Somehow, by a fortuitous event, as it so often happens in life (at least this has been my experience time and time again), I found myself washing dishes in a Spanish Restaurant in the heart of Caracas, Venezuela; all the while also wanting to study marine biology.
And yes, that is where it all began for me.
I could not contain the excitement of returning back to the restaurant and seeing what the Chef would come up with that day, the logistics of the orders coming in and the plates going out was something that amazed me, and continues to this day.
It Was During This Time, That I Realized Food Changes Lives
. . . And I Wanted To Be A Part Of It All.
I embarked on the journey of becoming a Chef, recognizing those who came before me and guided my beginnings by learning the traits of the craft to then discover my own voice, which has led me to interpret food through my own experience and take the audience on a thrill ride unlike any other.
From The Start, To The Present
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Restaurante Rua's
2001Where it all started for me in Las Mercedes, Caracas, Venezuela.
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Isla de Margarita & Los Roques
2002 - 2003Cooking and fishing.
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Top of Class
2004Graduated Top of Class from the culinary school at High Training Educational Institute.
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Tamanaco Intercontinental
Mar 2004 - Sep 2004Prep & Cook in Caracas, Venezuela.
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Macis Gourmet Cuisine
Sep 2004 - Sep 2005Chef de Partie at Galleria Los Naranjos Mall, Caracas, Venezuela.
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Aranda Restaurant
Oct 2005 - Jul 2006Chef de Partie at Paseo El Hatillo Mall, Caracas, Venezuela. Butchering, fish handling, prep, and desserts.
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Posada Rancha Yemaya
Jul 2006 - Jul 2007Chef & Manager - butchering, prep, supervisor BOH/FOH, management, food cost, and orders. Located on Tortuga Island, Venezuela.
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Barton G The Restaurant
Jan 2008 - Feb 2010Sous Chef - Created weekly specials with respect to seasonal ingredients and trends. Focus on BEO's, private events, and catered functions/banquets.
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Meat Market
Feb 2010 - May 2013Chef De Cuisine - Organize and implement daily lunch and dinner specials for high volume operation. Seek out relationships with locally sustainable purveryors and butchers.
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Mandolin Aegean Bistro
Nov 2011 - Jul 2012Sous Chef - Cooking prep, inventory, orders, cover stations, specials daily, and expo.
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Alma Restaurant by Meat Market
Sep 2012 - Jan 2013Chef Consultant - Design and conception of of the menu (recipes), costs, training, hiring, and opening the restaurant at the Hotel Boutique Casa San Augustin, Cartagena, Colombia.
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Juvia
Jul 2013 - Feb 2015Sous Chef - Manage staff of 40+ members. Extensively skilled and trained in Peruvian, French, and Japanese cuisine as directly supervised by Executive Chef Laurent Cantineaux.
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Sailing and Navigating
Jan 2014 - Dec 2014Sailing and navigating the world as a freelance chef and hand deck for two Caribbean seasons and one Mediterranean.
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Faena Hotel (Pao and Los Fuegos Restaurants)
Oct 2015 - May 2016Sous Chef - Create weekly specials with respect to seasonal ingredients and trends. Work with Chef Qui (Top Chef Season 9). Focus on BEO's and Omakase menu.
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Sugar Factory American Brasserie
May 2016 - Dec 2016Executive Chef - Manage staff of 75+ members. Oversee all kitchen and food preparations for two Miami Beach locations. Coordinate and manage daily prep, inventory, and labor for both locations.
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The Founding
2017Unveiling of the culinary company: Barazarte Group, LLC
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STK South Beach
Jan 2018 - Oct 2018Executive Sous Chef - Manage staff of 30+ members. Incorporate extensive training, skill, and creativity to create menu changes using seasonal ingredients and trends, as well as daily specials.
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Meat Market at Old San Juan Hilton
Dec 2018Chef Consultant - opening the iconic Meat Market Restaurant in the Old San Juan Hotel. From setting up recipe books to engineering menus and employee hiring and training.
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LIFESTYLE
Beyond The Kitchen
I like to think of myself as a very unique individual with a very particular lifestyle. However, I am not here to tell you my life story. Instead, I’ll just tell you some highlights of who and why I am the way I am.
From a young age I’ve always been a nomad, avid traveler, and adrenaline junkie with a love for skateboarding, skydiving, motocross, and tattoos.
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MOTORCYCLES
A Motorhead Since Youth
I also love to work with my hands, and when it's not applied to food, it is spent filling my other attraction to engines by modifying and customizing motorcycles and/or anything vintage.
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TATTOOS
An Artform I Wear Everyday
Being Latin and a self named nomad, I’ve had the opportunity to share my own and experience different cultures from around the globe. This has also allowed me to get lost and explore everyone's culture through food, travel, and befriending locals along the way.
As mentioned earlier, one way I identify and keep these moments, is by adding a new piece or tattoo to my body during my free time.
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A Mi Manera
By now, you might get the picture of why I am particular and unique.
I like to wear many hats; Chef, Seaman, Bartender, Punk, and Motorcyclist... I don't plan to stop learning, nor stopping anything I do that brings more moments and experiences to anyone I may encounter along the way; all this is what keeps me alive...
“A Mi Manera” - David
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RANDOM SHOTS
Capturing The Moment
Life is worth capturing on camera. Every so often, I participate in a shoot that offers a perspective of interest and originality.
View:
A Venture Like No Other In My Life
Starting my own business was a dream come to fruition and has allowed me to do more than ever.
None of it would be possible without the great team that makes customers beam with joy during and after every meal we create.
See My Latest Updates
Connect with me on my social media
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If you can imagine it,
I can cook it.
- [email protected]
- Miami, FL