Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Chirino.
Hi Christian, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started as a young cook in Paris, or “stagiere” as they called me. So, it was a hard first job, intense and old school. After I was consolidated as a chef in France, working for famous chefs, Michelin star restaurants, and doing internships in many famous restaurants in Europe, I discovered different kitchens and many areas of hospitality, I worked for 10 years for Compass Group and it was another side of the business, not to close of the fire. Now, based in Miami, I found a beautiful city, an amazing project in TUR Kitchen with a great team that supports and believe in my “different” ideas.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If you asked me this a few years ago, maybe I would say “not smooth at all,” but now, after all, that I experienced and saw in different places, I’m super proud, and always could be worst. I’m super grateful to learn in a French kitchen, very old-school, with chefs that now you can see only in magazines or famous brands. It was hard, of course, but it was the best way. Young cooks after a few months think they are ready to be executive chefs, and nobody is better. I made the same mistake 15 years ago, but hospitality evolves every year. After Covid, this is a new world for restaurants. Nobody imagines 20 hours shifts in the kitchen or if you don’t have perfect nails and if you are not perfectly shaved, you are fired. Hundreds of resumes came in every week asking for an opportunity to work in a Michelin-star restaurant, and in the same way, hundreds of cooks were fired every day.
So again, is been a smooth road? Is been the best road!!! That road creates passion for my job and passion to serve others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Now, I’m working in TUR Kitchen, Coral Gables… Mediterranean restaurant offering dishes that transport our guests to the remote regions of southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, using locally sourced ingredients. Please, let me stop here! We partner with family-run farms and fishing boats that raise animals humanely, care for chickens, goats, and cows without antibiotics, gather cage-free eggs, and hand-catch seafood in pristine waters. We choose to purchase and consume food that is in season. That is something that I really love. Discover new producers and families taking care of amazing products as a chef makes my life easier! I try to bring my experience, my attention to detail, and different flavors, to TUR Kitchen, trying to be recognized to be a place Sustainable, a place to everybody can say, “this is a great restaurant’ or “I had a great experience.” That’s all. Chefs are not famous for working office hours, we work many hours, and we are not famous to make millions. This is only passion. If you want to be a chef, you don’t care about time, money, or holiday, you only care for this passion to serve others and make people enjoy your food.
What makes me different? Nobody enjoys their job more than me.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
This is a new world after Covid-19. Completely different. Our industry suffers in terms of customers a lot. But also in terms of staff. Every restaurant was living with that problem. A lot of people discover new jobs, and a lot of people discover that they were in the kitchen not because they love this; it was only a consequence and not for choice.
Many colleagues did a tremendous sacrifice trying to make their kitchens work. GM’s cleaning dining rooms, executives’ chefs running the grill
Now a lot of chefs understood that the most important source in the kitchen is not the Wagyu, truffles, or caviar. Is our team. As I mentioned before, I learned in an old-school French kitchen that if something is not perfect, you are fired. Simple. Now everybody is investing more time in training, real time off, and taking care of their teams. Finally, I feel proud of places that changed in a positive way, taking care of their staff.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.turkitchen.com
- Instagram: @chefchristianchirino
Image Credits
RM Studio Corp
