Francis Mallmann’s Wood-fire Masterpiece: Los Fuegos, Hotel Faena, Miami.
There are two Hotel Faena locations at present. One in Buenos Aires and the other in Miami, Florida. Walking into the Miami location, the level of attention to detail and friendliness immediately set the tone for a fabulous stay. The hotel may appear understated on the outside, but inside, it showcases a Latin Art Deco vibe. The rooms boast red velvet furniture, built-in wood bars with soft lighting, big marble bathrooms, and full-service bidet toilets! My kind of place.
One of my oldest buddies and I came down to Miami a night early to rest and recharge before a bachelor party of complete debauchery. Eighteen dudes—that’s way too many for any reasonable undertaking! But that's another story that will remain in faded memory only.
In my opinion, there are few greater joys in life than spending a day with an old friend in a new city. Carving out one-on-one time with the people you love seems hard to come by these days, but man, is it so worth it. The simplicity of just spending time together makes you appreciate the moment, your life, and this shared journey called life.
Walking in, I told my buddy to play along: “You’re gonna be my sugar spoon.” “What??” He walked away instantly. I asked the check-in gal if she had any discounts for special occasions. “I’m gonna propose tonight.” She said, “No discounts, but I can upgrade you to an ocean-view room!” I immediately came clean when there was no discount, but hey, I still managed to score the upgrade. First time playing that card…won’t be the last. Try it yourself.
Francis Mallmann is arguably the GOAT of wood-fired cooking. Mallman’s restaurant, Los Fuegos, is why I came to stay at Hotel Faena Miami in the first place. His legacy in the world of wood-fired cooking is unrivaled, and here it was on full display. He uses seven different fire techniques, as detailed in his books. Using wood as fuel is the oldest form of cooking. It’s not that difficult, but like most things in life, you can’t do it half-assed. If you want to just cook a steak or chicken breast quickly, more power to you. But using wood fire requires more dedication. Just like making bread, baking a cake, sewing a shirt, or woodworking—any true craft in life—you can rush it, or cheat… but when you take your time, it’s a creation of love, passion, and joy. When you really slow down and dedicate yourself to the process, that’s when the magic happens.
Los Fuegos invokes the flavor and passion of wood-fired cooking. Every single dish showcases the delicate flavor of the wood fire. It’s not overwhelming. Los Fuegos is a beautiful balance between fire, flavor, and experience. The sommelier recommended a beautiful sparkling rosé, and we ended up having three bottles that night!
The artichokes are buried in embers and ashes. The wood-fired beets, a personal favorite, are displayed in multicolored perfection, served cool but with a hint of wood fire. The mixed meat platter featured beautifully cooked ribeye and fantastic lamb chops, not gamey and cooked to perfection. The squash tortellini, with ash-crusted squash encapsulated within the pasta, was delish, though a bit cold.
The Timberwolves were in the playoffs, so I sent my buddy up to watch—he's a die-hard fan. Meanwhile, I got myself a tour of the kitchen, and another bottle of Perrier Rosé, and went “hunting” for good friends dining nearby. We hit the lounge for some great live music!
The second night, I had the joy of a beautiful dinner date. I ordered different dishes this time and was more impressed. The strip steak was phenomenal—so beefy and delicious! Most steakhouse restaurants are a pass for me, but this place takes pride in their beef tasting like beef. I hate when chicken has no taste, or when you pay for something you could buy at Costco and cook up perfectly well by yourself. I want my chicken to taste like chicken, and my beef to taste like beef. This strip steak was phenomenal—so beefy but so delicious!
It’s hard to provide good products to people every night. For small farms, sourcing good protein and veggies is challenging. It takes love and true passion, and it’s a hard life, similar to being a chef. It’s not an easy life, but it takes passion. A true passion. A primal fire within to wake up every day and continue to do what you do—not for money, not for fame, but because it makes you truly happy. Most farmers, artists, or anyone who lives a career of passion, do it because of the primal fire within.
The Faena Hotel uses the same kitchen to serve food for the bar, pool, and restaurant. I had the best burger of my life—brioche bun, caramelized onions, Gruyère cheese, heirloom tomatoes, a beefy burger, and mayo on the bottom bun. The bun fit the burger perfectly, balancing the flavors—a bite of perfection cooked to medium-rare perfection. As my grandmother would say, "Hit it over the head and drag it past the fire."
So, if you ever find yourself in Miami, make sure to carve out time for Los Fuegos and the wonder of a wood-fire meal at Hotel Faena Miami. Spend a night savoring the delicate flavors of wood-fired cooking, share a meal with friends or a loved one, and embrace the joy of living in the moment. Cheers to many more slow meals with good friends and the joy of being fully present!