Today we’d like to introduce you to Amid Hernandez.
Amid, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Aguas Buenas Puerto Rico, I am a veteran chef with 18+ experience my career started in the year 2000 when I got inspired by the classic flavors of my mom’s cooking and also my love for food. I began my training with the culinary program of Hotel and Culinary School of San Juan, P.R.
During this time I excelled at the top of my class and I even created a catering business out of my mother’s tiny kitchen before graduation time. I was successful however, the demands of the business were too big for the size of the kitchen and My goals much bigger than Puerto Rico could offer me at the time.
In 2006 I sold everything in my possession and said “adios” to my family and friends after a difficult but necessary decision to leave Puerto Rico. Venturing to the United States to achieve my goals and create a much better life for myself and my loved ones, I was relentless on my new path to professional growth.
Over the past decade, I helped to open four restaurants in the Miami area and have been part of special Chef Table events with the Food Network’s culinary star, Andrew Zimmern and Chef Jason Wang from New York. Most recently, I was one of several guest chef’s at the “Heaven to Earth” chef table event at Taller De Gastronomia in Caguas, PR.
Experience in popular local restaurant groups such as 50 Eggs and Darden Group as well as high-end restaurants such as Michelle Bernstein’s and Zuma Miami, created more detailed knowledge and the most intense work ethic that has become the backbone of My philosophy. Even i accomplished Exec. Chef position that is just a small achievement There are many more levels to achieve.
In the last few years, I’ve been focusing on my own business A&A Eventos, Private Dining Events, Personal Chef and private cooking classes. What sets me apart is that I just not want to grow my company in FL, I will have multiples Locations outside of the state as well. I will make a big impact in different communities including Puerto Rico…The Future is extremely bright!
Great, 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?
No of course not, I struggle the very first moment I came to FL on Feb 2006, I came with no money and no family what so ever. My English at that point it was about %25. I had a long way to go also the crazy thing is I didn’t have a place to live. Because I manage to transfer some credits from PR to Florida Culinary Institute (west palm beach) the day that I landed I went from the Airport to the School Campus and the goal was to find a place to live, and I did. Also, other Puerto Rican people were in that school so I made friends immediately and found a roommate. After a few days in FL, I did not have money left and I had to find a job very fast, and I did. Along the way, I got fire many times. It was hard but my dreams and goals always were my north star and failures and adversity never stopped me.
I worked in a few restaurants and I proved my self very fast. In 2011 on my last day of working for Food Network Michelle Bernstein Restaurant, leaving the parking lot in Lake Worth FL I got arrested went to jail for five days (I had a warrant for my arrest and I didn’t know about) this for problems with my car insurance. I guess I did not take Florida laws seriously. This teaches me the biggest lesson of my life. The day I got released I had to walk five hours to get my car.
Later on, a few years later working for Darden Corp. at Seasons 52 in Boca Raton I got promoted for 1st time in my life as a sous chef. I never forget that day, that phone call. The promotion was to be a chef in Coral Gables, Miami. Adversity has always been part of my story, for sure the first seven years were the hardest ones.
Tell us more about your business.
A&A Eventos LLC Services are
-Personal Chef
-Private Events/Catering
-Wine tasting dinners ( currently I have a sommelier in my group)
-Cooking Classes
I offer services from Miami to Atlanta Specialize in this cuisines – Latin(PuertoRican Cuban), Mexican, Thai, Korean, French, Japanese, Spanish.
I’m proud that I have been in pursuit of growth and expansion and finally is happening, of course, it has been two years since I started, four months ago was my last time I ever worked for anybody else. That was the best decision of my life.
I’m proud that because my goals of Entrepreneur, hard work and no days off now I have book events to March Next year. I’m not just opening one Location of A&A Eventos, this will allow me to use this event venue to do all my services as well as rental for any type of event. Also, this service will come with Chefs Live cooking in an open kitchen concept with a large size Robata Grill and the place will be transformed to the desired and specifications of a guest without limits.
Eight locations will be open in the next five years, four in FL and four outside this including Atlanta and New York. What sets me apart is the positive impact that I’m doing in people’s lives and the job opportunities that I will be creating also I will help and donate food to those that need the most especially to my country Puerto Rico. I will have also a program to teach kids how to cook. this will be at no cost.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
1- Executive Chef Position
2- My own Company
3- Magazine Feature and Guest Chef in Puerto Rico chef table
Pricing:
- Cooking Classes $150 per ppl 2 hours
- Starting Base Events $40 up to 10 ppl , More than 10 is $ 35 a ppl (not include tax, or staff, tables, delivery) price also will vary of type of food.
- Wine Dinner Tastings – 4 course meal with Sommelier starting base price $125 a person( price vary food and wine selected also time length of the event, and amount of guest)
Contact Info:
- Address: 21001 San Simeon Way , North Miami FL
- Website: www.aaeventos.com
- Phone: 561-727-0487
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @chefamidhernandez
- Facebook: @chefamidhernandez
- Twitter: @chefamidhernandez
- Yelp: A&A Eventos
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