Roman Troncoso
Roman Troncoso
I am a Chilean who has been working since the age of 15. I started as a cupbearer, then moved on to being a waiter, bartender, and eventually a cook. I studied gastronomy because I feel like the kitchen is the only place where I can express myself by sharing stories and feelings through food.
It all started with my dad’s weekend BBQs. We used to have a great time together, laughing and enjoying delicious food. However, things changed when he passed away just before I started university. I found it difficult to show affection and communicate with others. To keep myself busy and meet new people, I started cooking. It helped me a lot, and most importantly, I remembered my dad’s words: ‘Be better every day, not better than anyone else, but improve yourself every day and support those who are by your side.’
After school, I got into catering and worked as an intern. Eventually, I became a sous chef and then a restaurant chef. I moved around quite a bit before starting my own business @Clandestino_FoodStudio. It hasn’t been a breeze, but I’ve learned a ton along the way. Nowadays, I’m an entrepreneur who teaches classes for women who run households, and I’m also a high school teacher. It’s been a tough road, but it’s a fantastic job because you experience the world outside four walls, contribute to culture science, and help pave the way for future generations.
Nowadays, I’m really into cooking recipes passed down from my grandparents or that have some historical significance. I think preserving and sharing our cultural heritage with younger generations is essential. It’s also cool that cooking allows me to explore different parts of the world and meet new people passionate about food and cooking.
What is your favorite street food?
Completos
Which restaurant or food stand do you recommend? (Different from yours) (Add its Instagram handle if possible)
@Patagonia.sushi
What is your guilty pleasure?
Una buena empanada de pino
What ingredient do you find overrated?
Pro
What ingredient do you think is underrated?
La Trufa
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
Soplete
What is your worst kitchen nightmare?
Las alergias alimentarias no informadas
Is there someone you would like to nominate for an interview? (Add Instagram handle)
@Josematamala_chef
Katarina Vrenc
I was born and raised in Croatia, where I developed an early love for cooking. Growing up in a small village, working hard, farming, caring for animals, and living in harmony with nature came naturally to me. However, when I moved to the city, I decided to study gastronomy to become a gastro journalist. Still, my career plans changed after my first experience working in a professional kitchen. I instantly realized the rush, hard work, teamwork, and risks involved in the kitchen, and I felt driven to become a chef.
Cooking and creating are my biggest passions and drives. Our restaurant concept, which we call “fun dining,” is far from the acceptable dining norms. We prepare honest food with a sharing plates philosophy while making it enjoyable. Sharing food with others is such an essential part of our culture. I’m all about keeping things simple, which is crucial to enjoying life. That’s why I absolutely love this tradition as a way of really connecting with others.
The kitchen is mentally and physically demanding, vibrant, changeable, and value-heavy, making it suitable for only some. However, cooking for others is one of the most intimate ways to express oneself. Creating dishes, providing people with a new experience through food, and telling your story at the table where everything begins and ends are some of the most beautiful feelings in the world.
I am grateful to work at @sopalzgb with a fantastic team of young, supportive, hard-working, and intelligent individuals who share the same goal. I believe that my responsibility is to create a pleasant and healthy family environment in our kitchen because the energy and coexistence of our small community are reflected in every dish we serve.
In the future, I hope the industry prioritizes the well-being of its workers by creating sustainable working conditions. The current norm of working 16 or more hours daily to keep up with trends needs to change.
What is your favorite street food?
A good bowl of Ramen. It cures every stressful day and hangover too. 🙂
Which restaurant or food stand do you recommend? (Different from yours) (Add its Instagram handle if possible)
Restaurant Gola in Zagreb. A great place to eat hearty food and have a glass of good natural wine.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Wine and bread. Always seeking for more.
What ingredient do you find overrated?
There is no such ingredient . I believe we should have a huge respect for every ingredient nature gave us.
What ingredient do you think is underrated?
Blue fish.
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
Knife.
What is your worst kitchen nightmare?
To loose the passion for cooking and still doing that.
Wayne Sharpe
Wayne Sharpe
I grew up in Kingstown, Jamaica. My stepmom was not a fan of cooking, so I had to take over and prepare meals for the family. I soon found myself cooking for my siblings and cousins all the time. I enjoyed celebrating those I care about with food, and this love for cooking continued throughout high school. I even got formal training in the hospitality school of Jamaica.
Later in life, I moved to Miami, where I met an incredible lady who took me under her wing and introduced me to new culinary concepts. Then, I moved to Atlanta and opened a restaurant where I finally got the chance to become a chef-partner at this fantastic place called Escovitchez.
In 2020, I returned to Miami and plunged into the fast-casual restaurant scene alongside my partners with EatJrk. Although I was initially hesitant to leave my fine dining roots behind, fate had other plans. As we prepared to open our second location, an unexpected opportunity fell into our laps – an extra space perfect for a speakeasy. We started by serving craft cocktails and spinning our favorite tunes, but something was missing: a culinary experience to match. So, I found myself back in fine dining, reminded of the rewarding satisfaction of creating an experience and seeing guests enjoy every single moment. It takes more hands and hard work, but at the end of the shift, it fills me with joy.
Sometimes, things fall into place without you even realizing it. Life has a funny way of making your wildest dreams come true, and that’s precisely what happened to me. I now have the perfect space and the best of both worlds. It’s a fast-casual spot during the day but turns into a fine-dining, cool speakeasy at night. I couldn’t have asked for anything better!
Oscar Lopez
Oscar Lopez
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I was born in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, but was raised in El Paso, Texas. My culinary journey began when I was just 15, washing dishes in the kitchen. Little did I know this would ignite a profound passion.
The long shifts in the kitchen, the chef yelling and throwing dishes, and the intensity of it all gave me character and fueled my ambition to learn, grow, and explore the world through food.
Then, in May 2018, I discovered that my absent father was a chef like me! Even though I had grown up without a father figure, I realized the passion for cooking was in my blood.
As a young cook, or as we call it in my hometown, a “cocinero,” the kitchen taught me valuable good and bad lessons. I was fortunate to start my journey just after the era of molecular fine dining and locally sourced ingredients, exemplified by places like Eleven Madison Park. So I was lucky enough to jump then, always ready to say “YES, CHEF,” regardless of the situation.
My journey led me to New York City, where dreams came true without needing to wake up because reality is just as dreamlike, where every cuisine was within reach. Surrounded by Michelin-star chefs, emerging talents, and badass chefs, I feel like a sponge soaking up knowledge. Amid the chaos and excitement, one thing was clear: to evolve as a chef, I needed to learn, travel, and bring those experiences back with me.
When I started working in a fast-paced fine-dining restaurant, the cooks doubted me because of my origins. I was tasked with the busiest station on the line, sauté, handling hundreds of orders daily. They tried to put me down, but I persevered and proved them wrong.
Looking to the future, I hope to see changes in the culinary industry towards a healthier environment and an outdated kitchen culture.
What is your favorite street food?
Tacos
Which restaurant or food stand do you recommend? (Different from yours) (Add its Instagram handle if possible)
Taqueria número 1, clay restaunrant in NYC
What is your guilty pleasure?
Flan
What ingredient do you find overrated?
Truffle oil
What ingredient do you think is underrated?
Condense milk
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
Mandoline
What is your worst kitchen nightmare?
The staff walking out
Lexi van Breugel
Lexi van Breugel
I was born and raised in London but spent much of my childhood visiting family throughout Europe and Asia. Food always played a central role during these family gatherings, and cooking at these special events developed my passion for exploring unusual ingredients and spices from across the globe. Over the past few years, I have explored international cuisine, blending South Korean and Sri Lankan flavors with British produce.
I joined the hospitality industry in 2021 at London’s Fallow restaurant, where sustainable cookery was a top priority. I learned to transform overlooked ingredients into stunning dishes and trained as the in-house butcher for four months. This experience taught me how to utilize every part of the animal and reduce waste. I am currently working at @daterrarestaurant, a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant that showcases Brazilian cuisine at its most refined to expand my knowledge of international gastronomy.
To connect with the London food community on a broader scale, I have also been involved in the pop-up scene here as co-founder of Root Supper Club. Root evolved out of the realization that many talented chefs work immensely hard for very little recognition. These events provide chefs with a platform to showcase their culinary skills by curating a unique menu for one evening. They have also allowed me to become more in tune with other sides of hospitality.
Working in the food industry can be both challenging and rewarding. Despite the sacrifices that come with it, the endless opportunities to learn and grow can be addictive. Having spent three years in this field, I am eager to see changes in the leadership style in some kitchens. The military-style approach needs to be updated and eliminated. Although there has been some progress in achieving work-life balance, there’s still more that can be done to make it better.
What is your favorite street food?
Buchimgae, Korean seafood pancake
Which restaurant or food stand do you recommend? (Different from yours) (Add its Instagram handle if possible)
mangal_ocakbasi
What is your guilty pleasure?
A huge meat platter of offal and undetectable meats from Mangal Ocakbasi in Dalston. Followed by a complementary plate of their unbelievable Baklava.
What ingredient do you find overrated?
I haven’t come across an ingredient that I find overrated yet.
What ingredient do you think is underrated?
goats butter
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
I am currently on the pastry section and find a dough scraper incredibly useful.
What is your worst kitchen nightmare?
Not checking the raw fish properly… so serving a huge parasitic worm to a customer.
Is there someone you would like to nominate for an interview? (Add Instagram handle)
Beatriz Cuvolo, @beatrizcuvolo
Sergio Quintero
Sergio Quintero
I come from a small town called La Ceja, near Medellin. My parents worked long hours while I was growing up, so I had to start caring for my younger sister when I was only seven. That’s when my mother taught me how to cook traditional Colombian dishes as she started selling them from home with the idea of saving money to buy her own house. During my teens, I was more focused on becoming a musician. I had taken different courses and started to make some money, but food was always surrounding me. Even during events, I saw how important food was in all those weddings and celebrations. These experiences sparked my interest in culinary arts, and ever since then, I’ve been on a journey to explore and expand my cooking skills.
After graduating high school, I had to choose between music and gastronomy, but studying gastronomy in Colombia was expensive. Luckily, I was selected for a cooking program at Sena and attended daily despite living half an hour away. Eventually, I had the opportunity to intern at Carmen Restaurant in Medellín and started working there in the fish area. During my internship, I went through all the kitchen stations, and thankfully, I am now the chef there alongside my partner, Juan José. We have been through many difficult moments. Being a cook is more than just preparing food. It’s about responsibility and transmitting feelings. Cooking with love and joy is crucial as it reflects in your food.
Working in a kitchen is demanding and requires a lot from an individual. It is a high-pressure job that involves dealing with emotions and feelings. Not everyone can withstand the pressure of providing service to customers who are eagerly waiting for their food.
It’s great to see how kitchens have evolved and how people are becoming more receptive to cooking. We often forget we are not only serving others but also keeping our traditions alive and helping our community by supporting small-scale and local producers. Today, I am grateful for the opportunities, vision, and purpose that @carmenrestaurante has inspired me to pursue, and last but not least, my Mom.
Gerardo Rizzo
Gerardo Rizzo
I am originally from Guatemala, and my passion for cooking began at a young age. I enrolled in Guatemala City’s renowned culinary school “ITECAP.” After completing my education, I had the chance to work as a kitchen assistant on a cruise ship for a year. Traveling the world had always been a dream of mine, and leaving my homeland was necessary to broaden my horizons.
Destiny led me to Portugal, where I immigrated and worked at local kitchens and catering companies. Later, I worked with Hard Rock Cafe, and my journey with them took me from Lisbon to Austria and finally to Sevilla, Spain. I served as a kitchen manager for my last two years with them. However, in 2019, I decided to make a change in my culinary career and quit.
I went on a five-month backpacking adventure across Asia, which reignited my passion for cooking. It exposed me to a variety of flavors and culinary traditions and felt like a graduation of sorts. This trip enriched my knowledge, realizing that continuous learning and innovation are crucial in the culinary field.
While traveling in Asia, I explored five countries and enjoyed their unique cuisines. However, I was most fascinated by staying with families and experiencing their culture through food. I had the opportunity to converse with locals, which often led to heartfelt invitations to dine in their homes. These experiences inspired me to create Bora, where guests are welcomed into my home, and I cook for them.
Back in Guatemala, My wife and I started hosting dinners in our apartment. As demand grew, we transitioned to private dinners where guests paid to join us at our dining table. Finally, we opened Bora, offering the same warmth and hospitality as you were in our home.
Currently, I’m based in Paredon, specializing in fresh seafood despite village growth and power outages. Looking ahead, I plan to specialize in fish further, embarking on early morning fishing trips to bring the freshest catch. I aim to create unique and delectable dishes using every part of the fish, offering guests an unforgettable culinary experience!
📸& 🎤 by @christianguval our coastal 🌊 reporter!
Olly Santoro
Olly Santoro.
I began my cooking journey in London in 2019. After working at Front of House, I was drawn to the fast-paced and creative kitchen environment. I was always eager to plate desserts or snacks and would jump at any chance to shout “service.” There was something attractive and strangely glamorous about it all. I recall being told, “You really love being a chef, don’t you?” – a sentiment that has always been obvious to everyone.
Cooking has always been a way for me to feel more connected to my Sicilian heritage. Although I grew up in London and have never lived in Italy or Sicily, my dad’s fond memories of his mum’s (my Nonna’s) cooking have always inspired me. He made me feel like his nostalgia was my own, creating a shared experience. The simplistic, rustic nature of the trattorie feels like home to me.
Cooking in this style links me to places I feel connected to, especially Since my Nonno passed away last year; my duty is to continue cooking and learning more about myself. It gives me the energy to push forward in an industry that can sometimes be unforgiving and tiring. But give me some meat, offal, or beans to braise, and I’ll always be happy.
There’s something almost therapeutic about sitting in an Italian cafe and enjoying a bowl of beans in olive oil. Many people might associate this feeling with drinking a Guinness in a warm, dimly lit pub. I believe that the ultimate goal of cooking should be to make people feel this way—to create dishes that nourish the body and feed the soul.
For me, nose-to-tail cooking is essential. Nothing should go to waste, and the creativity that arises from this philosophy shapes much of the food I cook. When I work with an ingredient and use every part of it, I respect the produce and learn more about the industry. It’s a great way to gain a deeper understanding of food and connect with the ingredients meaningfully.
I hope the food industry moves towards a zero-waste approach and eliminates sous vide cooking. It’s inspiring for chefs and better for the environment; the love and care in cooking should not involve wrapping food in plastic and cooking it in water.
Solange
Solange
I am from Cali, Colombia. I started in the kitchen at 15. My mom is a professional cook; she used to work for a catering company that handled huge events. My starting point was that same company, but I began as a steward. It’s not an easy task, and certainly not as glamorous as they depict it on TV. Since we didn’t have a stable location like a restaurant, there were no dishwashing machines. In fact, you were the machine. During events, we served all kinds of small plates, forks, and knives. It was wild to see almost 1,500 dishes coming into the kitchen almost at the same time.
I spent a couple of years with that company, helping with preparation and eventually moving into serving. Then, I decided to move to the capital, Bogota. After working so hard in that catering company, all the other jobs that came my way seemed easy. I worked more in the front of the house, but somehow, with time, I started missing my time in the kitchen. Even though it’s a tough job, crafting or creating something that someone will enjoy fills your soul in a way I can’t explain.
Working so close to fire and heat has been an experience. Initially, it was hard, but you get used to it and become one with the element. From here, you witness servers who can’t even stand the heat, but I kind of enjoy it now, especially knowing that this natural element adds such great flavor to the food. Cooking with wood fire has been a part of us for generations, and it has made my cooking journey more meaningful.
Tam Pham
Tam Pham
I’m from Saigon, Vietnam. I came to the USA in 2008, settling in Seattle for my first three years and then Miami. During those college dorm years, I deeply missed Vietnamese cuisine and had no nearby options. So, I gradually taught myself to cook by seeking advice from family, reading, and watching YouTube tutorials.
Hospitality has always captivated me because it offers many opportunities, such as working on cruise ships, hotels, coffee shops, catering,etc. I explored various roles, from managing a hotel to running a coffee shop. Finally, I decided to venture into restaurants to understand the operation better. Transitioning from a front-of-house role to management, I even contributed to opening a concept under Genuine Hospitality Group. During those days, I saw how professional kitchens operated with a closer look.
In 2019, my partner and I embarked on a small project: a supper club at our house. It was an informal gathering where we prepared Vietnamese dishes we loved and couldn’t find elsewhere. The concept evolved; it became an official supper club after the second event. We charged a small fee to cover food and drinks, just enough to break even. It wasn’t about profit but practicing my culinary skills and having fun.
In 2020, amidst layoffs, we boldly decided to give everything to our supper club project, @tam.tam.mia Easy to remember, it has a charm that resonates with everyone—even strangers call me Tam Tam. It’s a name that in Vietnamese means ‘heart,’ symbolizing two hearts, the union between me and Harry, my partner.
Our journey gained momentum when we seized the opportunity to transform into a pop-up at 1800 Lucky. Featuring a curated menu, our pop-up exceeded all expectations. Encouraged by this success, we ventured further, hosting another pop-up in Little River.
Looking back, I’m grateful for my partner, dedicated staff, and supportive friends who have been part of TamTam. From the ones with years of experience in the restaurant and bar industry to the ones just starting, each one played a vital role in making our project a reality. Without their support and hard work, we wouldn’t be where we are today.