AARÓN SÁNCHEZ
As a 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. His audience
gets to sample this fare at his New York City restaurants, Paladar and
Centrico.
Born in 1976, in El Paso, Texas, Aarón has vivid memories of helping
his mother (celebrated Mexican cooking authority, Zarela Martinez) 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 Masterclass with Chef Paul Prudhomme.
Upon graduating from high school in 1992, Aarón returned to work full
time for Prudhomme in New Orleans.
In 1993, Aarón studied culinary arts at Johnson and Wales in Providence,
Rhode Island. He returned to New York in 1994 to work with the 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
a three-star New York Times review, further convincing Aarón that traditional
Latin ingredients and their contemporary preparation were 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 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,
where he received a positive review from the New York Times. 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. In September 2002, Eric Asimov
of The New York Times Dining Out Section featured Paladar in a very
positive review, stating: "...As long as Paladar...continues to employ
the Nuevo Latino vernacular in a sound and appealing way, it is clear
that it is deeper than a passing fancy".
Aarón's first book, La Comida del Barrio was published in May 2003 to
glowing reviews, and aided his visibility in several markets. In 2004,
Aarón served as co-executive chef of the James Beard Cookbook Awards
Gala Beneft, Sabor Latino, was one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful,
and voted one of 20 most influential Latino men by El Diario La Prensa.
In 2005, he was nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award, Rising
Star Chef.
For his next restaurant project, Aarón became chef/partner with Drew
Nieporent and Myriad Restaurant Group to open the ambitious Mexican
restaurant, Centrico in Tribeca. Differing in style from Paladar, the
focus at Centrico is the marriage of Mexican tradition with an American
perspective, emphasizing seasonal ingredients and modern technique.
Today, Aarón is a restaurateur, television personality, consultant,
spokesperson and author. 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
with thousands of admirers throughout the year.