Flybird: Michael Salmon’s Chicken Nirvana
By: Delivery Dudes
Tags: Delray Beach, Restaurant, Delivery, Chicken

If you ask Michael Salmon what’s the secret recipe for his success, he’d most likely say passion, love, and product. That, or that he’s a 20th Century caveman with a burning obsession with fire. Without overthinking it, he created a bird-based restaurant that centers around “food from fire.”

“Food from fire dates back to our love affair with fire. We can stare into a campfire for hours or the yule log, or the craziness of a bonfire — magical and never the same twice,” said Salmon, chef/owner of Flybird, who’s 66 years old but feels a solid 17. “Can you imagine the first time a protein hit some coals, and it was eaten? POW!!! It all began. We build a fire all day every day. It’s never the same, ever. It calls upon us to pay attention and make it happen every time called upon. It’s very cool to cook over it.” He believes that the food he and his team cook catch this vibe, and diners can taste it, which is part of the reason it tastes so good.

The other reason is that he only serves a “better bird,” saying that there is no other way for them to do it. (“It wouldn’t be a better bird, now would it?!”) The chickens are raised with love, fresh air, a vegan diet, and without the use of antibiotics, hormones, or any artificial ingredients. The chicken is dry-brined for 24 hours and chargrilled for crispness and flavor unmatched anywhere. They also make everything in house, including their lemonade, tea, desserts, soup, and drool-worthy sides, including baked Mac and cheese, roasted wild mushroom and herbs, and creamy mashed potatoes with gravy.

“My craft is to create really good eating stuff,” Salmon said. “I use all of my experience and enlist the experience of my team to accomplish this. It feels much better doing it ourselves.”

And experience he has. He figured out early on that many talented people were cooking all over the world, and he worked to have a small piece of the turf to call his own. The journey began at the Culinary Institute of America, where he was blessed to work with some incredible chef instructors who cared to share. From there, he became a “contributing sponge,” doing what was asked of him and also paying attention to the pros. He stamped his kitchen passport as he made his way through the kitchens of Mickey Mantle, a three-year run with New York City Mayor Ed Koch, Absolut Vodka (“not drinking it but cooking for them with it”), The Cellar at Macy’s and Chef Michael Mina’s operations. He was also a finalist on The Next Food Network Star and 24 Hour Restaurant Challenge.

“Laced through these years I worked under some of the greatest chefs and cooks of our time,” Salmon said. “It is there that my passion to learn and teach blossomed.”

So when he and his current wife moved to Florida to be closer to his ex-wife and their two daughters, Salmon’s idea came to life.

“Flybird was born from a lack of focus to detail, marketing, and trend. Instead, it arrived after the simple search for awesome chicken in my area turned up nothing,” Salmon said. “Originally, I was thinking of doing a breakfast/lunch/cash only/5-day per week joint, in response to my being overworked for a lifetime. But as a good chicken eater, the only thing available was grotesquely overcooked supermarket rotisserie options or overpriced restaurant afterthoughts. After many hours spent over fossil-fueled grills over the years, I decided to simply do what I had been doing for many years for family and friends. Period! Viola: Flybird!”

He wanted to create a place where hungry guests could come in and say, “just feed me.” Awesome chargrilled chicken? Check. Homemade and delicious sides? Check. No muss, no fuss. Double-check.

Salmon feels that the unique aspect of his restaurant compared to others in the area is the package he and his team offer. The entire team works together to offer the best hospitality and culinary experience. “From the welcome to the last bite, we deliver,” which is why it was so crucial for him to partner with Delivery Dudes.

“For our customers, [working with Delivery Dudes] simply makes it easy. If they don’t want to come out on a rainy day or are just being lazy around the house, DD makes it happen,” Salmon said. “For the staff, it allows us the opportunity to feed people at a measured pace under more controlled conditions. For me, greater exposure and sales! Bingo.” His reason for working with a locally-based company like Delivery Dudes is because of just that and more: “it’s local and the people.”

If you’re not sure what to order, do what Salmon does. Sink your teeth into his favorite dish, which is the chicken. No, wait, it’s the Flybird sandwich. No, actually, it’s the… “see where I’m going? I actually do love it all and eat it all.”

Salmon feels the best part of his job is everything. He does everything and loves every part. “We have an open kitchen here. The best part is hearing the guests compliment what we do and seeing the cooks take pride in their handiwork. It’s a total sense of team and accomplishment. Sweet beauty it is!” Salmon said.

So, with that, he says, “Enough talk, let’s eat chicken!” You don’t have to tell us twice.