explain that someone can
be both Jewish and born in
South America. Today, as a
famous chef she doesn’t need
to explain herself as she is
known for world-class eclectic
cooking.
Before the kitchen was
her mainstay, the stage was
her arena. Bernstein trained
as a ballerina but pivoted to
cooking after an injury. The
practice and focus of dance
prepared her for the culinary
world.
“The ability and strength to
stand for 12-14 hours a day,
carry large loads and have an
economy of movement needed
to get things done in small
spaces and in quick times” was
the perfect discipline, she says.
Bernstein entered the culi-
nary world three decades
ago, when she was the only
female in the room. She was
ridiculed for being “too small,
too Jewish and too feminine.”
The verbal abuse and sexual
harassment made her work
harder and wear her lipstick
proudly. One day, she sliced
her finger in the kitchen and
needed 20 stitches. The crew
bet she would not return. She
returned and said, “One day
you will all work for me.” And
that was exactly the case.

DISHES WITH LATIN FLAIR
Today, she owns and operates a
thriving catering business and
several restaurants, all Miami-

based. In 2019, she opened
Café La Trova on Calle Ocho,
which is in the heart of Miami’s
Cuban district. Bernstein and
her husband are also partners
in the internationally recog-
nized Miami Beach cocktail
bar Sweet Liberty. They also
opened La Cañita in Bayside,
and soon she will open Sra.
Martinez in Coral Gables, both
in the greater Miami area.
“I feel my life (along with
a lot of other people I know)
can be told through food,”
Bernstein says.
One example is her extraor-
dinary “The Story of My Life
Chicken Soup.” Dill, chayote,
chili, cilantro and corn create
a unique twist on Bernstein’s
version of the classic chicken
soup recipe. Because her mom
always used Streit’s matzah ball
mix for the base, she some-
times uses that, too.
“It’s a soup that takes some
skill to make great — it’s gelat-
inous and delicate,” she says,
adding that her signature reci-
pe includes flavors and ingredi-
ents indigenous to Miami and
other Latin countries. She also
mentions the healing powers of
chicken soup.
Her Latin flair is evident in
another Jewish dish — brisket.
She often serves it with chi-
michurri sauce. In her cook-
book Cuisine à Latina, she also
includes a mustard-crusted
brisket recipe and an Israeli
couscous dish. One of her
favorite recipes is her mom’s

arroz con pollo (chicken with
rice). In this recipe, she reveals
the trick of cooking rice in a
large quantity of stock and then
adding beer! She describes how
the beer plumps the grains
and acts like a sauce. The arroz
con pollo uses sazon completa
(complete seasoning), which is
a blend of salt, pepper, cumin
and other spices that can be
found in most Latin grocery
stores or in the international
aisle of a supermarket.
What does she cook or
cater for Friday night Shabbat
dinner? She prepares simple
food like roast chicken, latkes
and a whole fish with fennel.
Bernstein describes her palette
as delicate even though she is
of Latin descent. Her favorite
herbs are tarragon, dill, parsley
and mint and, as for spices, she
prefers ground fennel and fla-
vorful chili.
“I cook everything and
anything; however, I begin
with a sensibility that is over-
all Eastern European,” she
explains.
Her nickname is Michy,
which is what her family calls
her. On Instagram, she’s
chefmichy. “The way you
cook is where you have been
and the cultures you have been
exposed to, which all combines
into on big mishmash.”

Carla Schwartz is the former editor

of Style magazine, a former Jewish

News columnist, community relations

consultant and blogger. Visit her blog

at motownsavvy.com.

style beer
1 cup green olives, preferably
stuffed with pimientos (plus
more for garnish)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. of your favorite hot
sauce (I like Cholula’s)

Directions
Heat the oil in a large,
deep, heavy-bottomed
skillet over medium-high
heat. Add the onions,
peppers and cook, stir-
ring until softened, 3 to
4 minutes. Add the rice
to the pan, stir for 1-2
minutes. Add the stock,
wine, butter, saffron
liquid, sazon (if using),
cumin and turmeric into
the pan. Add the tomato
paste and cook, stirring
to coat the other ingre-
dients with the paste,
for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, pars-
ley, cilantro and 1 cup of
the beer. Season with
salt and pepper. Bring
the mixture to a boil,
reduce to a low simmer
and add the olives, peas
and hot sauce. Place
the reserved chicken
thighs and any juice that
has collected on its dish
into the rice. Cover for
about 20 minutes. After
20 minutes, uncover
the pan and add the
remaining beer to the
skillet. Don’t stir! Cover
again and cook until
the beer is substantially
absorbed by the rice
and the chicken should
be completely cooked
through, about 10 more
minutes.
Uncover the skillet
and let simmer until the
liquid is almost com-
pletely reduced, about
5 minutes. Garnish with
Spanish olives and
serve.

“I FEEL MY LIFE (ALONG WITH
OTHERS PEOPLE I KNOW) CAN BE

TOLD THROUGH FOOD.”

— MICHELLE BERNSTEIN

continued from page 47

JULY 7 • 2022 | 49