American Express has begun operating their own network of “Centurion lounges,” which are a step above what travelers have become accustomed to from US airline-operated lounges.
I consider the American Express Centurion lounge in Dallas my favorite lounge in the U.S.. It’s one of the two lounges I visit most often.
There’s a Centurion lounge already in Las Vegas and at New York LaGuardia as well and also San Francisco.
There’s an additional known lounge in the pipeline for Miami, and a more modest lounge coming to Seattle.
The Miami lounge will be most easily accessible to American Airlines passengers.
The Miami lounge should be getting close to open especially because its celebrity chef pairing is now known: Michelle Bernstein.
“I get to create salads and fun appetizers for those who just want to nibble as they work and main courses with vegetables and a heavier starch side with very little limitation,” Bernstein said to the Miami Herald. “As always, I just want it to be consistent, bold in flavor and make someone feel sated but not too full to board a plane and still have a good, relaxing flight.”
Bernstein became well known in the food world upon taking over the restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Miami in 2001.
She co-hosted The Food Network’s Melting Pot and has been a guest judge on Top Chef. No stranger to deals of this sort, she was the chef for Delta’s international business class meals in the middle of the last decade and she had a line of cookware on the Home Shopping Network.
Nonetheless, her restaurants have a reputation for being quite good.
I’m definitely looking forward to the new lounge when it opens soon, and to what Chef Bernstein has in store.
Hope there’s more than just vegetarian. While I agree with the hot climate of Miami, one goes for a lighter style of cookery, but let’s not forget most of those likely to use the lounge will be carnivores!
I’ve been to Michy’s, which is her flagship restaurant in Miami- and it’s wonderful. I hope the great flavors translate to the new lounge.
One does not need to be a celebrity chef (how in hell did this concept materialize?) to produce good food. Nonetheless, I hope the food here will be good. I consistently enjoy my time in the DFW Centurion Lounge.
Michy offers excellent food at both of her restaurants in Miami. She is the perfect choice for the club at MIA…..and yes, she will offer selections for carnivores!
I’ve got a Miami trip in mid may that’s likely to include a few hours at MIA prior to my return. Fingers crossed for the lounge to open in the next 6 weeks, but that may be too optimistic.
@zach I think we’d have a date or at least photos folks have snuck of a near-complete lounge if it was going to be that quick, but i hope i’m wrong!