Larry
"I entered the culinary world late, but the seed was planted early on in my life. My first career was managing artists in L.A. but after some time I realized I wasn’t happy anymore. So, at 35, I decided to make a change and went back to my roots: culinary.
I grew up in a family where cooking 5 to 6 days a week was the norm. And it was my mother, Ella, who instilled the love of cooking for me, just like my grandmothers did for her.
Ever since I changed careers, I don’t feel like I’ve worked a day. I love what I do.
I’ve only been in Miami for a year, but the community has been highly supportive. I started with small pizza pops up in breweries and after a while, I decided to invest all my savings in opening my first food truck. The truck is called “PizzElla”, named after my mother.
None of this would have been possible without my family’s support. They’ve had my back no matter how far or close they are. That’s why you’ll see their names written all over the truck.
When you eat from PizzElla, you become a part of our family and my hope is that you feel that in every bite.
I don’t take cooking for others lightly. For me, it’s a privilege. That’s what I love most about cooking."
Isaac
I was born in Mexico, but I was raised in Miami.
I’ve been cooking professional for 6-7 years now. I didn’t go to school for it, I learned on the line, trial by fire.
My first experience in the kitchen was cooking Asian cuisine and I’ve stuck to it over the years. I like Asian cuisine. My wife is Asian, and we both met in the industry. She was a server at the time, and I was a sushi chef.
I’ve never felt the pressure to cook great Mexican food just because I’m originally from Mexico. One of the greatest Mexican Chef’s in the country is Rick Bayless and he’s not from Mexico.
At this point and age, I think people are allowed to cook whatever they want.
Chris
"I was born and raised in Miami, and I’ve been cooking professionally for three years now.
I’ve had a knife in my hand since I was capable of carrying one. My dad was a Chef, and he taught me how to cook at an early age, and I ran with it. He had a steakhouse here in Miami.
There’s a difference between someone who calls themselves a home chef and a professional cook. A lot of people call themselves a home chef but put them on the line, and in 30 minutes, they’ll walkout.
It’s not about making one dish well. It’s about making the same dish well 100 times consistently, and no one can tell the difference.
The day I realized I was made for this job was when an experienced coworker walked out in the middle of a busy service, leaving me and my co-worker, who was new, and we handled it.
I work well under pressure, and I can work ten times harder than most without sweating a muscle."
Carmen
"Since I was young, the ocean has always been in my blood. My father and grandfather were always respectful of the ocean and taught me how to use its offerings properly following the seasons, sizes, and creel limits. Unsure of what I wanted to do in my future, I started working as a legal assistant, but I discovered it didn’t click for me working behind a desk. I knew my place was behind the stove, so I kept the job while I studied culinary arts. My partner at the moment was a French pastry expert so she asked me to help her open up a French Cafe while I was in school.
When I graduated, I had a great job opportunity in Miami Beach. With time and effort, I eventually got promoted as a pastry chef. Year's went by after working in 5 star hotels, as a kitchen leader, and helping to open 4 restaurants, I felt I needed a change. So even though I had many job offers I decided to take a break and travel to my hometown. After going back, I felt there was a possibility for me in Santa Marta to contribute with something unique. I started to remember the days when my father worked in his restaurant and my grandfather on his boat and I realized the impact they had on the community. I knew this was my calling and the world worked around it… Just before going back to Miami, I was offered a chance to open my own place.
Now here I am doing what I love, using some Peruvian techniques but with all the beautiful products of our land."
Alonso
"It’s been a long time since my family and I have been around the National Park. A few of the sons from previous landowners still come and have coffee at my spot. My family arrived before 1969, before the inauguration of the National Park. Some of them, like me, arrived transporting goods and materials on mules.
During that time, my uncle had a little shack near the beach selling arepas and fresh catch of the day. I helped him on my days off. When the government started buying the land, most business owners had to look elsewhere to continue doing their work, but somehow, they let my uncle stay! When he passed away and his business shut down 30 years ago, the organization asked me if I wanted to continue serving the great food my uncle had and I gladly accepted.
I hope my son is excited to inherit this opportunity to cook great Colombian food for tourists worldwide and learn from other cultures. We can’t all travel the world, but we can always find ways to understand different cultures. Everyone finds a different way, but for me, serving food and engaging in short, interesting conversations with people from around the world, is my way of traveling and sharing."
Manuel
"Entering the kitchen happened by accident. I’ve liked cooking since I was young, but I never thought I’d be doing it for life.
When I decided to go to culinary school, I lacked the discipline to take advantage of my time there. All of that changed when I started working at my first restaurant. The sounds, the rigor, the ambiance, everything about it pulled me in. I fell in love.
The kitchen awakened so many emotions inside of me that I can confidently say I’m a natural born cook. I’ve been doing it all my life and I know for sure I’ll keep doing it until I die.
What I love about this industry is that it allows me to express my emotions and bring to life what I want. Even though I’ve gone through difficult times where I’ve questioned myself, it’s only served to motivate me to continue learning and I can say the kitchen is my greatest love.
Now a days, a cook’s job is to let go of all their past prejudices and preconceived notions. They need to have an identity and a style that reflects their life. As I’ve heard it said many times, this profession isn’t for everyone, but I have no doubt that I was born for this.
My future is headed in one direction: opening my own restaurant. It’s every cook’s dream. Nothing would make me happier than to have my food reflect all that I love. Those who truly know me know I'm a man of few words. I'm not very social. Honestly, I have trouble with it. But there's one thing that im fluent in, and that's in the kitchen. I know exactly where I'm headed, and I'm working toward that goal.
As soon as it happens, I'll let you know."
Carlos Cervantes
"I used to surf, but surfing made me hungry, then I started to dive, and diving brought me food.
I have dived since I was 15 years old; I enjoy diving at night or day.
Currently, I dive for 2 hours every morning to bring one bag of oysters back to shore. The reason I like oysters is that I enjoy the process; bringing it from the ocean, cleaning it, serving it, and seeing people eat and enjoy it. My clients are always satisfied and amazed by the size and taste of these oysters. I catch them in the morning and serve them here on this rock every day. I also love fishing, when the season allows.
There is a Union for this line of work, I have to pay a yearly fee, it is
managed by the United Nations, in where there are sustainable codes, for example, after consuming the oysters, we must place the shells back into the ocean.
Diving not only fulfills me but also feeds my family. I occasionally find pearls inside the shells, I have been able to make two necklaces, one for my wife and the other for my sister-in-law. I am grateful for the ocean, it has provided me with a love for diving, and it has fed my family. I’ve gone to other lines of work, but always come back to diving, and serving oysters, and I am here to stay."
Photo and interview By @christianguval ????????
Reporting from:
La Punta Zicatela, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico
Adalina
"I'm Adalina, originally from Santa Marta, Colombia; the pandemic brought me here when I lost my 11-year job working at an organization called P.A.E. I worked as a cook with the high school feeding program where I raised awareness for consuming organic food and we cooked as healthy as possible for the kids. I inherited this job from my mother who taught me the importance of fresh food and the values of family and perseverance at an early age.
When the schools closed their doors, I moved to a place that drives local and international tourism. So I went to the commercial beachside town called Buritica and offered my knowledge to a local restaurant owner. He asked me if I could cook a couple of dishes but I was sincere and said “no, although I am a fast learner!” So he told me to cook him something and if he liked it, I’d get the job! He enjoyed it and now here I am after a year on the beach learning to make new dishes.
When you work for the government, especially for high schools, everything is standard and measured. Here we have more freedom to play and create specials depending on the day's catch. I discovered a new dimension to the kitchen and now I dream of having my own little corner place in the future."
Jovany
"I grew up on a farm, so the lessons detailing the importance and power of growing our own food were taught every day in my house.
From the time I was 12, I learned to cook for my siblings as I was the oldest of three boys. When my parents were out in the fields, I was in charge of the house. At 17, I wanted to study fashion design but found it nearly impossible to discover opportunities to pursue that path. What I did find was an opportunity to pursue Culinary. I took the leap, graduated at 18, and moved to Bogotá.
I start off as a line cook and worked my way up. During my apprenticeship, my chef made it clear to me that I needed to assert myself as a ‘man’s man’. I needed to be strong, masculine, and with a commanding voice. He assured me that without those attributes, I would never gain any respect from my peers and subordinates. So I did what any rookie cook would do - I went against who I was and did what was expected of me.
By the time a moved on to a new restaurant, I had decided I would no longer hide who I was. From the day I first met my new chef, I told him exactly the person I was, how I acted and how I spoke to and treated my colleagues. He shrugged it off like it wasn’t a big deal and told me to be me. I was lucky. I was probably one of the few who had found a chef so open at the time. But things are changing now, you no longer need to be this ultra-macho chef to command a kitchen.
Allowing a chef to be themselves is allowing them to reach their innermost creativity. Without the freedom to think, feel, dress, and act as I am, I would have no creativity for myself, let alone to leave on a plate. I am 100% myself and my food is a reflection of that."
Jose
"My name is José Gustavo Pérez and I am from Los Llanos. About 25 years ago, I started a road trip around Colombia and I fell in love with the Department of Magdalena when someone on the bus recommended I go to Minca, so I did! Once there, I built my grill on the side of the road and started to do what I cook best: Meat! After 10 years, some foreigners bought the property across the road, and eventually, they made me close after a lot of struggle. After coming such a long way in serving the community for more than ten years and grilling meat for all my life, I was not going to surrender. So finally, 9 months ago, I built my brick-and-mortar restaurant how I always dreamed.
There are two reasons why people keep coming: I treat my meat with respect and Cannabis! I have been using Cannabis since I was 12 years old and my body doesn't hurt in any way. I'm here to teach you that Cannabis can be used in many ways and the concept that our society has planted in us is wrong; For example, in the mornings I drink cannabis tea with honey and I also use it as a condiment for meat and many other meals in the restaurant. The key ingredients for my seasoning are scallions, garlic, and Cannabis.
So many things are really all about perspective. I'm an 81 years old cook without education who uses Cannabis for its health and has been able to do what I have always dreamed of. I hope many visit me here in Minca to witness and taste my food."