José Andrés Group is preparing to open Bazaar Meat inside the oceanfront Andaz Miami Beach resort this October, adding another major restaurant to the celebrity chef's growing South Florida portfolio. The carnivore-focused concept, known for making meat the centerpiece of a theatrical dining experience, will take up residence at 4041 Collins Avenue, the address that now houses the rebranded resort.
Bazaar Meat is described on the Andaz website as a celebration of carnivorous dining that combines bold flavors, theatrical presentations, inventive cooking techniques, grilled meats, cocktails and shareable dishes, according to WhatNow. The menu leans on Wagyu, Ibérico ham, caviar and foie gras, and the restaurant will be overseen by Manuel “Manny” Echeverri, who serves as culinary director for Bazaar and has worked for José Andrés Group for more than a decade. Echeverri, who is based in Miami, will run daily operations at the new location.
The opening marks a homecoming of sorts for Andrés in Miami Beach. He previously operated The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS South Beach for over a decade starting in June 2012, before closing that location in March 2023 when the hotel agreement concluded, according to the Miami New Times. Colombian chef Juan Manuel Barrientos' Michelin-starred restaurant brand Elcielo took over that oceanfront venue in July 2023, per the Commercial Observer.
A Growing Footprint Across Miami Beach's Luxury Hotels
Bazaar Meat is part of a broader culinary buildout that José Andrés Group is running at Andaz Miami Beach, which already includes coastal Mediterranean restaurant Aguasal and Spanish tapas lounge Bar Centro, both of which opened in spring 2025, according to Travel Weekly. The arrangement means the group oversees the entire food and beverage program at the resort rather than a single restaurant. Beyond Andaz, José Andrés Group expanded its South Florida presence in late 2023 by taking over all food and beverage operations at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, where it opened a location of its Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya, the Miami Herald reported.
The expansion into Miami Beach is directed by José Andrés Group Global CEO Sam Bakhshandehpour, who oversees the organization's national expansion strategy across markets including Miami, Las Vegas and Nashville, according to the Miami New Times. That multi-city push has also touched Hoodline's coverage area recently — Nashville's Gibsons expansion referenced Andrés' partnership with Gibsons Restaurant Group on a Bazaar Meat location in Chicago.
The Concept's Roots and Its Unconventional Approach to Steak
Bazaar Meat first debuted in August 2014 at the former SLS Las Vegas before expanding to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. In September 2025, the flagship Vegas restaurant relocated to a 20,000-square-foot space at The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort, according to Las Vegas Weekly.
Rather than leaning on the long dry-aging processes typical of traditional American steakhouses, Bazaar Meat emphasizes Spanish-style vaca vieja, or older, mature cattle, along with non-traditional cuts cooked over open flames. The menu is also known for avant-garde creations such as cotton candy foie gras, Forbes reported.
Behind the Restaurant: A Rebuilt Resort and New Hires
The property hosting Bazaar Meat has its own recent history. Sunstone Hotel Investors acquired the site in May 2022 for $232 million, or roughly $684,000 per key, before pouring $60 million into converting the former 339-room Confidante Miami Beach into Florida's first Andaz-branded luxury lifestyle resort, according to Sunstone Hotel Investors. The renovation trimmed the room count to 287, including 64 suites, while adding an open-view lobby check-in, an elevated pool deck with a hydraulic floor system for private events, and a fourth-floor spa overlooking the ocean.
Ahead of the October opening, José Andrés Group launched recruitment for Bazaar Meat's opening team in mid-2026, hosting open-call interviews directly at the Andaz Miami Beach resort for both front-of-house and back-of-house positions. Hoodline previously reported on Andaz's new members-only beach club at the same property, part of the resort's broader effort to build out its amenities alongside the restaurant openings.
