It’s a rare sight: Carbone, the latest restaurant to enter the Miami food scene, is empty. For a few hours before opening, the room is silent, the tables are untouched and intricately set, and the famed dessert carts are yet to be rolled out for display. Outside, the patio chairs are still resting on top of the tables from the night before — all except one. A passerby asks in awe, “Is that the Mario Carbone?”

Sitting at the table with an espresso in hand is the esteemed chef and cofounder of Major Food Group (his partners are Jeff Zalaznick and Rich Torrisi). Carbone is posing with animated Italian gestures and pretending to inspect the menu, and his energy is so infectious, it’s no surprise he has built a culinary empire that is redefining the dining experience.