From 2009 to 2013, Chef Gonzo worked for large hotels in the United States, including the St. Julien in Boulder, CO and The Hyatt Corporation in New Orleans and New York. Most notable amongst his various accomplishments throughout this period was the launch of his personal line of chocolates, providing different hotels throughout Manhattan, NY with high-end confections.
In 2013, he moved back to South America to work at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santiago de Chile. Soon after he accepted a highly coveted position with Barry Callebaut as a Corporate Chef for the South American Region and Director of the Chocolate Academy in Chile.
Chef Gonzo is República del Cacao’s Corporate Pastry Chef for the United States and North America. He travels North America representing the brand by teaching classes, giving demos, and providing technical assistance to all its customers. Visit Gonzo’s Instagram page at @chef.gonzo.
In this episode we discuss:
- How a young rebel got his intro to the culinary world
- The moment he became hooked on the art of chocolate
- Honing his skills at hotels and restaurants
- Learning about chocolate on an industrial level
- Opening a chocolate and pastry shop in Arizona
- His current position as Corporate Pastry Chef for North America at Republica del Cacao
- Running ultra-marathons as a hobby
- And much more!
