German-born Chef Tristan Brandt clearly remembers the moment he realized he was destined for a career in the kitchen. He was 12 years old, and, after several years of both observing and cooking alongside his mother, he volunteered to prepare her birthday meal.
Photos By Michael Pisarri
“She invited ten girlfriends. I told her she should be with them, and I will make everything. Everyone was very happy about this, so this was the start of the career of the kitchen,” Brandt recalls with an easy-going chuckle.
While the 38-year-old chef cannot recall what he made on that fateful day, he does make one insightful observation: “It was not at the same level as today!”
This is no surprise, after all, Brandt is a culinary force, with his Miami restaurant, The Tambourine Room By Tristan Brandt, having just been awarded a Michelin star in May. He also holds the title of being the youngest chef to receive a 2-star Michelin rating in Germany — a feat accomplished when he was 31. And while this would be an achievement in itself, the focused and driven chef says it was just one component of his responsibilities.
“I was the owner of 9 different gastronomic concepts and my 2 Michelin star restaurant was just a part of it,” he recounts.
He’s referring to his appointment as Managing Director for Engelhorn Gastro GmbH in Mannheim, Germany, where he worked until 2020 overseeing 130 employees and serving as chef of the starred OPUS V restaurant. Accolades did not stop there — he started as CEO at Restaurant 959 and worked as patron for Walhaus Flims. In October 2022, Epoca by Tristan Brandt at the Waldhaus Flims Wellness Resort in Switzerland was awarded one Michelin star.
Today, he divides his time between his projects in Europe and his first American outpost.
Tucked away in the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, The Tambourine Room has retained its iconic name as a nod to its rich history as a buzzy cocktail lounge that drew in celebrities when it first opened in 1958.
“Of course, for a German man, it’s not so easy to say ‘tambourine,’” Brandt says, explaining his initial reservation toward the name before adding, “but now I like it so much.”
One bite in and you will like it too.
Beetroot With Coffee And Citrus
Brandt, who describes his cuisine as French-based with Asian influences (the result of his seven months working in China) explains that his primary drive is to surprise diners with his culinary creations. With two seating options (6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.), patrons have the option to experience either a 3-course or 6-course tasting menu (with an optional wine pairing supplement). The intimate 18-seat restaurant is quiet and sparse, tucked away off the lobby of the hotel.
Surprise is only one of many emotions those lucky enough to dine here will feel. Presented with the Golden Egg amuse-bouche: a poached egg with gold and caviar on top, resting over cauliflower purée, sprinkled with roasted cauliflower and croutons surrounded in Parmesan foam and chive oil and diners will begin to understand the level of high-end dining they are about to experience.
Ceviche With Avocado And Mango
The menu changes every two months to provide multiple opportunities to sample new dishes and adhere to the freshest ingredients. Dishes are, not only exceptional — they are works of art.
“For me, it’s also important that the plate looks very nice. The taste is more important, but the picture on the plate is one of the most important for me, so it has to look pretty,” Brandt says.
Golden Egg Amuse-Bouche
At the time of this writing, starters included a Ceviche with Avocado and Mango served in a green Tigermilk (aromatics from ginger, lime, jalapeño, green celery and coriander) topped with pickled red onion and garlic chips followed by Beetroot with Coffee and Citrus, a unique yet innately cohesive presentation of red beetroot purée flavored with coffee-butter, butter-fried beet root rocks, pickled yellow beetroot and fresh grapefruit with black garlic crème, coffee crumble, white beet foam and red beetroot powder. From the Veal with Potato and Truffle to the Ora King Salmon with Sorrell and Juniper and Guinea Fowl with Pepper and Eggplant, the main courses continue the magnificent display of Brandt’s talent. And for those wondering how they will manage so much food, both the pacing and portion size is recognizant of the need for diners to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed. The evening ends on a high note with a Rhubarb, Raspberry and Elderflower dessert.
The service is attentive without being intrusive, adding to what Brandt hopes an experience at his restaurant surmises.
“The diner should come to our restaurant and just take a seat, let go, for a culinary trip to my kitchen. We want to make them happy so it’s, of course, a challenge because not everyone has the same taste, but hopefully — normally— it works very well.”
Ora King Salmon | Sorrel | Juniper
(serves 4)
Ingredients:
Ora King Salmon
14 ounces Ora King salmon fillet
Olive oil
Salt
Champagne Vinaigrette:
¾ cup champagne vinegar
2/3 cup white port wine
¾ cup walnut oil
2/3 cup olive oil
5/8 cup safflower oil
5 bay leaves
5 thyme sprigs
2 shallots
5 juniper berries
Marinated Zucchini:
4 mini zucchinis
Salt
Champagne vinaigrette
1 tablespoon pomelo oil
Juniper cream:
10 juniper berries
2 cups heavy cream
Sorrel Sauce:
1 cup water
5/8 cup sugar
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
3 bunches of sorrel
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Riesling grape juice
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon grape juice
a bit of xanthan gum
Garnish:
1 marigold flower
Preparation:
Ora King Salmon:
Portion the salmon fillet into four pieces of 3.5 ounces each. Brush with olive oil and add salt. Place them on a baking tray and cover with saran wrap until ready to prepare dish.
When ready to prepare, bake in oven for 15 minutes at 107° F.
Champagne Vinaigrette:
Mix the ingredients together and marinate for four hours. Finally, puree them.
Marinated Zucchini:
Cut off the top of the zucchini. Slice thinly lengthwise. Lightly salt and season with champagne vinaigrette and pomelo oil.
Juniper Cream:
Crush juniper berries and heat slowly in the heavy cream. When the cream is reduced by half, strain out the juniper berries and continue to reduce, stirring constantly, until it has a creamy, mousse-like consistency.
Sorrel Sauce:
Bring water, sugar and vinegar to a boil and then leave to cool down. Mix the stock with sorrel and grape juices in a Thermomix (or blender), then strain through a micro sieve. If necessary, bind with a little xanthan gum and strain again.
Finishing:
Place the cooked salmon on a plate and loosely garnish with a marinated zucchini strip. Warm reduced juniper cream and place a dumpling next to the salmon. Sprinkle marigold petals on top. Warm the sorrel sauce slightly and pour over the salmon.