South Florida Food 50: Michael Sullivan of Golden Fig
Michael Sullivan, owner-operator of Golden Fig.
Why he’s Food 50: He’s worked his way up from the bottom of the ladder to his current position as one of Brickell’s youngest, brightest restaurateurs.
Miami native Michael Sullivan bussed plates, waited on tables and volunteered as a kitchen grunt at restaurants in New York before returning home to open a counter-service comfort-food joint in Brickell. His OTC enjoyed a three-year run from 2012 to 2015, but Sullivan decided to do a hard restart last year. The Ransom Everglades High graduate tapped chef Tomas Prado, a fellow Miamian and a Johnson & Wales University alumnus, to open Golden Fig in OTC’s place.
The new restaurant has a regional, seasonal, farmhouse bent, serving fresh ingredients in unfussy preparations, a happy middle ground between fine dining and comfort fare. Sullivan — a craft beer connoisseur who takes special care in curating Golden Fig’s beer list — is almost always there, greeting guests with pride and enthusiasm.
Where to find him: Golden Fig, 1250 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-374-4612.
Instagram: @goldenfigrestaurant
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 4:00 AM with the headline "South Florida Food 50: Michael Sullivan of Golden Fig."