South Beach Magazine recently spoke with Chef Luis Quant while he was at Bulla Gastrobar, a rustic tapas bar with a friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Learning to cook alongside his father gave him an opportunity to experiment with Asian flavors and Caribbean spices which still influence his “alta cocina” menu at Bulla. Starting out under chef Jeffrey Vigila at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne, chef Quant went on to perfect his technique under Chefs Jordi Valles and Marc Vidal who he credits with establishing the foundation of his own unique cooking style.

Please share your impressions living and working as a chef in Miami.
When you’re not at work, where do you like to dine in South Florida? I don’t go out much, but when I go to eat somewhere else I prefer my mom’s house (Nicaraguan food), my aunt’s house (Chinese food) and the Pubbelly crew, The Federal, Yakko San, Matsuri, Madrono (Nicaraguan food).

When you are cooking at home (for yourself or your friends & family), what’s your go-to dish?
With the great weather in Miami anything on the grill, fresh seafood (fish that I caught the same morning), picanha, sweetbreads.

What are the dishes you remember most from your childhood (or your experiences as a young chef) and how do those flavors influence your menu at the restaurant?
As a young chef I remember some tender veal cheeks with langoustines and Le Puy lentils, a dish chef Jordi Valles use to make at the Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne. As a child I remember the fresh cheeses made at my grandmother’s farm and those are reflected in our restaurant menu.

How has cooking in Florida changed or inspired you as a chef?
With the great weather, the diversity in nationalities and fresh produce year round I cook for our guests like I cook for my family–eclectic, casual, with simple ingredients from our South Florida surroundings being omnipresent.

Do you find your menu is influenced by the great produce available in Florida?
Citrus is not exactly produce but I use it in all its forms…nothing would be more Floridian.

What’s one thing you want diners to know about the menu at your restaurant – perhaps your favorite dish, an unexpected entree or the inspiration behind one of the dishes you decided to include on the menu?
The HUEVOS BULLA! It’s a must! A concoction made for the soul… (fresh eggs, potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam & truffle oil).

Many chefs have commented that the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is a great opportunity to hang out with friends or meet a chef who means a great deal to them. Who are you looking forward to meeting at the festival?
Definitely Wylie Dufresne, Gaston Acurio & Daniel Boulud. These are chefs that I would like to meet to thank them for their influence as a chef and restaurateur. I also would like to see local colleagues and friends.

Bulla Gastrobar
2500 Ponce De Leon Blvd
Coral Gables, FL
(305) 441-0107

More about Bulla Gastrobar

Born in Miami to Italian and Argentinean parents, Chef Rapicavoli recalls spending blissful hours watching cooking shows alongside his mom with the same passion most kids reserved for cartoons. After nearly completing the Culinary Arts program at Johnson and Wales University, he worked in top local restaurants before taking on the Executive Chef role at Chispa steakhouse in Doral. Urged by his mom to enter the competition, the young chef became the first Miami contestant to win the $10,000 prize on the Food TV Network’s cooking show “Chopped.” This brief star turn gave him the seed money to launch his own restaurant.

Rapicavoli and his partner Casanova initially opened the Eating House as a short term pop-up concept after the red-hot success of Miami’s first rebel restaurant called Phuc Yea. The Phuc team went on to open The Federal Food Drink & Provisions near Miami’s Design District and ultimately the Eating House took root in Coral Gables. Working on a shoestring budget using the equipment from a restaurant that formerly occupied the space, the tumultuous first year at Eating House was a major proving ground for Rapicavoli and his team. He took a little time away from his busy Gables kitchen to share his impressions about being a young Miami chef with South Beach Magazine.

Please share your impressions living and working as a chef in Miami. Is it tough to find a balance between the discipline of running a successful kitchen and the temptations of a fun location like South Florida for you and your team?
Fortunately for us, we don’t really get too caught up in that lifestyle. We are more likely to kick it and listen to some Bob Marley after hours.

When you’re not at work, where do you like to dine in South Florida?
My list in no particular order: Casa Larios, Blackbrick Chinese, Pubbelly, Macchialina, Bread + Butter, Zuma, Yakko-San, Bocce Bar, J & G Grill, Blue Collar, Patacon Pisao, Dogma Grill, Sports Grill & Shiver’s BBQ

When you are cooking at home (for yourself or your friends & family), what’s your go-to dish?
I really like grilling on my Weber Grill and love using hardwood charcoal and hickory chips to cook over. I season vegetables and very thick cut steak (at room temperature) liberally with salt and a dry rub I always have on hand.

What are the dishes you remember most from your childhood (or your experiences as a young chef) and how do those flavors influence your menu at the restaurant?
My favorite thing growing up was pasta with butter and cheese. My mom made it with beef extract that the Italians say is good for growing kids because it is filled with lots of minerals and protein. To me, it just created more flavor and that’s where I think my attention to flavor began.

How has cooking in Florida changed or inspired you as a chef? Do you find your menu is influenced by the great produce available in Florida?
Growing up in Miami has influenced my cooking more than anything else. I grew up in a traditional Italian household and went to school in Westchester. My daily diet ranged from guava and cheese pastelitos to pasta pomodoro – all legit and authentic. I grew up eating so many different foods and therefore, tasting so many different flavors that it all resonates in my head when I’m coming up with dishes.

What’s one thing you want diners to know about the menu at your restaurant – perhaps your favorite dish, an unexpected entree or the inspiration behind one of the dishes you decided to include on the menu?
When you taste the food we make at Eating House, we want you to taste and understand Miami. It’s not only about the flavors, but also about the culture, being around the hustle and listening to the sounds that molded our era. All that goes into a meal at Eating House. If cooking is an art, we’re making graffiti.

Eating House, 804 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables. (305) 448-6524
Serving lunch Monday through Friday 11am – 3pm and dinner Tuesday through Thursday 6pm – 11pm, Friday & Saturday until midnight. Sunday brunch service from noon until 5pm.

Images: Mario Daviles

The chef’s open kitchen lends the rustic dining room a welcoming vibe and offers a glimpse at the hard-working team crafting creamy gazpacho, crisp patatas bravas and the Chef’s favorite Huevos Bulla – a combination of eggs, potato chips, ham, potato foam and a hint of truffle oil. A selection of larger platters is served family style so guests can sample and share all the best flavors of Spain including tender suckling pig, arroz a banda (rice with fresh seafood) and braised short ribs in a rich red wine sauce. Serving lunch and dinner daily, Bulla offers a weekend brunch menu, a full bar and a variety of regional wines, craft beers and house-made sangrias.

Name:	Bulla Gastrobar
Rating:	/ 4.1 stars based on 299 reviews across the Web
Address:	2500 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Phone:	(305) 441-0107
Cuisine:	Spanish
Price:	$$
Attire:	Casual
Payment:	Cash, All Major Credit Cards
Reservations:	Yes
Parking:	On-street parking
Chef:	–
Website:	www.bullamiami.com
Hours:	Mo-Tu 12:00pm-10pm, We-Th 12:00pm-11pm, Fr-Sa 12:00pm-12am, Su 12:00pm-10pm

Diners can start the evening at Bar Centro, a tapas & cocktail lounge featuring innovative libations dreamed up by the chef using fresh herbs, local fruits and seasonal vegetables. The dinner menu at Bazaar includes an Asian-inspired selection of “Singapore Connection” small plates (spring rolls, dumplings, bao) plus “New Generation Nigiri” seafood dishes (Japanese tacos, Cuban Escabeche, Dragon Fruit Ceviche). Andrés playfully incorporates local Latin flavors in his menu creating upscale riffs on Peruvian potatoes, yuca churros and slow-cooked Cuban-style Pollo al Ajillo. Enjoy a mix of cultures and cuisines as you travel around the world without ever leaving the table at this dazzling South Beach restaurant.

Name:	Bazaar by José Andrés
Rating:	/ 4.0 stars based on 86 reviews across the Web
Address:	1701 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Phone:	(305) 455-2999
Cuisine:	Spanish
Price:	$$$$
Attire:	Casual
Payment:	Cash, All Major Credit Cards
Reservations:	Yes
Parking:	Valet
Chef:	José Andrés
Website:	www.thebazaar.com
Hours:	Mo-We 6:00pm-11pm, Th-Sa 6:00pm-12am, Su 6:00pm-11pm