Celebrated Chef and culinary artist Carmen Gonzalez has spiced up the kitchen and graced the dining room for more than 25 years. The Puerto Rican native has brought her creative flair and intense passion for cooking to her restaurants, culinary alliances, television appearances and into print. Chef Carmen’s unique blend of modern American cuisine with Puerto Rican influences has garnered national recognition while also giving her a platform to support a variety of culinary and non-culinary charitable organizations across the country.
Last year, Chef Carmen was seen on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters season 2 where she ascended to the championship round and raised $10,000 for her charity, ASPCA. Chef Carmen competed with 21 renowned world-class chefs in weekly challenges - the series premiered on April 7, 2010. As a result of her success on the show, Chef Carmen was invited by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Levy Restaurants to be part of the 2010 US Open Tennis Championships and its new South Plaza Master Chef Café. The new food concept allowed Chef Carmen and five fellow celebrity master chefs from Top Chef Masters to feature signature dishes exclusively created for the discerning fans of the prestigious tennis event. Chef Carmen presented her feature dish, a BACARDI Rum inspired barbecue pulled pork sandwich with mango slaw, to much fanfare.
With the recent success at the US Open and the enthusiastic response from fans for Chef Carmen’s creations, Levy Restaurants extended another exclusive invitation to Chef Carmen for a special presence at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Chef Carmen premiered a signature concession cart featuring her celebrated pulled pork sandwich, in addition to other select dishes.
The new year already brings several new and exciting announcements. Chef Carmen has been selected to join the newly-formed Nutrisystem Culinary Council. The Council, comprised of several of the country’s most noted chefs and restaurateurs, is dedicated to increasing the Nutrisystem menu offerings, creating new recipes and elevating the taste of the brand’s existing entrees. Chef Carmen will bring her bold style to developing innovative cuisine that promotes healthier eating; the new product line launches in 2012.
