Anna Giza, 52, is facing a murder charge and five other felonies after the deadly crash on Florida’s Turnpike near Sunrise Boulevard, court records show.

The death is the second of an uninvolved driver in the past 10 days that occurred during a pursuit in Broward County. On Feb. 16, an uninvolved driver was killed in Tamarac in a crash that occurred as Broward Sheriff’s deputies pursued an aggravated battery suspect driving a stolen car.

Bonnie Bouffard was identified in social media posts shared by a friend and relative on Friday as the person who was killed in the crash.

The crash happened about the time Bouffard, 74, would typically be heading home from her job at an orthopedic surgeon’s office in the nearby area, friend of 13 years Cindy Scurry told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Friday night.

“I was watching it on the news yesterday, and I didn’t even know it was her that I was watching,” she said.

The chain of events began when a white Ford pickup truck was stolen in Fort Lauderdale shortly before 4 p.m. About 10 minutes later, the truck’s tracking device showed the driver, later identified as Giza, had reached the area of northbound Interstate 95 and Southwest 10th Street in Deerfield Beach, a probable cause affidavit said.

One Broward Sheriff’s deputy was receiving updates on the truck’s location from the person who reported it stolen, the affidavit said, and the deputy communicated over radio the truck’s location every few minutes.

Just before 4:30 p.m., the truck drove into Coconut Creek in the area of Sample Road and Banks Road. Multiple Coconut Creek officers pulled the truck driver over one minute later at Sample Road and the southbound entrance to the turnpike.

A K-9 BSO deputy arrived at the scene of the traffic stop and saw that the driver was not following orders to get out of the truck, the affidavit said. The truck driver then reversed and intentionally hit the K-9 deputy’s car, as well as a Coconut Creek sergeant’s marked car. Both the deputy and sergeant were in their cars when the truck hit them.

BSO deputies then began pursuing the driver, who had committed multiple forcible felonies by that point, according to the affidavit.

Broward Sheriff’s Office policy allows deputies to pursue when a forcibly felony has been committed.

It is unclear from the affidavit whether Coconut Creek Police officers also participated in the pursuit.

While fleeing on the turnpike shortly after 4:30 p.m., Giza weaved in and out of lanes at high speeds and drove on the shoulder of the highway to evade deputies, the affidavit says. BSO helicopters were tracking the truck’s movement from the air as the driver fled.

The first collision happened when the truck struck a car about half a mile before the Sunrise Boulevard exit. It is unclear from the affidavit whether anyone was injured.

One BSO deputy driving in the chase tried to perform a Precision Immobilization Technique, known as a PIT maneuver, near the Sunrise Boulevard exit, according to the affidavit. The technique involves a law enforcement officer using his or her car to force a pursued car to abruptly spin out, which causes the driver to lose control and stop fleeing.

“Due to oncoming traffic safety concerns,” the deputy decided “to disengage” from the PIT maneuver, the affidavit said. However, 30 seconds later, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper then performed a second PIT maneuver to stop the truck.

The truck hit the right shoulder wall of the turnpike and collided with a black Nissan Altima that was on the road’s shoulder, the affidavit said. The driver of the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Giza and the BSO deputy and Coconut Creek sergeant whose cars Giza crashed into at the beginning of the incident were all taken to a hospital and were expected to recover.

Giza was held in the North Broward Bureau as of Friday night.

All southbound lanes from Sunrise Boulevard to Interstate 595 were closed for hours on Thursday, lasting until about midnight, creating traffic gridlock.

‘A very kind heart’

Bouffard, a longtime Broward County resident originally from New Jersey, celebrated her 74th birthday in December at the Cooper City American Legion Post 321, where she was a member, Scurry said.

She and Bouffard often spent time together kayaking and rafting on the river in Dunnellon, and the two had a trip planned there within the coming weeks, Scurry said. She loved to play bingo and shoot pool, and if there was a get-together with her friends, everyone wanted her to bring her deviled eggs.

“She had a very kind heart,” Scurry said. “She was a little rough around the edges, but her heart was gold.”

Controversial PIT maneuvers

PIT maneuvers were performed in both Thursday’s pursuit and the pursuit in Tamarac with BSO deputies on Feb. 16, according to court records.

In Tamarac, a deputy tried unsuccessfully to stop a fleeing driver with a PIT maneuver and briefly lost control of his car after trying to perform the technique, according to a probable cause affidavit. The deputy regained control as he entered an intersection and crashed into an uninvolved car. Ronald Wilson, the driver of the uninvolved car, died.

PIT maneuvers are controversial and a high-risk tactic, according to a recent report on guidance for vehicle pursuits from the Police Executive Research Forum. High-ranking law enforcement officials from different states who worked on the recent report could not reach a consensus about whether the PIT maneuver should be a  permitted technique.

“Until there is research-backed evidence defining the parameters within which PIT maneuvers can be employed safely and effectively, this guide cannot without serious reservation endorse their use,” the research report said.

BSO’s policy allows for the technique to be performed in any authorized pursuit and is described as “a safe and effective way to end pursuits” when done correctly.

FHP’s current policy says the maneuver is the “primary technique” used to end pursuits and that a trooper’s actions “must be objectively reasonable.” Among factors to be considered before a PIT maneuver is used are speed of the vehicle, traffic volume and pedestrian traffic.

Current research has not been able to determine at what speed PIT maneuvers can be considered reliably safe, according to the experts who authored the PERF report.

At least one South Florida police agency’s policy prohibits the PIT maneuver at speeds of more than 45 mph, unless deadly force would be justified.

A few other South Florida agencies’ policies are more restrictive. One agency’s policy says “ramming” a car during a pursuit is prohibited unless deadly force is necessary while another agency says pursued cars should not, at any time, be forced to stop by ramming.

Staff writer Shira Moolten contributed to this report.

Mistah Lee’s Smokin’ Good BBQ, 8240 State Road 7, Suite 250, Boynton Beach: Pitmaster Lee Stransky’s ’cue shack, known for beef brisket, house-brined pastrami, cornbread slathered in “sticky” sauce and a big accolade — its food truck won top honors in the Sun Sentinel’s Best of South Florida Dining series — announced on social media that his first brick-and-mortar had closed. CLOSED: Jan. 8, per Facebook page.

Angelo Elia Pizza, Bar, Tapas, 5920 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs. After 11-plus years in the Sawgrass Center shopping plaza near Heron Bay, restaurateur Angelo Elia’s namesake casual space known for paninis, pies and grilled artichoke hearts, has closed, joining a Weston location that also shut in 2025. CLOSED: Dec. 18, per website and restaurateur Eddie Pozzuoli, who said he plans to replace it with Ember & Vine this summer.

The Hen and The Hog Smokehouse Cantina, 14 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach: This 3,000-square-foot Mexican-barbecue cantina came from the people behind The Hen and The Hog all-day Southern bruncheries. Here, brisket nachos, shrimp and grits, smoked brisket melts and pulled pork sandwiches starred alongside tacos, fajitas and chicken burritos. CLOSED: Jan. 5, due to “significant staffing issues,” co-owner George Abbondante said.

La Torretta Italian Grill, 308 Indian Trace, Weston: Fabrizio and Vita Russo’s longtime eatery served veal francese, baked ziti, pasta e fagioli and chicken parmesan, presiding over weddings and funerals, graduations and bar mitzvahs for 34 years in a sumptuously red-bricked dining space older than the city of Weston itself. CLOSED: Jan. 11 to avoid “dramatic” rent increase from landlord, per manager Martha Vasalo.

Vivace Italian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, 9763 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation: This upscale sit-down owned by Vito and Santina DiSalvo, known for NY-style pizza, Italian American classics, global wines and craft beers, has permanently closed after 10 years, after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. CLOSED: Dec. 20, owners confirmed via their website and social media.

Drip Coffee, 6317 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale: This cafe lasted all of three months in the Cypress Creek Station plaza, serving specialty espressos (like Burnt Ritual, a matcha latte with toasted marshmallow cold foam), avocado toast and sourdough sandwiches. CLOSED: Jan. 2, citing construction issues in the surrounding shopping center, per an Instagram post.

Chez Vincent, 3312 NE 32nd St., Fort Lauderdale: Vincent Maurin — with his wife, Claire, and daughter/business partner Nastasia — opened this wine bar and French café in Fort Lauderdale’s Galt Ocean Mile luxe neighborhood in the summer of 2021. In addition to vino, Chez Vincent offered charcuterie platters, hot and cold sandwiches, and breakfast service with baguettes, croissants, and ham and cheese plates. CLOSED: This winter; sale of the space closed on Feb. 2, according to a real estate executive.

Milk Money Bar & Kitchen, 815 NE 13th St., Fort Lauderdale: This anchor of the shopping/dining/entertainment enclave of Northeast 13th Street became a buzzy eatery (and a brunch fave) when Kimberly Wong, Blaise McMackin and Scott Ojeda opened back in 2018 in a space shared with Warsaw Coffee Co. “We continue to miss our staff, our neighbors, our friends and our customers very much,” Wong told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. CLOSED: Dec. 22, according to Wong.

Mykonos, 305 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale: This sleekly modern Mediterranean sit-down from the Breakwater Hospitality Group (The Wharf Fort Lauderdale) that served Turkish beef dumplings and hummus, Chilean sea bass and chicken shish kebab has closed after less than a year in business. Online reservations on the website redirect to a new Greek restaurant named Santorini by Georgios. CLOSED: Late January

The Den Sports Bar & Lounge, 201 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale: Originally dubbed Den Kitchen & Bar when owner Yaser Dashoush opened it in early 2021, this gastropub and party nightclub in the heart of Himmarshee’s drinking district has closed after five years in business. It served fare such as wings, grilled pork chops and burgers. CLOSED: Mid-January, with website, phone and social media accounts now deactivated.

The body of Heather Asendorf, 56, was found on Hollywood Beach near Cleveland Street, naked and wrapped in a white sheet, on the morning of Dec. 26. Within days, Hollywood Police had arrested Brandon McCray, 28, of Coconut Creek, but he had not been charged with Asendorf’s murder.

A probable cause affidavit released Wednesday does not say how Asendorf first encountered McCray. But a little after 1 a.m. that morning, surveillance video showed him pulling her by the arm along North Surf Road as she tried to get away, according to the affidavit. At one point, as the two passed a group of people, Asendorf tried to call out to them but they didn’t turn around. Footage then showed McCray carrying her, helpless and disoriented, to a laundry room on Connecticut Street. Asendorf weighed about 110 pounds, according to the affidavit, while McCray weighs about 350 pounds.

Asendorf kept trying to fight back, but McCray overpowered her, according to the affidavit. He then beat and viciously raped her before throwing her on the ground near an apartment swimming pool that borders the laundry room. A little after 3 a.m., he reappeared on the footage, grabbed her items and a white sheet, and left.

Police officers spoke to McCray later on Dec. 26 at a Circle K on North Federal Highway. The contents of their conversation is redacted from the affidavit.

A video provided to police showed Asendorf dancing on the Broadwalk in a Taylor Swift Christmas sweater and a white skirt earlier in the night, according to the probable cause affidavit. Police found the same sweater, possibly covered in blood, in a backpack leaning against her body on the beach, along with a Hello Kitty makeup bag.

On Thursday, McCray was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of sexual battery. Prosecutors this week gave notice of their intent to seek the death penalty in the case, court records show.

According to the indictment, McCray is accused of strangling the victim.

While the identity of the victim is redacted in the grand jury indictment charging McCray with murder and in other court records, Hollywood Police previously publicly identified Asendorf, 56, as the woman whose body was found near Cleveland Street.

Man charged in sexual assault of woman found dead on Hollywood beach

Details of the investigation leading to McCray’s arrest have not been released. The arrest warrant has been sealed by a court order and is not available publicly.

The day after Asendorf’s body was discovered, police announced that they had identified a person of interest and that people involved knew one another. McCray was arrested Dec. 30 with help from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, initially on charges of sexual battery, kidnapping, battery and battery by strangulation.

Asendorf, who friends called “Barbie,” was staying at a hotel about a block away from where her body was found, long-time friend Steve Sarsfield, of Hallandale Beach, previously told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. She was in town from Pennsylvania, where she was originally from, and planned to visit for a few weeks with old friends from her past years living in Hollywood. She could often be found at the Hollywood Beach Bandshell dancing when she was in town.

McCray is held without bond in the Broward Main Jail.

The centerpiece of a traveling exhibit by Boca Raton’s Hate Ends Now, the cattle car will be on display at two South Florida locations this month: Coconut Creek and Coral Springs.

“While misinformation spreads quickly and historical memory fades fast, our exhibit aims to help connect past events to present-day consequences,” said Todd Cohn, CEO of the nonprofit Hate Ends Now. “It reinforces why remembrance matters and why education remains the most effective tool for confronting hate.”

The replica of the World War II cattle cars that transported prisoners to concentration camps — alongside other artifacts from the era — serves as a hands-on tool for what organizers call a more nuanced approach to Holocaust education.

The first chance to view the “Hate Ends Now: The Cattle Car Exhibit” is Thursday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Coconut Creek Government Center. Visitors are encouraged to step inside the car, where they will hear testimonies from survivors and see 360-degree videos detailing the experiences of those who suffered inside.

Later that evening, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Coconut Creek will unveil a Holocaust memorial at the same spot. Artist Marit Meisler created the 10-foot sculpture titled, “Generations,” that will become the first public art installation in the city.

The sculpture focuses on the children of the Holocaust, specifically those who were on the Kindertransport, a rescue mission that saved thousands. The unveiling is limited to 200 guests and requires an advance registration (call 954-956-1580), but guests will be able to view the artwork outside of the Government Center after the event.

The exhibit moves to Coral Springs City Hall the next day. At press time, all available slots from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. were filled, but organizers say many artifacts will be on display inside City Hall for guests to view, including a prison uniform, ID cards and other Holocaust-era items.

In the past, the “Hate Ends Now: The Cattle Car Exhibit” has been stationed at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Times Square in New York City, and most recently at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, but it is mostly tailored for schools.

In 2025, it was used as part of a Holocaust education program at Saint Louis Covenant School in Miami-Dade County’s Pinecrest. Throughout February and March, it is scheduled to stop at various Palm Beach County schools before heading north to Orlando.

Cohn hopes that, in a time of rising antisemitism, the exhibit will help students better understand how dangerous the spread of hate can be.

“The Holocaust didn’t start with cattle cars; it started when everyday people lacked the moral clarity and courage to stand up to hate,” he said. “For students today, that moment may happen on social media or in a school cafeteria. Our charge to them is the same: to recognize hate when they see it and to stand up to it, wherever it appears.”

Find more information and additional viewing opportunities at hateendsnow.org.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Hate Ends Now: The Cattle Car Exhibit”

WHEN/WHERE:

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at Coconut Creek Government Center, 4800 W. Copans Road
• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at Coral Springs City Hall, 9500 W. Sample Road

COST: Free, but advance registration is required for cattle-car entry

INFORMATION: coconutcreek.gov/cattlecar and coralsprings.gov

Now that Overby has been identified, police are asking members of the public to come forward with any leads that might help identify her killer, the department said in a Facebook post.

On Sept. 28, 1981, officers went to the 6700 block of Lyons Road to investigate after a woman’s body was found in a canal. An autopsy revealed she died of gunshot wounds to the head. She had no identification on her and was labeled “Jane Doe.” The case went cold for decades.

We have identified a murder victim known only as "Jane Doe" for the past 45 years. See the full story: https://t.co/6KMs8yk2SI pic.twitter.com/r7764GgSR1

— Coconut Creek Police Department (@CoconutCreekPD) January 14, 2026

Go to Herald.com for the full report.

If so, you’re in good company. It’s a popular choice for many amid the hustle and bustle of the season — whether you just don’t feel like cooking or you’re looking for a meal on Christmas Day when many restaurants close. Plus, it’s a convenient and tasty option for any other day of the year!

For our Best of South Florida Dining series, we asked you, our readers, to share your top picks for the best Chinese takeout spots in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The nomination round yielded these top five finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Bamboo Wok (Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coconut Creek)
• Hong Kong City BBQ (Tamarac)
• Lotus Chinese Kitchen (Fort Lauderdale)
• SunRice Chinese Restaurant (Fort Lauderdale)
• Wan’s (Fort Lauderdale)

We collected your votes during the week before Christmas while visions of egg rolls, fried rice and wonton soup danced in our heads. And now, we have our winner … Bamboo Wok!

If you’ve never been, this family run place is a must-try, according to its many fans, who voted it No. 1 for satisfying their Chinese takeout food cravings.

THE RESPONSE

“It’s honestly a huge honor, and we are so happy about it,” said Steve Zheng, who manages the Boynton Beach location. “It really put some weight behind all the effort that we’ve put forth over these past 20 to 25 years to ensure that we were able to serve our community.”

Recently, he saw firsthand “how incredible and rewarding it is to be able to serve so many people and so many families throughout the holidays,” he said, which is “historically the busiest time of the year for the restaurants.”

His cousins came from California and Illinois to jump in and help, Zheng said.

“I truly think that a good part of our success is due to the fact that we have such good backing from the family,” he said. “They all come back and take time to help out during the busy season so that we can properly serve everybody.

“Because at the end of the day, this is a very special time for us, and it’s also a very special time for everyone else. We want to be able to provide food for everybody without reducing the quality of food, without having to cut corners.”

THE HISTORY

After working at Zheng’s uncles’ Long Island restaurant for several years in the 1990s, the Liu siblings — Lin, Cynthia, Louis and Tina (Zheng’s mother) — moved to South Florida in 2001. That’s when Lin Liu opened Bamboo Wok in Boca Raton, serving a menu of dishes influenced by New York-style Chinese takeout.

Louis Liu started the Coconut Creek location a couple of years later, followed by Cynthia and Tina with the Boynton Beach spot several years after that.

“We did take a little bit of time to scout out locations, but we also didn’t want to compete with each other,” Zheng said. “We wanted to be within proximity but not also overlap. And that’s why you see the restaurants built from Coconut Creek to Boca to Boynton.”

While there’s no talk right now about opening other restaurants, he said there’s potential for that in the future.

THE FOOD

The Lius started with the same menu at each location, adjusting items over the years to accommodate their customers’ preferences, Zheng said.

You’ll find all the familiar favorites, such as General Tso’s chicken, chow mein, egg foo young, sweet and sour pork, as well as BBQ spare ribs, egg rolls, dumplings (steamed or pan-fried), wonton and egg drop soups and fried rice, available as lunch and dinner specials.

There’s also a selection of house specialties and a diet menu with steamed meats and vegetables (New Year’s resolution, anyone?).

“We take a lot of effort to ensure consistency within our food and also to just maintain the core concepts that we brought down,” Zheng said. “We came down with an understanding that if we do things properly, the way that they were taught to my uncles to do whenever they were training, and we use quality ingredients, provide good customer service, that’s really all there is to it, right? To create good cuisine.”

They stick to the basics, he said, but have refined their recipes through the years to ensure keeping up with the times and customers’ changing taste preferences.

With fresh, raw meats and vegetables used to prepare everything in-house, Zheng said it’s a scratch kitchen behind the scenes at every Bamboo Wok location. The only frozen item they use is shrimp.

“It’s quite honestly a labor of love,” he said. “I’ve been working in the kitchen for the past year in the back, and it takes a lot of effort to make these things, to create the dish.”

The sauces? Well, that’s where Zheng said Bamboo Wok really stands out. Each one takes a couple of hours to prepare and then they marinate over three to four days before being served.

“That way it really captures the full assets of the flavor that we want to imbue in the food,” Zheng said. “We do take a ton of time to make these sauces, to make sure they’re consistent and perfect every single time.”

They come in an hour before the restaurant opens to start cooking the soups and chopping vegetables, and they make their own egg rolls in-house every few days.

“We understand is it is very time-intensive and labor-intensive, but those are corners that we feel as a family cannot be cut in order to maintain the quality of the food,” he said.

Sesame chicken is one of their most popular dishes, and fried crab rangoon is tops among appetizers, but Zheng’s go-to order is the shrimp and garlic sauce.

“It’s got a nice tinge of sweet tangy to it as well, and we do add a little bit of spice,” he said. “It’s a good blend.”

How about the fried rice, the must-have side for any Chinese takeout order?

“Our pork fried rice, we’ve been doing it the same pretty much for 25 years now,” Zheng said. “We take raw pork and we roast it over several hours to turn into that nice roast pork and then we cut it up and we use that for fried rice.”

WHAT FANS SAID

Bamboo Wok fans singled out several dishes in their nominations, including the orange beef and chicken, sweet and sour chicken, General Tso’s chicken and Hunan beef.

Among the best appetizers receiving nods were spring rolls and crab rangoon, which Boca Raton resident Rachel Mikulinsky described in her nomination form as “stuffed with filling, so creamy and yummy. And cheap!”

Delray Beach resident Richard Pachter told us in his nomination form that he orders steamed vegetable dumplings and fried rice for lunch or dinner.

“All the usual Chinese American favorites are expertly prepared,” he wrote. “They’ve been consistent for several decades now. Excellent family-run business.”

Chicken and broccoli is Boca Raton resident Stacy Lamont’s go-to order for lunch or dinner, according to her nomination.

Her appetizer of choice?

“Bone-in spare ribs, nice and sticky cooked to perfection,” she wrote. “Their food just has the best flavor; always spot on, never any issues.”

Bamboo Wok has three locations: 9181 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 12040 S. Jog Road, Boynton Beach; and 4660 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Coconut Creek. Visit bamboowok.com.

And don’t miss previous Best of South Florida Dining series winners!

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The Soccer Experience is set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, launching the shopping/dining/entertainment destination’s Summer of Family Fun series.

Staged in front of of the retail complex’s butterfly mural show, there will be a Penalty Shoot Game and a Soccer Field Game as well as other interactive activities. There will also be a DJ spinning tunes.

“During this event, kids and their families can also enjoy selfies with two costumed soccer-player characters as well as yard games and a variety of fantastic photo ops,” said Ivette Cordova, marketing coordinator for Promenade at Coconut Creek.

The bobble head-esque, soccer-player characters will resemble prominent pitch-praised personalities Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Kylian Mbappé (France).

Admission is free, but advance registration is required because space is limited. To RSVP, go to promenadeatcoconutcreek.com.

The Promenade at Coconut Creek is located at 4467 Lyons Road. The butterfly mural is at the north parking garage ramp.

The Summer of Family Fun series will continue with a Barnyard Bash on July 30 and a Bubble Show on August 27.

The Michelin Guide announced Thursday night that a pair of chef-tasting experiences, the Chef’s Counter at MAASS in Fort Lauderdale and Konro in West Palm Beach, have earned one Michelin star apiece. Both restaurants picked up their accolades during a ceremony at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The news comes after Michelin in February said it would expand its esteemed guide to three new regions — Greater Fort Lauderdale, the Palm Beaches and St. Pete/Clearwater — making South Florida eateries from Hallandale Beach to Jupiter eligible to be saluted.

And boy, did South Florida eateries turn up for the occasion: All told, five Fort Lauderdale restaurants picked up Michelin accolades, while Palm Beach County spots earned nine awards.

The international director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, for one, is bullish about the Sunshine State’s restaurant supremacy.

“Florida has proven to be an international culinary destination with the expansion to three new cities,” he said in a statement. “Our anonymous inspectors continued to be delighted by Florida’s culinary community, and we congratulate all of the chefs and restaurants being honored in this year’s selection.”

The French tire company’s guide first rolled into Miami, Orlando and Tampa in 2022 after the state’s tourism arm, Visit Florida, paid $1.5 million over three years to rate eateries in those regions. Michelin’s expansion in South Florida came after the tourism groups for Broward and Palm Beach counties, Visit Lauderdale and Discover the Palm Beaches, chipped in an extra $90,000 each to be part of the guide.

The intimate, 14-seat Chef’s Counter at MAASS at the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale is chef Ryan Ratino’s ode to American cuisine accented with French techniques. Guide “inspectors” — Michelin’s moniker for diners who visit and critique each eatery anonymously — praised the tasting menu handled by chef David Brito, especially its “single-seared diver scallop over a truffle puree.”

“Designed as an upmarket riff on chicken noodle soup, it’s finished with a velvety broth,” the guide wrote. “A delicate bowl of koshihikari rice cooked in a donabe with maitake mushroom and a Comté foam is excellent from start to finish. Finally, kakigori with candied nuts and fresh raspberries is a delightful conclusion.”

Ratino, 34, is no stranger to the Michelin aura: Last night, the young chef and his group, Hive Hospitality, also collected one Michelin star for Ômo by Jônt in Winter Park, adding to the two stars that Jônt in Washington, D.C., already has.

“Earning a Michelin star for MAASS is incredibly special,” he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Friday. “We’ve poured so much heart into this restaurant, and to have that recognized at this level really means the world. People trust the Michelin name — they travel for it, plan their meals around it, and that brings a whole new wave of guests through our doors.

“It helps us keep the energy and excitement up, even in a time when food costs and labor challenges are real concerns for everyone in the industry.”

At Konro, led by chef Jacob Bickelhaupt and sommelier Nadia Bickelhaupt, their 10-seat chef’s counter presents a ballet of Japanese A5 Wagyu, dry-ice smoke, delicate bouquets of microgreens and other surprising morsels paired with exotic, small-producer wines. Among the dishes: drumstick-sized cones of crackling chicken skin, stuffed with foie gras and cloudberry jam, which the guide dubbed a “highlight.”

“The chef’s creativity is displayed in dishes like barley risotto with enoki mushrooms, caramelized crispy fried onions, and black truffle shavings, served in a golden egg,” the guide continued.

For Jacob Bickelhaupt, 42, his road to Michelin stardom is paved with redemption. He moved to West Palm Beach in July 2022, seeking to rebuild his life and career following the controversial shutdown of his Michelin two-star Chicago restaurant 42 Grams in 2017. In 2022, he told the Sun Sentinel that he was chasing a Michelin comeback for Konro.

This week, the wish came true.

“There’s a difference between certainty and high hopes, but I guess we did it,” he said, reached in the parking lot of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where he planned to celebrate his win. “You just have to believe you’re doing everything you can to be included [in Michelin]. Many people come to Konro to celebrate big milestones, so I think that Nadia and I, we structured the restaurant so that we treat everyone the same as a VIP. That’s the magic that makes it work.”

Fort Lauderdale’s Heritage, an Italian-American restaurant in Flagler Village fronted by (literal) rockstar chef Rino Cerbone, picked up the region’s first Bib Gourmand, Michelin lingo for eateries that feature “great food at a great value.”

Not to be outdone, West Palm Beach restaurants Aioli, chef Michael Hackman’s celebrated bakery-cafe, and Palm Beach Meats, owner Eric and Meghan San Pedro’s fast-casual butcher-retailer-restaurant, also picked up Bib Gourmand recognitions.

All told, Broward and Palm Beach counties racked up nine Michelin-recommended restaurants, which the guide defines as those with a “chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal.” One of them is the 6-month-old Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, where owner Thomas Angelo marries Florida-sourced steakhouse classics with cocktails and seafood.

“It’s great we’re the only steakhouse in Broward to be included in the guide,” said Angelo, whose other Coral Gables restaurant, Fiola Miami, has been Michelin-recommended since 2022. “It really adds to the elevation of the experience for the guests, and it’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment for us.”

Statewide, 31 restaurants have Michelin stars as of 2025, with Greater Miami leading the state with 15, followed by nine in the Greater Orlando area, five in Tampa, and the two in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. No restaurant lost a star this year.

Below, find the full lineup of South Florida Michelin winners broken down by county.

BROWARD COUNTY

Michelin stars: Chef’s Counter at MAASS, Fort Lauderdale, 1 star

Bib Gourmand: Heritage, Fort Lauderdale

Recommended:

• Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse, Fort Lauderdale
• Larb Thai-Isan, Fort Lauderdale
• Evelyn’s, Fort Lauderdale

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Michelin stars: Konro, 1 star

Bib Gourmands:

• Aioli, West Palm Beach
• Palm Beach Meats, West Palm Beach

Recommended:

• Buccan, Palm Beach
• Moody Tongue Sushi, West Palm Beach
• Nicholson Muir Distinguished Meats, Boynton Beach
• Stage Kitchen & Bar, Palm Beach Gardens
• The Butcher’s Club, Palm Beach Gardens
• Coolinary and The Parched Pig, Palm Beach Gardens

For the full list of Michelin winners statewide, go to MichelinMedia.com.

Phillip Valys can be reached at pvalys@sunsentinel.com or X @philvalys. 

These “gold-star” restaurants and food trucks made the March 2025 list of perfect inspections because not one violation — minor, intermediate or high-priority — was red-flagged at the time of the surprise visit from Florida safety and sanitation inspectors.

Last month, 56 Broward County eateries earned perfect scores. In Palm Beach County, 39 passed their inspections without a single incident.

Eateries typically are inspected at random every six months to a year, and they’re not required to show off their results for the public. That’s where we come in: The Sun Sentinel has tallied them up in an easy-to-read format below.

Note: All restaurants and food trucks listed below have been sorted by city. Those without physical addresses on their Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspection reports have been trimmed from the list. Food and drink concessionaires, professional caterers, event planners — any purveyor that’s not a restaurant, food truck, flea market stall or food hall vendor — are also excluded from the roundup.

If your city isn’t listed, either no restaurants there were inspected that month, or none earned a perfect score.