Olivia Ostrow, one of Miami's most renowned French chefs, has created Miami’s first Kosher French restaurant, Ostrow Brasserie (786-238-7452) at 4850 NW 2nd Ave., Miami, in the up-and-coming Beuna Vista area. Ostrow is on a mission: she aspires to being the first chef to earn a Michelin star for kosher cuisine.
During three decades of experience, Ostrow’s journey has spanned continents and cuisines, from training in France under a chef who cooked for President Jacques Chirac, to culinary ventures in Israel and Florida.
She has appeared on segments on ABC, NBC, and FOX; Food Network’s Grocery Games; local Miami broadcast stations NBC 6 Inside South Florida and WSFL-TV Inside South Florida; and earned media recognition with recent features in Forbes, New York Post, and Us Weekly.
(Courtesy of Ostrow Brasserie)
Ostrow Brasserie with Olivia's Vespa in front
“For a small kosher restaurant to be featured in Forbes, Page Six, New York Post and in non-stop TV appearances and mentions, we must be on our way up,” said Ostrow.
Ostrow Brasserie has been spotlighted as a top Miami destination for sophisticated French dining during Passover, Art Basel events, and chef collaboration dinners, cementing its place as a standout in the city’s vibrant culinary scene. Ostrow curated the exclusive menu for the 2025 Magen David Gala, showcasing her ability to create unforgettable dining experiences for high-profile events. She’s currently working on a cookbook highlighting kosher recipes inspired by her travels, furthering her legacy as a pioneer in the culinary world.
After moving to Miami during the pandemic, she worked at Le Zoo in Bal Harbour, and as food and beverage director of the Savoy Hotel in South Beach.
She then decided to open the city’s first kosher French restaurant.
“I started looking for a spot in a cool area,” Ostrow said. “I was driving my Vespa around and spotted a huge 'for sale' sign on a building in Buena Vista. A week later, I was sitting with the real estate developer, Eli Dadon. We clicked at first sight. He's full-on kosher, and he said, 'If it's Glatt Kosher, I want to be your partner.' There was a handshake and we opened the first French Glatt Kosher brasserie in Miami four months later.”
(Courtesy of Ostrow Brasserie)
Olivia Ostrow serving up French cool on her Vespa
For a restaurant to be kosher, it must follow Jewish dietary laws, known as kashrut, serving food that doesn't include forbidden animals. Meat must come from a kosher animal slaughtered in a kosher way. Meat and dairy can't be prepared, served, or eaten together, and separate utensils must be used for each. Food facilities and ingredients must be inspected and certified kosher by a rabbi or recognized certification agency. Glatt Kosher takes kosher even further: the meat must come from an animal with adhesion-free or smooth lungs. The word "Glatt" is Yiddish for "smooth." In kashrut, Glatt refers to the lungs of animals and is primarily concerned with the meat of adult herd animals, such as cows and buffalo.
Regarding her choice for the restaurant’s location, Ostrow said, "I've lived here on and off about 20 years. Buena Vista/Little River is the next area about to blow up in Miami real estate. It's the coolest, most authentic area and I absolutely love it. We're near the Design District and Wynwood, with easy access from South Miami, Brickell, Coral Gables, and Miami Beach, with a direct exit from I-95 coming north, and 17 minutes from Bal Harbour – a no brainer!"
Her clientele includes both kosher and non-kosher diners.
“We have a posh clientele that varies from Miami Heat players to New York investment bankers and Miami society,” she said. “Some are Jewish, some are not. We usually do not ask them their ethnicity.”
(Courtesy of Ostrow Brasserie)
Olivia Ostrow in the kitchen at Ostrow Brasserie
Though it's a challenge to run a kosher French restaurant, Ostrow is up to it.
“We compete with French restaurants like Le Petite Maison or Balthazar who have zero dietary restrictions,” Ostrow said. “Our restaurant is a French restaurant that happens to be kosher. My entire kitchen staff is French and highly trained under star chefs. We keep it very authentic.”
In addition to running the restaurant, Ostrow will be part of a kosher, beach club pop-up for Passover.
Nana Beach Club at Seacoast Suites, 5101 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, is a groundbreaking pop-up: a Glatt Kosher Passover Beach Club with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop. Open from April 15-18, guests can enjoy an immersive experience featuring DJ sets, live music, and a unique Mediterranean menu in a beautiful, Tulum-inspired setting.
(Courtesy of Ostrow Brasserie)
Nana Beach Club at Seacoast Suites - A Passover Kosher beach experience
This exclusive pop-up is led by Olivia Ostrow of Ostrow Brasserie, Nelly J. Rosenking (Nelly’s List), and Melissa Meruelo (owner of Seacoast Beach Club), marking the first-ever kosher beach club in Miami. Guests will have access to a private beach, pool, sun beds, and bungalows, creating the ultimate luxury escape. The 12-hour grand opening party on April 15, from 10 a.m. until 10 p,m., will set the tone, featuring notable hosts.
“Every day is a blessing,” said Ostrow. “We take it with hard work and open arms.”
RECIPE
Lamb Paupiette with Prune & Eggplant Filling
(Courtesy of Ostrow Brasserie)
Lamb Paupiette with Truffle Pommes Puree
Recipe from Olivia Ostrow at Ostrow Brasserie
This refined Lamb Paupiette's Prune & Eggplant Filling adds a rich, slightly sweet and earthy flavor to the dish.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the Paupiettes:
4 thin lamb slices (from leg or loin, pounded to ¼-inch thick)
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Butcher’s twine or toothpicks
For the Filling
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small eggplant, finely diced
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup prunes, finely chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
¼ cup breadcrumbs (or matzo meal for kosher alternative to breadcrumbs)
1 egg yolk
For the Sauce
1 cup lamb or vegetable stock
½ cup red wine
1 tbsp. honey
1 sprig fresh thyme
PREPARATION
Prepare the Filling:
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Sauté shallot and garlic until softened.
Add eggplant, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook until soft and slightly caramelized.
Stir in prunes and pine nuts, then remove from heat.
Mix in breadcrumbs and egg yolk, then let cool.
Assemble the Paupiettes:
Lay out the lamb slices, season with salt and pepper.
Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each slice.
Roll tightly and secure with butcher’s twine or toothpicks.
Cook the Paupiettes:
Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the paupiettes on all sides until golden.
Pour in red wine, let it reduce for 2 minutes, then add stock, honey, and thyme.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes, until tender.
Serve:
Remove the twine, slice, and serve with the reduced sauce. Pair with roasted vegetables or a silky truffle pomme puree.
Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.
(Irene Moore)
Irene Moore