The Real Deal

Written by Enrique Fernandez • Photographed by Colleen Duffley
Produced By Linda O’Keeffe and Nisi Berryman

Photo: Enrique Fernandez

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If there's a word to describe Miami culture, it's "glitz." Not that the city—cities, really, since Miami Beach, for example, is an independent municipality—has a monopoly on glitz. Think of Las Vegas. But the Miami–Dade County area is known as a place for making the scene, whether it's at a club, a poolside party or a restaurant.

Michael Schwartz, an energetic and talented local chef, doesn't really buy into that image. At his pointedly named Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, in Miami's burgeoning design district, Schwartz is paying homage to the kind of gastronomic aesthetics and ethics usually associated not with South Florida but with Northern California. For him, it's about the food more than the fanfare. Most of his products are local. His favorite suppliers are organic farms, and he serves what's in season in the area. His food is absolutely seductive and elegant, though never far from earthy.

Asked if food can be art, Schwartz will point to the organic tomatoes stacked on the counter that separates the dining room from the kitchen. A few slices of those with a sprinkling of fleur de sel, he insists— "that's art."

In the mid-'90s, Schwartz had already bucked the see-and-be-seen trend when he opened Nemo's in South Beach. As the beach was filling with supermodels and celebs, his low-key restaurant became an instant hit, serving simply though still imaginatively prepared fresh fish.

Last year, Schwartz took his notions further when Michael's Genuine debuted. Designed by local architect Carl Myers, the restaurant is airy and inviting, with soaring 18-foot ceilings and an open kitchen with a wood-burning stove. Rich woods and natural materials add warmth to the space.

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