Ana De Sa Martins and Juan Vieira
Ana De Sa Martins & Juan Vieira — Ophelia
Ana De Sa Martins, born in Maracaibo Venezuela to a food-loving Portuguese family, discovered her love of cooking early and pursued it relentlessly. At 18, she moved to New York City, immersing herself in the city’s restaurant scene, learning English, and devouring food media. She trained at the Institute of Culinary Education and completed an externship at Lure Fishbar under Chef Josh Capon, where she gained firsthand experience in a fast-paced professional kitchen. After a brief departure due to immigration challenges, Ana returned to New York to earn a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at CUNY CityTech. During her studies, she trained in Alsace, France, where she fell in love with pastry—perfecting cake decoration, ice creams, and classic French techniques. Back in the U.S., she honed her craft at Patisserie Chanson under Chef Rory Macdonald, developing a reputation for balanced, refined desserts, and later built the pastry program at Chef Jeremy Ford’s Stubborn Seed in Miami, where she created ingredient-driven desserts that highlighted seasonal, local produce.
Juan Vieira, a Colombian who has called Miami home since the age of three, began working in kitchens at 16, quickly building a foundation in professional cooking. His first role was at Barton G under Chef Jeff O’Neill, where he learned the intensity of a high-level restaurant kitchen. He then expanded into the catering world with Stephen Starr Catering, gaining experience executing large-scale, high-profile events. Returning to restaurant kitchens, Juan worked at Miami’s most acclaimed establishments, including The Surf Club by Thomas Keller and Stubborn Seed, where he met Ana. He later opened Beauty and The Butcher as Executive Chef, leading the kitchen and shaping its culinary identity. A severe Achilles injury temporarily sidelined him, but during recovery, he channeled his creativity into a sandwich pop-up, which became the inspiration for a new, independent venture.
Together, Ana and Juan—partners in life and in the kitchen—launched Ophelia, a mobile bakery based in Coconut Grove. Ophelia has quickly become a local favorite, delighting the community with fresh, nostalgic pastries and a signature breakfast sandwich. The bakery showcases Ana’s precision and pastry mastery alongside Juan’s bold, flavor-forward approach, reflecting their shared commitment to ingredient-driven food, thoughtful execution, and memorable culinary experiences.
