Award-winning chef Valerie Chang announced on Thursday that she is closing her Miami restaurant space. The last day of service at Maty’s in Midtown will be on July 5, a post on its official Instagram page said.
Highlights
- Acclaimed Chef Valerie Chang has announced that she will be closing down her restaurant, Maty’s, this July.
- The chef announced the closures via a post on her account and the restaurant’s account on Instagram.
- Maty’s has been open and serving guests for two years and has been hosting a residency by Itamae AO since April.
Maty’s Announces Closure Date After 2-Year Run
Maty’s, the Peruvian restaurant named after Chef Chang’s grandmother, was opened just two years ago at 3255 NE First Ave. The restaurant was quick to become quite popular and it was added to the Michelin Guide for Florida in 2024.
Chef Chang Shares A Note
In a post shared on her Instagram page, Chef Valerie said, “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.”
The post has two pictures of her parents, and the caption talked about her father, saying “Our dad showed us very early on that being in the restaurant could give us an opportunity to struggle a little less — that perhaps we weren’t bound only by what our parents could give us, but by what we could also make with our own hands.”
She said that the restaurant was opened to honor her grandmother through food. Further, she thanked her family, friends, her present and past teams, and several others by name.
Chef Chang concluded the post by saying that she is excited to share what’s next in her journey.
Maty’s Sister to Continue Serving
Maty’s has been hosting a la carte residency by Itamae, its sister restaurant run by the Chef’s brother, Nando Chang. The last day of the residency will be on July 5.
Itamae AO is a 10-seat omakase counter that runs in a small space adjacent to Maty’s. The restaurant has built a reputation for itself, having earned a MICHELIN star earlier this year.
The siblings are renowned in Florida’s culinary scene after Chef Valerie won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South in 2024, and Chef Nando won the same category in 2025.
Maty’s is shutting down, and Itamae AO will continue to serve its customers throughout more days of the week. What lies ahead for Chef Valerie, however, remains unclear, but she is expected to make a comeback to reclaim her spot as one of Florida’s best Chefs.
