Chicken Picadillo Empanadas

Chef Michelle Bernstein, James Beard Foundation Award-winner for “Best Chef: South” (2008) is a Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent. Bernstein cooks food inspired by her culinary memories and global travels. With her husband and partner, David Martinez, they own and operate Michelle Bernstein Catering and a host of successful concepts including: Miami Beach cocktail bar, Sweet Liberty; Little Havana’s Café La Trova; and La Cañita located in Bayside Marketplace. More recent projects include Michy’s Chicken Shack, located in the Downtown Miami food hall, Julia & Henry’s. In 2022, Bernstein partnered with CookUnity, a meal delivery service that brings her menu of fresh, pre-cooked meals directly to people’s homes. Coming soon, a modern take on the beloved, award-winning Sra. Martinez will open in Coral Gables in 2024. Bernstein currently hosts two television shows: Check, Please! South Florida (PBS) and the Emmy-award winning production SoFlo Taste (Channel 10). She also partners with American Express to create the menu for the Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport (MIA) and is a Lexus Culinary Master. In her role as a consulting chef for Lugano Diamonds she creates exceptional culinary experiences for nationwide events, as well as for their exclusive social club, Lugano Privé, located in Newport Beach. Bernstein began the Florida chapter of Common Threads and continues to devote time to the organization in her role as Vice Chair of the National Board. Additionally, Bernstein partners with Cosentyx to share her personal story as an actual patient with psoriatic arthritis and to empower other people living with the condition.

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