Lorena Garcia, Chef, Author
Miami, FL
Lorena Garcia is a chef who has opened multiple restaurants in the United States, most notably CHICA Restaurants. Garcia has also written cookbooks; created a line of kitchenware, frozen meal solutions and desserts; and created a program to help end childhood obesity.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Garcia would cook at extended family gatherings where she impressed those present with her culinary skill. She fully credits these family events for her success as a chef.
In Caracas, Garcia attended Santa Maria University where she studied law. She then relocated to the United States to study for an associate degree in paralegal studies and learn English. However, Garcia soon lost interest in the field of law and felt the need to change her career path. It was then that she decided to pursue her true passion, enrolling in Johnson & Wales University to earn her degree in culinary arts. She later received her honorary doctorate in culinary arts from the same institution.
Garcia began her career as a chef through an apprenticeship at the Ritz in Paris, France. After working there, she went on a tour through several cities known for their culinary cuisine and landed culinary jobs in several countries, including Italy, Japan, Korea, Thailand and China. With this experience, Garcia returned to the U.S. where she opened Food Café in Miami's Design District in 2002. Later that year, she established her second restaurant, Elements Tierra, also in the Design District. In 2008, Garcia sold both restaurants.
In February 2011, Garcia opened a restaurant, Lorena Garcia Cocina, in the American Airlines terminal of the Miami International Airport. The following year she opened her second travelers' restaurant, Lorena Garcia Tapas, in the Atlanta International Airport. Garcia then opened a third restaurant in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth Airport in 2016.
Throughout Garcia’s professional life she was always aware that obesity, especially in children, was a health concern she could help to address. She created Big Chef, Little Chef to help end childhood obesity. Big Chef, Little Chef is a non-profit organization that aims to encourage healthy eating starting at a young age. Garcia provides hands-on cooking classes to children and their parents based on menus she has crafted.
Garcia also became a television personality. In addition to being featured on numerous Spanish-language networks, including Univision and Telemundo, she has competed on Top Chef Masters, a reality competition on the Bravo network, choosing to compete on behalf of Alliance for a Healthier Generation. She has also been featured on the CNN special documentary “Latinos in America.” She has compiled many of her recipes into two cookbooks: Lorena Garcia's New Latin Classics and Lorena Garcia's New Taco Classics. In 2013 Garcia also released a line of kitchenware, the Lorena Bella Kitchen Collection, for HSN.
Her newest and ambitious restaurant project, CHICA, has landed her on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, where Garcia has joined the ranks of the world class chefs on Restaurant Row at The Venetian Resort. Her photo now proudly stands as the first woman chef on the “Wall of Culinary Titans'' outside the resort. Since launching in 2017, Garcia has opened CHICA Restaurants in Miami and Aspen.