Bází is a modern, Asian-inspired restaurant located in the heart of South Beach Miami. The cuisine, by acclaimed Chef Michael Pirolo, is a thoughtful interpretation of Asian classics with a modern twist.

The legendary Marlin Hotel, built in 1939 by famed architect Laurence Murray Dixon is truly one of the premier examples of Art deco grandeur. The former home to South Beach Studios where artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Mick Jagger & Prince have recorded, The Marlin has attracted a crowd of the famous and infamous for decades.

The former hot spot has been revamped as an elegant space reminiscent of 1930’s Hong Kong. The décor is sleek and modern with gold accents and Asian touches. A favorite with locals and tourists alike, Bází continues the grand legacy of this iconic building.

Born in Queens, New York, but raised in Avellino, Italy, Pirolo comes from a fiercely passionate food family. So much, in fact, that at the age of 21 he enrolled in culinary school in Torino, Italy; a formal education that led to apprenticeships at Michelin-starred establishments such as La Voglia Matta in Bologna and Café Groppi in Piemonte. After finishing his degree, he relocated to New York and changed tracks, immersing himself in French cuisine before relocating to Philadelphia to take the role of Sous Chef at Alfred Portale’s Striped Bass, where he met Chaefsky. A friendship turned to romance and when Pirolo had the opportunity to return to New York to take a post at Chris Lee’s Gilt at the Palace Hotel, Chaefsky went with him.

During Pirolo’s time at Gilt, the restaurant earned two Michelin stars. Following his love of Italian cuisine and striking up a professional bond with celeb Chef/restauranteur Scott Conant, Pirolo joined Conant’s Scarpetta restaurant in New York, then relocated to Miami to take the helm as Chef de Cuisine of Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. There, Pirolo made a name for himself and rose through the media ranks as a rising star in Miami’s culinary community, an earnest, hard-working, careerist “Chef’s Chef.” A rare 4-star review from Miami Herald food critic Victoria Pesce Elliot helped elevate his profile and set the stage for Pirolo to move out on his own. He opened Macchialina with Chaefsky on Miami Beach’s Alton Road in 2012.

Philadelphia raised, Chaefsky enjoyed A-list entry in to the culinary profession. Fueled only by a burning passion for food and hospitality, she cut her teeth in restaurants operated by one of that city’s foremost culinary icons, Stephen Starr. Under the Starr banner she learned the ins and outs of the business, especially the arts and sciences behind management. She later went on to work with Chefs Alfred Portale and Masaharu Morimoto at their Philadelphia outposts.

Inspired by a shared love of Asian cookery and the cuisine’s rich sense of history, Pirolo and Chaefsky began working in 2014 on the concept that would become Bazi, their sophisticated Asian restaurant newly-opened in Miami Beach’s historic Marlin Hotel.

Macchialina and Bazi Beverage Director, William Rivas is one of Miami’s foremost cocktail trendsetters. Though he has close to 15 years in the industry and has enjoyed stints at hotels and restaurants that run the gamut from Las Vegas’ Paris Hotel & Casino to Mesa Grill and Bobby Flay Steak, it was in Miami at Michelle Bernstein’s acclaimed Sra. Martinez, a contemporary Spanish small plates restaurant housed in a historic post office building in the Miami Design District, that Rivas’ star began to rise. There, before the region enjoyed the current cocktail craze, Rivas set the bar for beverage innovation and Sra. became just as popular for his drink slinging as for Bernstein’s award-winning cuisine. Before joining Macchialina he also worked at a slew of Miami’s hottest restaurants including Alfred Portale’s Gotham Steak at Fontainebleau Miami Beach (also home to Scarpetta, where Pirolo was wowing diners) and 50 Eggs’ four-star Asian restaurant, Khong River House.

A graduate of Miami’s SAE Institute, Collier worked a variety of jobs before discovering his passion for cooking in 2003, when he became a grill cook at Eatzi’s Gourmet Market and Restaurant in Rockville, Maryland. Soon after, he established an independent catering company that prepared BBQ fare for youth football games and events. The sole proprietor, Collier was responsible for recipe development, food prep, and sales.

In 2008, Collier was appointed line cook at Tristan Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, maintaining grill stations during high-volume lunch and Sunday brunch services within a AAA Four Diamond dining room. He was promoted to lead line cook at Fuel Restaurant, where he performed all kitchen duties and continued to develop recipes and craft diverse menus.

Later, as lead prep cook at The Bazaar, a chic Miami Beach restaurant, Collier prepped and standardized all garde manger and tapas bar menu items, utilizing high-end techniques, including spherification, fluid gels, foams, and sous vide. He was instrumental in testing recipes and overseeing station set-up prior to the restaurant’s highly-anticipated grand opening.

Now the Chef de Cuisine at Bazi, Collier’s strong background knowledge of avant garde techniques coupled with his exceptional ability to lead and motivate staff make him a welcome addition to the team.

The Director of Operations for both Bazi and Macchialina, Jacqueline Pirolo isn’t one to shy away from hard work. Though she never intended to pursue a career in the restaurant industry, she became determined to focus her efforts on building a family business, inspired by her native cuisine and her upbringing both at home and abroad.

Born in Italy, Pirolo grew up stateside in an Italian household with three older brothers. A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, she began waiting tables at a lively Italian eatery with a Tuscan ambience; her first foray into the world of fine dining. Though she briefly switched careers, becoming Production Coordinator at the Gravity Visual Effects House, Pirolo soon returned to the restaurant industry in 2011, when she and her brothers opened The Saint Austere in Brooklyn, New York where she serves as owner and general manager.

Featuring updates on classic European dishes, seasonal ingredients, and an extensive wine program, Pirolo has overseen every detail of The Saint Austere since its inception. Her skillful management of a flourishing team and clientele was a credit to the restaurant’s overwhelming success.

In her newest role, Pirolo oversees day-to-day operations of the award-winning rustic Italian eatery, Macchialina, as well as Bazi, the newly opened modern Asian concept located in the historic Marlin Hotel.