Luis Vasquez
Luis Vasquez began his culinary training at a very young age in Caracas, Venezuela where some of his fondest memories are trying new recipes with his father for Sunday supper and decorating cakes with his mother for their family celebrations. Right after finishing high school, his family encouraged him to join his love for art- painting and sculpting- with his passion for food and pursuit a career as a professional chef.
After finishing his culinary studies at the New England Culinary institute, in Montpelier, VT- Luis found his true calling in pastry where both of his passions merged into one. At this moment he decided to specialize in baking and pastry arts. Eager to explore the culinary world he moved to Atlanta, GA where he started his career as an assistant pastry chef for Roy Yamaguchi, in less than a year he was offered his first executive pastry chef position.
After stablishing himself in the Atlanta food scene, working in many local events, and donating his time to charity organizations, Luis landed in Bacchanalia-Atlanta’s most celebrated restaurant-Working hand in hand with Chef Anne Quatrano where he quickly moved to Executive pastry chef of Start Provisions, Quinones Room & Abbatoir Restaurant. Working along his mentor helped him expand not only as a professional but to develop his respect and love for fresh, seasonal ingredients. “Being at work and seeing Anne arrive at the restaurant from her farm with fresh eggs and fresh fruits from her neighbor’s farms and ask you to create a dessert with this ingredients for dinner service…-it can’t get more inspiring than that”.
After five years Luis’ decided to make a career move when offered a position as Executive Pastry Chef of the Versace mansion in Miami Beach, FL with famed restauranteur and event designer Barton G Weiss. In less than six months Luis took the lead at Barton G’s corporate kitchen when offered the Corporate Executive Pastry Chef position overseeing four restaurants in Miami, opening one in Beverly Hills, CA as well as their nationwide catering & Event production. The years to come Luis created some of the most unique and outrageous desserts, cakes and event concepts featured in countless magazines, websites and TV shows such as- LA Times, Town & Country Magazine, LA Weekly, NBC6 Florida, E online, Wall Street Journal-Weddings Magazine, Art Culinaire Magazine-Periodical-, Great Chefs Cook Vegan-Cook Book-Along legendary chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Charlie Trotter, Jose Andres, Thomas Keller & Todd English as well as The Big Dish by Barton G -Cook Book-
Luis’ desserts have also been featured in legendary events such as Share our Strength-Atlanta No Kid hungry, Destination Fashion-Benefiting the Buoniconti Foundation, Sunday Supper South-James Beard Foundation Dinners-Atlanta, South Beach Wine & Food Festival, StarChefs International Chef Congress NYC, James Beard House NYC Feature Dinner along Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford, among many others.
In 2014 Luis Vasquez joined the Pre-opening team of the Miami Beach EDITION where he currently leads the pastry programs for the Hotel, The Matador Room, Market & Tropicale; restaurants by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Basement Club as well as their banquet operations.
