Culinary Q&A: Sublime chef draws from Cuban heritage
Chef Michael "Mikey" Perez is the man behind the tapas at Sublime Restaurant and Sangria Lounge, the Cocoa Village restaurant that specializes in those delectable small plates so favored in Spain.
Opened in October of last year, Sublime has already garnered 2014 Open Table Diners' Choice Award, to some degree because of its location inside a 1920s-era bank, but primarily because of the menu and sangrias that Perez and friend and business partner J.C. Marin developed.
At Sublime, Perez strives for dishes that reflect on his heritage.
QUESTION: What's your history, Mikey?
Perez: I was born in Miami and moved to Orlando when I was 14. I am Cuban-American, so I try very hard to bring those sorts of flavors to the dishes at Sublime.
Q: How did you get into the food business?
Perez: I started out in the restaurant industry at age 16 as a dishwasher, then I moved to serving tables and did that exclusively for close to five years.
I actually got my first cooking job here in Brevard County. I helped out for about two years at the Causeway Diner on Merritt Island, where I was trained by John Malafis and his son, Steven. They were instrumental in cultivating my creativity that ultimately would allow me to create the Sublime menu.
Q: Signature dish?
Perez: My signature dish is the homemade beef empanadas. That recipe has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me. I think it not only is my signature dish, but is also a recognizable culinary symbol that can be used to open the door, so to speak, and get people to try the more adventurous fare that we offer at Sublime.
Q: What should newcomers to Sublime first try?
Perez: If you are coming to Sublime for the first time, you should definitely try those empanadas. It goes great with any of our house-made sangrias, although the mango blood orange is my personal favorite.
Q: What makes Sublime unique?
Perez: Our fare. The diverse choices on our food menu and the eight different types of sangria definitely make for a special experience. You can come every day of the week and have a truly different and personal meal.
Q: What can't you live without in the kitchen?
Perez: There are actually two things I can't live without in a kitchen: a pair of tongs and a full bottle of Adobo seasoning (the garlicky seasoning that is considered an essential in Spanish, Caribbean and Latin American kitchens).
Q: Family?
Perez: I grew up with my younger sister and my mother. Raising two kids on her own, one of them me, no less, was undoubtedly the hardest thing for my mother, but without her, I would never have learned all the key skills necessary to be where I am today. Patience, determination and self-reliance are things that I would still be having trouble with without her influence. I love you, Mom!
Q: Three words that describe you?
Perez: Patient, honest, friendly.
Q: What's on your bucket list?
Perez: I would love to see all the wonders of the world.
Q: Hobbies?
Perez: I love to play video games! I also love to binge-watch '90s sitcoms. I am currently watching "Boy Meets World."
Q: Famous person you'd love to see at Sublime?
Perez: I would absolutely love to see Alton Brown (celebrity chef and host of Food Network's "Good Eats" and "Cutthroat Kitchen") at Sublime. He has been such an inspiration to me.
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Sublime Restaurant and Sangria Lounge
Where: 114 Harrison St., Cocoa
Info: Call 321-632-2700 or visit sublimesangria.com.
Hours: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Of note: Sublime offers a $5.99 lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Included on the special lunch menu are items such as the chicken fajita tacos, the half-sandwich soup or salad combo, the pulled-pork sliders and the Sublime cheeseburger.