On this episode of Legacy on a Plate, we# visit West Palm Beach's premier steakhouse.

[music] [music] Hi, I'm Michelle Bernstein, and welcome to# Legacy on a Plate.

Join me as I visit the iconic restaurants that have shaped South Florida# history, one plate at a time.

Let's dig in.

[music] Today, we're in beautiful West Palm Beach# .. Founded in 1947 as the Okeechobee# Drive-In by Ralph and Norma Lewis, the restaurant's [music] concept evolved into the# premier steakhouse it's known for today, thanks to the foresight of Ralph [music] and Norma's son,# Curtis Lewis.

Today, Curtis and his son, Ralph, continue at the helm of the steakhouse, [music]# along with the younger generations of the Lewis family.

My name is Curtis Lewis.

I'm second# generation owner of the Okeechobee Steakhouse.

My parents started it in 1947 [music]# as Okeechobee Drive-In.

We were a small little place, did curb service [music] in that# Okeechobee Road.

It was a little two-lane highway that was just big enough for two cars to go# [music] down.

We served curb service and inside.

We were [music] so far out of town, we used to# have to go pick up our meat.

Nobody delivered this far out.

[music] We had to go pick up everything.# Bread, milk, produce, meat, at Smith Richardson Conroy at the time.

And we've come a long# [music] way since, and so has West Palm Beach.

I've lived here all my West Palm Beach# is I think one of the greatest places there is to live.

And my son and my grandkids and# my nephews and that have been a great help in our business and we've been a family-run business.# [music] And you know, I was always hoping that some of them would come into the# business and Ralph finally did.

My name is Ralph Lewis and I am a third generation# [music] proprietor.

My wife Laura and I of Okeechobee Steakhouse.

[music] We're in charge of# everything.

So we are at the helm now running and taking it to the next generation.

There's [music]# actually four generations of us step on the property every day still to this day.

My father# when he took it over, [music] you know, he he moved it in a new direction and I believe that's# why we're here today.

And at this point now, it's trying to keep the [music] culture, the feel, and# the nostalgia of when you walk into the building, you feel like you're walking into a time capsule# back into 1950s [music] old-school steakhouse.

So that was when you had the most amazing# time of your life.

Incredible.

Incredible.

[music] Guys, opening this door is kind of amazing.

.. it's not big, but you need to see this.

It's# beautiful.

So, Brendan's going to open the door.

This is our dry aging room.

Right.

And this is we# have a two-stage proprietary process that I came up with.

Now, there's a lot of air goes on, but# I'm going to cut the fans off where we can hear and it's a little bit not so cold.

Brendan, do you# want to tell them a little bit about what we do?

So, everything starts in here.

This# is going to be phase one of our of our dry aging process.

Okay.

So, we put it# all these in here.

They come uh ready to go.

We take them out.

We weigh them to get our first# initial weights.

And then from there, uh they go through a process that allows all the moisture# to essentially come off of it before it goes into stage two, which is behind this door here.

So, how# long do you age it in here?

This will stay around 10 days in the front room.

Okay.

This is the as# Brendan was saying to take the moisture off.

Yeah.

And then we move it to the back room.

So, And then# how long is that?

So, the back room will be two to three weeks more in here depending on the age of# the meat.

So, never longer than about 30-40 days?

About 30 35 to 45 days depending on the cut of# meat.

Yeah.

This is where the absolute magic happens.

Oh my god.

Oh my god.

So, this is going# to be stage two.

Can I can I just say something?

It's smells so good in here.

It does.

It smells# It has that nutty savory It smells like goose liver.

Like foie gras.

This is Like foie gras?

You# know what?

It does kind of have that smell.

Going into this is typically about 45 days in total# between both rooms.

Okay.

Um additional 3 weeks.

But in here is where the moisture has been pulled# off and now it's time for the what you can see is almost a crust that develops and what# that does it locks in all the enzymes and everything to help tender naturally tenderize# the meat.

But it also gives you a beautiful crusty Oh, it it just it gives that concentrated# robust, you know, you'll lose about 15 to 20% of the weight when you dry age.

So I'm guessing# that the salt pulls in the moisture, right?

all natural Himalayan salt blocks that we bring# in and it helps along with the fan rotation and everything and the air circulation to allow the# proper air flow to get a nice dry aging process done because if you if it sits stagnant versus# stagnant, then you run into other issues.

So this is this is what really helps get a full all around# crust which you guys can see.

These what we call the dinosaur bone.

When I opened up the market, we# always tell everybody this is our dinosaur bone.

It looks like a Tyrannosaurus Rex to be honest# with you.

Yeah, I know.

Absolutely.

It is stunning.

Stunning.

You have the crust here what# you said all this is keeping the natural flavors and enzymes and allowing it to tenderize.

Well,# thank you guys.

This is beautiful.

I wish we could encapsulate this smell though because I would# wear this as perfume.

This is just delicious.

Wow.

[music] This is Forward to that.

a great kitchen.# .. but I think it's pretty big.

It's It's# small for the volume we do, but hey, when you're in a 78-year-old building,# you learn to make do with what you have.

So, I know you're cooking a steak for me# today.

What are we What are we cooking today?

a prime dry-aged So, everybody, this beautiful# [clears throat] piece of So, this steak, we just put it on.

It's incredible.

Listen, it comes# with its own handle, which is the best part.

But, this steak is a prime dry-aged long bone Tomahawk.# We cut it hand cut it.

Our own meat cutters, by the way, our meat cutter's been here 24 years.# Cuts about 4,000 lb a week of steak for us.

So, we will put the steaks on the grill.

Okay.

And# I like to get them get a good mark, some sear, and I get it almost a temp, and then I# like to finish it on the upright broiler.

So, this is beautiful.

So, we're going to get this# ready.

Okay.

And then, the next thing is is for us to enjoy [music] this wonderful wonderful steak.

[music] [music] [music] [music] Thank you, Angelo.

By the way, this my nephew,# Angelo, fourth generation.

We're so proud that that all of us can work here.

So, how old# is the youngest generation, the fifth?

Um he is in his early 20s.

Wow.

So, yeah.# My goodness.

And that is your grandson.

That is your grandson.

My daughter's son,# yeah.

Wow.

Yeah.

Yeah.

My goodness.

Yeah.

So.

Yeah.

It must give you like goosebumps to know# that you all started something that will remain in the family.

Hopefully, just keep on going,# right?

Yeah.

I'm I'm My goal is is to hit the 100-year mark.

Got 22 more years, but I'm hoping# I can hang in there.

it.

I think you can do it.

I think it's amazing.

All right, what should I# start with first?

Okay, so let me let me help you.

I will take care of that.

I always serve# the ladies first.

Uh yes, I certainly will.

Let me get you some of these wonderful# pieces here.

[music] Thank you.

And So, tell me something.

I know this is a really beautiful# place with probably very [music] upscale people.

Do people pick up that bone and nibble# on it?

people pick it up.

And sometimes, if their kids are with them, you'll see# the little kids pick it up.

We try to get a candid [music] photo because nothing's better# than looking at a little child, especially a a little girl who grabs those bones and just attack# them.

Like, oh, there's the corn, the famous corn.

famous creamed corn.

You definitely have to# try this.

Absolutely.

A little bit of smoked um pork belly on top.

And beautiful.

I'm going# to have some of this myself.

I never get tired [music] of this.

Never gets old.

Believe# it or not, creamed spinach is one of the things I cannot do without.

So, that is such a staple, as# you know, in in steak houses.

Old-school classic.

Do you know what I love that I'm watching# right now?

Is that this is all fresh.

It's all fresh.

steak houses use frozen spinach, but# that's not.

I can tell.

[music] It's beautiful.

I mean, everything you've done here, and look# at all these sauces [music] and the butter.

It's just beautiful.

All right, I got to try it.

So, we# will dig in.

Tell me what you think.

here before.

And I [music] absolutely loved it.

Even your# knives are beautiful.

Wow.

Are these Obviously, these are just [music] made for y'all, right?# Yeah.

We have them engraved, and they cut so well cuz they're heavy to the front, [music]# you know?

So, it makes it, but It's so good.

All right, now for we get tired of this.

How# could you?

My goodness.

It's so good.

Wow.

Listen, cheers to you and your whole family.# It's wonderful.

y'all have done here.

Thank you for making [music] an institution for# us to really feel proud of.

Well, thank you for taking the time, and we look forward to the# sixth generation [music] coming on board.

Me, too.

[laughter] Me, too.

Maybe you'll use my# son as a bus boy one day.

Just have him come in.

I'm Michelle Bernstein, [music]# and this is Legacy on a Plate.