The Taste Of Success

Like every award-winning chef, Niven Patel is driven by a passion for food. Unlike many of his peers, however, the 36-year-old is decidedly down-to-earth – literally. 

The chef, named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs this year; Shivani, his wife and business partner; and their newborn twin girls live on Rancho Patel, a two-acre organic farm in Homestead where much of the food for Aya Hospitality, the couple’s expanding South Florida restaurant group, is grown.

After 18 months of planning – interrupted and changed by the pandemic – Patel’s latest concept, Mamey (named after the tropical fruit), opened in August inside the THesis Hotel Miami in Coral Gables. The island-themed restaurant, inspired by his travels throughout Asia and the Caribbean, will be joined inside the hotel later this year by Patel’s Orno, a modern neighborhood restaurant. 

“Our team really rocked it out,” he says about opening Mamey during the pandemic. “Right now, we are only open seven nights a week, but we will eventually be open for three meals a day. The hospitality industry in general was hit the hardest. We slimmed down a lot, and I know we can eventually get back where we were. But our guests have to feel safe. We have taken all of the precautions we can to do that.”

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, and raised in Jacksonville, Patel grew up surrounded by a large, loving extended family. Fascinated by the culinary scene he watched on food channels, he graduated from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in 2004. While working on his degree, Patel landed his first kitchen job at 3030 Ocean at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, run by the esteemed chef and restaurateur Dean Max.

Being recognized by Food & Wine was a huge honor for Patel. But, with more than 15 years of culinary experience, four restaurants and two James Beard Best Chef nominations under his toque, he’s well-seasoned.

In his rare time off, Patel loves sports, especially basketball, and spending time with his family.

“In the future, I plan to keep building a great infrastructure team around me,” he says. “We are nothing without the team.”