Four Seasons Hotel Miami has announced that its new property restaurant, which replaces Acqua, will be Edge, Steak & Bar. "A dynamic destination" is how general manager Simon Pettigrew describes the "nontraditional" steak-house concept.
Executive chef Aaron Brooks, who comes from Boston's Four Seasons, has created a menu of simply grilled meats and fish plus contemporary starters and sides. The Australian chef will focus on seasonal ingredients and local producers, and will use herbs from the restaurant garden. Steaks will be seared on an infrared grill.
"It sears meat at 1,800 degrees," Pettigrew explains. "We're waiting to get it in and experiment with it, but everyone tells us it produces an incredible steak."
Pettigrew also emphasizes they want Edge to be "an everyday restaurant, not a special occasion restaurant." The bar environment will be a focal point.
"It's what you see when you enter. We're looking at having some really creative mixologists. We'll have a great wine list too; probably three-quarters of the list will be under $100.
"Price point is very important if we're going to be an everyday place. Steaks will be in the $30s -- we're not looking to do $50 and $60 steaks. Part of that will be by way of smaller portions. Not everyone is looking for 16-ounce steaks. For a lot of people, eight or ten ounces is plenty."
Side dishes won't include "all the fried things or creamed spinach." Appetizers will "concentrate on shellfish, and there will also be a nice selection of three or four tartares on the menu."
The sleekly designed interior (by AvroKo) is clad in whites and grays. Dining room walls are lined with whitewashed oak and French linen; booths are upholstered in natural leathers. The terrace will feature a trellised canopy, fire pits, dining tables, and communal tables.
Interviews are already being held for chef de cuisine, but if you're interested in a different position -- including an opening for assistant restaurant manager/sommelier -- you might want to head to the Four Seasons' job fair September 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Target date for opening of Edge is late November, "hopefully right before Thanksgiving."
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