"Little by little, as I started to receive compliments for my work, I started to gain confidence. It was during this period that Grullon began to understand food as both a form of expression and a means of survival. Much like his mother, who cooked and baked recipes drawn from multiple cultures, he learned to treat cuisine as both a craft and a form of creativity."
"Today, Grullon is the chef and owner of Uptown 66, the Mexican street-food spot that first opened in Miami's MiMo District and later expanded to Hallandale Beach in 2025. Yet accolades and expansion have never been the point. With no investors, no shortcuts, and little patience for hype, Grullon has built his career the hard way, one plate at a time."
Chef Nuno Grullon's journey began at 16 as a dishwasher in the Bronx after losing both parents. His Dominican mother's cooking inspired his understanding of food as art rather than mere sustenance. Through prep work and line cooking, he gained confidence and developed his culinary skills across Mediterranean cuisines including French, Italian, and Moroccan traditions. Grullon eventually won a Good Morning America title for Best Taco in America. He founded Uptown 66, a Mexican street-food restaurant in Miami's MiMo District, later expanding to Hallandale Beach in 2025. His success came without investors or shortcuts, built entirely through dedication and one plate at a time.
#chef-profile #culinary-entrepreneurship #mexican-street-food #south-florida-restaurants #food-as-art
Read at Miami New Times
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