George
What keeps me going are the people around me, like my close friends Greg, Marsi, and my family. Throughout my time in the kitchen I have learned trust is one of the most important things working in this industry.
I run and operate @yakitoriboyz305 and it keeps me motivated. We are at Smorgasburg Miami Food Market every Saturday from 11am-6pm.
My advice to other cooks around the world is to stick with it. Find your path and take it, don’t stop! There are endless possibilities with food!
Photo by ???????? @52chefs
Gian Carlo
"I’m originally from Lima, Peru, where I lived until 2002, then I spent some time in Spain (Palma de Mallorca), and later I stayed in the USA.
Cooking for me was part of my life. My parents have a Restaurant Business, so I grew up around a kitchen, and since I can remember, I have always wanted to be a part of that.
I have opened my kitchen six days a week for almost seven years now, and I feel that is my responsibility, and I like it…
Show some respect and punctuality for your passion, and tell yourself, “don’t worry; everything happens for a reason. Just keep going. “"
Martina
"I am a 34 years old executive chef from Milano, Italy.
Twelve years ago, I casually began to work in the kitchen in London, where I lived for five years. Then I traveled around Europe for work purposes, from Germany to Spain, ending in Belgium. During these years, I worked mainly in the gourmet and Michelin Stars restaurants, high-end catering, and hotels in different roles: from chef de partie to head chef position. I decided in the autumn of 2019 to come back to my hometown and carry the path of a private chef for events, dinners, and food content creator thru Instagram.
Cooking for me means entering my world. When I imagine a dish with its combinations and colors, the creative process is very complex. I study everything: taste, first of all, the cooking technique, the angles, how to position the elements, the decorations, the colors. I try to arouse emotions in my customers (during my dinners at home) when they look, smell, and taste my dishes: I would like to fix a memory, an exceptional and pleasant experience, in the intimacy of their own home. I find inspiration in many things: from the emotions that people give me to music, nature, and paintings.
What I can tell you if you decide to start the path of being a chef is to
never stop being curious, exploring, traveling, and opening your mind to everything around you. This job will ask you to sacrifice your time, stay on your feet for long hours, and be mentally strong. Put your heart into this if it's your passion because there is nothing more satisfying than seeing the smiles and appreciation of the people you will cook for."
Richard
"My father is an incredible person who was an entrepreneur in Venezuela and had his own companies. He had a bottle factory in Venezuela and he continues to be a hard worker. My father is a very nice and noble person at heart. You will always find him happy and cheerful. How did he start cooking you ask? By helping me. I really needed a lot of help for the pop-up and had no one to give me a hand. Well, him being the great father he is, said, "I'll go help you." So he began helping me from moving things to making arepas and doing everything in between. He never studied culinary, not ever, he simply learned by assisting me and I swear that he is the fundamental pillar of my project. He is the person that I am privileged to be able to say, "My dad is the partner/owner of @themaizproject ," because he is the one who helps me, the one who breaks his back with me, the one who lifts things, the one who washes things, the one who provides the arepas, and the one who helps me grind the corn.
The truth is that I appreciate him and I admire him very much. I swear to you that without him, I couldn't do anything. This is his cooking story because it is his only experience in cooking and it has all been to help me grow and flourish!"
Leo
"I’m a cook, and I was born at the foot of Vesuvius in the province of Naples. Currently, I live in Rome, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Every day here fascinates me more and more.
I came into the kitchen through my family. I was born and raised in a family of workers and farmers where attachment to food and raw materials was the order of the day.
My father found me my first kitchen job when I was 16, so I wouldn’t take bad roads and hang out with bad friends. When you grow up in public buildings in Naples, it’s very easy to get lost.
But the real love for cooking came when I attended the first service. They all seemed crazy! Everyone was running around and trying to prove to the chef who was the best, and it was there that the spark went off. It gave me so much emotion and adrenaline.
This job makes me feel alive. I am myself. My cooking is spontaneous. Every day is different. The dynamics are never the same. When I hold my knives, I start traveling in my mind, and I feel free. There are no rules. That’s what keeps me in this job."
Maria
"Having a food stand in Colombia hasn't been simple.
I started this business 22 years ago. I lived in an area where good quality corn was easy to source, and there was a nearby touristic lagoon, so I thought it was perfect. But after a couple of years, the guerrilla showed up asking me for a percent of my sales. It was not profitable anymore!
Then I got closer to Bogota and set up my stand next to an amusement park alongside other street food vendors. The first five years were great until the government decided to “clean out the street”, essentially driving away all the street vendors. I was able to survive because I partnered with a grocery store that allowed me to stand next to it, but it’s been a continuous struggle.
Something I’ve learned about all of this is that before you quit something, look at it from a different perspective. Sometimes, passion can make you blind. Try to approach the problems with different eyes and find alternatives."
Adi Surya Permana
"I was born in Batam, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia. I think that what brought me to cooking is my love for art. It’s where I apply my artistic soul. My mother also loves to cook and she supports my passion.
I think that what keeps me going in the kitchen is that I don’t feel like I’m working when I am. In this career, one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is time management and discipline.
Something special that I’d like to say is that it’s beautiful if what we make is liked by many people. Because it’s serious."
Chef Simmy
"I’m originally from Trinidad and Tobago, which is a small twin-island state in the Caribbean. Currently, I run a catering company called Meraki Catering (@merakicateringtt) out of Trinidad.
Throughout high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t until my art teacher, Ms. St. Hill, urged me to go to an open house at the Culinary Institute back home that I found what I really wanted to do. I fell in love with the artistic approach they showed with food. I enrolled in culinary school and since 2006, I traveled abroad to learn more about my craft. I was hooked and I haven’t looked back since.
I believe that what keeps me in this industry is the need to satisfy people’s souls. I stay hungry to bring new perspectives to people who haven’t had the chance to travel and be exposed to certain things in the culinary world. Food is always evolving so I don’t ever get bored when it comes to exploring and experimenting. I’m always looking for ways to bridge the gap by pairing existing ingredients with unorthodox techniques and dishes and enriching people with the wonderful experience of discovering something that fills their souls.
Over the years I’ve learned many valuable lessons. The one that sticks with me most is treating everyone with the same level of respect that you’d show for the CEO of the company. You never know who’s going to have to help you on a busy night shift or give you an invaluable piece of advice that can save your ass one day.
If I could share any words of advice for other cooks it would be to travel. Travel, travel, travel!! Get out of your hometown and challenge yourself to experience new things even when you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. Trust your gut. Even if you have to be uncomfortable for a little while, push through and soak everything up. Take a chance on yourself and don’t scare yourself out of taking calculated risks. Don’t get lazy or complacent. And finally, don’t ever stop learning."
Tobias Kuehn
"I’m 20 years old and I was born near Basel in Switzerland. Currently, I’m working as an apprentice chef in a hotel restaurant in my hometown.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved to cook. In my childhood, there was a window in the restaurant kitchen that faced my backyard, and I would watch every lunch service until my mother was done cooking for us. Even then, I fell in love.
In elementary school, my teacher instilled an inner fire for gastronomy and all things culinary. Since then, becoming a chef has been my dream and my path in life.
I have this endless motivation to develop as a chef and as a person. It's all about passion. On the days when I don't feel so good, I see them as an extra challenge for me to work harder and learn.
Today, I am a student. My time as a mentor is yet to come. It helps me to shut up and learn, be humble, focus on my path, and accept criticism and help from everyone.
When I learn something new, I put myself in a position where I am weak and slow because that is the only way I can develop my skills and expertise and grow as a chef.
Stay humble and never forget why you wanted to be a chef.
Just MAKE IT NICE."
Marc Quinones
Born and raised in The Hunts Point Section of The South Bronx New York City my passion for all things food began before I was even 5 years old asking my mother for Goulash. I currently reside in The Duke City of Albuquerque in The Great State of New Mexico where I have been cooking for over 15 years now.
What brought me to the kitchen from a professional standpoint is the undying love affair that I have had with food since I was a toddler. Being Puerto Rican guarantees you two things, and that is that you will almost assuredly prefer your food well-seasoned and your music funky & groovy! Being raised by my Mother and Grandmother was a blessing. What they instilled in me is a passion for food and people that only grows as I get older. Preparing a meal for someone is one of the most loving acts of kindness on the planet. It lets them know that you care about their well-being and want them to feel thought of and nurtured.
What keeps me in the industry aside for my passion for food and people is how there is always something to learn. It literally never ends. I love to learn. I discover new recipes, ideas, approaches and so much more on a daily basis. Being able to pass that thirst for knowledge down to my staff not only keeps me sharp but more importantly keeps our entire unit sharp because our hearts remain humble as we continue to learn and grow while still taking care of our guests. It really never gets old.
The most valuable lesson I have learned in this industry is that there is always time for change and anything can happen. It’s all about being able to pivot and adapt on the fly while not losing sight of your long-term goals.
Honor the commitment to take care of the guest at all times, chase your dreams! Hard work absolutely pays off. Stay focused.