Luis Jimenez

Born in Mexico City but raised in Chicago, Chef Luis Jimenez began cooking at 10 years old, making dinner for his two younger brothers while his parents were at work. Inspired by early mornings watching cooking shows, he initially pursued architecture at Harold Washington College while fostering his passion for the culinary arts working in the kitchen at a Japanese restaurant on campus.

Realizing he could make this a profession, he dropped out of architecture school and started staging at various restaurants in Chicago, including Douglas Rodriguez’s restaurant, De La Costa and Chicago’s Fairmont Hotel. The hotel group ultimately offered him a Sous Chef position at their new Fairmont Hotel property in Pittsburgh, where he worked for the next three years.

In 2014, Luis relocated to New York City, joining Stephen Starr’s just-opened El Vez restaurant as Sous Chef before becoming Executive Chef at Hecho en Dumbo on The Bowery. In 2018, he returned to El Vez as Chef de Cuisine and was soon promoted to Executive Chef, a position he holds today. At El Vez, Luis celebrates his Mexican heritage with vibrant seafood dishes, from whole fish and ceviches, as well as traditional sauces including salsas and moles. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the city’s diverse culinary scene.