CHEF ADRIANNE CALVO

Hi! I’m Chef Adrianne, and my life has revolved around bringing “Maximum Flavor” to my restaurants, cookbooks, and shows. It has been such a blessing, and here’s the crazy part—it was all also an accident!

There was a scheduling mix-up when I was in school, and instead of the journalism class I wanted, I was put in a cooking class. It turned out to be the best mistake ever. After visiting the culinary department, I decided to be a chef. It was like I was struck by lightning! I ran home and told my parents this would be what I did for the rest of my life.

I wasn’t interested in fancy dishes at culinary school—I was all about maximum flavor. To me, great cooking is all about making something so remarkable that you’ll think about it for days, weeks, or years afterward. I used that approach while competing in culinary contests at school. It paid off then and continues to pay off now. My prize-winning lamb chop recipe from back then is still on my menu today!

After graduating, I published my first cookbook, Maximum Flavor. At the time, I was the youngest cookbook author, which landed me a spot on The Montel Williams Show. When the producers called, I couldn’t believe it! I hung up on them three times, convinced it was a prank call!

But just as my professional life took off, my personal life turned upside down. My younger sister Jennifer passed away from a rare form of cancer. I was heartbroken.

I gave up on cooking and everything else I cared about. About a year later, I saw an ad for an affordable restaurant space, which sparked something in me. It made me think about what my sister always would say about our time here on earth: “We have to make it count.”

So I took the money I earned from my cookbook sales, maxed out my credit cards, and, with zero experience, opened Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Bar at the age of 22. If you know anything about the restaurant business, you know we faced some challenges (hello, Great Recession!).

Still, with my family’s help and the people’s dedication in the kitchen, we persevered and thrived. So many years later, we’re thrilled to continue offering fine dining cuisine inspired by a trip I took to Napa and proudly serving my line of wine, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by Adrianne, grown and aged in those same beautiful vineyards.

As anyone who follows me knows, I am obsessed with bringing great food to people’s plates. I am always looking for new inspiration—sometimes from the faraway places I visit for my travel show, Searching for Maximum Flavor, and sometimes right here in my kitchen.

I wake up every day hoping to bring joy to those around me through my cooking, whether at one of my restaurants, ordering at home through Goldbelly, or my new Baked by Chef Adrianne shop, where I serve blindfolded guest mystery dishes.

Can I make people happy and inspire younger chefs who want to do great things in this industry? I feel like I am living up to my sister’s wish: Make It Count.

Adrianne At-A-Glance

Awards

8 Most Innovative Restaurants in Miami, Best Chef for the Floridian Culinary Awards, Miami New Times Best Restaurant, Miami New Times Best Chef, Thrillist’s 50 Things to Eat Before You Die, Thrillist’s 17 Most Important Restaurants in Miami, Thrillist’s Most Influential Restaurants, Zagat’s 10 Unique Restaurants in America, Zagat’s Top 6 Restaurants Worth a Drive, and Zagat’s 9 Most Romantic Restaurants

Philanthropy

I am the founder of the Make It Count Foundation, which aims to make a difference and positively impact the lives of children and teens nationwide. The foundation has aligned with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (where Chef Adrianne is the Culinary Ambassador), Susan G. Komen, Flippany, Cooking Matters, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Easter Seals, and many other great organizations.

Restaurants, Food and Wine

Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Bar

Cracked by Chef Adrianne

Baked by Chef Adrianne

Goldbelly

A Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Cookbooks

Maximum Flavor Driven by Flavor, Fueled by Fire

#MaximumFlavorSocial

Play with Fire

The A-List

Shows