Meet Served Up co-creator, Tara L. Christie, Christian Faith Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Tara also spent part of her life living Internationally abroad in Istanbul, Turkey and other countries.
Tara grew up in a household where traditional cooking was a major part of life. Dining together as a family and savoring a variety of culinary delights each evening was a key part of Tara’s life.
The immediate family gathered around the table each night for dinner, and on Sundays, the crowd grew, with extended family joining the experience.
“The kitchen truly is the heart of the home,” said Tara Christie. “I saw how happy people were when they were gathered together around the table enjoying food and great company. That stuck with me throughout my life. It made me want to bring that type of joy into all homes.”
Opening her first restaurant
In 2017, Tara’s love for the culinary arts led her to purchase her first restaurant, Miami Squeeze. Two years later, her passion for the industry produced the acquisition of Hollywood Grill, an ocean front restaurant located right on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk specializing in Russian and Armenian cuisine.
“I have been blessed by God to meet some of the most highly respected Top Chefs from around the globe,” said Tara. “Through my restaurants, tastings, and events like the SOBEWFF Miami Food and Wine Festival, I’ve built a network of amazingly talented chefs.”
A passion project from an idea to making a dream into reality. Perseverance and endurance creates success!
Served Up is a product of the connection between Tara’s first passion, cooking and serving others, and her second passion, real estate and architecture. Together with co-creator Rebeca Cabral, an idea began to bubble and was about to explode!
The duo began to talk about their love of great food, the need for new recipes, and their respect for what the top chefs of the world were capable of in creating cuisines.
The conversation led to the connection to real estate, architecture and design, global top chefs, and signature dishes. Served Up was then heartfully drawn to combine this with a mutual love of the intricate stylings of designed kitchens and most of all keeping relationships sexy and spicy. Why? “Cooking is fun and cooking is sexy.”
Tara continues to travel the globe extensively, always seeking new flavors to savors and cultures to learn. She believes that to be able to share these experiences with friends and family is a gift.
During those travels, Tara and her family make a point of enjoying some of the finest cuisine in the world, and visiting some of the most luxurious residences. From Florida, to Istanbul, Italy to Paris, Tulum to Costa Rica, and many places in between, the inspiration continues to bloom.
Inspired by Top Chefs
Tara has always looked to Top Chefs for inspiration as her interest in the culinary space grew.
“Watching Top Chefs like Steve Materano who owns Cafe Maderano in Fort Lauderdale when I was a young girl, and seeing him grow his restaurant by perseverance and endurance, always holding his integrity for both the food and the people, was so inspiring. Now over 35 years later Cafe Maderano’s is still here, truly inspiring,” said Tara.
“To work with such talent in Chef Michel Thomann, a Michelin Star Top Chef was such an amazing experience,” she continued. “One I will never forget. It is such a pleasure for Served Up to highlight all the top chefs in our show and around the world.”
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