Latest news with #Maty's
Time Out
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
James Beard Award-winning Maty's will have its last service this week
It's been a busy few weeks for the Chang family: Nando Chang of Miami's Itamae AO was the only Florida toque to take home a coveted medal at this year's James Beard Awards, which took place on June 16. Even cooler, he won for Best Chef: South, the same category that his sister, Valerie Chang, won just a year earlier for her own "understated, elegant" cooking at Maty's, the modern Peruvian spot in midtown Miami. And now it looks like there are news-worthy developments happening out of that latter kitchen, albeit of the less celebratory sort: Chang has decided to part ways with Maty's, leaving the future of that acclaimed restaurant up in the air. "After an incredible run, Valerie Chang has decided to end her chapter with Maty's," the restaurant's PR team shared via email to Time Out Miami." Val has found it deeply meaningful to honor her grandmother, the restaurant's namesake, with the Peruvian food of her upbringing, and she is grateful to her Miami community for the support. Maty's, which opened in March 2023, garnered acclaim in Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, and the New York Times." The announcement continued: "Val is currently considering exciting prospects for future projects but we have nothing confirmed just yet to share here." As for the chef herself, Chang shared some feelings on social media about her impending departure, posting on Instagram: "As this chapter comes to an end for me, I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude for everyone who has allowed me to cook for them at Maty's over the past two years. We opened this restaurant to honor our grandmother, Maty, in the best way we know how—through food. Thank you to my family, friends and Ron for all the support through out the years, I could've never done this without you guys." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Valerie Chang Cumpa (@chifitachang) Of course, Chang's exit from Maty's means that there are changes afoot not only to that restaurant—as for the future of Maty's, "the Changs are working with their business partners to determine what makes the most sense as a next step in the Maty's space, with the goal of best serving their community," per their PR—but also Itamae's à la carte residency, which has operated in the Maty's space since April. Both Maty's and Itamae will have their final service on Saturday, July 5—reservations are available on Resy if you want to get in before the doors shut. As for Itamae AO, the 10-seat counter spot that served as a sibling spot (in more ways than one) to Maty's next door, Nando Chang and his crew will expand that restaurant's days of operation from Tuesdays to Saturdays beginning on July 8. There will also be new menu additions to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
This Miami restaurant had an award-winning chef and a Michelin nod. Now it's closing
In 2024, a year after she opened her Peruvian restaurant Maty's in Midtown, Miami chef Valerie Chang won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South, ending a 14-year drought for Miami. Now Maty's — named for Chang's Peruvian grandmother — is closing for good after only two years. Chang, whose first Miami spot was Itamae, a counter serving Peruvian-Japanese cuisine at a local food hall she opened with her brother Nando and father Fernando, thanked customers on her Instagram account for patronizing the restaurant, which was recommended in the Michelin Guide. 'Our dad showed us very early on that being in the restaurant could give us an opportunity to struggle a little less — that perhaps we weren't bound only by what our parents could give us, but by what we could also make with our own hands,' she wrote. 'As this chapter comes to an end for me, I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude for everyone who has allowed me to cook for them at Maty's over the past two years. We opened this restaurant to honor our grandmother, Maty, in the best way we know how — through food.' Since April, the restaurant at 3255 NE First Ave., had been hosting a residency by Itamae, which served tiraditos, ceviches and nigiris as well as other dishes that made the Changs a hit in the city. The residency will continue through July 5. Meanwhile, Nando Chang, who earned the 2025 Best Chef: South award just a year after his sister, will continue to focus on his 10-seat omakase counter, Itamae Ao, which is located in a smaller room attached to the main Maty's restaurant. Chang, who also earned a Michelin star for Itamae Ao this year, plans to expand the counter's days of operation to Tuesday through Saturday, as well as adding new items to the menu. There's no word on what's next for Val Chang or the former Maty's space.
Axios
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Maty's, Midtown's beloved Peruvian restaurant, is closing
Maty's, the acclaimed Midtown Peruvian restaurant, announced Thursday it is closing. Why it matters: In the two years since it opened, the restaurant has rightfully earned its place within Miami's dining scene, securing a spot on Florida's growing list of Michelin Guide restaurants and boasting one of the nation's top chefs. Owner and chef Valerie Chang won the Best Chef: South category at the 33rd annual James Beard Awards last year. What they're saying: "We opened this restaurant to honor our grandmother, Maty, in the best way we know how—through food," Chang wrote on her Instagram. "Our dad showed us very early on that being in the restaurant could give us an opportunity to struggle a little less — that perhaps we weren't bound only by what our parents could give us, but by what we could also make with our own hands." "As this chapter comes to an end for me, I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude for everyone who has allowed me to cook for them at Maty's over the past two years," she wrote. Flashback: Chang, her brother Nando Chang (of Itamae AO, also in Midtown) and their father, Fernando, operated the now-closed restaurant Itamae. The trio also earned a James Beard nomination. What's next: No reasons were cited for the closure, but in her post, Chang wrote she was "excited to share what's next! Nos vemos pronto."
Time Out
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This Miami chef took home a James Beard Award last night, just a year after his sister won
If you needed extra proof that culinary bonafides run in the Chang family, last night you got it. At the 35th annual James Beard Foundation awards—which were held on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago—Nando Chang of Itamae AO took home the coveted medal in the Best Chef: South category, following closely in the footsteps of his sister Valerie, who won the exact same award a year earlier for her own acclaimed kitchen work over at Maty's. The Chang siblings, as well as their father Fernando, opened the first iteration of Itamae in 2018, when it was a mere food counter at the then-St. Roch Market (now known as MIA Market) in the Design District. The original counter—which served Nikkei cuisine, a delicious fusion of Peruvian and Japanese food—eventually grew into a standalone restaurant across the Palm Court, before it closed in 2023 so both Nando and Valerie could work on their own solo concepts. For Valerie, that was Maty's, a Peruvian charmer named for their grandmother and for Nando, Itamae AO, a 10-seat omakase counter directly connected to its sister restaurant (literally) that turns out a beautiful and beguiling tasting menu of Japanese-Peruvian bites. Nando's refined reimaginings earned the Miami restaurant its first-ever Michelin star earlier this year, so the James Beard sparkler is simply another glorious garnish on top of one tasty year. Itamae AO was one of two Miami-based finalists among this year's James Beard nominees, with ViceVersa—the aperitivo bar off the lobby of the Elser Hotel in downtown Miami—being recognized in the Best New Bar category. Alas, that local haunt was ultimately beat out by Identidad Cocktail Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Prior to Valerie Chang's 2024 victory in the Best Chef: South category, and her bro's subsequent win a year after, a Miami-based chef hadn't taken home a James Beard Award since all the way back in 2010. Along with the Miami nods, Florida also saw two other finalists this year: Sue Chin and Jason Chin of Orlando's Good Salt Restaurant Group (Seito Sushi, Reyes Mezcaleria, The Osprey, and others) in the Outstanding Restaurateur category, and Winter Park's Ômo by Jônt in the Best New Restaurant category. Congrats to all of our Florida winners and finalists!
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Two Miami chefs, one family: Brother wins top award his sister won last year
Nando Chang, the Peruvian-born chef whose Miami restaurant Itamae Ao earned its first Michelin star this year, has just won a James Beard Award — the exact same award his sister Val won a year ago. Chang, who opened Itamae Ao in 2024, was named Best Chef: South at a ceremony Monday night at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. An emotional Chang thanked his parents, his wife Lauren, brothe Elvis and 'my favorite chef and sister, Val.' He talked about being a Peruvian of Chinese descent, an identity that was 'interesting and at times confusing' and of his love for his adopted country, despite the difficult times for immigrants now. 'I want to say I could not be prouder . . . to be a part of this beautiful country,' he said. 'Thank you, America, and thank you, Miami. ' He also thanked the James Beard Foundation for their commitment to diversity: 'All food is immigrant and immigrants make America great.' The Changs and their father Fernando opened the first iteration of Itamae as a food counter at MIA Market in the Design District (then called St. Roch Market) in 2018. The restaurant served Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese fare and eventually went on to open as a standalone restaurant across the Palm Court from its original location. The first version of Itamae closed in 2023 to make way for the future. As his sister turned to the opening of Maty's, her Peruvian restaurant named for their grandmother, Nando Chang focused on creating Itamae Ao, a 10-seat wonder that serves a meticulous and imaginative chef's choice menu of Japanese-Peruvian bites highlighting specially dry-aged fish. The restaurant is located through a separate door inside Maty's, and the menu includes stunning examples of sashimi, nigiri, anticuchos and aguadito, highlighting Chang's skill at enhancing Japanese techniques with Peruvian flavors. Chang had long wanted to focus on a more personal dining experience that was more elevated and intimate than he was able to provide at the first Itamae. 'It's something I've dreamed of for a long time, to go straight to omakase,' he told the Miami Herald in 2023. 'That's the kind of experience I want to provide.' In April, Chang brought back the original Itamae to take over the Maty's space for a couple of months. That residency is ongoing at the moment, but Chang is still intensely focused on the intricacies of the dishes at Itamae Ao. 'We want every single bite to make you go 'Whoa!' ' he said.
