Founding Partner/Chief Designer

 

As a child, Sergio Navarro (34) trained at his Basque mother’s side, learning first-hand about the specialties of the region’s fresh, seasonally-focused country fare. He knew his calling was food, which subsequently turned into a culinary arts degree from Spain’s prestigious Hotel Escuela Comunidad de Madrid. After graduation, Navarro cooked in a variety of renowned Spanish kitchens including La Broche with world-renowned chef Sergi Arola. The restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars under Navarro’s guidance as both sous chef and pastry chef. Steeped in the rich imagination of the Basque culinary avantgarde, Navarro explored how different ingredients and techniques can manipulate texture and temperature. He developed a passion for uniting precision and humor on the plate, deftly turning familiar dishes into new and exciting flavor pairings. And it was the opening of La Broche in Miami that brought the young culinare to the United States in 2001.

Working alongside rising star opening chef Angel Palacios, La Broche Miami immediately made an impact on the city’s vibrant mix of Latin American, European, and American cultures. Navarro continued to explore the bold fusion of disparate ingredients and technique, but this time with a focus on ensuring that each new dish was delicious, not simply a feat of kitchen pyrotechnics. He later proceeded to Mundo with Miami’s own Norman Van Aken and then had a stint as sous chef of Nobu Miami. Soon thereafter, Navarro took a turn as corporate pastry chef for the SUSHISAMBA restaurant group where he fused Brazilian flavors with Japanese technique and Peruvian culinary traditions. Navarro took his signature style and translated it seamlessly to Mexican cuisine as Mercadito Miami’s chef de cuisine. There he worked alongside chef Jose Mendin, forming a strong bond and professional likeness. The pair soon joined forces with Andreas Schreiner to create and open the first of what has become their restaurant empire, Pubbelly Miami Beach.

Now, Navarro’s creativity and deft touch has expanded to outside the kitchen where he is responsible for the interior design for all the Pubbelly restaurants, including Pubbelly, Pubbelly Sushi, Barceloneta, Macchialina, PB Steak and Barceloneta South Miami. The Pubbelly restaurant group, having opened five unique concepts and six successful restaurants in just three years, has received numerous accolades and awards, both locally and nationally, for their design, concept, food and service.