Miami’s been good to Stephanie Phillips. She arrived to The Magic City as a recent college graduate, unsure about her future when, all of a sudden, fate stepped in…or rather, Red: The Steakhouse Owner Brad Friedlander & Chef Peter Vauthy came to her rescue. During a sunny stroll in SoBe, she chatted with them as they were putting the final design touches on their new steakhouse. When they learned they all had ties to Columbus, Ohio, and she could provide the experience they needed to run a top-tier cocktail program, it soon became a formal interview. She was hired on the spot. Now she’s part of a big Midwestern family that just happens to produce Miami Beach’s most inspired dining experiences. Phillips does more than her part as the chief in charge of cocktails and even suggests some of the best pairings in town. One such non-traditional match is Don Julio Añejo alongside a Grand Marnier-cured foie gras that’s lightly seared, whipped into mousse, then delicately smeared on brioche points with framboise jam. The caramel and char of the artisan tequila wraps around the rich & smoky duck liver in unexpectedly clever ways. See this lucky lady in action at 119 Washington Ave.; 305.534.3688; RedTheSteakhouse.com.
The Ritz
Splash of
Pomegranate Juice
1.5 oz. Hennessy Cognac
.5 oz. Grand Mariner Liqueur
Moët & Chandon Champagne floater
