As a Miami native, I've seen my share of hurricanes. The devastation left by Hurricane Andrew and the weeks that followed not only changed the lives of many South Floridians but also served as a portent of storms to come. During the last two years, Florida has become a magnet for massive storms, with three clobbering the state's west coast in 2004 and two wreaking havoc on South Florida's east coast this past year. One of the sectors most affected by these storms was the restaurant industry. Weeks without power meant massive spoilage and the gas crisis that ensued after Hurricane Wilma-which ravaged Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties-meant that even those restaurants that sustained or quickly regained power found customers in short supply. Though Florida has always been a beacon on Hurricane Alley, and restaurateurs have always had to prepare for the worst, it was after Wilma that many diehard local chefs took some unusual and common-sense steps to do business when it seemed there was no business to do.