John
“My father used to own breweries in Venezuela. It had always been my dream to open a Latin gastro pub serving local craft beer. I’ve always had a deep love for food, but I didn’t have prior restaurant experience so I hired a good chef to design the menu. I was always watching him - learning everything I could from him. Over the first few months he helped me develop my skills and showed me how to properly run a kitchen. Our food was good, - modern. But somehow the market kept telling me to go back to simpler food and my mother’s recipes. I unfortunately had to let the chef go, but I hold on to what he taught me. Today I still enjoy coming out to greet each guest, although most of my time is spent in the back with my team testing out new things.”
Matthew
“I’ve always been inspired by my parents’ home cooking back in Pennsylvania, - but it wasn’t a pursuit I was planning on chasing. In college I started working in kitchens in order to help pay my rent and tuition. When I graduated I couldn’t see myself working in the industry I had studied. I decided to take a step back, to re-evaluate myself and decided to focus my attention on developing my experience in culinary.”
Luis
“I ran my own company for a solid 25 years. We were one of the first to offer digital impressions and online marketing back in my country. But from one day to the next my life completely changed. We had to leave everything behind in order to start from zero in another country. To be honest, from the moment I left, I knew my career would be over. Arriving here, my first and only priority was my family - I was ready for any opportunity that came my way.
Today things are different. I enjoy my work, and I love that I can now cook for my wife and family. I’m still hoping things will get better in my country, and that one day we’ll be able to go back and open a little restaurant.”
Leonard
"My family has lived and worked in Coconut Grove for four generations. I spent 15 years going from job to job trying to find a real opportunity for growth. That’s what brought me into restaurants, as it has been a developing industry in the area. I started by flipping burgers, learning what I could before moving on. It’s been a good discovery, and I think I’ve finally found what I want to do in my life."
Robert
"I started this industry when I was 30, so I guess you can say I was late to the game. I was up against culinary graduates and young kids with their whole lives ahead of them. I never studied this - it all sort of came naturally to me. I was curious and always looking to learn and discover what I didn’t already know. I guess it’s about reinventing yourself. Not everyone starts of young but that doesn’t mean it’s too late. I was raised in a good family that cared about their food, where it came from and how to prepare it. I want to maintain that same standard in everything I do."
Jean Pierre
“When you choose to dedicate years of your life working for someone, they have to make you feel really good. I’ve been 11 years with the company. I did at one point try to venture out for a side gig but it wasn’t the same. Here I feel that I’m an important piece of a major puzzle. I’m committed, - and motivated. Every single day I give it my all, and everyone else around me does the same. We’re all in sync. It’s that powerful positive energy you get when you feel you’re doing things right. This job isn’t always about the money - it goes much deeper than that.”
Yami
“Everything stems from around the kitchen. My family has always been around food. I remember learning to cook in my mother’s kitchen at seven. To me, eating is for pleasure, and my dishes were always rich and comforting, but maybe not what you would call healthy. My sister on the other hand, became a nutritionist. Healthy eating was her approach to food. It admittedly created some clashes earlier on, but we came together and found a balance, - healthy food can be delicious and comforting. We took that philosophy and opened a cooking school to teach people how to enjoy cooking and eating healthier foods. I find that if your intentions come from the right place, everything will work out.”
Marvin
“I'm a professional. I've spent the better part of the last three decades working in this industry. You may not believe this, but I've actually spent years working on kitchen lines. People always ask me why I went back to being a dishwasher. I tell them it's simple, - It's because I've always understood the importance of that position. Most who occupy it see it as an introduction to the kitchen - a stepping stone they need to pass. But it needs to get done, and no one does it better. So here I am. Like I said, I'm a professional.”
David
“I’ve been told it isn’t normal to be drawn to both the line and to pastry. I’ve always worked on the line. When you’re with a good team, there’s nothing better, - it’s the heart of the action. This is my first year working in pastry and desserts. One of my best friends is a renowned pastry chef, so that gave me the inspiration to try it. My favorite part is the plating. With pastry, you have that little extra time to be precise, and to really make that plate look like a piece of art.”
Alexander
"I am Miami, born and raised. Two years ago I started working a hotel with the intention of getting as much experience through a hard, labor-intensive kitchen as I could. We held banquets while at the same time offering a la carte service - we never stopped. It’s a high pressure job, and attracts crazy. We once had a guy who freaked out, took off his pants and jumped into the pool in the middle of an event, it was the last time we saw him."