Passion With Poise

Chef Justin Garriga Creates A Pulse All His Own At Rosemary’s Miami

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Chef Profile

Chef Justin Garriga has cooked in Miami, Atlanta, New York, Providence and Martha’s Vineyard, but the spark ignited much earlier, when he’d wake at 3 a.m. to tinker in his mother’s kitchen. 

“I honestly don’t remember a lot of what I was cooking back then. There were a lot of mistakes. I remember vividly burning sugar onto a pan, then hitting it with a hammer to try and get the sugar to crack so I could chip it out,” the 30-year-old recounts.

That curiosity led him to the Miami Culinary Institute, where he acquired formal training before eventually working under renowned chef Brad Kilgore. 

“I didn’t spend a lot of time directly with Chef Kilgore, but his presence was always felt. He could be miles away, but the kitchen always operated as if he were standing right there with the guys,” Garriga says. “Establishing a strong foundation and instilling your values in the kitchen you run, having constant ownership of the operation, is what I took from him.” 

Garriga credits Chilean-born chef Sebastian Fernandez, his former colleague at 33 Kitchen in Miami and now chef at The Capital Grille on Wall Street, as one of his strongest mentors. Fernandez taught him not only essential skills but also simple, grounding lessons he still applies beyond the kitchen.  

“He worked on everything with me, from how to stand while cutting to teaching me about seasonality,” Garriga says. “He taught me how to be calm in the middle of a storm and how to develop the people around you.”

Over the years, he has continued refining his craft, accumulating an impressive resume that includes opening Tropezón in South Beach and working as executive chef for both Novecento and Bulla Gastrobar. At Rosemary’s Miami, the first Florida outpost of the New York–born concept, he began as sous chef before quickly rising to the role of executive chef last July. The experience cemented his belief in having a good team.

“The transition taught me that you are not promoted by your superiors — you are promoted by your cooks,” Garriga says. “When the cooks and the line-level staff trust your direction, it is felt everywhere within the operation. ... I owe everything I do and everything I have ever done to the teams of men and women working with me every night.”

Rosemary’s adds to the growing trend of Italian restaurants in South Florida, and Garriga’s extensive experience in Spanish cuisine gives the menu a slant that feels both familiar and unexpectedly new.

“The truth is that no matter what anyone tells you, no two kitchens are the same. ... Each kitchen vibrates at its own frequency and has its own language,” he says. “Bringing the languages and perspectives of different cuisines to Rosemary’s just allowed me to take some outside-the-box approaches to technique and to building flavors. The mesh is really beautiful when you can achieve something from one cuisine in another. Sometimes it’s as simple as having fresh eyes and asking, ‘Why?’”

It’s no surprise that a career as a chef can come at a price. The pace is demanding, and the hours are long, often falling on holidays and weekends.

“The legend of the chef’s schedule is as grueling as they make it seem in books and on TV,” Garriga says. He prioritizes carving out time for his 5-year-old son. 

“My family life is extremely important to me, and it’s my singular regret,” he says. “There’s a heavy opportunity cost that comes with any job that is mostly nights and weekends when you have school-aged children.” 

His partner, Camila Molko, also works in hospitality, so she understands the benefits and challenges of their busy profession.

“It’s nice to be with someone who also has to eat dinner at midnight and doesn’t mind sleeping in sometimes. Unfortunately, we’re both addicted to the lifestyle, and we spend a lot of our collective free time in restaurants, dining out,” Garriga notes.

Still, despite the demands, he loves the craft — the pace, the creativity, the energy of a well-run kitchen — and wouldn’t trade the work that shaped him for anything. Now in the position to lead others, he channels the core lesson that has driven his success. 

“When it comes to younger cooks, the most important thing to instill in them is poise,” Garriga says. “This career is not forever for some people. However, teaching someone to be calm in the face of adversity is something they will always have with them.”

Orecchiette With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 heaping cup orecchiette pasta 

• 2 cloves garlic confit (garlic gently cooked in olive oil), plus 1 teaspoon of the oil

• ½ Italian sausage link, cooked and crumbled (about ¼ cup)

• ½ cup chopped broccoli rabe, blanched

• ½ teaspoon chopped Fresno pepper in oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/8 cup grated Italian cheese blend (equal parts Pecorino Romano and Parmesan)

• splash of dry white wine (optional)

• salt, to taste

PREPARATION 

Heat the garlic confit and its oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, broccoli rabe and Fresno pepper. Cook until warmed through. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and simmer until slightly reduced. Add the butter and swirl until melted into a silky sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in salted boiling water until al dente; reserve a little pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat, loosening with a spoonful of pasta water if needed. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese blend. Toss until creamy. Serve immediately.