1. What do you do in detail for a living?

I have a marketing and consulting agency for the food and beverage industry and im currently working on opening soon my own restaurant concept.

2. What do you think about current nutrition of the people?

In the United States, it’s pretty bad. I think allowing Macdonalds or this fast-food chain restaurant to be on ads in the street and on TV its a danger for our society they should be ban like cigarettes. No publicity just mention the health risk on their Happy meals.

3. What are the most beautiful and ugliest sides of the city you live in?

Miami: beautiful because of the ocean and everglades, the restaurant community and the diversity; Ugly because of the flashy empty people and the hardcore party atmosphere.

4. When and how your project “humans of the kitchen” was born?

It’s been a process I have been a cook for almost 7 years I got into the kitchen like many others in the united states I was not accepted in any other place because of my immigration status. Then far away from my country, I started cooking and asking for my grandmother’s recipes. I enrolled in culinary and since there I been courious about the progress of the beginnings of chefs, line cooks, and dishwashers because I have never imagined working with so many cultures and stories sharing the same space. Then I met my business partners Michael that study culinary and hospitality and Julian that its a professional photographer each one with their own creative process and approach to the concept. We have always talked about creating something nice and unique for the industry. The day that Anthony Bourdain past away something came up and we question ourselves who will follow his path who will keep highlighting and telling these stories. So that was our jumpstart …Im sure many writers and cooks got inspired by him. So this is how we started.

5. Who are the people that you love to photograph?

The passionate ones the ones that are happy with what they do. I feel the energy even that energy reflects in their photos. The people that start from the bottom.

6. Do you travel for work? What are the most interesting places for your work?

Not that often but want to travel more …I wanna go around the world with this project telling stories of other cooks. I have travell for food for a restaurant concept I been building up in the last 3 years once a year I do a road trip to Italy. This is the place im interest in. Every few blocks you found stories and passionate people about their products and there pass down traditions.

7. 3 songs that can be soundtrack of your photos?

Bob Marley – Buffalo soldier

Iggy Pop – Passenger

Sting – Englishman in New York

8. In your photos we can see how important is the team behind the scenes in the kitchen. What can you tell us about them?

It’s been always all about the team, but the media and costumers just want to know that the salmon was cooked by the Chef instead of the line cook.

9. Which is the place where you saw the most serene, united and well paid team?

I can’t tell you that, but I saw a couple and I hope the industry starts giving more value to these positions. Most of the places they had cooks and dishwashers that were there since the opening that already tells a lot in this high-turnover profession.

10. If you could talk for an hour with a person of your choice in the world (living or not), who would you choose?

Living: I will choose to talk to Ali Soko the partner of Rene Redzepi from Noma

Dead: Anthony Bourdain

11. Best chef in your opinion?

Massimo Bottura

12. An advice for young people that enter now in the world of work?

get as much as experience before you even graduate and build something for yourself.

13. What do you think about Italy?

It’s a beautiful place! I think I already mention it in a previous question. It’s the passion of the people that brings me back.

14. If you think about kitchen, which perfume comes to mind?

Cilantro – reminds me of my grandmother and mother cooking.

15. On TV, reality shows related to food and cooking are becoming popular. What do you think?

They are popular. I think is good in one part for us but bad in the other because some cooks think its all about getting that recognition or the easy way instead of putting the work. Many people enter this career with the wrong idea thanks to those programs.

16. Best junk food ever?

Pizza is my guilty pleasure whatever pizza. Dominos, street pizza, frozen pizza hahaha

17. The recipe to make a person fall in love?

Any handmade pasta with a great porcini mushroom sauce topped with Parmigiano.

18. Is it important to use organic and 0 km products?

Super important.

19. How important is tradition in the kitchen? And the experimentation?

Tradition is great is the soul of every chef even if he is not cooking his home country food. that tradition somehow was the process of getting him into cooking. experimentation is crucial. You can cook one good dish but can you keep the same consistency? Can that perfect sauce hold during hours of service. You need to test out before putting it out there.

20. What do you think about the American politic situation?

Every time I put on the Tv I feel like looking into a Jersey Shore episode. I still shocked by the situation.

21. What is the trend for a trendy restaurant today?

keeping things simple but fresh supporting local products.

22. The secret to making perfect pasta?

Starting with the water to the dough all the way the emulsification of the sauce.

23. The best unusual combination of food?

Mixing Latin flavors with my risotto.

24. Best street food in your opinion?

Empanada and Carimanola – Colombian street food

25. How much has US catering market developed in recent years?

It’s growing.