Jose Garces
Jose Garces
Jose Garces is an Ecuadorian American chef, restaurant owner, and Iron Chef. He was born in Chicago to Ecuadorian parents. He won in the second season of The Next Iron Chef. After graduating from Gordon Tech in 1990, Garces studied Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionChef
CountryUnited States of America
new-york philadelphia inspire
Some of the best cooks that I've cooked with, whether it's in New York or Chicago or even here in Philadelphia, are actually Ecuadorians. And there's something about their palates that really just inspires me, and has a really deep sense of flavor.
careers growth able
I have experienced a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth, and I feel incredibly lucky that I'm able to make a career out of doing the things that I love.
cuisine chicago available
There a great ethnic cuisine available to you in Chicago.
thinking wells festive
Well, you know, for me, I think Spanish food is festive.
special want tough
Being Ecuadorian is, I don't want to say it's tough but it's... something special to me.
culture might ecuador
If you were a Colombian, you would have your version of an empanada. If you are an Argentinean, you might find a dough that's baked and has a butter sheen on it. And then in Ecuador, you'll find more crispy-fried empanadas. So, yeah, every culture has their own version of empanadas.
home wife fans
I'm a huge fan of burgers, and they're not my wife's favorite, so we don't cook them at home.
heart long remember
As long as you remember what you love and why you love it, it will never be far from your heart - or your plate.
years cooking lines
I spent several years cooking on a line.
fun positivity trying
Positivity, that's one of the things I try to spread throughout my company and really anyone I come in contact with. Because as you know, life's too short. You got to keep it positive and keep it fun.
chicago chef backgrounds
Chicago is a lot of my background as a chef.
social social-security security
From the time I was 8 until now, I've been working. My Social Security is looking solid.
college cooking spain
I studied cooking in Spain after college.
real home thinking
I think that a lot of us at home are iron chefs in their own right in that we have to come up with meals real quickly.