Executive Chef Tara Abrams '99 is more than a chef. She is an entrepreneur, mentor and hospitality leader who has spent more than 25 years helping shape South Florida's restaurant industry. Known for her elevated comfort food and passion for developing talent, Abrams has built a career defined by hard work, resilience and community impact. Today, she serves as chef and managing partner of alumni-favorite Crazy Uncle Mike's, Boca Raton's popular destination for brews, bites and live music.
While attending Lynn University, Abrams discovered her passion for hospitality and developed the foundational skills that would guide her career. Graduating in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in hospitality management, she combined classroom learning with hands-on industry experiences that prepared her for success. Her journey, fueled by determination and a willingness to seize opportunity, ultimately led her to the place she now calls home and her life's work.
Finding her passion
Originally from Long Island, New York, Abrams knew she wanted to attend college in the Sunshine State. After high school, she considered the University of Miami, but the scope of the campus gave her pause.
"I had graduated with only 120 kids in my high school," said Abrams. "My mom was nervous about me going to a school with such a large population. But my cousin went to Lynn University, so I said I would take a look."
Abrams toured Lynn's campus and quickly felt at home. During orientation, she met three students who became lifelong friends and embraced the close-knit campus community. Although she hadn't yet chosen a major, she spent her first years completing core courses that strengthened essential skills such as critical thinking and communication while exploring her interests.
As a sophomore, Abrams still hadn't chosen a major and began asking herself what truly interested her. Then, a chance encounter with a friend from orientation changed everything.
"They asked me what I was doing right then," said Abrams. "And then they invited me to their hospitality class. I loved it and chose the major after that."
As a hospitality student, Abrams took classes that taught her strategy, food service operations, marketing, tourism, management and more. But she was also learning outside the classroom with hands-on experiences from faculty who were industry experts. She and her classmates toured hotels, restaurants and even the dog track. On these field trips, Abrams was inspired by how each organization ran its business and loved seeing the inner workings of the industry. She was particularly drawn to the restaurant business and set out to learn how to work in a kitchen.
"It was great to see how the businesses worked," said Abrams. "It really showed me how I could work and thrive in the restaurant industry one day."
After graduation, Abrams took an entry-level position at 32 East in Delray Beach. Then an unexpected opportunity changed everything. When a kitchen staff member called out sick, she stepped in to help behind the scenes and discovered a passion for the culinary side of hospitality that would shape the course of her career.
Finding her footing
A self-described "hands-on-learner," Abrams began working closely with kitchen staff, writing down recipes in a notebook and learning her way around a restaurant kitchen.
"Cooking came naturally to me," said Abrams. "Watching my mom cook growing up really helped me. But I was also learning how to cook by watching the chefs I was working with."
Abrams quickly worked her way up to sous chef, gaining not only experience but also a mentor who helped guide her career. Serving as a trusted advisor and sounding board, the mentor played a pivotal role in Abrams' professional growth and remains one of her closest confidants today.
Cooking came naturally to me. Watching my mom cook growing up really helped me. But I was also learning how to cook by watching the chefs I was working with.Tara Abrams
By 2003, Abrams was working in Miami, managing everything from menu development and inventory to dining room operations. Over the next six years, she sharpened her skills at various resorts, clubs and restaurants. Combining her hospitality expertise with growing culinary talent, Abrams ultimately rose to the role of executive chef.
Throughout her career, Abrams has won multiple culinary competitions, including two from the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, the Thrillist BBQ Bash, Bacon Bash and Swank Farms events. She's consistently kept her head down, worked hard and confidently led with her heart and head—traits she attributes to her grandmother who worked in the New York garment district in the 1960s.
Finding the perfect partner
In 2018, Abrams was working in Fort Lauderdale when she learned that Michael (Mike) Goodwin, an entertainment mogul, was looking for a chef to run the kitchen for a new brewery, entertainment and restaurant concept called Crazy Uncle Mike's. After their meeting, Mike offered Abrams the executive chef position.
Six months before Crazy Uncle Mike's opened in 2018, Abrams built the kitchen team and helped bring the concept to life. Today, the Boca Raton hotspot is known for its house-brewed beers, live entertainment and welcoming atmosphere, featuring real fermentation tanks, an extensive whiskey wall, a large concert stage, expansive indoor and outdoor seating and a menu of scratch-made dishes.
"Mike and this place are the best thing that has ever happened for my career," said Abrams.
Abrams creates memorable dining experiences, serving up dishes with unexpected flavor combinations, from fried chicken and potato pancakes with gochujang maple butter to her signature oversized "Brontosaurus" burger. At Crazy Uncle Mike's, she whips up every sauce from scratch, smokes all the meats in house and sources ingredients from local farms. Her seasonally inspired menus showcase the creativity and bold flavors that have become her trademark.
Beyond its food and entertainment, Crazy Uncle Mike's has become a gathering place for the Lynn community. The venue hosts alumni events and regularly features performances by Wolfhawk, a popular band featuring university leaders and alumni. With its combination of live music, craft brews and chef-driven cuisine, Crazy Uncle Mike's offers an experience that keeps locals coming back.
Outside of Crazy Uncle Mike's, Abrams is passionate about mentoring the next generation of hospitality professionals. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping guide a former dishwasher who went on to become an executive chef at Disney. A champion for women in hospitality, Abrams earned recognition as an "Influential Woman" in 2025 for her culinary achievements, philanthropy and mentorship. Her advice for students is simple: find a mentor.
"It's important to find someone who wants a good future for you," said Abrams. "They don't need to be in the same business as you but share the same mentality and want you to succeed."
Explore Lynn's hospitality program and see if it's right for you.
