MIAMI
Inside Miami’s Most Inventive Zero-Waste Kitchen: Torno Subito and the Chef Who Turns Scraps into Treasure
200 E Flagler St | Website | Instagram
By Eric Barton | April 11, 2025
Photos by Cristian Gonzalez
Some chefs say they’re into sustainability, just like most of us say we floss. But the very first thing they serve every guest at Torno Subito in Miami shows there’s a commitment that goes beyond buzzwords and compostable straws.
Chef Bernardo Paladini isn’t just repurposing carrot tops and turning wine bottles into beach glass for Instagram. He’s running a zero-waste kitchen, serving up risotto dusted with dehydrated vegetable pulp like it’s saffron, and transforming Parmigiano rinds into foam. (Yes, foam. The good kind.)
Paladini trained under Massimo Bottura, the Italian iconoclast who made the world care about stale bread and beetroot. Now, at Bottura’s first U.S. outpost—set atop the Julia & Henry complex in downtown Miami—Paladini’s job is to keep the food fun, the techniques high-minded, and the waste bins nearly empty. Somehow, he’s pulling it off. Torno Subito leans playful without being precious, and its menu is a reminder that fine dining doesn’t have to be fussy—or trashy, in the literal sense.
I caught up with Paladini to talk about how to design a menu where little gets thrown out, why risotto deserves a second act, and how much guilt he feels tossing an herb stem. He was honest, funny, and refreshingly unbothered by Miami’s tendency to value flash over flavor. Turns out, a little Italian pragmatism—and a deep love of béchamel—can go a long way.
The Adventurist: You won a Michelin Star at Torno Subito Dubai. What do you hope to accomplish here in Miami?
Bernardo Paladini: My goal in Miami is to put the focus on the team. Getting a Michelin star doesn’t have to be an obsession, but rather a natural consequence of doing things right. If you put too much pressure on your team to get a star, you miss the real goal of what a restaurant should be. I believe that if your team is stressed, the food reflects that stress. But if you create the right experience in the kitchen—one that builds trust and confidence—people feel that in the experience and taste it in the food. That’s success.
How did Bottura (above, left) ask you to take over Miami?
Around 2020, we were in Dubai, full of dreams and ambition, and Andrea Petersen and Daniel Pena came from Miami to visit Dubai. They fell in love with Torno Subito in Dubai – the concept, the design, the energy. They asked if we could replicate it in Miami. It took all of 15 minutes for Massimo and I to say yes—we were ready for the next chapter, and Miami felt like the perfect place. We knew it was the right people, the right partners and the right decision at the time. We wanted a city that we knew was on the verge of growing its culinary scene exponentially, similarly to how Dubai was exploding, and we got to be a part of that growth. After deciding, I stayed one more year in Dubai and helped design the Miami location from afar, working with the architect to replicate the open kitchen concept and circus energy, but in Miami.
What have you learned about Miami diners?
It’s incredible how many guests at Torno Subito Miami have already been to our restaurants in Italy. We initially were surprised at how many guests have stayed at our luxury boutique hotel or dined in Modena, Florence, LA, and beyond. That familiarity helps a lot. They trust us already, and they trust the menu. That’s exactly what we hoped for. As for the food, guests appreciate how much of our menu is inspired by the city. We never do a copy-paste. Yes, we have signature dishes, but 80 percent of the menu is created specifically for Miami.
Each meal at Torno Subito Miami begins with an amuse bouche (above) that’s an example of what a zero-waste kitchen means. Can you tell me about this dish?
The no-waste amuse is our one-bite, creative spin on Pappa al Pomodoro, which traditionally uses day-old bread. We make a tomato and bread pudding, top it with a béchamel foam made from Parmigiano Reggiano rinds and finish it with crispy breadcrumbs for texture. It’s simple but rich, comforting and full of flavor. It speaks to our core philosophy: sustainability. We take ingredients that might otherwise be thrown away—like stale bread and parmesan rinds—and turn them into something special. To me, being a modern chef means giving second chances to these forgotten ingredients.
At Torno Subito Miami, you've partnered with several esteemed chefs. What do these partnerships mean to you?
This is our first year in Miami, and we made a choice to collaborate with incredible chefs from around the world, like Mattia Agazzi from Gucci Osteria in Beverly Hills and Vania Ghedini of Oro in Venice. For me, it’s a celebration of friendship, a celebration of family. I feel honored to lead this restaurant, and these collaborations feel like a shared journey. I have a special connection to these chefs, as we started our careers together and now we’re growing together. It’s a beautiful way to mark this chapter.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in Miami?
In Miami, I’ve been lucky to really discover Peruvian food, and it opened up a whole new world for me. Two places really stand out: La Mar and Maty’s. The flavors are so pure, so fresh. There’s also strong Japanese influence blending with Peruvian food in Nikkei cuisine, which brings something I love to dishes– a real balance and fresh acidity.
Have you discovered a favorite coffee shop? Pastelitos?
Yes! Versailles on Calle Ocho—it’s historic, iconic. It’s been featured in so many films, including Chef. The Cuban influence is so strong there, especially with the colada cubana. You go there and you forget time. You’re in Miami, but you feel like you’re in South America. It’s one of those places that just transports you.
When you find yourself with a day off in Miami, what's on the agenda?
On a day off in Miami, I love to take my scooter and ride across Venetian Way to South Beach, it just makes me so happy to live here. It’s beautiful, it’s private, there are these incredible villas. That feeling, with the blue sky above, it feels like a vacation every single time.
“Artichoke, for me, isn’t just a favorite ingredient; it’s a symbol of home.”
The artichoke tattoo on your arm, what's the significance?
I got the tattoo just before moving from Rome to Modena. It was a sign I wanted to put on myself—to always remember where I come from. Artichoke, for me, isn’t just a favorite ingredient; it’s a symbol of home. In Rome, when artichoke season arrives, they’re everywhere—markets, restaurants, family tables. Especially Carciofi alla Romana, which I still think is one of the greatest dishes. That tattoo became a way to carry a piece of Rome with me, wherever I go. It’s followed me through Dubai, now Miami—and it reminds me that no matter how far I travel, Rome is always part of who I am.
I noticed on your Instagram page you have the saying: smile, eat, kiss. Can you tell me about where that comes from?
I remember being in Istanbul, walking through the Grand Bazaar and seeing all of the spices. The air was filled with incredible scents and colors. One of the sellers had a t-shirt that said ‘smile, eat, kiss’ in English, and I don’t know—something about it just stuck with me. To me, hospitality is all about those three things. It captured the essence of what we do. I added it to my Instagram bio and never looked back.
Most people know about Roman dishes like Cacio e Pepe. Any lesser-known dishes you'd like to introduce here?
There are two, actually. Carciofi alla Romana, which ties in with the artichoke story—simple, delicious and so Roman. And Pasta alla Gricia, which I think of as the “forgotten cousin” of Carbonara and Amatriciana. It’s a humble dish, but when it’s done right, it’s unforgettable. These are the kinds of flavors I want to share more of.
Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who splits his time between Asheville and Miami. He’s on a constant hunt for the best pizza, best places to bike, and for his next new favorite destination. Email him here.
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