Future of Latin Cuisine

We all can agree that Latin food has come along way and is no longer the cuchifrito that it once was (or the typical arroz con pollo.) The past 10 years have seen Latin theme restaurants come and go. We've been empowered and are proud of what was and is developing.

I can remember as if it were yesterday going to the long standing and now sadly closed Patria at 250 Park Ave. S. (20th St). I was wowed by this non-themed but Latin-influenced restaurant and knew what the future of Latin food was to become years later. I recall being proud, knowing that the owner and creator of Patria, Phil Suarez, was of Puerto Rican heritage.

The restaurant was a pioneering establishment, bringing the then-unfamiliar flavors of Latin America into a fine dining context and furthering the careers of Chef Douglas Rodriguez and the infamous Chef Alex, often called the fathers of Nuevo-Latino cuisine. Patria was a launching pad for creativity and experimentation of different Latin flavors throughout the Caribbean, South America and Spain. I can honestly say this sparked and confirmed my desire to continue in this industry and to push the boundaries of what we can accomplish.

After Patria, we have seen great restaurants come and go. We still go to the classic midtown places, like Chicama, Pipa. Calle Ocho on the upper west side or hotspot Centrico in Soho with Aaron Sanchez. Kudos to Jimmy Rodriguez who is still honing his skills and growing as a restaurateur, moving further north from Bronx and into New Rochelle, and where the place is packed nightly.

So it is 2010... what is the future of Latin Cuisine?

What else can we do? Where else can we open? I believe the NYC Latin restaurant scene is a bit stagnant but we have the next round of rising Latin chefs' creciendo. Adelante! I also see movement in other cities where the Latino population is growing and growing and growing! For example, I see growing Latin migration to cities like North Carolina, Atlanta, and Seattle where the need for Latin infused restaurants will drive talented chefs looking to expand and broaden there horizons. These chefs bring with them not only the culinary training of the accredited schools or past mentor-bosses, but also their own indigenous backgrounds. and the recipes of their grandmothers who they've watched and learned from as kids. I am sure these aspiring chefs are going to be calling the abuleitas back home to put spin on old classics.

We've been there and done that with Mexican & Cuban restaurants. I still love them dearly, however we continue to expand with a new interest in and the influences of Peruvian, Chilean, and the likes of Colombian cuisines. We are going to see new infusions besides the ever growing Latin-Asian (which is still hot) and props go out to Sushi Samba and of course, the grand master, Asia de Cuba. But we will see new twists, like Latin-Soul, Latin-Thai, Latin Vegan and even Latin Kosher...Señor La-heim's?!

As a consultant in the scene I'm always looking for the next thing. So go out there and explore, try and invent. Let's keep pushing the envelope with our great cuisines and discover new ways to make rice & beans.

Please let me know if you seen anything new, innovative, or just plain loco!?

Ciao Bacalao,