Fit for a King
Words: Michelle Wallace IG @my.michelle.w
Photography: Sergey Yusin @sergey_yusin
Wardrobe: Jaxson Maximus @jaxsonmaximus
Make-up: Julia Brig @juliabrigmia
style | June 01, 2021
The sharing of European, African, American, and Middle Eastern ingredients and techniques has resulted in a particular dish menu in Haitian cuisine. Aromas of thyme, garlic, cloves, star anise, aromatic djon djon mushrooms, dried shrimp, piman bouk peppers, almond extract, and ginger waft from Haitian kitchens, infusing dishes with their essences. Like the country's language, Haitian food has a Crèole flavour, which is a fusion of influences. The mixed origins and spice of the African heritage are simplistic. Nevertheless, it is zip, plain and grounded by the tropics' truth and
touched by a hint of French sophistication.
Miami City has over 18,600 local Haitians. Most of them are based in the Northeast corner of the city. As many as (18,300) live in North Miami City, where Haitians make up 31% of the population. Having this populace, Haitian community has slowly become a major part of their culture. As a result, Miami currently has a large number of Haitian restaurants.
Haitian Owned Restaurants in Miami
Ivan's Cookhouse
Haitian-born Chef Ivan Dorvil is the one to call when it comes to intricate fusions with authentic foreign flavors cooked and seasoned to perfection. Chef Ivan, a Le Cordon Blue Culinary Masters School alum, incorporates this cornerstone into his cuisine of soft and soulful dishes. His ambition drives him to master his talent and be a revolutionary. "Our diverse food experiences provide a common ground for us and provide an inside glimpse at our distinct cultural identities." It provides a frame of reference on which to share in one another's lives.
Chef Creole
The famous chef Ken Wilkinson, born in New Orleans and raised by Haitian parents, is renowned for his extra spicy seafood in South Florida. Chef Creole celebrates Caribbean culture with its tiki hut themed outdoor patio and tropical decor in the restaurant, which features colourful photographs of fishers capturing a giant blue marlin. The seafood platter, which combines shrimp, tuna, lobster tail, fried conch, sweet plantains, rice, and beans, is one dish to try. Chef Creole also has a plate for meat lovers: oxtail marinated in a homemade spicy sauce. Tempting!
Leela's Restaurants
Leela's restaurant is a family-owned and run establishment that combines Haitian and American cultures. Executive Chef Devillien Lubin and Chef Marthe LaFrance have spent the last 30 years honing their talents in some of Miami's finest kitchens, learning a wide range of styles and techniques and adapting them to traditional Haitian cuisine. They developed a new norm for Haitian-American cooking in South Florida. "Leela's" is an opportunity you do not want to skip, thanks to a stunning mix of traditional and contemporary, easy planning and freshest seasonal products!
Le Cap
Haitians love their vegetables, and one can't experience that love any better than in a comfortable legume dish. The Lecap is an extraordinary version of this food, which slowly braises eggplant, cold cuts and chayote squashes with beef, carrots and countless other vegetables to make a velvety stew with flavour layers. For the whole experience, couple it with the djon djon rice flavoured with what many call the Caribbean truffle.
