Editor’s Choice

Deborah Williams Owner, Chewy Suz Back story: Though Williams ultimately took the road likely never before traveled to achieve notoriety as a pastry chef, it didn’t start out that way. The South Florida native has loved baking since she was a youngster. In particular, she was immensely fond of the peanut butter cookies that her

Dallas Wynne Corporate pastry chef, Groot Hospitality; executive chef and partner, Toothfairy Back story: Though still a few years shy of 30, Wynne has won over Miami time and again with her original pastry concoctions and infectious enthusiasm for all things sweet. As the Palm City native tells the story, she might have tossed a

Monica McAfee Chief Marketing/Innovation Officer, John Knox Village Backstory: Giving back was baked into McAfee’s core being at an early age. Her parents always had a place at their table, and spare resources, for those who needed an act of kindness. It’s how she raised her own children. “It’s never about I or me,” she

Raquel Case Director of community relations and business development, Rick Case Automotive Group Backstory: Rick and Rita Case never pressed their children, Ryan and Raquel, to join the family automotive business. Then again, they didn’t have to. Raquel recalls being intrigued as a child by the nightly conversation around the dinner table, the talk of

Gregory Fried President, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry Backstory: Though he’s been in the jewelry industry since 1991, the native of New Jersey didn’t strike out on his own until purchasing the Delray Beach-based store in 2005 (from the prior owners; Fried was manager there at the time) that now bears his name. However, it was a vacation

Marla Garchik Founder, Peace Love Solve Backstory: Son Jack was a mid-life blessing for Marla and Steve Garchik; Marla was 42 when he was born; Steve was 50. But at an early age, Jack was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, a condition that’s on the autism spectrum. Around that time, Marla was chairing

Mike Linder Owner/CEO, Silver Lining Inflight Catering Owner, Jet Runway Café and Yot Bar & Kitchen Backstory: The Florida State graduate was working at Bennigan’s in Tallahassee when the unthinkable happened on Christmas Day 2000. An infection that spread to his heart—with nary a symptom—created an embolism and life-threatening inflammation of his heart’s inner lining

Cindy Friezo Founder, Cindy & Robert Friezo Foundation Chief People Officer, Verity Partners Backstory: The native of the Dominican Republic moved with her family in 1992 to a challenged neighborhood on the outskirts of Boston. She soon found her benevolent voice as part of a youth council comprised primarily of high school students that advocated

Anquan once said that his purpose in this life was not to make it to the NFL and score touchdowns, even though he did plenty of the latter. In all, he reached the end zone 82 times on receptions during a career that included stops in Arizona (2003-09), Baltimore (2010-12), San Francisco (2013-15) and Detroit

By gridiron standards in western Palm Beach County, theirs was a forbidden love. The star quarterback at Pahokee High School dating a member of the marching band at neighboring rival, Glades Central? In another era, it might have lit up social media along the shores of Lake Okeechobee. Then again, there’s something about the coal-black

The popular Las Olas restaurant YOLO recently reopened to the public after The Restaurant People (TRP) unveiled their renovations and reimagined offerings at the restaurant and nightlife venue. TRP, the group behind some of South Florida’s most well-known establishments, including Boatyard, Rooftop @1WLO, S3 and Java & Jam, catered the renovation and menu to reflect

In the second part of Lifestyle’s November feature on Michael Schwartz, the renowned chef looks back on the beginnings of Michael’s Genuine, which launched in 2007. It came at a time, as he explains, when Schwartz was in restaurant limbo. The move to Miami: “I had landed back in New York after spending six months