Making Gastronomic Waves on South Florida’s Shores

Since bursting onto the national culinary scene at Miami Beach’s Astor Place in 1995, Johnny Vinczencz has remained one of South Florida’s most acclaimed and easily identifiable chefs. With a personality as bold as his cuisine and a sleek new Fort Lauderdale restaurant dubbed Johnny V, Vinczencz creates innovative dishes full of robust flavors and multi-layered spices. Open since December 2003, Johnny V has garnered popular and critical acclaim, garnering four-star reviews in both of South Florida’s daily papers, The Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel, and national notice in such prestigious publications as Elle, Travel + Leisure, Chef, and Restaurant Business, among others.

As a young chef, Vinczencz caught the eye of successful South Florida restaurateur Dennis Max. Under the aegis of Max’s company, Unique Restaurant Concepts, Vinczencz was part of a renowned stable of chefs that blazed new culinary trails in South Florida. Vinczencz was soon named executive sous chef at two celebrated restaurants, Maxaluna and Max’s Grill, and, sensing his star quality, Max anointed him as executive chef at the trendy Astor Place in Miami Beach, which became on of the most acclaimed restaurants in South Florida from 1995 to 2000.

It was there that Vinczencz honed his craft, gained national acclaim for his Caribbean-influenced New Floridian Cuisine, and acquired the nickname “Caribbean Cowboy” by virtue of his bold and sophisticated personal and culinary style. While at Astor Place, he was called “a chef to keep your eye on” by Esquire food writer John Mariani and garnered coverage in Gourmet, Bon Appetit and on The Food Network, where he clocked in numerous appearances on the network’s hit show, "Live at Five." In addition, it was at Astor that Vinczencz assembled a culinary team that would follow him through most of his career, consisting of sous chef Dwayne Adams and pastry chef Malka Espinel.

After five notable years, Vinczencz became executive chef at De la Tierra restaurant in Delray Beach, Florida, which, with him at the helm, was chosen by the Sun-Sentinel as the “Best New Restaurant” in Palm Beach County.

Now, with the opening of his own restaurant, Johnny V, a 200-seat spot on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard, Vinczencz has truly come home. Here, the man who married barbeque and boniato has created a menu featuring some of his greatest hits, all illustrating his continuing evolution as a national culinary talent.