Known for its iconic oceanfront luxury, Fontainebleau Miami Beach is undeniably one of the most iconic high-end resorts in Miami Beach. After visiting the Fontainebleau property in Las Vegas several times, it’s safe to say I was pretty excited to explore the “OG” flagship property in Miami Beach for the first time. And if you ask me, there’s no better way to get a true “taste” for a hotel than by trying their signature restaurant.
While you can never go wrong with a signature steakhouse meal, I love that Fontainebleau Miami sets itself apart with unique dining experiences that go beyond just great food. Instead of going out for a regular dinner at Prime 54 steakhouse, I got a chance to try the Chef’s Counter experience — an intimate, immersive dining experience limited to just six guests per night. This “backstage” experience offers a front-row seat inside the open kitchen in this Miami restaurant, giving foodies like me a chance to watch the chef prepare, plate, and present a curated multi-course menu. Here’s a look inside the exciting experience.
The Chef’s Counter setup at Prime 54
The Chef’s Counter signature dining experience at Prime 54 begins with a welcome drink in the outdoor entry foyer while the chef awaits all guests joining the experience. After all guests (up to six) arrive, I was escorted to my seat in the back of the kitchen at a bar counter that overlooked the chef’s kitchen workspace. Upon seating, guests were offered several light bites as a light “appetizers” before the multi-course experience began. Just tasting how good these tiny bites were set the tone early on for how exceptional this experience would be.
Multi-course menu experience
The multi-course experience here is truly a surprise (and that’s part of what makes it so fun). As they say in the realm of Japanese cuisine, you can almost think of this Chef’s Counter experience as an American version of “omakase”. This means you have no idea what the chef is preparing for you (there is no menu provided in advance of booking).
As I watched him prepare over the counter, I surely had guesses based on ingredients — but never knew what the final product would be. This interactive component makes the experience really quite fun. If you’re attending with a guest, it’s fun to discuss what your favorite courses were and what you think the chef is preparing next. The team was also great about accommodating special food requests and restrictions (I do not eat seafood or fish, so they made simple swaps such as a watermelon tostada instead of tuna served to the rest of the guests).
The pace of the evening was set up optimally, as guests have plenty of time to digest as they watch the chef prepare the next course. If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll get a real thrill getting to watch the kitchen in action in it’s entirety, as the rest of the restaurant’s kitchen is also visible during the experience. Plus, throughout each course, a sommelier will provide wine tastings that pair perfectly with each course.
Watching the kitchen in action
At a top-tier restaurant like Prime 54, guests come into the evening with high expectations for food quality, taste, upscale ambiance, and great service. But when you’re seated in the dining room for a regular meal, many guests often only pay attention to the final result — the meal that’s being placed down in front of them. But how often do we really consider everything that happened behind the scenes to get there?
All the way back from the sourcing of the meats from the butcher long before steaks arrive at Prime 54, the Chef’s Counter experience really makes you think beyond the plate. Seeing the kitchen staff in action and watching just how much really goes into preparing each plate helped enhance my appreciation for the entire process. Even beyond just the many steps required before food hits the plate, this experience reminds foodies that cooking is truly an art.
Exploring new flavor pairings
Even for adventurous eaters, it’s normal to get in a habit of ordering the same foods wherever we go. After all, we all have our favorite comfort foods and our go-to choices. For this reason, I really appreciate how this experience exposes guests to new flavor pairings — like a farm-fresh egg topped with caviar or aged duck. These are foods I wouldn’t have ordered if I saw them on the menu, yet I got to experience because of the “surprise” aspect of Chef’s Counter at Prime 54. This well-crafted evening reminded me of the joy of encountering new, unexpected flavors.
As if trying new flavors isn’t enough of an adventure alone, the interactive nature of this experience truly brings the experience full-circle. In between preparing each course, the chef stopped to talk to us about the ingredients used in each course and the sourcing of the ingredients. During the immersive experience, I was able to ask questions that made this more than just a meal — but a true experience.
