Personalities
Nelson Mendez
www.nelsonmendezchef.com
Born in Puerto Ayacucho, his profesional career initiated when he decided to work in a restaurant of Bolivar City with the intention of paying his studies in Hotel Management. In 1984 he gets into college and settles in Caracas, where he became part of the cooking brigade of Hotel Tamanaco Internacional with Franz Müller. Thanks to this experience his passion grew stronger along with his experience and attention to detail. A year and a half later he became part of Wolfgang Enkel's team in the Hilton Hotel Caracas, nourishing with his demands and a high level of technique.
In 1988 he started working at Hotel Ritz, also in Caracas and after a short time he became a main cook under the wing of Müller once again. There he spent 15 years and after that, with a lot os experience and success he got in charge of the Biarritz Bistró in Caracas. There que shared the knowledge gained with Expedita Palacios, one of the best chefs in Venezuela.
Since 98 he began developing his own style: Venezuelan Amazon Kitchen, using as a base the unique ingredients from the jungle, which got him back in contact with his roots. He has consolidated as one of the greatest chefs of his country, by combining the ingredients from the Amazonas with high cuisine techniques. nelson has also dedicated to develop gastronomic products applying technology and ancestral techniques. His 15 years of research in the Amazonas are written in the book "Saberes y Sabores de la Gastronomía Indigena del Estado Amazonas" (Knowledge and Flavors of the Indigenous Gastronomy of the Amazonas). Today Nelson gives assessment in Caracas where he also teaches at the Centro Venezolano de Capacitación Gastronómica.
During the last ten years he has given workshops, conferences and classes along the territory of Venezuela, becoming the first chef in his country to participate in world class events like Madrid Fusion 2012 and Madrid Fusion Mexico in 2011, as well as the 15° Festival de Cultura y Gastronomía at Tiradentes, Brazil and the International Gastronomic Fair of Lima, Peru. He is also director of El Shaman at Gran Hotel Amazonas in Puerto Ayacucho and acts as a chairman of the Fundación Cocina Amazonica Venezolana.
In 1988 he started working at Hotel Ritz, also in Caracas and after a short time he became a main cook under the wing of Müller once again. There he spent 15 years and after that, with a lot os experience and success he got in charge of the Biarritz Bistró in Caracas. There que shared the knowledge gained with Expedita Palacios, one of the best chefs in Venezuela.
Since 98 he began developing his own style: Venezuelan Amazon Kitchen, using as a base the unique ingredients from the jungle, which got him back in contact with his roots. He has consolidated as one of the greatest chefs of his country, by combining the ingredients from the Amazonas with high cuisine techniques. nelson has also dedicated to develop gastronomic products applying technology and ancestral techniques. His 15 years of research in the Amazonas are written in the book "Saberes y Sabores de la Gastronomía Indigena del Estado Amazonas" (Knowledge and Flavors of the Indigenous Gastronomy of the Amazonas). Today Nelson gives assessment in Caracas where he also teaches at the Centro Venezolano de Capacitación Gastronómica.
During the last ten years he has given workshops, conferences and classes along the territory of Venezuela, becoming the first chef in his country to participate in world class events like Madrid Fusion 2012 and Madrid Fusion Mexico in 2011, as well as the 15° Festival de Cultura y Gastronomía at Tiradentes, Brazil and the International Gastronomic Fair of Lima, Peru. He is also director of El Shaman at Gran Hotel Amazonas in Puerto Ayacucho and acts as a chairman of the Fundación Cocina Amazonica Venezolana.
