Aarón Sánchez

Aarón Sánchez is a James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, Emmy-nominated television personality, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Internationally recognized as one of the leading voices in contemporary Mexican cuisine, Aarón has dedicated his career to celebrating Latino culture through food, media, and mentorship. He is the chef and owner of Johnny Sánchez in Louisiana, and chef/partner of Adobo Cantina, a concept developed in partnership with Sodexo with locations at several universities across the United States. He is also the founder of the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, a program of Emeril Lagasse Foundation that uplifts the lives of Latino youth through food, and serves as partner and creative director of COCINA Media, a platform dedicated to celebrating Latin food and culture. Aarón is the co-host of Food Network’s newest series, Restaurant Impossible: Last Call. He is host and executive producer of Talking Sabor, PepsiCo’s first original streaming series, which premiered on Hulu through a partnership with COCINA Media. He also hosts El Toque de Aarón on Discovery Familia and Hogar de HGTV. A longtime television personality, Aarón previously served as a judge on FOX’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, was a longtime judge on Food Network’s Chopped, and hosted the Emmy-nominated Cooking Channel series Taco Trip. His Spanish-language television work includes 3 Minutos con Aarón, MOTOCHEFS, and El Sabor de Aarón. Throughout his career, Aarón has partnered with globally recognized brands creating innovative culinary experiences, digital content, and live events that authentically connect brands with multicultural audiences. A third-generation cookbook author, Aarón has written the acclaimed cookbooks La Comida del Barrio and Simple Food, Big Flavor, as well as the bestselling memoir Where I Come From: Life Lessons From a Latino Chef. He also co-hosts the podcast Cooking in Mexican from A to Z with his mother, acclaimed chef and restaurateur Zarela Martínez. Among his many accomplishments, Aarón is the recipient of a James Beard Award for Television Studio Program, has been honored with the Hispanic Federation’s Premio Orgullo Award, and has served as a guest chef at the White House. Beyond the culinary world, he is a partner in New York City’s legendary Daredevil Tattoo, one of the world’s most respected tattoo shops and museums.
A proud father to his son, Yuma, Aarón divides his time between homes in New Orleans, Louisiana, and California, where he continues to expand his culinary ventures, develop original media content, and champion the next generation of Latino culinary talent.