Miami chef Mika Leon is celebrating the release of her debut cookbook with a rooftop party in Miami Beach, complete with Cuban bites, Havana Club cocktails and a live four-piece band. The Sunday, October 18 event at UMA House South Beach marks one of several public stops on the rollout for Cuban Soul: 100 Vibrant Recipes from Mi Cocina, which hit shelves this past Tuesday, October 6.
According to Time Out, the rooftop soirée runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sunset Rooftop space at UMA House South Beach, located at 1775 James Ave. in Miami Beach. Tickets cost $35 and include passed bites prepared by Leon and her culinary team, Havana Club Rum cocktails while supplies last, and live music from a four-piece Cuban band. Guests will also have the chance to pick up signed copies of the cookbook, though the book itself is sold separately from the ticket price, per Miami New Times.
Leon and her team plan to serve dishes inspired directly by the cookbook, including empanadas and arroz con pollo, while the band performs through the evening. The newspaper's report describes the gathering as the capstone of a broader release push for the Miami chef, who built her reputation over more than a decade in South Florida kitchens.
From Food Truck to Cookbook Author
Leon’s path to a 256-page cookbook began well before Cuban Soul landed in stores. Per a publisher description from Hachette Book Group, her journey began with Mikabites, a wholesale dessert company, and continued with a food truck serving Cuban tacos before she opened her restaurant, Caja Caliente, in Coral Gables. The same listing notes she has competed on Food Network's Tournament of Champions, 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, Guy's Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped.
The cookbook itself collects 100 recipes rooted in the Cuban food Leon grew up eating, as Miami New Times and Hachette describe, while ABC News says the collection features more than 100 Cuban homestyle recipes paired with memories of Leon's family history. The book was published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, according to Good Morning America, which had Leon on as a guest this past Wednesday, October 7, to share recipes from the book.
More Stops on the Miami Rollout
The rooftop party isn't the only public appearance tied to the release. Leon is scheduled to appear Monday, October 12, at Books & Books in Coconut Grove for a signing and conversation with journalist Carlos Frías, as reported by The Adventurist. The same outlet notes Leon plans a series of pop-ups at Miami restaurants; Miami New Times had named Wolf of Tacos for October 13 and Frankies & Wally’s for October 16 and 17.
Diario Las Américas also lists the Books & Books stop as part of Leon's Miami rollout, describing it as a chance for readers to meet the chef in person alongside the signing. Taken together, the appearances point to a chef leaning into her hometown audience as the book makes its debut.
A Beard Foundation Dinner Set the Stage
Leon's cookbook also inspired a comparable event beyond Miami. The James Beard Foundation hosted a one-night dinner built around a menu based on Cuban Soul, featuring a cocktail reception with passed hors d'oeuvres, a multi-course meal with curated beverage pairings and a Q&A session with the chef. Copies of the book were available for purchase there too, provided on-site by Kitchen Arts & Letters.
Back in Miami Beach, the rooftop party remains the most accessible public stop for local fans looking to taste dishes straight from the cookbook's pages while getting a copy signed. With tickets priced at $35 and the book sold separately, the October 18 gathering offers a hands-on introduction to a cookbook by the Coral Gables restaurateur.
