Dean James Max
3030 Ocean
Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

Considering his position as one of South Florida’s foremost seafood provocateurs, it’s not surprising to discover that Dean James Max, the Executive Chef of 3030 Ocean, located on Fort Lauderdale beach at the beautiful Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, grew up on small farm just minutes from the rich shores of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay.  

“There’s something about the water which is magical to me,” Max muses in the introduction to his cookbook, A Life by the Sea, which was released in April 2006.  “My love of food is fed from the fond memories of smells and tastes of my childhood.”  

The memories of his teenage years, spent fishing and cooking with his chef grandfather on the Jersey Shore resonate at 3030.  Launched in December 2000, the warm, open space is the perfect venue for Max’s sophisticated yet simple modern American seafood creations, full of fresh-from-the ocean oysters, clams, fish and crabs.  

“Modern cuisine embraces a dedication to simplicity, freshness and intensity of flavor,” Max says.  “Sourcing is the key.  My cuisine relies more on balancing flavors than on heavy spicing so finding the best ingredients available is a must.”

A native of Stuart, Florida, Chef Max grew up in the food business. As a young child, he received hands-on experience from his father, a produce broker. Soon, the family moved to Virginia and lived on a farm.

“Growing up in an organic environment gave me an early insight about what freshness really is and how foods work together,” Max said. “I even had my own jalapeño patch when I was nine.”

Chef Max holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Florida State University with a Hotel and Restaurant Minor. He has also attended the Florence Study Center in Florence, Italy.

“My love of food comes from living in Florence, Italy, my technique from working with French chefs and my understanding of what freshness is all about from growing up on a farm in Virginia,” he said.

He has appeared on the Home & Garden Television’s “Smart Solutions” series, also on “The Organic Farmer,” as well as numerous national news shows like Fox & Friends and the TV Food Network’s Challenge.
    
His honors are abundant:

2010 -- Crowned King of American Seafood after winning the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans representing the state of Florida
2009, 2010, 2011 -- Finalist for Best Chef of the South, James Beard Foundation
2005 -- Boca Raton Magazine voted Chef Max “Best Chef” in south Florida.
2005 -- Readers Poll for New Times resulted in 4 awards for 3030 Ocean…Best Seafood, Best Service, Best Raw Bar, Best Broward Restaurant
2006 -- National Restaurant Association voted Chef Max Best chef of South Florida
2006 -- 3030 Ocean received Best Seafood Restaurant, and Chef Max Best Chef
2007 -- Best Chef South Florida, Fort Lauderdale Magazine
2008 -- Best Chef Boca Raton Magazine
2009 -- Best Chef South Florida, New Times Magazine
2009 -- Chef Chair for Taste of the Nation
2007-2009 -- Best Seafood Restaurant South Florida by Gold Coast Magazine
2008-09 -- Board member at large Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association
2005-2009 -- Board member of the Seafood & Aquaculture Advisory Board reporting to the Department of Agriculture
2004-2009 -- Sponsored by the Wild American Shrimp Organization
2008-09 -- Board member for the culinary division of the Art Institute, Fort Lauderdale

A Life by the Sea

Boasting a cornucopia of amazing recipes, insights, cooking tips and gorgeous images by renowned photographer Quentin Bacon, the 200-page compendium, available for sale at the restaurant, most national book retailers and on Amazon.com, aims to enlighten readers on the benefits of seafood-rich diet while assuaging their fears of cooking seafood.  

“The delicate nature of fish scares home cooks,” Max says.  “To cut down on the fear factor, I intentionally kept the recipes simple but stylish.

The book was a two-year labor of love aimed at demystifying seafood.”  In addition, Max spent a portion of 2006 on a national book tour with Sur la Table, a chain of high-end food retail stores who regularly host culinary scribes ranging from Wolfgang Puck to Donna Hay, among others.  Chef Max is due to release his second book, “3030 Ocean, A Lifestyle” which will be in time to honor their 10-year anniversary.  The book will highlight a decade of culinary dedication and feature their best recipes over the past years.  The book will be an entertainment style layout, which will delve into the secrets of a restaurants success.

Chef Max previously is from Woodside in Brentwood, California, where as Owner/Chef, he was responsible for all aspects of operations of this highly acclaimed restaurant.  While at Woodside, Chef Max was profiled by Sunset Magazine and The Los Angeles Times. “Dean James Max steps right into the groove with his polished dishes” said S. Irene Virbila. His modern American cuisine has been noted as “stylish” and “tongue-tingling” by Gourmet Magazine, from which he received a stellar review.   The James Beard Foundation recognized Chef Max as a “Great Regional Chef of America.”  ML Warren, Sun Sentinel, called Max a “Culinary Dynamo” and described his food as “Unadulterated Joy.”

Prior to his position at the Woodside, Chef Max was Executive Chef of Mumbo Jumbo Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia where he was a partner with super star chef Guenter Seeger. Chef Max’s resume also includes positions as Executive Chef with Brasserie Savoy located in the Savoy Hotel in San Francisco, Gerard’s Place in Washington D.C. and the Ritz Carlton Dining Room in Pentagon City, Virginia and The Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta, Georgia.

At 3030 Ocean, Chef Max created an ever-changing menu resplendent with seafood and offering a five-star level of cuisine and service.  Here, diners will find a sumptuous raw bar, with offerings changing nightly.  Guests then journey through a dense menu rich with simple yet delectable salads, soups and entrees made with the freshest ingredients available.  Like the raw bar offerings, Max changes the menu nightly, blending traditional favorites, such as halibut and Florida snapper, with more offbeat selections, including monchong and opah from Hawaii and John Dory from New Zealand.  

Regardless what he’s working with, Max stays true to his goal of keeping things fresh, simple and delicious, from the tomatoes he imports from California to succulent oysters fresh from the coast of Washington.  

“Great meats and seafood don’t need to be marinated to be flavorful, just prepared in a way that pays homage to them.”  To that end, Max eschews creamy and fattening sauces for light broths and opts for more healthful side including sweet and sour tiger eggplant, Asian greens, fresh hearts of palm and sea beans, to name a few.  Of course, heartier options, such as goat cheese polenta, abound.  

“Like the ocean, at 3030 there’s something for everyone,” Max said.   

As a star in the culinary world, Chef Max is President of DJM Culinary, Inc. which specializes in restaurant concept development and ongoing management.  

He has celebrated the launch of many destination restaurants in the past 4 years.  The first was Latitude 41, then the Brasserie in Cayman, followed by AMP 150 in Cleveland. More recently, he assumed supervision of food and beverage at Cheeca Lodge.  His newest venture is in the Renaissance in downtown Dallas.