Carmen Gonzalez is a Puerto Rican native who has brought her creative flair and intense passion for cooking to her restaurants, television appearances and into print. Chef Carmen’s unique blend of modern American cuisine with Puerto Rican influences has garnered national recognition and awards, and she has used her recognition to support a variety of food-related charitable causes.
Upon graduating from the New York Restaurant School, Chef Carmen honed her skills at the fabled Quilted Giraffe. In 1990, she opened the acclaimed restaurant Clowns in Coral Gables, Florida. Loyal foodies followed her career and her cooking from The Miami Club to Tamarind at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. During her reign at Tamarind, the Miami Herald stated, “It’s been a long time since a restaurant struck with such stimulating yet thought-out dining. Credit belongs to star Chef Carmen Gonzalez”.
Chef Carmen was sole proprietor of Carmen the Restaurant, which she opened in March 2003. The restaurant received outstanding notices from esteemed food critics and colleagues alike. John Mariani of Esquire magazine named Carmen the Restaurant “One of the Best New Restaurants in America,” the only restaurant in Florida that year to make the celebrated list. Mariani’s praise continued in SKY magazine, March 2005, “You dunk a fritter into hot chocolate, take a sip of coffee and then ask Carmen to marry you”.
