A passionate devotee of indigenous ingredients and classic Mexican recipes, Chef Mario Hernandez injects his dishes with culture, love, and flavor, finished with a casually elegant New York touch.

Hernandez began his cooking education in his grandmother’s kitchen in Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico. Fascinated by every spice and element of the preparation, he brought this dedication to the unique flavors of Latin food with him when he immigrated to New York City with his father at 16. After starting as a dishwasher, Chef Mario began assisting prep cooks, working in every station of the kitchen while climbing the ladder to sous chef in 5 short years. His training deepened while cooking side by side with chefs like and Ahktar Nawab, among others..

As Executive Chef of Ofrenda Cocina Mexicana, Chef Mario was thrilled to have found an ideal place to combine his refined technique and ardor for ingredient-driven, regionally-specific Latin food and make it accessible to everyone. With his menu, Chef Mario introduced Ofrenda’s guests to traditional foods that many have not tried outside of their origin, using ingredients he brought back from his annual trips to small towns in Mexico and South America.

In May 2014, Chef Mario and Ofrenda partner Jorge Guzman launched their creative collaboration The Black Ant in NYC’s East Village, offering Contemporary Mexican cuisine, or Cocina de Autor (original recipes). Here, traditional Mexican ingredients of the insect variety—ants, chapulines and more, imported from Mexico—are artfully integrated into a menu one might find in today’s Mexico City: modern, and original.

In early 2015, Mario and Jorge, under the banner of Jorge Guzman Hospitality Group, will return to the West Village to open Gardenia on Downing Street. Here, Chef Mario displays his skill outside the boundaries of Mexico with a Mediterranean/Latin menu, lighter and with delicate presentations, in keeping with the restaurant’s theme. Here, and at the other kitchens over which he presides, Chef Mario Hernandez expands diners’ experiences with Latin cooking.

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A passionate devotee of indigenous ingredients and classic Mexican recipes, Chef Mario Hernandez injects his dishes with culture,
love, and flavor, finished with a casually elegant NYC touch.

Hernandez began his cooking education in his grandmother’s kitchen in Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico. He was fascinated by every spice and
element of food preparation and was determined to master it all. He immigrated to New York City with his father at 16, where he began his culinary career, starting as a dishwasher and eventually working his way into the Executive Chef role.

Chef Mario brings decades of expertise in all different styles of food- you’ll feel his Mexican roots alongside his extensive training in Spanish and Asian cuisine. Chef Mario has an impressive roster of restaurants under his belt- notable names such as Black Ant, Ofrenda Cocina Mexicana and Gardenia all thrived under his expert palette. Nowadays, he is the Executive Chef and Partner in Mana Hospitality Group, which has four locations, Chela Park Slope, Chela Tribeca, Bar Crudo and 390 Social.

Chef Mario is a veteran of the NYCFWF, and owns the bragging rights of winning celebrity Chopped against David Burke.

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