Chefs Janine Booth & Jeff McInnis

Behind every dish at Florida Room is a love story of two chefs whose lives, passions, and plates have become one. Between them are James Beard nominations, Top Chef acclaim, and decades of kitchens from Miami to New York. Yet accolades aren’t what drive them. What matters most is the joy of cooking for people, of turning food into connection, and of watching a meal bring a table to life.

Their cuisine is soulful, savory, and unforgettable: the crunch of rosemary-lemon fried chicken, the perfume of peaches on the grill, the quiet comfort of something that tastes like home. Every recipe begins from scratch, crafted with care and a conscience. The kitchen is completely seed-oil-free, built on olive, avocado, and tallow for flavor and wellness. There is thought in every detail, from the produce we source to the hands that plate it, and a respect for all who gather here, whether gluten-free, vegan, or anything in between. Because every family and circle of friends deserves to enjoy their meal just the way they see best.

Together, our chefs cook the way they live: with passion, laughter, and reverence for the everyday ritual of sharing good food. Every bite carries the warmth of family, the comfort of memory, and the promise that dining well can also mean living well.

Dinner was once an event, a reason to gather and let the night unfold in stories, laughter, and unhurried conversation. At Florida Room, that feeling returns in the flicker of candlelight, the scent of something special on the grill, and the easy rhythm of friends gathered by the lake.

Our food is made to be shared, savored, and remembered, with flavors that stir nostalgia yet feel new and alive.

 The best moments aren’t captured on a phone but etched in the heart, in the sound of laughter and the warmth of connection. Snap a quick photo if you must (we’ll smile when we see it), then tuck the phone away and savor the kind of night that lingers long after the plates are cleared.

The story of The Florida Room is also the story of the land beneath it, a quiet stretch of water and palms that once helped build a city. The lake beside the restaurant began as a rock quarry, its limestone used to pave some of Fort Lauderdale’s earliest roads before filling with rainwater and becoming part of Snyder Park, a 90-acre green oasis just beyond downtown.

When we found this forgotten corner, it was a backlot for city trucks and storage, but we envisioned what it could become, restoring the lake, adding in white sand, and planted more than 150 palms, transforming it into something beautiful again.

Today, the palms sway, the water glows, and The Florida Room stands at the heart of The Fort, where history, hospitality, and heart come together. What was once a worksite is now a gathering place, and every meal carries a little of that transformation, proof that with care and vision, something ordinary can grow into something extraordinary.