Fort Lauderdale - Flipbook - Page 38
EXECUTIVE CHEF
MEET
MIKEY
TERMINI
For Mikey Termini, Executive Chef at Fort
Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort,
joy is reciprocal. His passion for cooking has
always been fueled by the reactions of happy
guests.
While cooking at this very 昀椀rst restaurant, the
legendary Willie Nelson unexpectedly popped
his head into the kitchen to give a literal
thumbs up and his compliments to the chef.
The young chef was elated – and that singular
moment solidi昀椀ed the realization that cooking
would be his career.
Now, as Executive Chef, Chef Mikey leads the
culinary team across the property’s seven food
and beverage outlets.
“I’m driven by the feeling of joy that comes
from preparing something delicious for
someone else to delight in. That look of pure
satisfaction with every bite is what every
chef strives for,” said Chef Mikey. “I love the
opportunity to connect with guests for even a
short moment of their life and create a lasting
impression with food and service.”
“My job is to have fun
with food, while
making guests experience
as memorable and
enjoyable as can be.”
He credits his unique approach to cooking as
a melting pot of the cultures and styles he’s
been exposed to – from growing up with an
Italian father and Irish mother, to the diverse
places he’s lived. It’s curiosity, above all else,
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PRESTIGE | Harbor Beach
that leads Chef Mikey’s experimentation in
pairing different 昀氀avors and textures to test out
what works (and sometimes, what doesn’t).
When writing menus, he aims to infuse
creativity into the dishes diners want. His
mission is to pique guests’ interests to keep
them captivated and coming back for more.
At the age of seven, he took part in a sushi
rolling party with his father and friends – an
experience that sparked his interest in the
culinary arts. With an Italian father and Irish
mother, he grew up cooking familiar favorites
and showcased a natural talent for it from a
young age. Right after high school, he moved
from his hometown of Santa Cruz, California to
Maui, Hawaii and worked a couple of off jobs
before landing in a southern- style eatery as
a dishwasher. The chef soon recruited him for
the kitchen and saw that he had a knack for it.
From there, Chef Termini continued to work his
way up the ranks of the kitchens at
restaurants and resorts across the country
and Canada including Four Seasons Resorts in
Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii, Jackson
Hole, and Orlando, along with the JW Marriott
in Marco Island. He also appeared Season
7 of Hell’s Kitchen – an experience that he
describes as both fun and humbling.
“My job is to have fun with food, while making
guests experience as memorable and
enjoyable as can be,” said Chef Mikey.
“The sea air and soft sand is the best kind
of bonus.”
