Meet the chef.
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Food Philosophy Many of life's best moments are centered around food. I believe that enjoying delicious homemade food should be easy, fun and affordable. Food preparation doesn't have to be over complicated. The use of good quality ingredients and fresh seasonal produce can easily come together to provide balanced and nutritious meals, as well as a happy belly and soul. Culinary Influences I come from a long line of amazing cooks. Before I fell in love with cooking, I fell in love with eating good food. I'm the product of a multi-cultural home, I was raised on Cuban and Persian dishes, in addition to traditional American classics. As a teenager, my father's job in the Air Force took us overseas where we lived for four years. During that time I had the opportunity to travel more than most; I was able to experience cuisines from a wide variety of cultures and customs. It was in Italy that I fell in love with fresh handmade pasta. I learned to appreciate the bite-size delights of tapas in Spain and the exotic flavors of Mediterranean cuisine from Greece and Turkey. The culmination of these experiences has always driven my curiosity to develop a rich and varied repertoire of flavorful dishes from all over the world. Training and Experience My first job at the age of 14 was in a pizza place and I have been working in restaurants ever since. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management at Miami's Florida International University. Upon completion of my final semester at FIU I was expected to complete a mock "restaurant operation" as part of the final. I was made the executive chef among my classmates and it became clear to me then that I wanted to pursue a career as a classically-trained chef. I traveled cross-country to attend the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California where I completed my training. I worked as a chef in San Francisco. There, I honed my skills working with fresh, seasonal ingredients and fell in love with Mexican and Peruvian cuisines. I recently relocated to San Antonio to be closer to family and am excited to share my love of good food with the River City's residents. |
