Meet the finalists of the 57th Prix International ArsNova de Cuisine d’Auteur before the final on February 4, 2025. Today, Carla Garcia Mata, representing the United States
Born in Mexico, Carla Garcia traveled extensively to pursue her passion for cooking. After graduating from culinary school, she found externships in France and Spain, worked in Abu Dhabi at a Japanese restaurant, and then moved to New York to become a line cook at Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s JoJo.
After a year, she transitioned to the flagship Jean-Georges restaurant and Nougatine, where she was first a sous chef and then promoted to executive sous chef.
What she’s learned: that any ingredient can be the star of a beautiful and delicious dish, that balance is key to making it shine in fine dining, and that it’s important to share your culinary heritage, even when you’re far from home.
