This popular chef left Miami for Broward. Now he's opening an Asian smokehouse in Wynwood

Miami Herald

19-03-2025

Chef Raheem Sealey, famous for his time in the kitchen at KYU and his beloved barbecue spot Drinking Pig, has found his way back to Miami.
In a partnership with Forward Hospitality Group, Sealey is opening a new Wynwood restaurant called Shiso, an Asian smokehouse that blends the flavors of wood-fired barbecue and the Caribbean (Sealey grew up in St. Croix).
The restaurant, which opens March 28, is a return to Miami for Sealey, who in 2024 opened J&C Oyster in Hollywood along with owner Cesar Cifuentes and chef Monika Dominguez, also a veteran of KYU.
Sealey, who has also worked in the kitchens of Pao by Paul Qui in Miami Beach and Zuma in Miami, said that he's excited about the return to Miami. Wynwood has changed tremendously since his early days there, but he views Shiso as good way to return to the Miami scene.
'Shiso means a lot to me,' he said. 'It's an opportunity that came to me at the right time in my career and is a culmination of being able to work with some of the top talents I've had the privilege of meeting in my professional journey.
'Shiso reflects my culinary inspirations and how they've impacted me at different times in my life. it's an honor to have a project I can call my own.'
Sealey has long been known for the Korean fried chicken he perfected while he was at KYU. In what feels like an homage to that dish, a Miami favorite, is Shiso Chicken Please, a Cornish hen that comes with one half smoked and the other half fried and served with white barbecue sauce.
Another signature dish is oxtail gunkan, smoked barbecued oxtail layered with pickle relish and rice, a dish wrapped in nori paper.
The restaurant will also serve a selection of Japanese dishes, including sushi bites like uni cornbread and scallops. There are also a variety of fish and meat options that don't involve barbecue.
Designed by Lambrini Palmieri-Schwartz of House of L, the restaurant itself is dark and stylish, with an open kitchen, two bars and a rooftop lounge. There's also a 15-seat chef's counter that offers its own version of traditional omakase (meaning the menu is chef's choice). The space's exposed concrete beams are decorated with graffiti, a nod to Wynwood's past as a playground for artists.
You'll also see a street art mural on your way to the 6,500-square-foot rooftop space, home to a 35-seat racetrack-shaped bar. There's a retractable roof to protect you and your drinks from the elements, as well as semi-private dining cabanas that are surrounded by greenery and palm trees. There are even commissioned works from Wynwood artists in the bathrooms.
Shiso
Where: 239 NW 28th St., Miami
Opening: March 28
Hours: 5 p.m.-close Tuesday-Sunday
Reservations: Resy
More information: www.shisomiami.com or 786-559-1706