Josef Centeno facts for kids

Josef Centeno is a famous American chef. He owns restaurants and writes cookbooks. He is known for his delicious Tex-Mex cuisine. In February 2020, he was nominated for a special award called the James Beard award for Best Chef.

Early Life and Learning

Josef Centeno grew up in San Antonio, Texas. His family was Mexican American. He loved eating his grandmother's Tex-Mex food. She cooked everything from scratch. It was like "farm-to-table" because they had a garden.

His father worked as a butcher in their family grocery store. His great-grandfather, Joe Centeno Sr., started Centeno Supermarkets. This was the first chain of independent Latino grocery stores in the United States.

Centeno went to San Antonio Academy and Central Catholic Marianist High School. He also studied cooking at the Culinary Institute of America.

Chef Career

In 2011, Centeno opened a restaurant called Bäco Mercat. It was in Los Angeles and served Spanish-inspired food.

His restaurant Bar Amá is named after his grandmother. Her family came from Northern Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. They moved to Texas and cooked Tex-Mex food. Centeno says her cooking was simple and not like the usual "melted-cheese" Tex-Mex.

In June 2019, his restaurant Orsa & Winston earned a Michelin star. This restaurant serves Japanese- and Italian-inspired dishes. In July 2019, he opened another restaurant called Amácita in Culver City.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Centeno was one of the first chefs to close his restaurants. He told his employees to apply for unemployment right away. Both Orsa & Winston and Bar Amá have since reopened.

Cookbooks by Josef Centeno

Centeno's first cookbook is called Baco: Vivid Recipes from the Heart of Los Angeles. It came out in 2017. He wrote it with Betty Hallock, his life partner. The book focused on the food of Los Angeles. Food & Wine magazine said it was about being an American who mixes different flavors. LAist called it an "essential cookbook" for people in Los Angeles.

His second cookbook, Amá: a modern Tex-Mex kitchen, was published in 2019. He also wrote this book with Betty Hallock. The New Yorker magazine named it one of the best books of the year. Eater also listed it as one of the best cookbooks of fall 2019.

Cooking Style

Centeno grew up when Tex-Mex food became very commercial. Because of this, he first avoided cooking Tex-Mex. He moved to New York and learned French cooking.

However, he now sees Tex-Mex differently. He believes it's not just about processed cheese. Instead, it's a type of cooking that started out of need. It was created by people who moved to Texas and had to adapt their cooking.

Awards and Recognition

In February 2020, Josef Centeno was named a semifinalist for Best Chef. This was by the James Beard Foundation.

In July 2021, the Los Angeles Times named Orsa & Winston their restaurant of the year. They praised Centeno's actions during the coronavirus pandemic. He also holds a Michelin star for his restaurant Orsa & Winston.