South Florida Food 50: Julia Doyne of The Forge

Julia Doyne, Executive chef of The Forge

Why she’s Food 50: She’s the first woman to run the kitchen of the landmark Miami Beach steakhouse.

Julia Doyne made history this fall when she was promoted to executive chef of The Forge, the legendary wine bar and restaurant that has been run by the Malnik family since 1969. Doyne worked for years under previous Forge chef Christopher Lee, a James Beard Award-winner whose cooking earned the restaurant a 3.5-star Miami Herald review in 2014.

Doyne has stepped up in a major way since Lee’s departure, refining Forge classics (the dry-aged “Super Steak” is better than ever), working new specials onto the menu, earning the respect of a sizable kitchen crew, and exceeding the expectations of regular customers as well as first-time guests. “Chef Doyne is very talented,” second-generation Forge owner Shareef Malnik said. “We are excited to embark on this journey together.”

Where to find her: The Forge, 432 41st St., Miami Beach; 305-538-8533

Web: theforge.com

Instagram: @ChefJuliaDoyne

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 4:00 AM with the headline "South Florida Food 50: Julia Doyne of The Forge."