Douglas Rodriguez

Raised in Miami by parents who emigrated from Cuba, celebrated chef Douglas Rodriguez grew up surrounded by the sights, smells and tastes of Cuban-American cuisine. He developed a passion for food early on; the budding chef had a collection of cookbooks, pots and pans, and was developing and preparing original concepts by the tender age of 13 years old.

For his upscale Cuban menu at his first restaurant, Yuca, Rodriguez was named "Chef of the Year, Miami" by The Chefs of America at the age of 24. Though Yuca served distinctly Cuban cuisine, Rodriguez constantly studied new flavors and ingredients, absorbing ideas from – and creating a dialogue with – his staff who hailed from a constellation of assorted regions and countries in Latin America.

Inspired by the endless possibilities afforded by combining these diverse culinary styles, Rodriguez moved to New York City where he became the executive chef and co-owner of the phenomenally successful Patria, which received a glowing three-star review from The New York Times in 1994. Patria was the testing ground for his new signature cuisine, which he coined "Nuevo Latino." Rodriguez went on to create both Chicama, a Peruvian ceviche bar, then Pipa, a popular tapas bar, in 2000.

Rodriguez partnered with Restaurateur Stephen Starr to open Alma de Cuba in Philadelphia in 2001. In 2003, he returned to his native Miami to open OLA, the name of which is acronym for Of Latin America, and then stretched westward to Scottsdale, AZ, where he launched Deseo in The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. Both restaurants showcase his signature style of contemporary Latin cuisine.

Rodriguez is the author of four cookbooks: Nuevo Latino (Ten Speed Press, 1995), Latin Ladles (Ten Speed Press, 1997), Latin Flavors on the Grill (Ten Speed Press, 2000) and The Great Ceviche Book (Ten Speed Press, 2003).