Chef Ivan
When it comes to complex fusions of true international flavors prepared and seasoned to perfection, Hatian-born Chef Ivan Dorvil is the one to call on. A long-time graduate of Le Cordon Blue Culinary Masters School, Chef Ivan blends this foundation into his own cuisine of warm and soulful dishes. His passion leads him to eagerly master his talent and be revolutionary.
Early on, Dorvil spent much of his time indulging the palates of patrons at popular Miami Beach eateries such as Blue Door Restaurant in the Delano Hotel, Tantra, and The Restaurant at the National Hotel. After some time he decided to open the healthy and beach-friendly Nutmeg Café on South Beach, followed by the trendy On Time restaurant lounge on Espanola Way. Always searching for the perfect experience for his clientele, Chef Ivan introduced the wildly successful Nuvo Kafe. This restaurant had a special meaning because it gave him the chance to reach a population with the perfect mix of international culture, perfectly suited for his style. He said about his dishes, “My cuisine is a true fusion which embodies different continents and flavors”. For Chef Ivan it’s always been both the food and the love that’s deeply rooted in him – prepared for every unique person he encounters.
His passion has an obvious “international twist” in every dish he serves, bringing together not only a diverse set of flavors, but also a sense of unity and comfort, “the keys to everything in life,” he says. His greatest accomplishment is not only in his food, but in the heartfelt appreciation the community has for his talent and creations. And, it’s not just the locals who appreciate his cuisine. Chef Ivan has been a private chef for many stars, including the likes of 7 Aurelius (Michael Jackson Producer), Lionel Richie, P Diddy, Chili from TLC and Pattie LaBelle.
Chef Ivan’s efforts and love for the community have not gone unnoticed. He has received various accolades, including the keys to North Miami, Miami Dade County, North Miami Beach, and recognition from Florida’s U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek. He has also been featured many times in several publications and media including Ocean Drive magazine, Chili Pepper magazine (New York), the Miami Herald, NPR, and Island TV among others.
Having achieved success at a local level, one of Chef Ivan’s personal goals is to see his native Haitian cuisine earn attention and fans at an international level. His plans for the future are to expand and create an experience that will take you somewhere familiar, a place you can call home.
“Our diverse food experiences give us a common ground and it offers an inside look into each of our unique cultural identities. It offers a reference point from which to share in one another’s lives. Cook House was born from this idea. The opportunity to travel the country and the Caribbean has allowed me to share my knowledge as an immigrant and a new American, and has also given me the chance to learn from others. I love to pay tribute to the people and flavors that make this country a wonderful place to live. To me, our food is yet further proof of America’s open heart, its limitless capacity to embrace change and reinvent itself, its insatiable hunger for new experiences. To me life is fifty % food, fifty % love, neither of which should be less than perfect. Food plus love equal peace.
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