Chef Carmen Gonzalez is a celebrated chef and culinary artist who has spiced up the kitchen and graced the dining room for over 20 years. The Puerto Rican native’s creative flare and intense passion for cooking have elicited national recognition, most recently at her eponymous Miami location Carmen the Restaurant, where her blend of Puerto Rican influences were evident in every item on the Modern American menu.

 

Chef Carmen opened Carmen the Restaurant, where she was the sole proprietor, in March 2003. The restaurant received outstanding reviews from esteemed restaurant reviewers, food critics and colleagues alike. In November 2003, John Mariani of Esquire magazine named Carmen the Restaurant “One of the Best New Restaurants in America,” the only restaurant in Florida that year to make the celebrated list. Mariani’s praise continued with, “You dunk a fritter into hot chocolate, take a sip of coffee and then ask Carmen to marry you,” in SKY magazine, March 2005.

 

Among the extensive awards that were presented to Chef Carmen and Carmen the Restaurant were the Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for 2006-2004; AAA’s coveted 4 Diamond Award in 2004and 2005; 2006, ZAGAT’s listing of Carmen’s in the “America’s Top Restaurants” book; and Florida Trend’s inclusion of the restaurant among the state’s “Best New Restaurants.” The New York Times proclaimed, “One the cities hottest hangouts,” and the Miami New Times boldly stated, “The problem is that there are no problems.” In Miami New Times 2005 Best of Issue, Carmen the Restaurant was voted “Best Puerto Rican Restaurant,” and in the 2004 Best of Issue, the Miami New Times handed Chef Carmen “The Best New Restaurant.” The Miami Herald references Chef Carmen on a regular basis, and Food and Wine and Bon Appetit magazines have also handed accolades to Chef Carmen.

 

Chef Carmen had a weekly culinary show on Univision and was a regular on the network’s top rated morning show, Despierta America. She is a television veteran with appearances including, Martha Stewart Show, NBC’s “The Today Show,” NBC’s WTVJ-TV “South Florida Today,” FOX WSVN-TV DECO Drive for Share Our Strength’s “Five Fabulous Female Chefs,” David Rosengarden’s “Today on Food” on the Food Network, as well as MGM Latino, Televisa, and Univision.   Her TV weekly spot appeared in Univision Miami in 2006-07.

 

Chef Carmen brings her passion for the culinary world to her community outreach efforts and has been involved for many years with Share Our Strength and the James Beard Foundation, among others  

 

Presently she just finalized her soon to be published Chef Carmen Gonzalez Cooks with Bacardi cookbook, is creating her new TV show, and very soon she will bring her award winning cuisine and unique style to New York City.