South Florida Food 50: Ivan Dorvil of Ivan’s Cookhouse
Ivan Dorvil, Chef-owner of Ivan’s Cookhouse
Why he’s Food 50: The Haitian-born chef cooks Caribbean food with a side of hospitality.
Ivan Dorvil has a way of adapting whatever ingredients are in front of him into something delicious. Take, for example, his win on Food Network’s Chopped, when he turned pork rinds and black licorice into a chocolate mousse that wowed judges. He sent the prize money to help earthquake victims in his native Haiti. Dorvil works his alchemy every day at his Ivan’s Cookhouse in North Miami Beach. He turns plantains, malanga and other tubers and roots known as “provisions” in the Caribbean into savory mofongo, crisp and hot fritters, sweet mashed boniato with ice cream and caramel sauce, and more.
Dorvil, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu who once studied electrical engineering at Miami Dade College, has cooked in Miami restaurants from Tap Tap and Tantra to his own Nutmeg and Nuvo Kafe. Now at Ivan’s Cookhouse, Dorvil plays both chef and host, keeping customers happy with his island classics and fusion twists.
Where to find him: Ivan’s Cookhouse, 14815 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach; 305-944-4826
Web: ivanscookhouse.com
Instagram: @IvansCookhouse
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 4:00 AM with the headline "South Florida Food 50: Ivan Dorvil of Ivan’s Cookhouse."