Josh Hackler, Pili Restrepo, and Sebastián Vargas
Grassfed Culture Hospitality | Miami, FL
May 2025
As the grandson of an Albanian immigrant who brought pizza to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the son of local restaurateurs, Josh Hackler has had every restaurant job you could imagine. After a trip across Europe as a teenager, he moved to Spain and developed a passion for wine. Back in the States, Hackler started a wine importing business called Spanish Vines, which he sold several years later once he decided to start a business with his wife, Pili Restrepo. Restrepo grew up in Colombia and spent part of her childhood in Spain before eventually moving to the United States. She went on to become a jewelry maker after graduating from college and fine-tuned her craft while working in Italy and New York over the next few years. Then, when Hackler pitched her on a new business venture, she dove into hospitality headfirst. Inspired by a growing culinary scene, the couple moved to Miami in 2018 to launch their business. The first step: finding the right chef and partner.
Hackler and Restrepo joined forces with Sebastián Vargas. The Colombian-born chef discovered his love for cooking while living in New Delhi, India as a kid. When he was older, Vargas moved to Paris, France to cook and then enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. After graduating, he worked for Chef Massimo Bottura and in kitchens throughout New York before scoring a job at Eleven Madison Park. In 2015, Vargas, eager to immerse himself in Nordic cuisine, joined the team at Maaemo in Oslo, Norway, followed by Fäviken in Järpen, Sweden. Over the next three years, he learned to cook sustainably and forged a connection with the natural world.
In 2020, Hackler, Restrepo, and Vargas launched Grassfed Culture Hospitality and opened their first concept, Krüs Kitchen, in Coconut Grove. Since then, they’ve opened two more concepts: ZeyZey, a music venue in Little Haiti, and Los Félix, which focuses on the versatility of corn and Mesoamerican cuisine and has maintained a Michelin Star since 2021. Additionally, the team has also been awarded a Michelin Green Star at both restaurants for their sustainability efforts. With more ventures on the way, the trio is determined to have a positive impact on their city and beyond, and bring vibrant, community focused projects to life.
