Brasabana Cuban Cuisine – Tamale

At first, the stories of AZUR and Brasabana may seem incongruous and unlinked. AZUR is known for fine dining “in the neighborhood” that draws on Chef/Owner Jeremy Ashby’s Southern upbringing (think fried chicken and biscuits) and brings that background to a higher level with customers who expect fresh and exquisite cuisine that is unique to Lexington.

Brasabana features Cuban cuisine that is naturally scented with the flavors of Latin America and the Caribbean (think plantains and slow braised pork). It drawa on the talents of Chef/Owner Miguel Rivas who hails from the Dominican Republic and trained as a culinary artist in New York City before locating to Lexington to be near family. It is a story of today’s global, mobile — yet local reach — that defines AZUR and Brasabana.

Now look closely and learn more of the common thread that runs throughout the Azur Food Group properties. Get Chef Jeremy going and his story will excite and delight the listener. He speaks of his culinary education in Charleston, South Carolina (the capital of US Southern cooking) and how his apprenticeship in Miami, Florida moved his Southern thinking just south of the “border” in a way that our global thinking now allows. Hear him boast about the “feast and flavors of sunlight” and the inclusion of “unapologetically bold flavors” that are the reflection of Cuban and Caribbean color, spice and proximity to warm breezes and the endless sea. Add to that his commitment to the “farm to table” movement that seeks out and brings the freshest products to the table from producers we trust.

Miguel Rivas was born and raised on a farm in the Dominican Republic. He speaks lovingly of the dishes of his native island and his role in “procuring” the chicken that would serve as the centerpiece of the family dinner. He gravitated to New York City where he received culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America, apprenticed and worked in the kitchen at John Georges Restaurant, well known for excellence in the competitive environment of New York City. Couple that with a gig at Patria, a Cuban themed New York City restaurant, and you have a fusion of Cuban tastes and island influences that come together in Miguel.