AARÓN SÁNCHEZ

www.paladarrestaurant.com

The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Aarón Sánchez is one of the country's leading contemporary Latin chefs.

Aarón is the chef and co-owner of the new restaurant Centrico, which he recently opened with renowned restaurateur Drew Nieporent. At Centrico Aarón goes back to his roots to cook the Mexican food of his childhood. Aarón is also the chef and owner of the popular Paladar, where he serves Latin American cuisine on Manhattan's Lower East Side. As the former co-host of Food Network's 'Melting Pot', Aarón introduced a national audience to his technique and creativity with contemporary interpretations of classic Latino cuisine.

Born in 1976, in El Paso, Texas, Aarón has vivid memories of helping his mother prepare traditional Mexican foods for her thriving catering business. By 1984, the family had moved to New York and Zarela launched the acclaimed Café Marimba. It was here that eleven-year old Aarón got his first taste of professional kitchen life. By his sixteenth birthday, Aarón's flair for cooking earned him a place in a master class with Chef Paul Prudhomme. Upon graduating from high school, Aarón returned to work full time for Prudhomme in New Orleans, before enrolling in culinary school at the prestigious Johnson & Wales.

Aarón returned to New York in 1994 to work with renowned Nuevo-Latino chef, Douglas Rodriguez at Patria. It was there that Aarón met his 'Melting Pot' co-host, Alex Garcia. In March 1996, Patria earned three stars from the New York Times, further convincing Aarón that contemporary Latin cuisine was at the heart of a bold new culinary movement.

In 1996, Aarón and Alex left Patria to open Erizo Latino to critical acclaim. The two men received critical praise for their new venture. Following this, Aarón moved on to explore San Francisco's restaurant scene, where he worked with Chef Reed Hearon at Rose Pistola. After a year, he returned to New York as executive chef at L-Ray, a Gulf Rim and Caribbean bistro. Aarón then moved on to the executive chef's position at Isla, a restaurant inspired by pre-Revolutionary Cuba.

In February 2001, Aarón teamed up with Eamon Furlong to open Paladar, a pan-Latin inspiration on the Lower East Side. Funky, but chic, Paladar is a dining experience that incorporates the vibrant energy of the neighborhood with the relaxed intimacy and warmth of a Cuban Paladar.

In its first year, Paladar won Time Out New York's 2001 Award for Best New Lower East Side Restaurant and Best Latin American Restaurant in their 2002 Eating and Drinking Guide.

Today, Aarón is a restaurateur, television personality, consultant, spokesperson and author. His first book, La Comida del Barrio, a cookbook about the food of the barrio,was published in May 2003. He has consulted with Proctor and Gamble, Target Stores, Ortega, as well as trade and food industry commissions worldwide. Aarón makes international appearances conducting cooking classes and events where he shares his knowledge of and passion for Latin cuisine throughout the year.