Joseph Bonavita is an American culinary professional, and the Executive Chef at WET in Miami, FL. Chef Joseph developed his love for cooking at an early age, and knew that his passion for food would lead him to a career in the culinary industry. Bonavita studied Culinary Management at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and before staging at Per Se and Le Bernardin, two of the most iconic dining destinations in New York City. From there, Joseph spent time cooking and learning in some of the finest restaurants in Chicago and New York City, even working in multiple Michelin starred restaurants. After honing his culinary skills, Chef Bonavita relocated to Florida where he has led teams at The Tideline Ocean Resort, STK Steakhouse, and The Deck at Island Gardens. Now, Joseph is filling the role of executive chef at WET, a highly anticipated restaurant that will be coming to Miami in January.
Quality Ingredients
One of the many reasons that Miami’s culinary connoisseurs are so excited about WET opening is the unmatched quality of ingredients. Chef Bonavita stated that a very famous chef once told him “You and I can cook the same recipe. If I source better ingredients, I will be a better chef”. This tidbit of culinary wisdom has stuck with Joseph over the years and he takes it to heart in everything that he does. WET is no different and he has spent countless hours aligning suppliers that provide the highest quality ingredients around. Fresh local seafood and high end beef with the addition of Chef Joseph’s culinary flavor will soon offer an unforgettable experience for diners. Bonavita went on to say “I just take the best ingredients possible and highlight them in a way that makes them shine best!” and the cuisine at WET will serve as another example of that.
Innovative Experience
WET Miami, A globally influenced Surf n’ Turf-restaurant, set in the heart of Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, WET Miami features contemporary renditions of classic steak and seafood preparations, successfully fusing great food, service and an exceptional scene as it appeals to the tastes of today’s modern diner. The 230 seat, two-level restaurant offers a variety of unique dining experiences to its diverse clientele, boasting a second floor lounge, large bar and communal dining options that further augment the warm, inviting atmosphere. This combination of flavor, pleasing aesthetic, and entertainment will propel WET into becoming one of the hottest spots in Miami. The experience won’t just be unique for diners though. Chef Bonavita is fostering a family style work culture that prioritizes a work-life balance for his employees. The restaurant industry is notorious for it’s stressful and fast paced environment, but Joseph is a firm believer that a happy team makes great food and offers excellent service.
Dry Aged Beef Program
Both Chef Bonavita and WET’s future diners are very excited about the dry aged beef program. WET’s dry aged beef program is a membership program which gives guests the opportunity to buy an entire primal of beef ranging from Prime Tomahawks to Australian Wagyu Porterhouse to Japanese Wagyu Ribeyes and the restaurant will store it in their dry age meat lockers. Think of this as if you had a wine locker at an old school new year steakhouse. Imagine being able to say to one of your clients, “Go dine at Wet tonight, they will cut a steak off of my private reserve for you”.
The dry aging process has certain peaks of aging that yield the most flavor and tenderness, and WET will cut a steak from the loin at each peak. Chef Joseph said that by doing this the diner is able to experience the true experience of dry-aging beef at all of its peaks starting at 45 days aged all the way to 120 days aged. Joining this exclusive members program, the diner is given a custom steak knife with their name on it as well as each time they come to the venue and dine they are welcomed with a off menu custom cocktail, as well other surprises the chef may send out throughout their meal.
Joseph is a chef with an entrepreneurial spirit and has big plans for the future. While Wet is getting ready to open in Brickell, he is also working on another project with the group, Dust Miami which is set to open late 2022 in the downtown neighborhood. Chef Joseph is dedicated to building other people up and that mindset dictates the culture of any team he heads up. The culinary scene in Miami has been changing in recent years to move away from the many restaurants that focus on aesthetics and putting on a show instead of the food and service. Chef Bonavita is determined to build restaurants that deliver dining experiences giving the guests the true meaning of hospitality and will never forget.
Learn More
To learn more about WET Miami click here.
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.
