ICYMI, we’re teaming up with Pinch Kitchen for their National Burger Month collaboration series. Our burger will be available all week during lunch and brunch, Tuesday through Sunday. Don’t forget to go and try it this week and help us become this year’s Pinch Burger Collab Champion. But, before we chow down, we thought it would be nice to get to know the chefs behind the Pinch Burger (and much more) a little better.
Chefs John Gallo and Rene Reyes came up with the concept for Pinch Kitchen based on what they do on a constant basis while cooking. It’s a pinch of salt, a pinch of spice, a pinch of pepper, and that was the original idea. But after the lengthy process of opening and creating their restaurant, the name developed a new meaning: a little pinch of everybody that put their soul and hard work into making Pinch what it is now.
But John and Rene both have lengthy culinary resumes that go way beyond Pinch’s two years of delighting MiMo diners. While studying at Johnson & Wales University in Miami, John began his career at the exclusive Casa Tua in Miami Beach. Rene, on the other hand, began his journey at the classical La Goulue French Brasserie at the Bal Harbour Shoppes. After a year, he landed a Job at Casa Tua where he met John. Both chefs worked up the ranks to Chef de Partie, growing their talent and friendship in the process. This is where their dream to open a restaurant first began.
After a few different jobs around Miami (db Bistro, Pubbelly Sushi, Barceloneta, The Bazaar by Jose Andres) and a brief stop in NYC for Rene, the duo was given the opportunity to open the Pubbelly spinoff, L’echon Brasserie. After the restaurant’s brief run, the two chefs decided to officially go out on their own and launch Pinch Kitchen. And the rest is delicious history.
Read more: http://mitchandmeltakemiami.com/chefs-corner-john-gallo-rene-reyes/