Hi there, I’m Aaron, a 34-year-old chef based in the buzzing heart of Brooklyn, New York. My story with food didn’t start in a fancy culinary school or a Michelin-starred kitchen. It started in my grandmother’s Bronx apartment, where the scent of sofrito sizzling in a cast iron pan could draw every cousin and neighbor within a two-block radius. That was our version of a dinner bell.

I cook in English, though flavors are my real language. I grew up in a Puerto Rican-American household where food wasn’t just nourishment. It was history, celebration, and love, all plated up. I remember being no taller than the kitchen counter, watching my abuela gently press her thumb into empanadas before sliding them into hot oil, teaching me patience and pride one dish at a time.

I didn’t set out to be a chef. I tried the 9-to-5 office life, but every weekend I found myself elbow-deep in marinades, testing adobo blends, and experimenting with how far I could take a roast chicken without upsetting tradition. It hit me one day that this wasn’t just a hobby. Cooking was where I felt most like myself.

These days, I run small pop-up dinners around the city and offer virtual classes for home cooks who want to turn weeknight meals into something worth sitting down for. My goal is to demystify flavor. You don’t need twenty gadgets or imported sea salt. What you need is a sense of play, an open heart, and the courage to mess up a dish or two. That’s how I learned, and trust me, some of my best recipes came from kitchen disasters.

I believe food should taste like a story. Whether it’s grilled cheese elevated with caramelized onions and chipotle mayo or arroz con pollo made with what you actually have in the fridge, I’m here to help you bring soul to your stove.

Let’s cook something honest, delicious, and a little bit daring. From my kitchen in New York to yours, welcome.