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 backstory with our readers?
My journey in hospitality has been shaped by a combination of world-class culinary exploration, operational leadership at scale, strategic business learning, and a passion for developing strong teams and successful concepts.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I moved to France to immerse myself in European culinary culture. I worked all over Europe, doing stages with some of the top restaurants in the world, collaborating on special events, and participating in major gastronomic platforms like Madrid Fusión, Omnivore Food Festival, Fooding, and more. Those early years taught me not only creativity and technique, but also how exceptional teams are built and sustained in diverse, high-pressure environments.
After my time in Europe, I returned to Chile where I spent 10 years working with Compass Group, one of the world’s largest hospitality and foodservice companies. In that role, I was responsible for leading large-scale operations — serving up to 28,000 people per day — and honing systems for consistency, quality, and service excellence at enormous scale. While working there, I also pursued further education, earning both my Master’s degree and MBA, which broadened my strategic understanding of business and leadership in complex operational environments.
From there I moved to Miami, where I took on the role of Culinary Director at TUR Kitchen. In that position, we built a concept that resonated with both guests and critics, earning numerous awards at the city, state, and national levels. I was also honored as one of the Top 70 Chefs in the U.S. in 2023, an accolade that recognized not just culinary execution, but team leadership, consistency, and brand impact.
Those cumulative experiences — from Michelin-level kitchens and international festivals, to large-scale operations and strategic business training — naturally came together in my next chapter: co-founding Dill & Zest.
For the past three years, Dill & Zest has operated as a global hospitality consulting company, partnering with clients across the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East to open and elevate restaurants, hotels, beach clubs, and private venues. We specialize in concept and menu development, leadership and team training, mentorship, and hiring of key operational roles — the areas I know are fundamental to long-term success.
One of the core insights that has shaped our work is that while many hospitality professionals graduate technically ready for frontline roles, very few receive structured support or mentorship on how to become managers, directors, and strategic leaders. That gap became our mission: to identify talent and empower growth through intentional development and operational excellence.
We also take a very selective approach to engagements — choosing not to accept contracts where we don’t believe we can deliver sustained success. Our philosophy is simple but powerful: our success is defined by our clients’ success — not by the zeros on an invoice. When we do things right, everything else is a consequence.
I’ve recently returned to Miami, and my focus now is bringing the Dill & Zest model to the United States — helping hospitality concepts here build stronger teams, sharper leadership, and successful, sustainable operations grounded in strategy and excellence.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
“No, the journey has never been smooth — and in hospitality, I think that’s the point. Over the last three years, we’ve worked in more than 14 countries. Each trip is a masterclass in learning, culture, and adaptability, but traveling like that can be exhausting. Long shifts, weeks without days off, and months of preparation are the norm, but we do it because we love it.
Life in restaurants is ungrateful, and I always stress this in my talks, courses, and pre-shifts. We dedicate ourselves to hospitality because it gives us joy to see others enjoy the experience we create. Weird, maybe — but deeply true. Let me give you an example: a wedding with 200 guests. Five types of hors d’oeuvres, totaling 1,000 pieces, five-course dinner with 1,000 plated dishes, a massive team, and preparation that took days.
When everything runs perfectly, no one notices the work behind it — and that’s exactly how it should be. Guests only remember if something goes wrong. But that silence, the flawless execution, the happiness on people’s faces — that’s the ultimate reward. Satisfaction is the currency in this industry. That’s what keeps us going: the joy of creating, leading teams, and making people’s moments unforgettable. All the travel, the long hours, the high-pressure environments — none of it feels like a burden when you see people genuinely enjoying what you’ve worked so hard to create.”
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Dill & Zest works in the backstage of the hospitality world — behind many renowned restaurants, hotels, and global events. We help brands elevate operations, improve efficiency, and achieve recognition, awards, or milestones they aspire to.
Our most unique strength is the way we support people. Through our extensive network, we connect talent with the right businesses and accompany them during critical formative stages. It’s not just recruitment — it’s guidance, mentorship, and hands-on support to ensure mutual success.
We fully trust in our experience, especially the lessons from our failures. We’ve made our share of mistakes, and that’s what allows us to guide others wisely, helping them avoid pitfalls while building strong, sustainable teams and operations. We’re not better than anyone else — we’ve just learned more from trying, failing, and improving along the way.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is doing things the right way and being honest. I think that’s the foundation for everything — building relationships, developing teams, and creating trust. Helping others isn’t just about waiting for someone to ask for it; real help often happens before it’s even requested. I’ve found that this approach has opened countless opportunities for us in our industry.
People who know us understand that honesty and doing things properly are non-negotiable.
Being a person of integrity – that, to me, is the best guarantee you can have in life
Pricing:
- Based on requirement
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dillandzest.com
- Instagram: @chefchristianchirino
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cchirino/
Image Credits
Some of them is @rmstudiocorp Ricardo Mejia
