of you get from your bible study, it’s a tremendous part of your life and your marriage, and it’s woven throughout your book. We know that everyone has different beliefs when it comes to God, religion and spirituality. Do you think it’s possible to get through this earthly life, to weather the storms, and to be able to answer the big questions, without having a relationship with God? RR: No. I believe that you do the best you can; you push, and then you hope for the serendipity and the grace. You want that favor. I read a quote that once said, “I don’t believe in miracles, I depend on them.” I love that quote. Justine had a friend years ago and she used to just say, “Jus, He did it again!” I thought it was so cute. I didn’t know how religious her friend was, but that used to always touch me and tickle me. God really likes to come and play with us, talk with us, help us, encourage us. I know that faith without works is dead. But works without faith is also dead. Let’s talk about parenting. I am of the mind that if a child is starting to go off course, or anyone you love for that matter, my feeling is the last thing they need is screaming and yelling, and punishing, and being made to feel further isolated. I feel that if a child is making poor decisions, it’s because they’re in pain and in need of healing. I think the best thing you can do is to move closer to them, communicate with them, show them compassion, hug them, and listen to what is causing that pain or confusion. RR: Yes, people around me were very shocked because when my daughter Vanessa first got pregnant, everybody thought all these things about how I would react, because it feels like I’m such a disciplinary type of figure. But I’m actually loose on people, because I don’t want the same reaction to my mistakes. I go hard to make life better if I can, but I don’t judge. I’ve let many of my children walk through whatever they had to walk through until they figured it out. The Bible says, “Teach your child, and they should go when they get older and they won’t depart from it.” I’m a firm believer in that. JS: These days you can try your best and kids are going to do what they want. As parents, of course, we can try to shorten the distance for their mistakes, but some of them want to make their own mistakes. It’s not easy, but you’re going to have to let it go and let them learn from their mistakes. RR: Let them learn and let them figure out their life for themselves. Was there ever a make or break moment in your marriage, a time when you thought, “This is either going to split us up, or it’s going to make our marriage rock solid.”? JS: For us, no, not at all. The word “divorce” isn’t in our circle. Phrases like “split for a minute,” or “need a break, and you do your thing for a minute,” those words and statements weren’t even in our [vocabulary]. We don’t let that into our marriage at all. No separation option, no divorce option. You don’t bring those in. RR: Don’t even bring that up in conversation. We’ve been very fortunate to not have had to experience that. We’ve been very blessed in that area of marriage, so I don’t want to take all the credit. We’re going to give it to God, but we conduct ourselves with a lot of love and with a lot of respect for one another. When you have that respect, you’re not going to do something so hurtful to get to that place. The thing that breaks up relationships is the lack of respect. That’s it. If I think I’m about to do something that is going to make her very mad, I don’t do it. I do annoying husband stuff, like put my clothes on the floor and little stuff that she can get over, but I try my best not to do anything that is extremely hard to forgive. JS: I don’t want him walking around angry at me all day, and he doesn’t want me walking around angry at him all day, so we’re trying to make each other happy and you would think more people would think like that. RR: We forgive a lot. A lot of people are selfish instead of selfless. You’ve got to be more selfless and less selfish. You’ve got to meet in the middle. It’s all about giving. It’s all about forgiving and giving and respect. Period. JS: And we argue all the time RR: All the time, like an old couple does. One of my favorite memes is an old couple sitting in the rain, pissed off, but the gentleman is still holding the umbrella over her head. It’s a beautiful cartoon picture that I’ve posted before, and I see it all over the internet. That sums it up. RR: Yeah! I’m mad, but I’m not going to let the rain get on you. Rev, I want to back up a bit and talk about Run-D.M.C. In those days, you hadn’t found your faith yet, but as a young man something gave you the faith and the courage to believe that you could, not just become a hip-hop artist, but that you could revolutionize pop music culture. What fueled you? RR: I was just making music. I give a lot to God because you’re making music, you’re having fun and you have a lot of people working with you. The mainstream thing has a lot to do with our producers. Larry Smith, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin… all these people around you. Run-D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay weren’t alone. There were producers, record companies, managers, publicity people. No man is an island. I knew I had a God given [talent] and you go really hard because you’re born with this ambition. You have ambition and competitiveness to back up the talent. All of it added up to success. Speaking of the late Jam Master Jay, how do you process loss? And how do you process the death of a loved one, especially when it appears to be under tragic circumstances, at least from our side of things on earth? RR: I get very spiritual during times of loss. I’m able to mourn and comfort those around me as I mourn. I get comforted by comforting, and by being comforted by loved ones. Do you get angry at all? RR: I don’t, no. I don’t get into those emotions often. I’m a very nonconfrontational type of person. I’m a “live and let live” person, so I don’t get caught up in too much conflict with people. At least, I try my best not to. You both talk in your book about your little girl, Victoria, who died shortly after birth; and then the adoption of your daughter, Miley. The way I interpreted all of it was that Victoria came to you briefly to teach you some profound lessons about love, loss and about trusting in God. Miley came to you as the child you were meant to raise for a lifetime. Does that make sense? RR: Agreed! You hit that right out of the park. You said it perfectly. JS: We could not have said it better than you. RR: I was humbled. You don’t have babies; God gives you babies. Justine originally wanted to adopt and I said, “Let’s just have a baby.” God showed me after we lost our baby Victoria, that for me, personally, you don’t make babies. That was the first lesson. The second lesson was that my wife is so sweet, she had wanted to adopt. Finally, the third lesson was that Miley needed us and we needed Miley. Sometimes Justine forgets that she didn’t carry Miley, and that’s the real crazy part. JS: So many women who cannot have babies, I want them to know that adopting is so amazing. Because I carried Victoria full term, it would make me forget that I didn’t carry Miley. And she has so many traits of mine. We eat the same types of things, and sometimes I just say, “Girl, you came out of me,” and she laughs. What advice do the two of you have for single people of this generation who are dating and looking for a partner? RR: Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated. Go where you’re adored, not where you’re ignored. If the person is not answering the phone, not answering your texts and they’re playing little games and you can feel it, be ready for the red flags. People will show you who they really are. Believe them. JS: That’s good. And if you have children, make sure they love your children as much as they love you. If they don’t show that, you’ll see it in the beginning and that person is not for you. Rev, do you see yourself as a teacher, first and foremost? RR: I believe I’m here to inspire people. I inspire through music, and I think I inspire through my marriage. What are your thoughts on celebrities as role models for young people? Good thing, bad thing? Can it be a positive thing in the right context? Or do you think role models should be sought within your family, community or place of worship? RR: Everything around you can inspire you. Beyoncé inspires you to go hard when you make your music. Jay-Z and Puff Daddy inspire through their entrepreneurship. Leonardo DiCaprio inspires people as a great actor and with how hard he works. And you have those that are your mother, your father, your pastor, but there’s inspiration everywhere. JS: I have to concur with my husband. You can learn through anything. You can even learn from a homeless person, from how they endure and how they get through a whole winter. They’re so resilient. They make it through. Even a homeless person has something to teach. RR: The Bible says, “Go to the ants, you sluggard; consider their ways and be wise.” Ants work hard all day long. You can learn something from an ant, according to the Bible. Words by Allison Kugel · Photo credit: Rev Run and Justine Simmons’ personal collection. This article is dedicated in memory of Kobe Bryant (1978 – 2020), Gianna Bryant, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli and other victims of the Calabasas helicopter crash. Old School Love: And Why It Works (Dey Street Books) by Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and Justine Simmons is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

  • Daniel Boulud: How a Culinary Icon is Made

    On the verge of opening his 19th restaurant, chefrestaurateur Daniel Boulud discloses how he has managed to stay relevant in the world of gastronomy for over fifty years. “From a very young age, my day off, I will be traveling all around. Like, I was working outside of Lyon [France] and I would be driving miles just to eat frog legs from that lady who was making frog legs or the other direction and eat escargots or eat particular lamb,” says Chef Daniel Boulud in a thick French accent. “Because in France, they were really regional speciality and restaurant who made their fortune and their reputation on one ingredient.” He laughs. “People will drive to just go and have that. To me, it’s what food is about.” Yes, Daniel has been a foodie all his life. Daniel’s affinity for extraordinary fare coupled with his coveted apprenticeships at Michelin-starred restaurants have garnered him a number of impressive culinary awards, including, six career James Beard Awards; three Michelin stars; Lifetime Achievement Award - World’s 50 Best Restaurants (2015); and Elite Traveler’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)— and a collection of incredibly-successful restaurants. For over fifty years, Daniel has proved to be a master of the culinary arts, yet, he shows no sign of slowing down —in fact, he’s opening his 19th restaurant this year. It’s a chilly afternoon in November. Daniel and I are seated across from one another in a booth within the “skybox,” his intimate office which overlooks the kitchen of his two-Michelin star restaurant, DANIEL (ranked in Elite Traveler’s Top 100 Restaurants in the World). On the table between us, a pot of tea steeps. To my surprise, Daniel, who is dressed in a traditional white double-breasted chef’s jacket embroidered with his initials, is holding a printed out page of notes on me, pulled from the internet. He pours me a cup of hot tea, which I fervently relish (the room is quite cold), almost as much as the stories he shares with me during our hour-long conversation The French chef-turned-restaurateur has restaurants all over the world —in London, Singapore, Toronto, Montréal, Washington, D.C., Boston, New York City, Palm Beach, and Miami. In Miami for over twelve years now, his first restaurant here was French eatery, DB Bistro. “But we didn’t have Boulud Sud at the time. After Boulud Sud opened here in New York, we felt that Mediterranean cuisine was definitely a connection with Miami and the lifestyle there, so we did Boulud Sud.” Situated downtown, inside of JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Boulud Sud serves up the freshest, most delicious Mediterranean fare along with exceptional service. Their noteworthy dishes include, Mediterranean Sea Bass “En Papillote,” Octopus à la Plancha, and Grapefruit Givré. “The location is definitely getting better. Now it’s almost finished, the theater across the street, Whole Foods next door, all the condominium. There’s the Aston Martin Tower going across the street and all that. Finally, it’s turning into its own little neighborhood. We’re not so lonely, so it’s nice.” Daniel travels to South Florida often for events and to visit his restaurants, Café Boulud and Boulud Sud. He was recently in Miami during Art Basel to cook for a few events with Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz and an affair at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. He plans to return for The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival this month. “Hopefully, Miami keeps growing, we hope to grow there, too.” Every December, Daniel’s Palm Beach restaurant, Café Boulud, hosts a sold-out black and white truffle dinner attended by regulars and foodies alike. “We do two-course with white truffle. Two-course with black truffle… I even make baked potatoes, crushed potatoes with black truffle. Bake a whole potato and I crush it with olive oil, butter, and truffles and then put it back in and cover it with truffles, that’s a dish, I think, I have it here.” He pulls a cookbook from his bookshelf and flips through it. “I did this cookbook when I was the [executive] chef at Le Cirque [where he honed his culinary skills from 1986-1992] like, thirty years ago.” His baked potato with truffle became all the rage. “Voila!” He points to the recipe. “The people who come to the truffle dinner, they are very open-minded and they just like to make sure that there is some real cooking going on around truffle,” says Daniel, who at the time of our interview planned to serve a tartare of langoustine with white truffle, a black truffle and patridge consommé, a ravioli of sweetbread and truffle and braised tongue and cheek. “The foodies are always looking for an opportunity to have an experience… You can go to the theater or the ballet or the opera in Palm Beach every day, so at least there is one more entertaining evening for everyone there. I love truffle, caviar, champagne,” he says with a smile. “People love truffle… Once in awhile you have to make yourself a good indulgence.” The legendary chef plans to open a new restaurant at One Vanderbilt in Midtown Manhattan this year. “This is a wonderful opportunity to partner with one of the best developers in town and they have built what will become, I’m sure, an iconic building in New York City: One Vanderbuilt. The building is, I think, taller than the Empire State Building by a few feet. I guess it’s a question of how big the needle is,” he says with a laugh. Near Grand Central Station, his second-floor restaurant will be the only restaurant inside the modern office building. “I really love the building, love the location, love the new restaurant. It’s sort of a forward design compared to all my restaurants,” Daniel tells me. The restaurant will feature a sophisticated garden of greenery to bring nature indoors, a fantastic bar… “Something very different than what I’ve done. We want to create an homage to the great places in New York.” Daniel shows me a few renderings of the space on his phone. “The restaurant will be French, but subtly more contemporary...with a certain focus on ingredients, the season, lightness, health. I’m not opening a spa,” he says with a smile, “but at the same time, I like the food to feel healthy, I mean, the food I like to eat as well, it’s very important.” Daniel already has 18 restaurants worldwide, with the majority (ten) of them based in New York City, where he lives, including DANIEL, The Bar at Daniel, Bar Boulud, Boulud Sud, Café Boulud, Bar Pleiades, DB Bistro Moderne, and three locations of Épicerie Boulud. He tells me that many of his New York customers seek out his other restaurants when they travel. “It’s good. Of course, there’s always the newcomer, the new this, the new that, it’s natural that if you do well, other people are going to want to do something next to you, something new. But it’s OK, competition is stimulating.” With so many restaurants, how do you do it? Do you frequent them often? “I frequent them during the day. I frequent them at night. It’s a teamwork... The chef cannot do everything himself. He’s going to need his team of chefs with him. He’s going to need a team at the front of the house to back him up and all that. I’ve been mentoring a lot of young chefs, a lot of front of the house waiters, managers, and sommeliers, and while we give opportunity to many to grow with us, some of them also have opened their own business and leave town and move on and are quite successful. And we also keep many in-house and we give them the opportunity to grow with us as well. There is definitely a lot of imprint of Daniel Boulud and the cuisine that I want, but then we work very closely with a chef… If it’s a young chef, who hasn’t worked long with me, for sure, we watch him closely. If it’s a chef who has a lot of experience with us, he has the freedom and the responsibility to make that restaurant work. You really try to adapt based on what the brand is. So, if it’s a Bar Boulud, it’s not Café Boulud, it’s not DANIEL.” Now that you’re a prolific restaurateur, how often are you in the kitchen? “I’m here right now. I can see what they’re doing right now,” he says matter-of-factly. But are you cooking? “I don’t need to cook, but I need to taste. I need to know what’s going on, and I cook sometimes. I cook more when I travel than when I’m in New York, but that does not mean we don’t cook together. During the preparation, if they have any questions, they can always get to me, usually the recipe I established, the chef… There is an entire pyramid of management who supervise everybody, so I think the success of a restaurant is due to the success of the team.” When you’re home, do you cook? “Yeah, simple. One pot meal. Depends who I’m entertaining and where I’m cooking. I live right above the store here, DANIEL, so it’s easy to cook, even if I have a New York kitchen.” He smiles. “When I go in the countryside, I like to cook barbeque. I like to cook things I don’t always cook at home.” Because Daniel has young children, he likes to prepare dishes that please the household. “You’d be surprised, and it might be the same food you do at home.” He laughs. “People should not think that chef always make fancy food. Chef like to just eat spaghetti tomato sauce as well. It’s easy to do. You put the can of tomato...” He chuckles. “But I have good tomato sauce at home. Some good spaghetti.” He adds that the source of your ingredients is essential. “My wife only buys organic vegetables, organic this and that. Everything. We cook simple at home, but we cook healthy.” You have been in the food industry for so long and have achieved so much, what have you taken away from your experiences as a chef? “Well, the good thing or the bad thing with the business, is that they won’t let you rest,” he laughs. “So you can’t take for granted whatever you earn and you have to look forward to the next. It’s not about trying to stack up the achievement or the rewards, it’s more about how much we enjoy this business and if you’re doing it, it better be fun and make people happy with it. Make our staff happy with the work we offer them. It has to be inspiring to our team, to me, and to our customers.” Loyalty and trust does not come as easily as it supposedly once did, which makes Daniel question whether millennials can be loyal the way their parents or grandparents were to restaurants and other things. “People used to go on vacation in the same place all their life. Now, people have to change places every time they go somewhere,” he laughs. “It’s very different… You go to the same place in Europe, Italy, France, it don’t matter if you live in Rome or in a small village, you will go to the same butcher, the same cheesemonger, you will go to the same person who will provide you what make you feel good, what make you happy, and the relationship you have with them and all that. I think today, the young generation have to learn, while there’s a lot of distractions in the world, you have to have a rhythm of consistency in your life and also a trust... We constantly work very hard at earning trust.” Scroll through Daniel’s Instagram page and you will realize how much he loves to give back to the community. Daniel tells me that when he began his culinary career in Lyon, France that they had about a dozen bums visit the restaurant he worked at throughout the day, and they would serve them a meal at the back door of the kitchen. Being in New York, he feels that there are so many opportunities to be charitable. “For me, Citymeals on Wheels was the one who is connected to the community; it has been feeding elderly people. In Europe, you take care of your grandmother, you take care of your parents, you take care of everybody. Here, many of them, nobody takes care of them. So, Citymeals on Wheels at least takes care of the eldery, which is very good and it’s one I focus on. They serve 18,000 meals every day, and with that warm meal comes a smile, a hello, a connection. There’s a lot of volunteers who have a list of people to call every week and talk to them. Talk about nothing, talk about the weather, politics, whatever you want, but keep them active, busy... They have more than 120 people over 100 years old. Citymeals does some good to keep them healthy and alive,” says Daniel passionately. Click to view larger image > What dishes are you most known for? “I don’t make those dishes here anymore. The thing is, you almost want to open a restaurant where you put all your specialties in it, so this way, you don’t change those recipes ever,” he laughs. “For example, there’s a dish I created thirty years ago and they are still relevant, they are still famous. If you say to a chef, ‘Who did the Sea Scallop Black Tie?’ They’ll say, ‘Daniel Boulud.’ ‘Who did the paupiette sea bass?’ ‘Boulud.’ They are dishes I carry in restaurant DANIEL for quite awhile. And now, the Sea Scallop Black Tie, we only do it New Year’s Eve, around that holiday season. And the sea bass on a bed of leeks, which was basically a dish made of three ingredients [fresh thyme, Idaho potatoes, and butter], that’s the dish that will get the most famous, the one with the least ingredients often. The sea bass, you can have at Café Boulud, still served there. The dish was born in ’86 so,” he laughs, “33 years old the dish is, and it’s still relevant. People go and still enjoy it. It was a riot here when the chef decided that we should not cook the sea bass here [DANIEL] anymore, because they felt we were selling too much of it. And that’s not good. And I say, ‘Yes, you’re right, this is not good. Too many people want it,’” he laughs. “You want to attract new customers with new things. And you attract new customers with old dishes, but we felt that we had more to show. So we have created many different dishes since. But that’s why we make cookbooks [he has nine], so we can put them in. So they go into the garage,” he says with a laugh. Daniel has been hosting Power Lunch for Women at DANIEL for twenty-two years now to benefit Citymeals on Wheels. Last year, the event raised more than $1.2 million to fund the preparation and delivery of over 150,000 meals for the homebound elderly. “It’s 400 women who pay $1,000 to be at the lunch gala and men pay $10,000 to be with the ladies. You have people from all over —fashion, entertainment, media, and business. People who just support Citymeals, so I think that’s a very positive thing in New York, to be a part of something that makes a difference every day in a way.” All year long, Daniel participates in charities that benefit children, health, education, including Ment’or, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals and preserving the traditions and quality of cuisine in America. “Ment’or is a foundation we created for young chefs, where when you do a craft and you work for someone it’s not easy to get a break. You have a job. Unless you quit, you might not be able to see other things. Yeah, you can see on Instagram, you can see on [the] internet, on TV, other opportunity to discover other restaurant, but I think with Ment’or, we want to make sure that we have young chefs having a continuing education while they’re working for someone and they don’t have to quit their job.” Ment’or provides hundreds of grants to young, up-andcoming chefs, so that they can gain experience in any restaurant in the world and have the opportunity to work with leading chefs. “They can’t afford to leave their job for three months because they have to pay [for] their apartment, they have to continue to earn their salary. So we cover them… We cover everything… so that is very valuable for [a] young chef.” Even as a chef’s apprentice, you demonstrated culinary excellence and were the recipient of awards quite early on, do you think your talent is inherent? “No,” he laughs. “I don’t know, but I like the competitive side of business, but I don’t do it for the sake of winning awards. It’s not like swimming,” he laughs, “you’ve gotta make a living out of this business. Awards are important, but that does not mean… I have friends who sometimes earn a lot of awards, but do they keep their business relevant? Not always easy.” How do you stay relevant? “We’ll open One Vanderbuilt, that keeps you relevant. I think what keeps you relevant in our business is the youth coming into the business, and how much we are motivated teaching and growing talent in the business. We have 850 employees in New York, and of that, I will say that 70% are people 30 years old. So it’s good, that keeps you relevant. I’m a French chef, and I’m not going to cook Chinese tomorrow for the sake of trying to stay relevant because Chinese is fashionable today. But you definitely get inspired by, not the globalization of food, but definitely by the ethnicity of cuisine and you get inspired the way every country borrows inspiration from others.” The week of our interview, Daniel received the news that his restaurants were ranked highly on Zagat. “Before the internet, before the World’s 50, before many other things, there was the Zagat guide; I think they’re celebrating their 40-year anniversary this year.” He enlightens me with a little history about its creator, Tim Zagat. “Zagat guide is back; we are very excited. We have the most popular restaurant. We have four [restaurants] in the Top 20 out of 50. We have 4 in the Top 25. I think we have DANIEL #4 or 5. And then we have Café Boulud #10. We have Bar Boulud #24, 25? Boulud Sud #15 in New York. To me, Zagat is the quintessential New Yorker guide… We’re very very proud of that.” While it’s a great honor to be recognized by a respected critic, like Zagat, it’s even more validating when you’re recognized by the people. Daniel tells me that Tripadvisor listed DANIEL as #1 for Best Restaurants (Fine Dining) in the U.S. “For what it’s worth, at least we can say it wasn’t politically set up.” He lets out a laugh. “So that’s what I think I take more pride in, knowing it’s something we didn’t politically work hard at trying to get. After 26 years in business and more than 30 years in New York, how do you stay relevant? By still hitting the marks,” he says with a big grin. “That’s what’s important, Voilà!” Words by Vanessa Pascale. Images courtesy of Daniel/ Photo credit: Noah Fecks, Cafe Boulud Palm Beach - Keep up with Daniel on Instagram and Twitter: @DanielBoulud; Facebook: @ChefDanielBoulud; and https://www.danielboulud.com/.

  • Tika Sumpter to Cover Miami Living Magazine

    Tika Sumpter, the American Actress, Model, Producer & TV Host to Cover Miami Living Magazine The gorgeous Tika Sumpter is our June/July cover star. Stay tuned for our in-depth interview with the “Mixed-ish” star, who talks about her hit TV show, “Sonic the Hedgehog,” The Suga podcast, SugaBerry.com and more. @tikasumpter To view the latest issues of Miami Living Magazine, visit our online store.

  • Art Basel Cancels Upcoming Basel Show in September while Miami Show Remains Unchanged

    After extensive analysis of the current global situation, Art Basel has decided not to hold its Basel show. The fair was scheduled to take place at Messe Basel from September 17 to September 20, 2020, after having previously been postponed from June. The decision to cancel the show was made after thorough consultation with many Art Basel gallerists, collectors, partners, as well as external experts. The primary considerations were the fundamental health and safety risks related to the pandemic, the financial risks for exhibitors and partners, the ongoing impediments to international travel, and the fact that the regulatory environment around large-scale events has yet to be finalized by the Swiss Federal Council. Marc Spiegler, Global Director, Art Basel said: ‘We are acutely aware that our galleries are facing unprecedented challenges and economic difficulties, and we had fervently hoped to support the art market’s recovery with a successful fair in September. Unfortunately, the uncertainties that we face remain too high. The best way forward for our Basel show is therefore to focus on delivering a fair of the same exceptional international quality that the artworld expects from us next June, as we continue to support our galleries by further developing our digital platforms and by delivering our upcoming shows in Miami Beach and Hong Kong.’ The Online Viewing Rooms for Art Basel in Basel's exhibitors will be live from June 19 to June 26, 2020, with preview days from June 17 to June 19, 2020. The next edition of Art Basel in Basel will take place from June 17 to June 20, 2021, with preview days on June 15 and June 16, 2021. ART BASEL MIAMI Art Basel Miami is scheduled to be held in Miami Beach from December 3-6, 2020. We will keep you updated upcoming schedule and updates.

  • Rossinavi's Introduces Vector 50 "EIV" Luxury Syperyacht

    Italian shipyard Rossinavi has presented with a private ceremony in their facility of ViareggioEIV, a tailor-made superyacht commissioned by a private American owner that signals a major development for the yard. Previously known as Project Vector 50, EIV is a trideck luxury performance vessel entirely designed with the shipyard’s American client in mind. It is a fusion of Rossinavi’s expertise, Italian interior and exterior design by Venice-based studio Team for Design – Enrico Gobbi plus technological and mechanical components from the United States. Key components and mechanical features as well as the electrical system are made in the USA and US-standard since the vessel will be based in US and Caribbean waters. The attention to US standards is also applied to its ergonomic function and elegant interiors, a response to the clients’ desire and the growing interest in Rossinavi from the American market. “This boat is a step change for Rossinavi. With the increasing and significant interest the shipyard is receiving from the American market, we are constantly working to find ways to collaborate with American suppliers in the production of entirely tailor-made vessels. Following on from the success of the first member of the Vector family (a 63m launched in 2018) that was also delivered to an American owner, EIV boasts the same sportive appeal and features of her ‘older sister’ such as the shallow draft which is perfect for the Bahamas. Key elements are the swimming pool on the sundeck, the lift and five cabins including the owner’s master suite at bow,” says Federico Rossi, Chief Operating Officer of Rossinavi. Click to view larger image > A sport design project with the ergonomic space of a full-displacement yacht and world-class, EIV incorporates technical advancements including a shallow draft of just over two meters and perfect stability that allows it to cruise primarily in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and interior areas of South Florida waters. The unique elements that make EIV one of a kind include timeless elegance of its neat lines and balanced proportions that naturally connect to natural elements bearing stylish details. Inspired by elements of the automotive industry such as the air vent grills of a sport coupé, EIV boasts a well-proportioned and slender silhouette enriched by continuous glass surfaces. Despite its sleek volume, EIV embodies an impressively spacious interior layout that can accommodate up to an owner’s party of 8 in four generous double cabins, situated on the lower deck and each one with en-suite facilities. The full beam master suite is located at the front of the main deck and includes an intimate private terrace on the starboard side. EIV’s design ensures an ongoing dialogue between exterior and interior thanks to its floor-to-ceiling glass windows along the main deck. Portions of the glass slide open for a flood of natural light and for better enjoying the surroundings. The interior design is a thoughtful mix of contemporary and modern: bright and natural nuances of wood and fabrics cleverly combined with prestigious coating materials, such as onyx and leathers, and sophisticated details in bronzed brass metal. Custom carpentry details by Enrico Gobbi are combined with contemporary European furniture, decorative lighting art pieces and exclusive Italian-made fabrics; the impression is of a relaxed, welcoming, elegant interior with plenty of light. Most of the furniture has been personally designed by Enrico Gobbi and upholstered with high-end fabrics of leading international brands such as Hermès, Rubelli and Armani Casa. Class and energy, style and dynamism have been perfectly combined in the grand project that is groundbreaking. KEY FEATURES OF EIV Length overall: 48.80 m – 160 ft 1 in Moulded beam: 8.90 m – 29 ft 2 in Draught: 2.29 m – 7 ft 6 in Guest Cabins: 4 + 1 Crew Cabins: 4 + 1 Superstructure material: aluminium Hull material: aluminium Hull configuration: fast-displacement Main engines: 2x MTU 16V 2000 M96L – 1,939 kW @ 2,450 rpm Maximum speed: 19 kn Cruising speed: 15 kn Range: 3,600 nm @ 10 kn Gross Tonnage: < 500 GT Exterior Design: Team for Design – Enrico Gobbi Interior Design: Team for Design – Enrico Gobbi Naval Architecture: Arrabito Naval Architects By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Rossinavi

  • Miami's Best Eating Venues with a Stunning View

    Your taste buds and aesthetics are missing out if you haven't experienced one of the following Miami's exquisite culinary destinations. These restaurants offer a pleasant scenic view and immaculate food nonetheless. Due to Covid-19, please be sure to contact the restaurant to learn about safety guidelines, hours and more. 1 - Malibu Farm For the exotic American food, vegetarian friendly cuisine and tons of delicious options "Malibu Farm" will give you an all & all dining experience in a serene and peaceful environment where you can enjoy sunrise & the sunsets right on the beach. Directly overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ideal location for a memorable Sunday brunch. Reservations are highly recommended. Address: 4525 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140-3226 Telephone: +1 305-674-5579 Website: Malibu Farm 2 - Lido Bayside Grill It is delightful to savor authentic Japanese fusion and vegetarian friendly cuisine at Lido. Located at The Standard Hotel, The Lido Bayside Grill offers waterfront dining for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts plus a weekly happy hour. Enjoy tasty vegan dishes including gluten free food, an extensive steamed selection of plates and expertly-grilled foods. A must-go place to dine with a gorgeous bay view. Address: 40 Island Ave The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, FL 33139-1355 Telephone: +1 786-245-0880 Website: Lido Bayside Grill 3 - La Mar by Gaston Acurio A chic waterfront place to eat traditional Peruvian and fusion fare food. Plus enjoy an energetic bar ideal for cocktails, ceviche & anticucho. Come to La Mar by Gaston Acurio to enjoy authentic and diverse flavors of Peruvian gastronomy with a dramatic water views of Biscayne Bay and Miami skyline. Address: 500 Brickell Key Dr Mandarin Oriental, Miami, FL 33131-2605 Telephone: +1 305-913-8358 Website: La Mar by Gaston Acurio 4 - Kiki On The River Kiki is ideal for lunch and dinner. Enjoy a modern take on Greek cuisine in a chic and classy environment. The waterfront setting offers traditional Greek cuisine, seafood, special salads and a wide range of grilled foods. Address: 450 NW North River Dr, Miami, FL 33128-1628 Telephone: +1 786-502-3243 Website: Kiki On The River 5 - Leynia Leynia sets inside the magical Delano Hotel serving upscale Argentinian fare with an Asian flare. It is an ideal venue for dinner and weekend brunch. Enjoy bottomless drinks, unlimited Maki selections, meat from the Parilla and the Jamon Station. Finish it off with a wide range of sweet and savory desserts. Address: 1685 Collins Ave South Beach, Miami Beach, FL 33139-3136 Telephone: +1 305-674-5752 Website: Leynia 6 - Sugar Sugar is a destination for pure authentic Asian flavors cuisine. Situated on the 40th floor rooftop of the EAST, Miami Hotel at Brickell City Centre, enjoy a hip scene offering Hong Kong inspired cocktails and tapas. High in the sky above urban downtown Miami, Sugar showcases local and international DJs for fun and memorable experience. Address: 788 Brickell Plz East Miami, Miami, FL 33131-3521 Tell: +1 786-805-4655 Website: Sugar 7 - Watr at the 1 Hotel Rooftop From dawn to dusk, it is an excellent choice for dinner, late night sitting and ideal for sunset cocktails. Situated on the roof top of the 1 Hotel, enjoy Latin and Japanese fusion cuisine made from local and organic ingredients. A must-visit restaurant offering a 360 degree view of South Beach including its beautiful ocean and breathtaking skyline. Lunch is only available for hotel guests between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Address: 2341 Collins Ave 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, FL 33139-1608 Telephone: +1 305-604-6580 Website: The 1 Rooftop 8 - Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge Located on the banks of the Miami River, Seaspice Brasserie and Lounge sits in a post-industrial warehouse designed with a sophisticated nautical theme. The venue offers modern dining accommodations including a main dining room and bar, an exterior courtyard lounge, a luscious garden bar, a covered patio, and the Modern Garden. Enjoy top-notch seafood, signature wood-fired casseroles and specially crafted cocktails while enjoying Miami River's magical scenery including Miami's skyline. Address: 422 NW North River Dr, Miami, FL 33128 Telephone: +1 305-440-4200 Website: Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge 9 - Verde Located in the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Verde offers unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay. The modern casual restaurant offers locally inspired dishes made from seasonal ingredients, hand-crafted cocktails and more. Verde offers indoor and outdoor seating and features a coffee bar serving pastries, fresh juices and a wide range of cheese. Address: 1103 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132-1758 Telephone: +1 305-375-8282 Website: Verde 10 - Amara at Paraiso The waterfront venue fuses Latin American flavors along with South Florida’s diverse food culture. Executive Chef Michael Schwartz, the James Beard Award-winning restaurateur, overseas Amara delivering masterful dishes while overlooking Biscayne Bay. Choose from 4 dining areas including: Standard (inside table seating offering bay views), Outdoor (table seating covered terrace), Counter (stools located at the food bar overlooking the open kitchen) and High Tops (tables for two at the window next to the open kitchen). First come, first served areas with full menu available includes bar high tops, bar, terrace lounges and tables, and deck chairs by the water. Address: 3101 NE 7th Ave, Miami, FL 33137-4251 Telephone: +1 305-702-5528 Website: Amara at Paraiso Words By Sumbal Kuraishi, a Writing Maestro, Roll of Honor awarded, Founder of Modernfashionblog, Co-Founder of Designbolts and CEO of Fabnailartdesigns.

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