Eileen Andrade

From studying fashion to one of the nation’s top hispanic chefs, all thanks to a family tradition

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 11:07 AM EDTSEP 15, 2021, 11:07 AM EDT

Cuban-American Eileen Andrade is the chef and owner of the Miami-based restaurant Finka Table & Tap. Eileen has culinary excellence in her blood. Her grandparents, who immigrated in the 70s, are the founders of Islas Canarias, a family owned and operated Cuban restaurant, which is known for the best croquetas in town.

Chef Eileen Andrade — Eileen Andrade found her passion as a Chef

Initially, Eileen studied fashion and had no interest in working at the family business, but after working with a stylist, she realized that was not her calling. She went back to work with her parents and began her culinary journey learning to cook Cuban food.

Her mother taught her to make empanadas, bocaditos, pastelitos and more. She took in all the knowledge she could from the Peruvian Executive Chef (her mentor) Omar Caycho. This is when her passion and spark for food was ignited, and in 2011, led her to partner with her brother Jonathan to open a food truck business, CubanCube.

CubanCube food truck — Eileen and her brother standing next to their food venture, a Cuban food truck, CubanCube

A couple of years later, Eileen was ready to take a leap of faith and open her own restaurant, Finka Table & Tap, a fusion concept that draws from her latin/cuban roots and mixes it with her love for Peruvian and Asian cultures.

Chef Eileen Andrade with Gloria Estefan — Chef Eileen Andrade in front of her restaurant Finka with Latina Powerhouse, Gloria Estefan

The concept of her restaurant was inspired by her travels to Korea. When she got back to Miami, she felt that Latina and Asian fusion was something that was missing in West Kendall. She wanted to bring this to her neighborhood so people wouldn’t have to drive far to South Beach to enjoy this experience. By 2017, Eileen had opened a second restaurant, Amelia which she refers to as a smaller finka.

Since then, Eileen Andrade has been recognized by Zagat Miami’s 30 Under 30 and Miami Herald’s prestigious list South Florida’s Food 50. Like many of our other Latina Powerhouses, Eileen also finds a way to give back to her community. After the recent Miami Surfside condo collapse tragedy, Eileen and her team at Finka provided meals for all the first responders at the scene.

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Latin culture always embraces family and tradition, as a good latina, Andrade has been quoted saying that both her restaurants are a dedication to her abuelos. ❤️