Executive Chef Horacio Rivadero | Tantalize Miami (CLOSED)

Chef Horacio Rivadero of Tantalize Miami
Chef Horacio Rivadero of Tantalize Miami

Tantalize Miami brings the ultimate supperclub experience to South Beach with a unique combination of food, drink and entertainment creating a dazzling atmosphere. Chef Horacio Rivadero’s Pan Latino menu showcases his years of experience at the award winning restaurant Ola where he crafted innovative riffs on traditional Spanish and Caribbean fare. Originally tapped by Mango Gang Chef Douglas Rodriguez to open the popular eatery in 2002, Chef Rivadero went on to win Food and Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” and then received a nomination for the prestigious James Beard Award for his efforts at The District Restaurant in Downtown Miami.

A passionate Argentinian with a taste for his mother’s home baked bread, Chef Rivadero’s seasonal menu showcases Florida produce with fresh crudos and marinated ceviches, flavorful entrees of roast duck and braised pork plus his favorite Churrasco barbecue beef tenderloin. Traveling deftly across the Americas, the appetizer menu features Lamb and Foie Gras Meatballs, a crisp Fritter of Bacalao with an heirloom tomato and avocado salad and Tacos de Pulpo (octopus) with a pomegranate BBQ sauce.

Supported in the kitchen by Executive Sous and Pastry Chef Veronica Manolizi and Jason Vidal, Chef Rivadero shares his enthusiasm for fresh local ingredients and Miami’s burgeoning culinary scene with every member of his team. Determined to indulge the senses, the kitchen strikes a delicate balance with gently grilled Cobia served with fresh hearts of palm and a clam mojo and a bright Scallop Crudo in a tarragon sauce with salmon roe and a spark of aleppo peppers. South Beach Magazine caught up with the busy chef as he took his staff through the paces of a high profile South Beach debut at the upscale Lincoln Road eatery.

Please share your impressions living and working as a chef in Miami. How do you make it work?
Miami is a great city to live and work in! Every time I travel, I can’t wait to get back! Miami’s culinary scene is going through a tremendous growth process. A few years ago, finding specialty ingredients was a challenge and now, due to the high demand we find incredible, local grown items that previously were not available. I love Miami and I always make it work!

Is it tough to find a balance between the discipline of running a successful kitchen and the temptations of a fun location like South Florida for you and your team?
Actually, not at all, as my fun is in the kitchen! I am passionate about what I do and strive to lead my team to be as passionate as I am.

When you’re not at work, where do you like to dine in South Florida?
South Florida has so many amazing dining options. They can be found from Calle Ocho to the Design District, from Downtown to Miami Beach! I like to go to places that are different and that inspire Miami’s culinary scene.

When you are cooking at home for yourself or your friends & family, what’s your go-to dish?
As an Argentinian, my go-to dish is definitely a rib eye steak with chimichurri and roasted potatoes.

What are the dishes you remember most from your childhood or your experiences as a young chef and how do those flavors influence your menu at the restaurant?
From my childhood, I always remember the smell and taste of my mother’s freshly baked bread, as it was a staple in my home. In addition, I have great memories of our Sunday family get together. It was so important to spend this time together and food was always the focal point. From homemade pasta to BBQs, today they inspire my dishes and my cuisine. All my recipes are influenced by these memories!

How has cooking in Florida changed or inspired you as a chef? Do you find your menu is influenced by the great produce available in Florida?
Absolutely! Florida produce is wonderful! On our menu, we have a variety of items including kumquats, mangoes, papaya, oysters, clams, and snapper to mention a few. These certainly inspire my current menu and will ultimately change with the seasons.

What’s one thing you want diners to know about the menu at your restaurant, perhaps your favorite dish, an unexpected entree or the inspiration behind one of the dishes you decided to include on the menu?
The menu at Tantalize Miami is a melting pot of cultures; a combination and fusion of different ingredients that embody the essence of the best international flavors with a Pan Latin influence. As our slogan reads, “We Indulge the Senses.”

Tantalize Miami is located at 330 Lincoln Road, South Beach (305) 695.1401