It's been a busy few weeks for the Chang family: Nando Chang of Miami's Itamae AO was the only Florida toque to take home a coveted medal at this year's James Beard Awards, which took place on June 16. Even cooler, he won for Best Chef: South, the same category that his sister, Valerie Chang, won just a year earlier for her own "understated, elegant" cooking at Maty's, the modern Peruvian spot in midtown Miami. And now it looks like there are news-worthy developments happening out of that latter kitchen, albeit of the less celebratory sort: Chang has decided to part ways with Maty's, leaving the future of that acclaimed restaurant up in the air.
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"After an incredible run, Valerie Chang has decided to end her chapter with Maty’s," the restaurant's PR team shared via email to Time Out Miami. "Val has found it deeply meaningful to honor her grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake, with the Peruvian food of her upbringing, and she is grateful to her Miami community for the support. Maty’s, which opened in March 2023, garnered acclaim in Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, and the New York Times."
The announcement continued: "Val is currently considering exciting prospects for future projects but we have nothing confirmed just yet to share here." As for the chef herself, Chang shared some feelings on social media about her impending departure, posting on Instagram: "As this chapter comes to an end for me, I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude for everyone who has allowed me to cook for them at Maty’s over the past two years. We opened this restaurant to honor our grandmother, Maty, in the best way we know how—through food. Thank you to my family, friends and Ron for all the support through out the years, I could’ve never done this without you guys."
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Of course, Chang's exit from Maty's means that there are changes afoot not only to that restaurant—as for the future of Maty's, "the Changs are working with their business partners to determine what makes the most sense as a next step in the Maty's space, with the goal of best serving their community," per their PR—but also Itamae's à la carte residency, which has operated in the Maty’s space since April. Both Maty's and Itamae will have their final service on Saturday, July 5—reservations are available on Resy if you want to get in before the doors shut.
As for Itamae AO, the 10-seat counter spot that served as a sibling spot (in more ways than one) to Maty's next door, Nando Chang and his crew will expand that restaurant's days of operation from Tuesdays to Saturdays beginning on July 8. There will also be new menu additions to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Time Out Miami will keep you posted on new developments from the Chang siblings, especially where beloved Maty's is concerned.