The Village of Merrick Park’s newest eatery Piripi {320 San Lorenzo Avenue, Coral Gables; 305.448.2423} opened its doors in March with a bang. Already, it’s stirring the pot by introducing a brand-new executive chef: Angelina Bastidas.

At only 25 years old, Bastidas has had more than her fair share of culinary experience. She was still a student at Le Cordon Bleu when she began her career at Wish with Marco Ferraro (a Jean-Georges protégée). She then honed her skills in a number of Miami’s top dining destinations before taking on the position of chef de cuisine at South Beach’s popular Tongue & Cheek, where she was selected by Zagat Miami as one of the 30 Under 30 Miami Rock Stars Redefining the Industry.

Just weeks into her new position at Piripi, we had the opportunity to talk with Chef Bastidas about her background, her inspiration, what changes she has in store for the new menus, and even her guilty pleasures.

1. Tell us a bit about your history.
I am originally from the Bronx, but I was raised in Miami and my background is Dominican-Colombian. I have been interested in food since I was a young girl—I grew up with it as part of our family culture. As soon as I graduated high school, I enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, and after two weeks, I started working in the kitchen at Wish. I’ve also worked at Area 31, The Bazaar by José Andrés, The Biltmore Palme d’Or, and Tongue & Cheek.

2. What drew you to Piripi?
As soon as I heard there was a restaurant opening named Piripi, I was intrigued. To me, it’s a word that perfectly describes Miami (“piripi” is Spanish for “tipsy”). I remember the first time I walked into the restaurant; I was really impressed with the space itself—it’s beautiful and immense—and I guess I felt a little “piripi” myself just walking in the door.

3. Tell us about the new menus. What are some changes you’re making?
We are introducing new brunch, lunch, and kids’ menus, and at some point, a happy hour menu. We have such a great bar, I’d love to see some dishes suited just for dining there. I am also restructuring the dinner menu; there will be a mix of new dishes, plus re-creations of some that are already on the menu. New dishes that I’m excited about are the Chistorra Piripi, the Roasted Beet Salad, and the classic Shrimp al Ajillo. In the future, I also plan on expanding the charcuterie menu, where we can feature housemade meats, torchons, terrines, etc.

4. What is your personal favorite menu item?
My personal favorite has to be the Chistorra Piripi. It’s probably going to be the biggest hit for Piripi yet. It has crispy potatoes, poached egg, and pan-fried chistorra with a Manchego espuma that melts in your mouth!

5. What might surprise visitors about Pirpi if they are coming in for the first time?
I think the first thing guests notice when they walk in has to be the extravagant artwork over the bar. I also think that some of the new dishes and composed plates we are presenting will surprise visitors—even those who are regulars. We are not changing the cuisine, we are reinventing it. At our core, we are still a Spanish restaurant, but we are ready to have fun with our food, with different textures and flavors.

6. How does Miami play a part when creating menu items, selecting ingredients, etc.?
Our location in Miami always defines my menus. I love to embrace what’s local and in season—that’s key to how I create my menus.

7. What Miami chefs or celebrity chefs do you admire?
Florida chefs I admire would have to be Norman Van Aken, Lindsay Autry, and Jeremy Ford. Celebrity chefs I admire are Curtis Duffy, Emeril Lagasse, and Daniel Barber.

8. Do you have a favorite cooking show on TV?
If I had to pick, it would probably have to be “Kitchen Nightmares.” Although it gives me major anxiety, it helps me improve on “cleanliness!”

9. Do you have a favorite food or guilty food pleasure?
My go-to has to be Hershey’s Pie. It relieves me from all the stress I deal with at work.

10. What do you love most about working at Piripi so far?
Working with the Piripi family has been a pleasure. Everyone is committed to doing their best and working as a team. When you’re around great energy, the workflow is just so much smoother.

By Sherri Balefsky | Online Editor