Chef Rocco Carulli & Owen Bale
As Miami’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community prepares to celebrate Pride Month, there is one couple that stands out for their unwavering commitment to inclusivity, creativity, and hospitality: Rocco Carulli and Owen Bale, the dynamic duo behind R House Wynwood. Rocco and Owen met while Owen was vacationing in Miami in 2011 and it was love at first sight. The two were inseparable thereafter despite living on separate continents at the time. Rocco was wrapping up his time as a chef in Cape Cod, Massachusetts to embark on his journey to opening a restaurant in Miami in March 2013, while Owen was continuing to practice law in London. In May 2013, Owen came over to Miami to take a break from being an attorney and help Rocco with the pre-opening of R House. Three months later, the two traveled to NYC to tie the knot as gay marriage was not yet legal in Florida.
Together, the newlyweds launched R House in 2014 with Rocco at the helm in the kitchen and Owen taking the front-of-house reins. From the moment they opened their doors, Rocco and Owen knew they wanted R House to be a place where everyone felt welcome, regardless of background or identity. With its eclectic Latin-inspired menu, funky decor, and lively entertainment, R House quickly became a beloved gathering spot for locals and tourists alike.
“Our synergy is our superpower!” shares Carulli. Owen explains: “I gave up the 27th floor of a corporate law firm building in the epicenter of London for a chance to be in the thick of this fast-paced and bustling life that is the culinary industry! I honestly didn’t know the first thing about running a restaurant, but I knew as long as I was by Rocco’s side, we could accomplish anything.”
Opening a restaurant in Miami wasn’t always smooth sailing and the duo faced their own dose of challenges from the Zika virus that attacked Wynwood in 2016, Hurricane Irma in 2017, and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite the hardships and interruptions to their business, they persevered; understanding that R House had become more than just a restaurant to its community.
R House is renowned as the site for Miami’s most famous drag brunches. What most people don’t know is that Drag Brunch single-handedly saved the struggling restaurant when the pandemic hit in 2020. Unlike many unfortunate businesses in the area, R House was able to adapt, taking the opportunity to build out the outside patio area to be able to safely cater to customers. Today, R House’s brunch is the most sought-after Drag Brunch in all of Miami.
“If there was one message I could tell the world, it would be to never give up,” continues Owen Bale. “We never stopped working no matter the challenges we’ve faced in the past nine years and because of it, we’ve built this magical, liberating place from the ground up that is now a huge phenomenon.”
Through their hard work and dedication, Rocco and Owen have created a place that truly embodies the spirit of “Pride”: A place where everyone is welcome, love is universal, and creativity and self-expression are celebrated. Their main goal is to continue to serve great food and drinks, provide quality entertainment and make sure everyone who visits leaves with a smile on their face. The future is bright at R House with potential new locations on the horizon in other major cities.
Content courtesy of Staff Writer
