8 Inspiring Latinx Chefs Elevating the NYC Food Scene
For generations, people of Latin American descent have been pivotal in shaping the culinary landscape of New York City. Their vibrant flavors, traditional recipes and innovative techniques are ingrained in the city's food scene. From abuela's secret recipes to the modern twists, it's all love. As we celebrate Latin Heritage Month, it's only fitting to spotlight eight outstanding Latinx chefs featured on the 8it app. These culinary maestros aren’t just continuing the legacy but redefining it, one dish at a time. Join us in celebrating their contributions and the rich tapestry of Latinx gastronomy.
Tony Ortiz
Chile Con Miel
📸: @ediblehudsonvalley
Tony Ortiz is the culinary artist, storyteller and event curator behind Chile Con Miel, a pop-up specializing in California-inspired Mexican cuisine, having previously worked in some of the country’s most esteemed kitchens including Le Bernardin. A second generation Mexican-American, their focus includes rediscovering Mexican cuisine beyond the burritos and quesadillas it’s typically associated with in America. Beyond throwing pop-ups with delicious food, Ortiz produces cultural experiences. One Chile Con Miel event which showcased exactly that was Campo, where Ortiz and a group of Latinx chefs cooked lamb and summer produce over an open fire and clay wrapped fish underground at Callisto, a farm in the Hudson Valley. In the meantime before their next event, you can order food from Chile Con Miel through Hungry House; their new menu debuts late September.
📸: @chileconmiel
Ruben Santana
Bark Barbecue
📸: @smoke_sweats
Some of the best barbecue in NYC is made by a Dominican who started his business with a pop-up out of his backyard during the pandemic. Ruben Santana started smoking meats as a hobby and has since revolutionized Texas-style barbecue by putting his own cultural spin on it; a blueprint that many NYC pitmasters have since followed. With dishes like smoked chicharrón and the unbeatable cross-cultural meat sweats vessel, brisket chicharrón sandwich, he’s marrying the flair of Dominican cuisine to one of the most important styles of barbecue. Plus it turns out that the typical Dominican sides Bark serves like maduros and rice & beans are the perfect counterpart to rich, smoky, meats. Hit up Timeout Market in Dumbo any day of the week or Smorgasburg Williamsburg on Saturdays to christen your tastebuds with Ruben’s unique take on barbecue.
Ed Cuenca
Arroces / Miss Ada
📸: @luigiwmorris
Chef Ed Cuenca is the CDC at Miss Ada and founder of Arroces, one of the city’s most lit pop-ups. At Arroces pop-ups, Cuenca marries ingredients and flavors from land and sea into pans up to 60 inches in diameter to serve paella to up to twenty people at a time. All while bumping techno music and curating one of the most vibey dining experiences in NYC. Hailing from Venezuela with a Spanish grandfather, paella is in Cuenca’s blood and he’s been cooking it since he was a kid with his family. Using imported rice from Spain, his grandmother’s sofrito recipe and fresh seafood, he’s cultivating street paella culture in NYC one bowl with a lobster tail hanging out of it at a time. Catch him at his next pop-up or at Miss Ada in Clinton Hill.
📸: @arrocesnyc
Fany Gerson
Fan Fan Doughnuts / La Newyorkina
📸: @fanygerson
Having held positions in some of the world’s finest kitchens including two three-star Michelin restaurants, Akelare and Eleven Madison Park, it wasn’t always clear that Fany Gerson was going to start a dessert empire with ice cream, popsicles and doughnuts, but that’s exactly what she’s done. Through her businesses, Fan-Fan Doughnuts and La Newyorkina, Gerson expresses immense pastry wisdom and her Mexican Jewish heritage. La Newyorkina’s tres leches ice cream brings the flavors of the typical Latin American cake to the freezer and she’s running a special drop Jewish New Year’s Doughnut Box at Fan Fan Doughnuts through September 25. Additionally, Gerson has written three cookbooks: My Sweet Mexico dedicated to an array of Mexican desserts, plus the more specific titles Mexican Ice Cream and Paletas.
📸: @fanfandoughnuts
Maria Piedad Cano
Arepa Lady
📸: @arepalady
Before she became a Queens street food icon, Maria Piedad Cano had a remarkable life in her native Colombia where she was a lawyer, a judge and one of the founders of a University. She embarked upon her culinary journey in 1990 and rose to legendary status on the bustling corner of 79th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, where her golden, buttery, cheesy arepas became her claim to fame. Though Cano used to craft her arepas beneath the rumbling tracks of the 7 train, her sons have cemented the family tradition, providing her creations with a permanent home named after her, which has now expanded to three locations. Her sweet, pillowy arepa de queso, oozing with melted mozzarella and the Colombian specialty arepa de choclo now grace Jackson Heights, Astoria and Downtown Brooklyn.
📸: @limreatsnyc
Evelia Coyotzi
Evelia’s Tamales
📸: @eatoutpost and @eveliastamales
In 2000, Evelia Coyotzi left her hometown of Tlaxcala, Mexico for New York City in search of employment opportunities. She worked at a McDonald's near the World Trade Center in September 2001, which closed its doors after 9/11. Undeterred and determined to serve people food, Coyotzi began crafting tamales in her Queens home and selling them from a street cart under the subway starting at 4 A.M. where she still holds a post to this day. Over two decades, she honed her craft, built a devoted clientele and even caught the attention of Anthony Bourdain who featured her on an episode of Parts Unknown in 2017. The culmination of Coyotzi’s dreams came to fruition in March of 2022 when she opened her first storefront just half a mile from her cart's customary location. She opened an additional cart at High Line Park in Manhattan in June.
📸: @eveliastamales
Amirah Kassem
The Flour Shop
📸: The Power of Sprinkles
An artist who uses cakes as her canvas, master baker Amirah Kassem, founder of Flourshop, specializes in confectionary art installations like the Rainbow Explosion Cake. Her food-based art has graced the Whitney Museum and Vogue and she is a best-selling author with titles including The Power of Sprinkles: A Cake Book. She even held the distinguished role of pastry chef for the Met Gala in 2022. Her journey is rooted in Mexico where she spent her formative years baking with her mother, discovering the magic of multi-sensory culinary experiences and cultivating an appreciation for ingredients. Beyond the world of cakes, Kassem has channeled her creativity into curating bakeware and home collections with Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn Kids & Teen. Her presence in the culinary world extends to the screen as a judge on the Disney+ food competition series Foodtastic. Her artistic prowess and dedication in the world of baking and beyond has left an indelible mark that shows us art doesn’t have to be inedible.
📸: @flourshop
Luis Herrera
Ensenada
📸: @meetresident
Coming from Venezuela, Luis Herrera has made a significant mark on NYC’s culinary scene. His journey began at Chef Carlos Garcia's Alto Restaurant, one of Venezuela’s most renowned restaurants. In 2014, he started cooking in NYC as a prep cook at Cosme and remarkably ascended the ranks, becoming the sous chef within just a year. Soon after, Cosme earned the title of "Best Restaurant in NYC 2015" by The New York Times and secured the 25th spot on "The World's 50 Best" list in 2018. Following his time at Cosme, Herrera has transitioned into a multifaceted culinary career which includes consulting and pop-ups. He played a pivotal role in bringing high-end Venezuelan cuisine to the city, consulting for Casa Ora in Brooklyn. Most recently, Herrera introduced vibrant Mexican seafood to Williamsburg with Ensenada, where he serves as the executive chef and partner.
📸: @adam.friedlander
All eight of these chef’s restaurants and pop-ups are featured on the 8it app. Make sure to turn on app notifications so you don’t miss their upcoming pop-ups.