COMMUNI TY
20
21 MIAM
I
COMMUNITY AWARD
ESE
KK
NTED
BY
S OMAN U
A
P H OTO S : J A C LY N WA R R E N
PR
KI
Jamila Ross and Akino West ROSIE'S MIAMI Akino West spent most of his childhood cooking alongside his mother, Katrina, in their Riviera Beach home. While attending Palm Beach Gardens High School, Akino took a beginner's culinary class. His teacher, Chef Tammy Johnson Newman, witnessed passion and a competitive drive for cooking and encouraged him to enter culinary competitions. Meanwhile, Jamila Ross grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. and always had a fascination with restaurants. After working at a bagel shop, she scored a line cook job within garde manger at X20, Xavier’s on the Hudson. At 15, she jumped in right after the interview and stayed for three summers. She graduated from both the CIA and Johnson & Wales in Florida, where she met West. After graduation in 2015, West became sous of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, where he met one of his mentors, Michael 40
STA RCH EFS RISI NG STA RS
Schwartz. West took eight months off for a life-changing stage at Noma before returning to Michael’s. He then moved on to 2016 Rising Star Niven Patel’s Ghee. Ross found an externship at The Bazaar by José Andrés LA and transitioned to frontof-house. Staying with the group, she helped open the SLS South Beach before being promoted to the company’s Kuwaiti arm. Ross moved back to Miami in 2015 for The Langford Hotel and reconnected with West—they’re getting married in May. They opened The Copper Door B&B in 2018 with a company mission to promote cultural tourism in underdeveloped areas. COVID-19 led to the addition of Rosie’s Miami. With quality ingredients and service, the restaurant brings guests to the Overtown neighborhood, where Ross and West hire locals, partner with nonprofits, and host free events for the community.
findmewherefoodis / chef_west / rosiesmia Jamila Favorite kitchen tool: Microplane Tool you wish you had: Blast chiller Advice to your younger self: Have confidence. Speak up. What you eat on your nights off: I love having pasta on days off, whether fine dining or at a greasy spoon. My favorite pasta spot in Miami is Macchialina. Akino Favorite kitchen tool: Plating spoon Tool you wish you had: Pasta extruder Where you eat on your nights off: Itamae Most important kitchen rule: Taste everything; serve food that you'd only be willing to serve to your parents or significant other.
