On this episode of Legacy on a Plate, we get cracking at a legendary# Miami [music] Beach institution.

[music] restaurants that have shaped South Florida# history, one plate at a time.

Let's dig in.

As a South Florida native, when [music]# I think about a restaurant in Legacy, there is one that comes to mind.

Whether you've# spent your whole life eating there or have never actually walked [music] through its doors,# it's an undeniable part of Soie history.

For over a century, Joe [music] Stone Crab in Miami# Beach has been the culinary institution that has set the bar for hospitality, professionalism,# and consistency.

Welcome to Joe's Tone Crowd.

So, 115 years, give or take.

Yeah.

How does# that feel?

I mean, what is that like to be the fourth generation of a restaurant that has been# open for 115 years?

I'm Steve Seowitz.

I'm the fourth generation of Joe Stone Crab Restaurant.# [music] I'm also the COO.

I've been working here since 1979, but Joe's goes back all the way to# 1913 when my great-grandfather Joe, who had an asthmatic condition in New York, needed to find a# warmer climate to live so he could breathe.

So his doctor said, "Well, you can either go to Arizona# or you can go to Florida."

So he chose Florida.

He was a waiter in New York.

So he went back to# his family, back to his job and decided to move his family down to South Florida and then soon# thereafter [music] established a restaurant called Joe's Seafood Restaurant.

There were signs on the# hotels.

It was a very racist area south of Fifth Street.

There were signs in front of the hotels# that said no Jews or dogs allowed.

So that must have been a challenge.

and he was one of the first# Jewish people living down here running a business.

I don't know what it took for him cuz I never# experienced the way he did, but I would imagine he had to have a tough [music] skin and go to work# and be a part of society and keep his, you know, nose to the grindstoneone and serve [music] people# the best he could.

And and there's always been a welcoming anybody could dine here type of feeling# because of that.

I think that was [music] part of the heart and soul of Joe's was that Joe's# would be open to anybody.

We live in America, a phenomenal great country.

We live in a an# incredible city that's surrounded by water.

We've been able to embrace the community.

You# know, I I can't tell you how many languages are spoken at Joe's just [music] among the employees# and how many countries people have come from that work here.

I can tell you that there isn't# a hemisphere that is not within [music] our reach.

We've had people from everywhere.

And# I think that's part of the American dream.

Okay, this is really exciting.

[music] So, we# are here at Joe's to go, which is your takeout spot.

Yes.

Right next to Joe's.

And you are going# to teach me how to properly crack open like Yes.

How to properly crack open a stone crab.

Yes,# of course I know how to crack a stone crab.

But I want to see Joe's, you know, fourth# generation crack open a stone crab.

I mean, come on.

If anybody can do it, it's got# to be you.

Okay.

[laughter] Better be me, right?

Yeah.

All right.

So, what size is this?# This would be a large on the smaller side.

Okay.

Okay.

But what what you do is I like to use a hard# surface.

Okay.

Right.

And then I take a mallet and I like to use the softer side, not the So, I've# never seen a mallet like this with the metal and then the wooden.

This is what we use.

And they# they work pretty well.

And what you want to do, you see the three distinct the two knuckles and# the main claw part.

You want to tap that down a little bit so it flattens.

Right.

This is the# thinnest part shell of the hole.

This is This is Yes.

Very delicate.

This is harder.

But I'm going# to show you a little trick.

You know, you just want you don't want to over Yes.

Just a little# bit.

Okay.

And then the next one, I like to turn it just a little bit to get it centered.

Right.# And then instead of pushing down, you want to use the weight of the mallet, right?

Not the weight# of your hand.

Okay.

And then this is the moving part of the claw.

That's fixed.

You want to hit it# right up in there so that when you're eating it, when the customer is eating, it's easier to# twist.

And then I hit it right up in there.

Oh, that's perfect.

Right.

Yeah.

And then we put it# on the plate.

Do you know what I find fascinating is this little kind of fingerprint.

I always love# that because I'm from South Florida.

Yeah.

There's like they're all different and people you my dad# and and uh used to tell me about the fingerprint on there.

It's like that is their that is their# fingerprint.

It is.

So, I don't know if we can catch that in camera, but I find it fascinating# that the crabs all have their own fingerprint and there are these little grooves in here that makes# them all, you know, independent and different.

And it's I find it amazing.

Wow.

Very cool.

They're# cool.

You want to crack it?

Okay.

Here you go.

I'm going to try to remember what you said.

So,# tap tap tap.

So, tap tap.

Just keep tapping till you get it in between the two to flatten it up# a little bit.

Right.

And then gently.

Perfect.

Perfect.

Oh, there you go.

[laughter] That's# a juicy one.

That is just so great.

So, this mustard sauce, which by the way, [music]# I have I think the only cookbook that was ever a Joe's cookbook.

And I have been making the# mustard sauce since the cookbook came out.

Okay.

And it's the best mustard sauce# ever.

And I'm gonna enjoy this crab.

Oh my goodness.

There's nothing like it# in the whole world.

It's juicy.

You You can taste the ocean.

You can smell# the ocean.

It's the best thing ever.

All right.

I think I'm ready for dessert.# Should we go?

Yes.

Okay, good.

I'm ready.

No better way to end my visit than mom's key lime# pie.

Yeah, this is very exciting.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

How many pies a day or# week?

On average about 120 pies a day except during shipping holiday time.

And this is a really# big pie.

Oh yeah.

12 inch.

Yeah.

I mean it's enormous.

And I you know that I never knew that# it was such a big pie.

I can't believe Well, that that'll show you.

I always came in for a slice of# pie, never for a whole pie.

We We don't make it by the slice.

We make [laughter] But I didn't realize# it was so enormous.

This is beautiful.

Yeah.

And ode to your mama.

Yeah.

This is her recipe.

Yeah.# This is great.

What a great day learning about your history and just I mean this is a landmark.# This is this restaurant has meant so much to me, my family, everybody in South Florida feels# the same way.

There's a closeness and and we feel part of the community, a big part of [music]# it.

Um not just the the the immediate, you know, South Beach area, which was where we really were.# It was called South Beach, [music] right?

And then uh South Beach kind of grew in the '9s.

They# called it everything [music] became South Beach.

But truthfully, South Beach was south of Fifth.# And um to those of us that are from here, by the way, it still is.

And it's so funny when you# see like a different show or something going on, well, we'll be on South Beach.

You're not going# to be on South Beach.

You're going to be in Miami Beach.

How did LeBron take his talents to South# Beach?

Yeah.

And and it's funny because, you know, I always thought it [music] was just my family# that grew up coming here and it was all about, you know, our moments and our memories here,# but it truly is, you know, a legacy that is stretched beyond Florida.

I know that you have# Joestone crabs in other cities around the country, but you just um your importance to# all of us, [music] it's huge.

you, your family's legacy, what now you were doing# here and what you will do in our future.

Um, and I hope that that carries on to all of our# kids, you know, and I think it will.

Well, I'm excited.

So, the key lime pie always comes out# really [music] beautifully cold, almost icy cold.

Yep.

I mean, there's nothing you can# say.

I have no words.

Perfection.

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

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