Aaron Sanchez — American Chef born on February 12, 1976,

Aarón Sánchez is a chef and television personality. He is the executive chef and part-owner of the restaurant Paloma in Stamford, Connecticut, the restaurant Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the (now closed) Mexican restaurant Mestizo in Leawood, Kansas. He has appeared on Iron Chef America, and is one of the few chefs whose battles have ended in a draw, tying with Masaharu Morimoto in "Battle Black Bass" in Season 2. He was a contestant on The Next Iron Chef, eliminated in the sixth test, "Creativity Under Pressure". He was co-host on the show Heat Seekers with Roger Mooking, and is a recurring guest judge on the show Chopped on Food Network. He has also been featured on Chefs vs. City with Chris Cosentino... (wikipedia)

Instead of going out, I'm trying to encourage people to have a memorable experience in their own home. We call it 'Delicioso Night In.' I invite the people I care about the most. Then, when I get a lot of people together, I like to have finger foods.
My mother and my grandmother are pioneers of Mexican cuisine in this country, so I grew up in the kitchen. My mom, Zarela Martinez, was by far my biggest influence and inspiration - and toughest critic.
I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.
Marcus Samuelsson is a chef who inspires me everyday. He has such a deep understanding of flavors and techniques. His food is representative of the diverse world that we live in. What he has done in Harlem with Red Rooster is very special. Marcus is not just a chef, he's a food activist.
When I was a teenager, I worked in New Orleans for a chef named Paul Prudhomme. That was a very important time in my life as a chef. I developed my palate and learned a lot. And here I am now. I specialize in modern Mexican and contemporary Latin cuisines.