TASTEMAKERS

6. Kevin Cory of Naoe

Kevin Cory -- sushi master, soft spoken chef, and seafood overlord -- is the man behind Naoe, an omakase-style Japanese restaurant in Brickell Key where dinners start at $160 and most of the menu is chef's choice. Sounds amazing, right? Wouldn't you just love to go tonight? Well, you can't...

By Emily Codik | May 24, 2013

Folks fly to Miami to eat at Naoe. The teeny spot, which only has eight seats available per service, is one of 28 restaurants in the world awarded five stars by Forbes Travel Guide. In the entire world.

Still, our recent Short Order editorial meeting ended in quite the debate. Some think Kevin Cory to be the indisputable número uno Tastemaker. There was hollering. There were tears. And then! An arm wrestling match settled the brawl.

Forgive us, Kevin Cory. Our flimsy arms lost you the crown. To all of us, though, you are definitely one of the top Tastemakers in town.

The most influential person in my career has been:

My chef uncle, Yasushi Naoe. I think about him every moment in the kitchen. His technique, knowledge and work ethic is inspiring. He's a hardcore Olympic Gold chef athlete, if there ever could be. I've never seen anyone like him.

When I'm alone and in need of comfort (and no one is there to watch or judge) the one food or drink I turn to is:

My assistant chef, Alisher Yallaev is from Uzbekistan. We like to introduce him to new things here. After work, I brought him to Krispy Kreme when the red HOT NOW light was on. We've shamelessly kept a supply in the back ever since.

What does Miami need more of?

Small seafood shops supporting Miami fishermen and late, late night healthy food restaurants.

You get to vote one food or beverage trend off the island forever -- what is it?

Pairing grape wine with everything. I like wine. I like delicate Japanese food. I just don't think they should sit on the same beach blanket together. I prefer a match with soft sake or Japanese beer. Sake has 1/3 the acidity of grape wine and no preservatives like sulfites.

You have unlimited funds to open a restaurant or bar -- what's the name and what do you serve?

Yellow Submarine, an actual submarine deploying guests to spearfish for our sushi dinner.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Working on a new menu for my baby's kindergarten lunch bento.

Dream dinner party for six: Who (living or dead) are you inviting?

Miami's Restaurant Power Rankings' Ryan Roman gets eaten by four sharks off the Yellow Submarine. Frodnesor will tell the tale.

New Times' Best of Miami 2013 issue arrives June 13. To celebrate, Short Order is serving up the top 30 tastemakers in the 305. These people have helped shape the Miami food scene into what it is today. We began with number 30 and will lead up to the county's number one. A Q&A session is included in each post.

TASTEMAKERS 6. Kevin Cory of Naoe

TASTEMAKERS

6. Kevin Cory of Naoe