Cuban American
Cuban Americans ( or ) are Americans who immigrated from or are descended from immigrants from Cuba. As of 2023, Cuban Americans were the fourth largest Hispanic and Latino American group in the United States after Mexican Americans, Stateside ...
chef who helped popularize a version of Cuban food at several
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
s and on the
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
. Born in
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. García attended
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
in
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
where he earned a degree in
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
and restaurant management. García later attended the
Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is a private culinary school with its main campus in Hyde Park, New York, and branch campuses in St. Helena and Napa, California; San Antonio, Texas; and Singapore. The college, which was the first to ...
, and
Florida International University
Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...
. He worked alongside chef Douglas Rodriguez for four years at Yuca restaurant in Miami. García's work in New York has included stints on the
Food Network
Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
in
Soho
SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...
Calle Ocho
Calle may refer to:
Places
* Calle-Calle River, southern Chile
Film and television
*'' Calle 7'', a Chilean TV Show
*'' Calle 54'' (2000), a documentary film
Music
* Calle 13 (band), a Puerto Rican hip hop band
*" Calle Ocho" (2009), a hip hop ...
''.
García's first cookbook, ''In a Cuban Kitchen'' ( ), was published in September 2004 in the United States and in England. His career suffered a setback in 2003 when he was indicted in federal district court in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
and charged with conspiracy and
money laundering
Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds i ...
. García was found guilty of money laundering, but served no time. In 2007 García was the consulting chef at a new restaurant called '' Carniceria'' on Smith Street,
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, as well as the Gaucho Steak Company, a themed South American fast food outlet in Hells Kitchen.
Currently Chef Alex Garcia is the Director of Culinary Operations for Barrio Foods and leads the Barrio Foods catering business, MAMBO catering. Chef Garcia not only created the culinary programs but also oversees the kitchens at a number of his properties throughout New York City including
Calle Ocho
Calle may refer to:
Places
* Calle-Calle River, southern Chile
Film and television
*'' Calle 7'', a Chilean TV Show
*'' Calle 54'' (2000), a documentary film
Music
* Calle 13 (band), a Puerto Rican hip hop band
*" Calle Ocho" (2009), a hip hop ...
, the Copacabana Supper Club, the VIP food service at the Copacabana Nightclub, Barrio, Havana Café, Havana Room, Open Book Café at the Brooklyn Public Library, Cabana Bar and Rooftop 760. In 2011, became the executive chef of Babalu Restaurant and Lounge in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx.
Chef Garcia recently launched a range of authentic Spanish cookware products called Culinary Habana, and as founder of The Spice Company, he develops spice blends available for wholesale and retail purchase throughout New York City and the Caribbean.