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MANILA, Philippines - Who is the celebrity chef and television personality whose passion, commitment, and skills have placed him among the leading contemporary Latin chefs, and who was named among People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People in 2005?
He was born on Feb. 12, 1976 in El Paso, Texas to a family that loves to cook. His mother, Zarela Martinez, is a restaurateur and author of several cookbooks.
It was not surprising that he started cooking at an early age, helping his mother prepare traditional Mexican food for her catering business. In 1984, the family moved to New York, where his mother launched the acclaimed Cafe Marimba, and he began to cook in a professional kitchen.
At the age of 16, he was cooking at a level that earned him a place in a Masterclass with chef Paul Prudhomme, whom he worked for briefly in New Orleans.
In 1993, he returned north to study culinary arts at Johnson &Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He then returned to New York, and worked in various restaurants like Erizo Latino, which opened in 1996. Reviews were positive, and the restaurant became known for its “enticingly wholesome fare, with the kitchen’s best dishes giving a fine introduction to the cooking of Central and South America”.
In February 2001, he teamed up with Eamon Furlong to open Paladar, a pan-Latin inspiration on the Lower East Side. Funky but chic, Paladar incorporates the vibrant energy of the neighborhood with the relaxed intimacy and warmth of a Cuban Paladar. In its first year, it 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 2004, he opened Centrico with renowned restaurateur Drew Nieporent of the Myriad Restaurant Group (Nobu, Tribeca Grill, etc). In Centrico, he goes back to cooking the Mexican food of his childhood with a fresh interpretation.
In 2005, he was nominated as the Rising Star Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. In the same year, he was named one of People Magazine and People en Español’s 50 Most Beautiful People.
He began his television career as co-host of Melting Pot, where he introduced the national audience to his technique and creativity with contemporary interpretations of classic Latino cuisine. Today, he stars in the Food Network’s exciting new series, Chef vs. City, as well as Chopped, Best Thing I Ever Ate, The Next Iron Chef, and more. His first book, La Comida del Barrio, was published in May 2003.
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Last week’s question: What is the name of the American architect known for innovative buildings in the modernist style and for urban planning that pioneered the use of greenbelts and green design? A clue is that his name is similar to that of a well-known musician.
Answer: A. Quincy Jones
Winner: Louella Santiago of Quezon City
Text your answer to 0926-3508061 with your name and address. One winner will be chosen through a raffle of texts with the correct answer. The winner will receive P2,000 worth of SM gift certificates for use at Our Home, SM Department Store, or SM Supermarket. They can claim their prize at Our Home in SM Megamall. Bring photocopies of two valid IDs and a clipping of the Design Quiz issue in which you appear as winner.
