Following a successful restaurant career in Cuba, Eileen Andrade’s grandfather settled in Miami, where he opened one of the city’s most well-known Cuban restaurants, Islas Canarias, in 1977. Andrade grew up working in the kitchen and quickly recognized her creative flair.
“It’s embedded in [my family’s] blood to be hospitable. We love to cook, we love to serve others, and you either have it or you don’t,” Andrade says. “This is a career you have to love because the business can be draining, and cooking can be incredibly laborious. But I grew up loving what hospitality was at its core.”
In college, Andrade channeled her creativity into Miami’s budding fashion industry, accepting an unpaid internship with a top stylist. She initially veered away from the demanding restaurant life of her parents, which offered little work-life balance.
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This stab at fashion didn’t last long. Low on cash, she returned to Islas Canarias as an official employee instead of a teenage helper, starting as a dishwasher and working her way through every position—busser, server, baker, cook, and working both the front and back of the house.
Her mother asked, “What do you like the most?” Andrade responded with a newfound passion for both leading a team and cooking, learning from Islas Canarias executive chef Omar Caycho as she ventured deeper into her culinary career.
“I fed my creativity into cooking, and eventually, I had to quit my internship with the stylist,” Andrade recalls. “He took it as an insult—that I would leave the fashion industry to make Cuban steak sandwiches. I got so mad … those sandwiches paid for the car that drove us around, my school, my clothes, my everything.”
In 2011, at age 21, Andrade and her brother Jon opened a food truck called Cuban Cube. She calls it her version of culinary school; it taught her to think on her feet, resolve operational issues quickly with a small team, and battle Miami’s hot, rainy atmosphere. Despite its closure, Cuban Cube built a steady following and became the first of many concepts in Andrade’s portfolio.
A 2013 trip to South Korea sparked Andrade’s curiosity. At Islas Canarias, she had already immersed herself in Peruvian and Cuban cuisine, but after taking cooking classes with a retired Korean woman, new inspirations took root.
Next came Andrade’s first official full-service venture, Finka Table & Tap, in 2014. The 222-seat restaurant, inspired by Korean, Peruvian, and Cuban flavors, was a far cry from the food truck and brought eclectic cuisine to the suburbs of West Kendall in Miami. Here, Andrade blended her globally-infused creativity with an homage to her family’s roots through rustic interior design, craft cocktails, and scratch-made food.
“Finka means ‘farm’ in Spanish, and because my grandfather grew up on a farm, I wanted to honor him in that way. There are a few dishes on the menu that were his favorites,” Andrade says. “It’s been busy since we opened the doors. I was fortunate to receive such a great response from the community.”
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In 2017, Andrade opened Amelia’s 1931, renovating her grandmother Amelia’s diner. During the pandemic, she acquired the dry cleaner next door, adding a full bar and increasing the seat count to 150. Amelia was a seamstress when she came to the U.S., so guests walk through rows of dry cleaning and pass a washing machine upon entering. This nod to her grandmother’s legacy is underscored by the presence of Amelia’s original sewing machine, along with sentimental furniture and knickknacks.
Like Finka, Amelia’s 1931 offers elevated Cuban flavors, enhanced by Asian and Peruvian influences. However, the atmosphere differs; there’s a dress code, and Andrade describes it as a moody, sexy cocktail lounge with the charm of a hidden gem. Amelia’s 1931 represents a woman who enjoyed dressing in her finery and going out on the town—and that is the energy Andrade seeks to cultivate with this newest concept.
“I wanted guests to feel like they’re stepping into another era or country when they walk through the doors,” Andrade says. “I want people to forget their problems and sit down to eat and drink with others. Amelia’s 1931 is a very special space to me.”
Andrade’s journey from her family’s kitchen to two upscale concepts at a young age solidifies her love for the industry and her community. Along the way, she’s learned to invest heavily in her staff, break the stigma around work-life balance, and live as her true, authentic self.
Through mentorship and advocacy, she’s passionate about creating a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community in her restaurants. While she says it’s part of her identity, it doesn’t define her entirely. Andrade often speaks at her old high school’s career days and regularly receives messages from young girls who look up to her.
“The most important thing [for young chefs] is to truly love what they do. It’s not about being trendy or cool; it’s about cooking for people and making them happy. As long as that’s your passion, the rest will follow,” Andrade says. “You have to work alongside your crew, not above them. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty … This job comes with long hours and nights, and you need to stay passionate and find balance.”
Andrade looks forward to strengthening her presence in Miami with the continued success of Finka Table & Tap and Amelia’s 1931. While opening a smaller bar concept isn’t off the table, for now, she remains focused on investing in her current staff and community, honoring her roots, and continuing to innovate with her Cuban-Asian cuisine.
