The Magic City has achieved a prestigious milestone in its thriving dining scene with Chef Valerie Chang of Maty’s winning this year's James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.
The finalists for the renowned James Beard Awards were announced Monday night at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Illinois. Representing Miami were Zak the Baker for Outstanding Bakery, Manuel and Jesús Brazón of Caracas Bakery for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, and Macchialina for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Chef Tristen Epps of Ocean Social also made the cut for Best Chef: South, highlighting Miami's diverse culinary talent. In the end, it was Valerie Chang who took home the top honor in her category.
According to the James Beard Foundation, the regional Best Chef Award honors those who “set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities, making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture while contributing positively to their broader community.”
Originally from Chiclayo, Peru, Chang moved to Miami with her brother, Nando, at the age of 10. Growing up, she spent countless hours in the kitchen of a restaurant where her father worked, immersing herself in the culinary world from a young age. This early exposure sparked a passion that would shape her future career. In 2018, Valerie, Nando, and their father opened their first culinary venture together, Itamae, located in a (now-closed) Miami Design District food hall. The venture's success quickly led to the opening of a standalone Itamae restaurant, where Valerie and Nando continued to impress diners with their innovative cuisine. Building on this momentum, the siblings launched B-Side in 2019, a fast-casual concept nestled within the popular Asian food hall, 1-800-LUCKY, further cementing their status as influential figures in Miami's dining scene.
After garnering numerous accolades, including Itamae’s spot on The New York Times’ coveted Restaurant List in 2021, Chang opened her first solo restaurant, Maty’s, in March 2023. The restaurant, named after Chang’s grandmother, quickly gained recognition, including the No. 15 ranking on Food & Wine’s 2024 list of Top 20 Restaurants in the U.S. and being named one of the best new restaurants in the nation by Bon Appétit, just six months after opening.
Maty’s contemporary Peruvian cuisine offers dishes like Tortitas with house hot sauce, Oysters with ají amarillo and huacatay and Shrimp with anticuchera y chimichurri; Crudo options include Kanpachi with ají dulce, lemon and ají charapita and Tuna Tiradito with vaquero beans, finger lime and olive oil. Shareable options include the traditional Lomo Saltado with fries, tomato and scallion and Chicken Milanesa with arborio rice, English peas and parmesan. For a grand, sweet finale, there’s the Picarones (sweet potatoes and squash fritters with chancaca syrup).
To learn more about the talented chef, check out our story, published last March, where Chang shared insights into her culinary trajectory and offers one of her coveted recipes, Yuca Rellena.
Maty’s is located at 3255 N.E. 1st Ave., Miami.
For more information, visit matysmiami.com.
Photo by Andrea Grieco