Fuegos began not as a concept, but as an idea rooted in heritage, curiosity, and a love for cooking that I owe to my grandfather. He wasn’t just a chef; he was a craftsman, working as a cook for the sugar mills in Cuba during the 1940s and 1950s. His food was unforgettable, and at the age of 12, I found myself captivated by his skill, precision, and the way he transformed simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
Growing up vegetarian in a culture where backyard fire pits and open-field cooking were part of daily life, I didn’t share in the eating of goat or pork that were so often prepared. But I was drawn to the process—the art of marinating, the preparation, and the transformation that happened over the fire. It wasn’t just about making food; it was about preserving knowledge and keeping traditions alive. Those moments felt like a blessing, something bigger than just cooking.
Rooted in Tradition
In Cuban culture, food is never just food. It’s history, ingenuity, and a way of staying connected to our roots. Digging pits in the backyard or preparing meals over open flames wasn’t just practical—it was a way of passing down traditions that stretched back generations. I watched as neighbors, family, and friends came together to cook and share. This process wasn’t just about feeding people; it was about storytelling, craftsmanship, and keeping the past alive for future generations.
Fuegos takes those early inspirations and combines them with techniques from around the world. Whether it’s using banana leaves or even bamboo as a cooking vessel, or incorporating Indigenous and African culinary methods, Fuegos is about honoring the craft of cooking in its purest form.
What Fuegos Stands For
At its heart, Fuegos is about fire—not just as a cooking method, but as a symbol of transformation and connection. Fire demands respect. It’s raw, powerful, and unyielding, yet it has the ability to create something deeply nourishing. Fuegos uses that fire to prepare food in ways that reflect a respect for the earth and the knowledge passed down through generations.
The dishes we create tell stories through techniques like cooking inside bamboo, using coconuts as both ingredient and vessel, or slow-cooking meals that allow flavors to deepen. Every element is intentional, every step taken with care.
Through Fuegos, I’ve been able to celebrate plant-based cuisine while staying true to the cultural techniques that first inspired me. It’s not just about the flavors; it’s about the experience of cooking, sharing, and coming together in a way that feels both timeless and universal.
The Fire That Connects Us
The fire is the unchanging element that ties every Fuegos experience together. Cooking over open flames demands patience and focus—it strips away the excess and requires you to engage fully with the process. There’s no rush, no shortcuts. Instead, the fire transforms simple ingredients into something memorable, something worth sharing.
For me, that’s what Fuegos is about. It’s a celebration of food and the people who make it, of techniques that have been refined over centuries, and of the connections that form when we gather around a fire to share a meal.
A Growing Flame
As Fuegos evolves, it remains deeply connected to the traditions that shaped me. But it also grows with every dinner, retreat, and gathering. Each event is an opportunity to learn, to create, and to honor the incredible diversity of techniques and ingredients the world has to offer.
This journal will be a space to share those experiences—how dishes come together, the stories behind the techniques, and the people who make it all possible. Whether you’re a farmer, a fellow chef, or someone joining us for a meal, Fuegos is about all of us and the shared experience of coming together through food.
Thank you for being part of this journey. The fire is only getting brighter.
– Chef Fuegos