Executive Chef Philippe Ruiz

Coming to Miami all the way from France, Philippe Ruiz has been crowned the new Executive Chef of  Villa Azur {309 23 Street, Miami Beach; 305.763.8688}. Bringing his stellar “French nouvelle” style of cooking, which earned him the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre Du Mérite Agricole from the French government, Philippe Ruiz is taking Villa Azur from delicious to délicieux.
And while he’s new to the Villa Azur kitchen, Chef Philippe is actually not new to Miami at all. Before this, he was one of the top chefs at Palme d’Or {1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables; 305.913.3200}, in The Biltmore Hotel. Prior to that, he worked stints at three, two-star Michelin restaurants: Château de Divonne, in Divonne-les-Bains France; Le Chat Botté at the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland; and another Geneva spot, Le Vieux Moulin. Here at Villa Azur, Chef Philippe is turning the see-and-be-seen, French restaurant and lounge into a sexy dining destination—one complemented by an in-house sommelier, Miami’s most beautiful people, and a menu of French cuisine you might not find this side of, well, France.
Now that he’s on the scene, we caught up with Chef Philippe to find out about his favorite chefs, dishes, must-have kitchen tools, and more. Here’s what he had to say:
Must-have kitchen tool: Fish decal tongs.
Favorite dish on the Villa Azur menu: Lobster fricassee, Sauternes wine, and seasonal vegetables.
Guilty pleasure meal: Pasta in a creamy sauce… and of course, some cheese on the top.
Go-to restaurant on your day off: Pisco y Nazca, Semilla, or Brasserie Central.
Best piece of chef advice you ever received: Always be consistent and proud of what you do, and never ever forget to taste everything—even the most simple of preparations.
When you first realized you wanted to be a chef: During a training in a family restaurant, I was 13 years old and the chef taught so many things with so much passion. I was fascinated. He gave me the pleasure of taste.
The chef(s) you look up to: Daniel Boulud and Jean-George Vongerichten. They built French culinary empires in the U.S. and all over the world.
If you could cook any other style of food, it would be: Spanish.
Favorite ingredient to cook with: Wild-cut fine fish.
Must-have fall food: Wild mushroom, venison, and root vegetables.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor