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Earth to Table


Faena Hotel’s signature restaurants prepare locally sourced, quality ingredients using globally inspired culinary styles.

Los Fuegos Vegetable Asado

LOS FUEGOS BY FRANCIS MALLMANN | PAO BY PAUL QUI 

Article originally published in Faena Journal Issue #47 • Spring 2022

“My aim is to make main dishes for vegans as substantial as a steak,” said Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, creator of Los Fuegos restaurant. Hailed around the world for his live-fire cooking, Mallmann launched a vegan cookbook at 
the behest of his younger, eco-conscious fans who don’t eat meat. 

“As paradigms shift, Los Fuegos is adapting its menu by adding more and more vegetarian-vegan options that are prepared in the same signature wood-fired fashion,” says Sebastian Benitez, executive chef of Los Fuegos.  

Dishes include grilled artichokes with sesame yogurt, sourdough breadcrumbs, toasted sesame seeds, and preserved lemon,while wild mushrooms feature homemade smoked ricotta and salsa verde. Beets “al rescoldo” carpaccio, a fan favorite on the menu, is a delicious combination of pistachio yogurt, crisp arugula, shallot vinaigrette and garlic chips. 

“The most important thing for us is to source the best quality ingredients and choose the correct fire technique for each one,” Benitez explains. For example, a new entrée on the menu, the smoked cabbage stuffed with rice, wild mushrooms, sesame cream and roasted walnuts, is strung from an eight-foot iron dome and slow roasted for hours over an open flame. “I like the challenge of making a good dish based on vegetables,” he says.

"My aim is to make main dishes for vegans as substantial as a steak” - Chef Francis Mallmann

At Pao, dishes are anchored in Asian flavors. “Filipino cuisine derives its inspiration and ingredients mainly from Chinese and Malay recipes,” comments chef de cuisine Paulina Ornelas. “Traditional flavors from the Philippines frequently feature soy sauce or patis (anchovy sauce), which greatly enhance the flavor of the dish.”

The chefs at Pao prioritize quality in sourcing their ingredients. “We get all our premium Wagyu cuts from Miami Purveyors,” she notes. A succulent tenderloin found on the menu is cooked sous vide and accompanied by mushroom escabeche topped with black truffle and shio kombu (seasoned seaweed).

In-season fruits from Mr Greens in Allapattah, an up-and-coming neighborhood in Miami, adds brightness and zest to the menu. “Right now, I am working with a pineapple for our aguachile ceviche and avocado for the A5 beef tataki,” says Ornelas. “My favorite ingredient to use in the summer is lychee because the flavor is so unique and exotic. I serve it fresh or in a vinaigrette to make the flavor pop a little bit more.”

Nuances of Japanese and Mexican gastronomy can also be tasted in Pao’s inventive dishes, but Filipino cuisine always remains its base. “Pao’s dishes are served family-style because in the Philippines there’s always enough food prepared for the whole family to share.”

"Food is about memories, familiarity, and comfort” - Pao by Paul Qui 

 

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Where Fire and Flavor Ignite

"What makes Los Fuegos truly extraordinary is our commitment to the ancient art of cooking with fire,” explained Yassine Belkady, the restaurant’s manager. “We use no electricity whatsoever—just fire, wood ovens, and tradition” Everything has that distinctive char, those bold, nearly burnt flavors that taste almost primal. “When you dine here, you can literally smell the wood and rosemary in the air,” he added. The restaurant’s setting matches its culinary panache. By day, the veranda transforms into an airy ambience when its retractable roof opens to Miami’s brilliant skies. Guests enjoy lunch while overlooking the property’s stunning pool, creating what Belkady called “a completely different experience than any other hotel or restaurant in Miami.” 

Beneath the Tree of Life

Mornings here unfold slowly while guests sip on fresh-pressed juices—like the South Beach, a tropical elixir of coconut water, local citrus, mango, and strawberry, or a vitamin-rich Green Juice packed with spinach, kale, ginger, cucumber, celery and green apple. “The tranquility makes it really special,” noted Joshua Rodriguez, Director of Nightlife. “It’s a place where guests can grab a coffee, a light bite and relax or catch up on some emails.” A menu of delicious appetizers is great for snacking throughout the day, including crispy artichokes with sesame yogurt and sourdough breadcrumbs; prime rib empanadas with llajua sauce; and a vegan option of steamed veggie rice with sweet potato and broccoli. Come golden hour, the energy shifts. On weekends from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, resident DJs set the mood as the bar transitions into a laidback sundowner haunt. The CopaCabana cocktail, a tropical indulgence of banana and apricot liqueur, coconut cream, allspice, and Bulleit Rye, is a guest favorite. “People order it because it’s served in a Faena-branded coconut, but it’s the taste that makes them request another one,” said Rodriguez.

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