Jose Garces facts for kids
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Garces in 2011
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| Cooking style | Latin cuisine |
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| Education | Kendall College |
| Spouse | Dr. Beatriz Garces |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Previous restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Award(s) won
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Jose Garces is a famous American chef. He owns many restaurants. He is also known as an Iron Chef. He was born in Chicago. His parents came from Ecuador. He won the second season of The Next Iron Chef.
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Early Life of Chef Garces
Jose Garces was born in Chicago, Illinois. This was in the early 1970s. He is one of three children. His parents, Jorge and Magdalena, were from Ecuador.
He played varsity football and wrestled in high school. He went to Kendall College in Chicago. There he studied Culinary Arts. He graduated in 1996. After college, Garces traveled to Spain. He wanted to learn about European cooking. A few years later, he came back to the United States. He started working in New York City.
Chef Garces's Career
In 2001, Chef Douglas Rodriguez opened Alma de Cuba. This restaurant was in Philadelphia. Jose Garces became its executive chef.
In 2005, Garces opened his first restaurant. He named it Amada. It was a Spanish tapas restaurant. He named it after his grandmother. After Amada, he opened more restaurants. These were in Philadelphia, Chicago, and other cities.
Later, his restaurant group made some business changes. In 2018, his restaurants became part of a new partnership. This was with IdEATion Hospitality.
Today, IdEATion and Chef Garces run seven restaurants in Philadelphia. These include Amada, Tinto, and Village Whiskey. They also manage four restaurants in Atlantic City, New Jersey. These are at the Ocean Casino Resort.
Chef Garces on Television
Garces has appeared on Iron Chef America. In 2008, he challenged Bobby Flay. He won that battle, which featured melon.
He also competed in the second season of The Next Iron Chef. He won the competition. He became the sixth Iron Chef on November 22, 2009. His first time as an Iron Chef was on January 17, 2010. He defeated Chef Rachel Yang in a battle featuring Hawaiian Moi. In 2023, Garces was a contestant. He appeared in season 4 of Tournament of Champions.
Jose Garces's Personal Life
In 2002, Jose Garces married Jill Schmeltzer. They have two children. Their daughter is Olivia. Their son is Andres.
Awards and Honors
- 2009: Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, James Beard Foundation
