“We finally got something for Miami!”
Congratulations to Valerie Chang of Maty’s — Best Chef: South at the 2024 James Beard Awards in Chicago. In her moving speech, she honored her parents, who came to the US from Peru, her brother Nando, and her grandmother, namesake of Mary’s, who passed away five days ago.
Val and her family brought their Peruvian/Japanese cuisine to South Florida in restaurants including the former Itamae, the new Itamae AO and B-Side Wynwood. Maty’s, in Midtown, was recognized in the current Michelin Guide.
Maty’s cuisine focuses on seafood and Peruvian flavors like aji amarillo, aji dulce and aji charapita. French toast, on the brunch menu, showcases lucuma, bananas and gooseberries. At the bar, Pisco figures prominently.
Maty’s cuisine focuses on seafood and Peruvian flavors like aji amarillo, aji dulce and aji charapita. French toast, on the brunch menu, showcases lucuma, bananas and gooseberries. At the bar, Pisco figures prominently.
Chang’s James Beard win comes as welcome news to South Florida chefs, who have not made it to the finals in recent years. In 2022 and 2023, Valerie, Nando and Fernando were named semifinalists for Itamae (re-envisioned as Itamae-AO and relocated). Val was a seminfinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2020 and 2019.
Previous Miami chef winners include Michael Schwartz (2010), Michelle Bernstein (2008), Allen Susser (1994), Mark Militello (1992) and Norman Van Aken (1997).
