Alex Garcia
Encyclopedia
Alex García is a Cuban Nuevo Latino chef
who helped popularize a version of Cuban food at several New York City
restaurant
s and on the Food Network
. Born in Havana
, García attended Northeastern University in Massachusetts
where he earned a degree in hotel
and restaurant management. García later attended the Culinary Institute of America
, and Florida International University
. He worked alongside Nuevo Cuban chef Douglas Rodriguez for four years at Yuca restaurant in Miami. García's work in New York has included stints at Erizo Latino in Soho
, Babalu, Patria, and Calle Ocho.
García's first cookbook, In a Cuban Kitchen (ISBN 0-7624-1541-X ), was published in September 2004 in the United States and in England. His career suffered a setback in 2003 when he was indicted in federal district court in Brooklyn
and charged with conspiracy and money laundering
. García was found guilty of money laundering, but served no time. In 2007 García was the chef at a new restaurant called Carniceria on Smith Street, Brooklyn
. He also opened the Gaucho Steak Company, a themed South American fast food outlet in Hells Kitchen
.
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who helped popularize a version of Cuban food at several New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
. Born in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, García attended Northeastern University in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
where he earned a degree in hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and restaurant management. García later attended the Culinary Institute of America
Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America is a non-profit culinary college located in Hyde Park USA, founded in 1946. The CIA also has branch campuses in St. Helena, California, and San Antonio, Texas, as well as a campus in Singapore. It is a not-for-profit academic institution of higher learning...
, and Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. He worked alongside Nuevo Cuban chef Douglas Rodriguez for four years at Yuca restaurant in Miami. García's work in New York has included stints at Erizo Latino in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, Babalu, Patria, and Calle Ocho.
García's first cookbook, In a Cuban Kitchen (ISBN 0-7624-1541-X ), was published in September 2004 in the United States and in England. His career suffered a setback in 2003 when he was indicted in federal district court in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and charged with conspiracy and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
. García was found guilty of money laundering, but served no time. In 2007 García was the chef at a new restaurant called Carniceria on Smith Street, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He also opened the Gaucho Steak Company, a themed South American fast food outlet in Hells Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
.
External links
- Alex García (chef) at the Chef and Restaurant Database