What Now aAO, short for Against All Odds, is targeting a winter 2026 opening at 4204 NW 2nd Ave. in Miami’s Buena Vista neighborhood, co-owner Austin Gaines confirmed to What Now Miami. Gaines pointed to a November or December timeframe, calling the restaurant the culmination of co-owner chef Robyn Almodovar’s career and her first fully independent concept after two decades working in South Florida kitchens.
Almodóvar built her reputation through roles including executive chef at Colorado’s Stanley Hotel and at Fort Lauderdale’s Timbr, along with national television appearances on Hell’s Kitchen, Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen and 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. Over roughly 15 years, Gaines said, she developed a style that blends American, French and Mediterranean influences through the menu. “It’s her creation and created with a lot of love and passion,” he said, crediting the concept’s direction almost entirely to her.
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