Gabriel Pacheco

I've cooked so many over the years, it is hard to choose. But I'm fond of my spicy cocoa dusted scallops. Lately paired with a savory tomato & sweet corn flan, garnished with a sour apple pico de gallo. This dish pays homage to my Latin roots as well as the milestones of my career & culinary journey.

Although Gordon Ramsey & Jaques Pepin inspired me when cooking first became a career vs. a job, my inspiration comes from my hometown. My parents made Puertorican food. My friends' homes showcased other cuisines. From stuffed breads to pierogis, venison sausage to meatloaf, paella to bibimbap, childhood was a culinary journey around the globe. Food proved we have more in common than what sets us apart. Food is the footprints in the sand through human history that continues to inspire

I would use this money as seed money to start my own business. Working with fusion cuisine most of my career, I made rent during covid by selling empanadas. Of course classic empanadas I grew up eating were mainstays, but I asked friends to challenge me weekly with their favorite dishes. I would transform those meals into empanadas. I am finishing my first year as the chef of a private school. With summers off, I would like to run an empanada food truck until I could earn a brick & mortar.